About Book

Energy is an essential aspect of everyday life. Energy can be produced from renewable as well as non-renewable sources of Energy. The energy produced from non-renewable sources such as coal and petroleum produce pollution which adversely impacts our environment. All energy sources have some impact on our environment. Fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas—do substantially more harm than renewable energy sources by most measures, including air and water pollution, damage to public health, wildlife and habitat loss, water use, land use, and global warming emissions. However, renewable sources such as wind, solar, geothermal, biomass, and hydropower also have environmental impacts, some of which are significant. The exact type and intensity of environmental impacts varies depending on the specific technology used, the geographic location, and a number of other factors. The book discusses a variety of topics related to energy efficiency, usage and environment. The various studies that are constantly contributing towards advancing technologies and evolution of this field are examined in detail. It focuses on saving energy, environmental remediation, efficient energy usage, solar energy conversion, environment recycling— energy, energy harvesting, triboelectric nanogenerators and thermal energy storage. This book includes some of the vital pieces work being conducted across the world, on various topics related to energy efficiency. It will prove to be immensely beneficial to students and researchers in this field.

Preface............................................................................................................v

Chapter 1 Solar Thermal Energy Storage Using Paraffins as Phase Change Materials for Air Conditioning in the Built Environment...............1

Abstract...................................................................................................1

1. Introduction............................................................................................2

2. Overview of thermal energy storage using paraffin-based PCMs

in buildings............................................................................................3

3. Case study I: solar-assisted heating system with integrated

paraffin-based PCMs............................................................................9

4. Case study II: solar-assisted cooling system with integrated

paraffin-based PCMs..........................................................................12

5. Conclusions..........................................................................................15

Chapter 2 Small-Scale Energy Harvesting from Environment by Triboelectric Nanogenerators..........................................................................................21

Abstract.................................................................................................21

1. Introduction..........................................................................................22

2. Fundamental working modes of the TENG..................................23

3. TENGs as small-scale power source...............................................25

4. Conclusions..........................................................................................49

Acknowledgements.............................................................................50

Conflict of interest..............................................................................50

Chapter 3 Development of New Nanostructured Electrodes for Electrochemical Conversion: Energy and Fuels from the Environment....................63

Abstract ................................................................................................63

1. Introduction..........................................................................................64

2. Electrochemical energy conversion..................................................65

3. Carbon-based nanofibers by electro-spinning...............................66

4. Carbon nanofibers morphology and composition........................76

5. Application of carbon nanofibers for energy conversion...........78

6. Summary...............................................................................................84

Chapter 4 Self-Oscillatory DC-DC Converter Circuits for Energy Harvesting in

Extreme Environments.............................................................................91

Abstract.................................................................................................91

1. Introduction..........................................................................................92

2. Power sources and energy options for wireless sensor nodes..94

3. Theory behind the self-starting DC-DC converter.......................97

4. The self-starting DC-DC converter................................................101

5. Conclusions........................................................................................108

Chapter 5 About the Concept of the Environment Recycling— Energy (ERE)

in the Romanian Steel Industry..........................................................113

Abstract...............................................................................................113

1. Introduction........................................................................................113

2. The correlations of MPT-ERE-ECO-REC-REV...............................116

3. The Classification and Characterization of the Ecometallurgic

Systems (ES).......................................................................................118

4. About the ecological balance..........................................................119

5. The principles for the environmental legislation applicable to

ensure ecological balance................................................................120

6. Analysis of ecological electric arc furnace (EAF).......................121

7. Pollution prevention through afterburner...................................129

8. Conclusion .........................................................................................132

Chapter 6 Indium-Containing Visible-Light-Driven (VLD) Photocatalysts for

Solar Energy Conversion and Environment Remediation............136

Abstract...............................................................................................136

1. Introduction........................................................................................137

2. Indium-containing oxides................................................................139

3. Indium-containing sulfide...............................................................144

4. Indium-containing hydroxides.......................................................150

5. Conclusion and prospective............................................................151

Acknowledgements...........................................................................152

Chapter 7 Effects of Voltage Quality on Induction Motors’ Efficient Energy

Usage..........................................................................................................162

1. Introduction........................................................................................162

2. Effect of voltage magnitude on motor power losses and motor

reactive loads ....................................................................................163

3. Motor voltage asymmetry and its influence on inefficient energy

usage ...................................................................................... 170

4. Influence of motor non-sinusoidal voltage on efficient energy

usage .................................................................................................183

5. Summary.............................................................................................192

Chapter 8 Potential Applications for Solar Photocatalysis: From Environmental

Remediation to Energy Conversion...................................................198

1. Introduction........................................................................................198

2. Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP).........................................199

3. Obtention of gaseous hydrogen for energy production...........219

4. Solar cells............................................................................................225

5. Organic synthesis mediated by heterogeneous

photocatalysis.....................................................................................228

6. Conclusion..........................................................................................228

Chapter 9 Modern Transitions in Saving Energy and the Environment.....251

1. Introduction........................................................................................251

2. Nature of the decline of fossil fuel ..............................................251

3. Renewable energy ............................................................................255

4. The transportation sector ...............................................................256

5. Saving energy programs ................................................................258

6. Consumer behavior .........................................................................261

7. Barriers to energy conservation ....................................................263

8. Larger automobiles ..........................................................................265

9. Urban sprawl ....................................................................................266

10. Increasing density of forests ........................................................268

11. Declining marine life ......................................................................272

12. Rising ocean levels ..........................................................................274

13. Conclusion .........................................................................................275

Citation......................................................................................................279

Index...........................................................................................................281

About Author

Adam Yaqub pursued his Ph.D. in Power Engineering and Sustainable Energy from Technical University, Rijeka. His interest areas of academic research include energy conservation and sustainable energy harvesting, super capacitators and photovoltaics. He is a Visiting Professor as well as an Energy Consultant at Public University, Gomel. He has written several technical papers on energy harvesting for which he won the "Distinguished Scholar Award". Yaqub has been an eminent speaker in seminars across Europe, America and Asia. His thorough efforts towards addressing environmental issues have been recognized and appreciated globally.