2024-03-29T17:50:03Z
https://www.eeer.ir/?_action=export&rf=summon&issue=13777
Environmental Energy and Economic Research
2538-4988
2538-4988
2020
4
1
Green Productivity in Iran's Thermal Power Plants: The Malmquist-Luenberger Approach
Razieh
Raeesi
Ebrahim
Ghasemi Varnamkhasti
Seyed Nasser
Saeidi
Mohammad Amin
Kouhbor
Electricity generation in thermal power plants as the largest producer of electricity in Iran is associated with greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, using the Malmquist-Luenberger method, green productivity, and efficiency changes are measured for 31 thermal power plants (including 12 steam power plants, 13 gas power plants, and six combined cycle power plants) during 2009-2016. The results show a slight increase in green productivity in gas power plants and a slight reduction in green productivity in combined cycle power plants. Also, green productivity in steam power plants has not changed approximately. The mean values of the Malmquist-Luenberger index for these three types of power plants are 1.007, 0.997, and 1.0005, respectively. Although the environmental performance of gas power plants is slightly better than the two other types of power plants, but the difference of mean values of the Malmquist-Luenberger index for the three types of power plants is small.Furthermore, if we compare the power plants individually, we get different results, the highest and lowest mean values of the Malmquist-Luenberger index (1.06 and 0.982) is for a steam power plant (Shahid Mofateh) and a gas power plant (Konarak) respectively. Therefore, the power generation method and type of power plant (gas, steam and combined cycle) have no significant effect on the environmental performance of power plants and the environmental performance of them can be affected by other factors. The results also show that combined cycle power plants are more efficient than gas power plants.
Efficiency
Green Productivity
Thermal power plants
Malmquist-Luenberger Method
2020
02
01
1
13
https://www.eeer.ir/article_101347_d290e8583e637012d3130e07fc95707d.pdf
Environmental Energy and Economic Research
2538-4988
2538-4988
2020
4
1
Comparative Energy and Exergy Analysis for the Utilization of Alternative Fuels in the Cement Kiln
Abdollah
Mehrpanahi
Mohammad Reza
Aligoodarz
Morteza
Zandieh
The cement industry is one of the most energy and carbon-intensive industries. The energy and carbon reduction is an important issue in this industry. The present work considers the use of alternative fuels in the cement kilns. The amounts of excess air, the location of fuel and air entrance, as well as the amount of produced gas stacks, are the main design and operational variables in the kilns. Comparative assessments of alternative fuels are performed by the mass, energy, and exergy analysis of different regions in the kilns. The obtained results show that using alternative fuels reduces the amounts of excess air and the exit temperature becomes closer to the ambient temperature. The alternative fuels demonstrate lower energy and exergy loss inside the cement kiln by supplying the required energy for the clinker production. Their utilization in the current kiln reduces CO2 emissions. The results of the present work may be used for the optimal design and operation of cement kilns. This work provides an in-depth analysis of the material efficiency, main energy losses and the exergy destruction of the process.
Energy
Exergy efficiency
cement industry
CO2 Emissions
exergy destruction
2020
02
01
15
26
https://www.eeer.ir/article_101348_4b405ad8ab5a006e452f7c21f2514adf.pdf
Environmental Energy and Economic Research
2538-4988
2538-4988
2020
4
1
Investigating the Factors Affecting Energy Intensity in Iran with an Emphasis on the Information and Communications Technology Index
Maryam
Ashouri
Hojat
Parsa
Ebrahim
Heidari
The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze factors affecting the energy intensity in provinces of Iran with emphasis on information and communications technology (ICT) index, during the period from 2010-2015. Weighted Average Least Square (WALS) method and information criteria have been applied to select the model; so that, based on WALS method, six variables among various effective factors on energy intensity according to theoretical background and empirical studies have been chosen, and then based on information criteria, a Bayesian panel model was determined in order to evaluate the effect of each factor on energy intensity. Results from Monte Carlo simulation with Markov chains have indicated that among information and communications technology sub-indices, access to ICT equipment sub-index, reduces energy intensity, but, skill sub-index (the average years of schooling and enrollment rate in high school and university) has a positive effect on energy intensity. Per capita income and energy price have negative effects on energy intensity, and the share of industry sector in production and inventory of vehicles leads to an increase in energy intensity.
energy intensity
Information and communications technology
Weighted Average Least Square
Monte-Carlo Stimulation
Provinces of Iran
2020
02
01
27
41
https://www.eeer.ir/article_101351_eb9eb83a1c68a0331da31d0f4f7f1e80.pdf
Environmental Energy and Economic Research
2538-4988
2538-4988
2020
4
1
Application of Delphi Method and Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process in Modeling Environmental Performance Assessment in Urban Medical Centers
Nazak
Shahbod
Mansour
Bayat
Nabiollah
Mansouri
Jafar
Nouri
Jamal
Ghodousi
Medical centers (that is, hospitals and clinics) in metropolitan areas produce substantial amounts of hazardous waste in both solid and liquid (wastewater) forms. Unless medical centers manage their waste with appropriate care, the significant hazards posed to urban residents and areas far outweigh the benefits of their services. Therefore, comprehensive environmental management programs need to be developed in order to minimize the associated impacts and improve environmental performance. In addition to identifying the environmental consequences, developing a comprehensive performance assessment program requires a deep understanding of the factors involved and their corresponding shares. Thus, the aim of this paper is to model environmental performance assessment in urban medical centers. Firstly, relevant criteria, sub-criteria and indicators were identified using the Delphi method. Next, Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was applied to rank the factors and a balanced scoring was established to model the environmental performance assessment in medical centers. The adequate consistency index confirms Fuzzy AHP accuracy and consequently, the scores. The model was applied in Sarem Specialized Hospital in Tehran, Iran. The results indicate that the hospital has good environmental performance. The results show that the waste disinfection indicator, was rated the highest and most important index with a score of 84.The other indicators were ranked in terms of treated sewage and source separation of waste and application of mechanisms to control water consumption respectively with scores of 38, 26.5 and 25.
Delphi method
Environmental Management Performance
Urban Health Centers
2020
02
01
43
56
https://www.eeer.ir/article_101352_a826a2eb4ac3353d0ec9cbc8b3be3dc0.pdf
Environmental Energy and Economic Research
2538-4988
2538-4988
2020
4
1
Different Pathways to Integrate Anaerobic Digestion and Thermochemical Processes: Moving Toward the Circular Economy Concept
Masood
Rezaee
Saeed
Gitipour
Mohammad-Hossein
Sarrafzadeh
As one of the most environmentally friendly and cost-effective method, anaerobic digestion (AD) has been widely studied and developed as a conventional technology to degrade biodegradable materials and produce biogas simultaneously. Various substrate sources are used in this process such as organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW), waste activated sludge (WAS), animal manures, agro-industrial wastes, energy crops, micro- and macro-algae and etc. With the aim of process optimization, several publications have recently studied different configurations to integrate AD and thermochemical processes such as pyrolysis and gasification. These linking technologies seeks to optimize the use of products or by-products of thermochemical processes interchangeably. In this regard, this paper aims to review different potential pathways of feasible integration and coupling. Five hybrid pathways including biochar-amended anaerobic digestion, digestate-derived biochar and hydrochar, anaerobic digestion of aqueous phase liquid derived from pyrolysis and gasification of digestate were reviewed and their schematic diagram were presented. Despite several studies to combine AD with thermochemical valorization processes, further studies at the industrial scale are needed to prove the energy efficiency and economic viability of these coupling pathways.
anaerobic digestion
Circular Economy
gasification
Hydrothermal carbonization
Pyrolysis
2020
02
01
57
67
https://www.eeer.ir/article_101353_c53b146905614d09fea7a1dd433c1eb5.pdf
Environmental Energy and Economic Research
2538-4988
2538-4988
2020
4
1
An Environmental Friendly Process for Extraction of Active Constituents from Herbal Plants
Asghar
Alizadehdakhel
Abooali
Golzary
Conventional methods for extraction of the active constituents from herbal plants, in addition to their high processing costs, are harmful to the environment owing to their time and energy consumption, uncontrollable parameters, use of toxic and dangerous solvents, loss of the extract, thermal instability, the contamination of the product with organic solvents and the loss of water-soluble compounds, and venting Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC). The use of supercritical fluids, especially supercritical carbon dioxide, is the most suitable option for extracting active constituents from the herbal plants. In this study, Due to the abundance of "Urtica dioica" (nettle) and "Sambucus ebulus" (elderberry) in Guilan province and the presence of valuable substances in them, the active constituents of these two plants and their application, the method of planting and extracting their valuable substances have been studied. Various methods were applied to extract active constituents from these two plants. Supercritical CO2 is an attractive alternative process for traditional solvent extraction CO2 was used in a process, and then recovered to use again. There have been an increasing number of commercialized production plants utilizing supercritical fluids extraction process. This article summarized and presented this environmentally friendly process for the extraction of active constituents from herbal plants to replace traditional techniques to reduce the environmental impact of the extraction process.
herbal plants
supercritical fluid extraction
Environmentally friendly
active constituents
2020
02
01
69
81
https://www.eeer.ir/article_101355_861c50fa232a5bfec3216ecb9db82fff.pdf