This indispensable handbook provides comprehensive coverage of the current state-of-the-art in inorganic, organic, and composite aerogels – from synthesis and characterization to cutting-edge applications and their potential market impact. Built upon Springer’s successful Aerogels Handbook published in 2011, this handbook features extensive revisions and timely updates, reflecting the changes in this fast-growing field.  Aerogels are the lightest solids known to man. Up to 1000 times lighter than glass and with a density only four times that of air, they possess extraordinarily high thermal, electrical, and acoustic insulation properties, and boast numerous entries in Guinness World Records. Originally based on silica, R&D efforts have extended this class of materials to incorporate non-silicate inorganic oxides, natural and synthetic organic polymers, carbon, metal, and ceramic materials. Composite systems involving polymer-crosslinked aerogels and interpenetrating hybrid networks have been developed and exhibit remarkable mechanical strength and flexibility. Even more exotic aerogels based on clays, chalcogenides, phosphides, quantum dots, and biopolymers such as chitosan are opening new applications for the construction, transportation, energy, defense and healthcare industries. Applications in electronics, chemistry, mechanics, engineering, energy production and storage, sensors, medicine, nanotechnology, military and aerospace, oil and gas recovery, thermal insulation, and household uses are being developed. Readers of this fully updated and expanded edition will find an exhaustive source for all aerogel materials known today, their fabrication, upscaling aspects, physical and chemical properties, and the most recent advances towards applications and commercial use. This key reference is essential reading for a combined audience of graduate students, academic researchers, and industry professionals.

The electrochemical storage of energy has become essential in assisting the development of electrical transport and use of renewable energies. French researchers have played a key role in this domain but Asia is currently the market leader. Not wanting to see history repeat itself, France created the research network on electrochemical energy storage (RS2E) in 2011. This book discusses the launch of RS2E, its stakeholders, objectives, and integrated structure that assures a continuum between basic research, technological research and industries. Here, the authors will cover the technological advances as well as the challenges that must still be resolved in the field of electrochemical storage, taking into account sustainable development and the limited time available to us.

Clean energy technologies are poised to play an important role in overcoming fossil fuel exhaustion and global pollution. Among these technologies, electrochemical energy storage and conversion are considered to be the most feasible, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are prime examples of electrochemical energy conversion technologies in action. Believed to be ideal sources of clean power, PEM fuel cells are replacing internal combustion and diesel engines in vehicles, as well as Pb-acid batteries and diesel generators in the emergency backup of telecommunications base stations and computer centers. Written by an industry-leading scientist, Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells explains the theoretical foundations of PEM fuel cells in relation to practical design and operation to not only help beginners grasp the essentials, but also guide industry professionals in tackling technical challenges. Useful to scientists, researchers, students, academics, and practicing engineers, the book covers the fundamentals, materials, components, modules, system architecture, applications, and current developmental status; offers real-world examples; and provides insight into advancing this sustainable clean technology.

Boasting chapters written by leading international experts, Nanostructured and Advanced Materials for Fuel Cells provides an overview of the progress that has been made so far in the material and catalyst development for fuel cells. The book covers the most recent developments detailing all aspects of synthesis, characterization, and performance. It offers an overview on the principles, classifications, and types of fuels used in fuel cells, and discusses the critical properties, design, and advances made in various sealing materials. It provides an extensive review on the design, configuration, fabrication, modeling, materials, and stack performance of -SOFC technology, and addresses the advancement and challenges in the synthesis, characterization, and fundamental understanding of the catalytic activity of nitrogen-carbon, carbon, and noncarbon-based electro catalysts for PEM fuel cells. The authors explore the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique, summarize the advancements in the fundamental understanding of the most successful Nafion membranes, and focus on the development of alternative and composite membranes for direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs). They also review current challenges and consider future development in the industry. Includes 17 chapters, 262 figures, and close to 2000 references Provides an extensive review of the carbon, nitrogen-carbon, and noncarbon-based electro catalysts for fuel cells Presents an update on the latest materials development in conventional fuel cells and emerging fuel cells This text is a single-source reference on the latest advances in the nano-structured materials and electro catalysts for fuel cells, the most efficient and emerging energy conversion technologies for the twenty-first century. It serves as a valuable resource for students, materials engineers, and researchers interested in fuel cell technology.

This book covers power electronics, in depth, by presenting the basic principles and application details, which can be used both as a textbook and reference book.

- Introduces a new method to present power electronics converters called Power Blocks Geometry (PBG)- Applicable for courses focusing on power electronics, power electronics converters, and advanced power converters- Offers a comprehensive set of simulation results to help understand the circuits presented throughout the book

Globally, lithium ion batteries (LIBs) are leaders in the energy storage sector but there are concerns regarding load leveling of renewable energy sources as well as smart grids and limited availability of lithium resources resulting in cost increase. Therefore, sodium ion batteries (SIBs) are being researched as next-generation alternatives to LIBs due to their similar sustainability and electrochemistry. This book mainly focuses on the current research on electrode materials and proposes future directions for SIBs to meet the current challenges associated with the full cell aspect. Further, it provide insights into scientific and practical issues in the development of SIBs.

While PEM fuel cells are highly efficient, environmentally friendly sources of power, their durability hinders the commercialization of this technology. With contributions from international scientists active in PEM fuel cell research, PEM Fuel Cell Durability Handbook, Two-Volume Set provides a comprehensive source of state-of-the-art research in the field. The handbook looks at how to overcome the technical challenges of PEM fuel cell technology and drive the technology toward increased commercialization.

The two volumes in the set cover numerous durability-related issues in the development of PEM fuel cells. The first volume analyzes failure modes that result in the insufficient durability of PEM fuel cells. Supplying a handy toolbox for practical work, the second volume brings together the different types of diagnostic tools currently used by PEM fuel cell researchers.

By providing an understanding of fuel cell performance, degradation, and failure modes, this two-volume handbook helps readers develop new materials and design novel fuel cells that mitigate their degradation.

A Detailed, Up-to-Date Treatment of Key Developments in PEMFC Materials
The potential to revolutionize the way we power our world

Because of its lower temperature and special polymer electrolyte membrane, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is well-suited for transportation, portable, and micro fuel cell applications. But the performance of these fuel cells critically depends on the materials used for the various cell components. Durability, water management, and reducing catalyst poisoning are important factors when selecting PEMFC materials.

Written by international PEMFC scientists and engineers from top-level organizations, Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Materials Properties and Performance provides a single resource of information for understanding how to select and develop materials for improved PEMFC performance. The book focuses on the major components of the fuel cell unit, along with design and modeling aspects. It covers catalysts and catalyst layers, before discussing the key components of membranes, diffusion layers, and bipolar plates. The book also explores materials modeling for the PEMFC.

This volume assesses the current status of PEMFC fuel cell technology, research and development directions, and the scientific and engineering challenges facing the fuel cell community. It demonstrates how the production of a commercially viable PEMFC requires a compromise of materials with adequate properties, design interaction, and manufacturability.

This book will provide the technical community with an overview of the development of new solutions and products that address key topics, including electric/hybrid vehicles, ultrafast battery charging, smart grids, renewable energy (e.g., solar and wind), peak shaving, and reduction of energy consumption. The needs for storage discussed are within the context of changes between the centralized power generation of today and the distributed utility of tomorrow, including the integration of renewable energy sources. Throughout the book, methods for quantitative and qualitative comparison of energy storage means are presented through their energy capacity as well as through their power capability for different applications. The definitions and symbols for energy density and power density are given and relate to the volume and weight of a given system or component. A relatively underdeveloped concept that is crucial to this text is known as the theory of Ragone plots. This theory makes possible the evaluation of the real amount of energy that can possibly release out of a given system, with respect to the level of power dependency chosen for the discharge process. From systems using electrochemical transformations, to classical battery energy storage elements and so-called flow batteries, to fuel cells and hydrogen storage, this book further investigates storage systems based on physical principles (e.g., gravitational potential forces, air compression, and rotational kinetic energy). This text also examines purely electrical systems such as superconductive magnets and capacitors. Another subject of analysis is the presentation of power electronic circuits and architectures that are needed for continuously controllable power flow to and from different storage means. For all systems described, the elementary principles of operation are given as well as the relationships for the quantified storage of energy. Finally, Energy Storage: Systems and Components contains multiple international case studies and a rich set of exercises that serve both students and practicing engineers.

This book contains papers presented in the 7th International Conference on Production, Energy and Reliability (ICPER 2020) under the banner of World Engineering, Science & Technology Congress (ESTCON2020) held from 14th to 16th July 2020 at Borneo Convention Centre, Kuching, Malaysia. The conference contains papers presented by academics and industrial practitioners showcasing their latest advancements and findings in mechanical engineering areas with an emphasis on sustainability and the Industrial Revolution 4.0. The papers are categorized under the following tracks and topics of research: IoT, Reliability and Simulation Advanced Materials, Corrosion and Autonomous Production Efficient Energy Systems and Thermofluids Production, Manufacturing and Automotive

Ultra-capacitors, used as short-term energy storage devices, are growing in popularity especially in the transportation and renewable energy sectors. This text provides an up-to-date and comprehensive analysis of ultra-capacitor theory, modeling and module design from an application perspective, focusing on the practical aspects of power conversion and ultra-capacitor integration with power electronics systems.

Key features: clearly explains the theoretical and practical aspects of ultra-capacitor, analysis, modelling and design describes different power conversion applications such as variable speed drives, renewable energy systems, traction, power quality, diesel electric hybrid applications provides detailed guidelines for the design and selection of ultra-capacitor modules and interface dc-dc convertersincludes end-of-chapter exercises and design examples

This is an essential reference for power electronics engineers and professionals wanting to expand their knowledge of advanced ultra-capacitor energy storage devices and their application in power conversion. It is also a valuable resource for industrial design engineers as well as academics and advanced students in power electronics who want to develop their understanding about this highly topical subject.

The only book available on fuel cell modeling and control with distributed power generation applications

The emerging fuel cell (FC) technology is growing rapidly in its applications from small-scale portable electronics to large-scale power generation. This book gives students, engineers, and scientists a solid understanding of the FC dynamic modeling and controller design to adapt FCs to particular applications in distributed power generation.

The book begins with a fascinating introduction to the subject, including a brief history of the U.S. electric utility formation and restructuring. Next, it provides coverage of power deregulation and distributed generation (DG), DG types, fuel cell DGs, and the hydrogen economy. Building on that foundation, it covers:

Principle operations of fuel cells

Dynamic modeling and simulation of PEM and solid-oxide fuel cells

Principle operations and modeling of electrolyzers

Power electronic interfacing circuits for fuel cell applications

Control of grid-connected and stand-alone fuel cell power generation systems

Hybrid fuel cell-based energy system case studies

Present challenges and the future of fuel cells

MATLAB/SIMULINK-based models and their applications are available via a companion Web site. Modeling and Control of Fuel Cells is an excellent reference book for students and professionals in electrical, chemical, and mechanical engineering and scientists working in the FC area.

The theory, design, construction, and operation of microbial fuel cells
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs), devices in which bacteria create electrical power by oxidizing simple compounds such as glucose or complex organic matter in wastewater, represent a new and promising approach for generating power. Not only do MFCs clean wastewater, but they also convert organics in these wastewaters into usable energy. Given the world's limited supply of fossil fuels and fossil fuels' impact on climate change, MFC technology's ability to create renewable, carbon-neutral energy has generated tremendous interest around the world.
This timely book is the first dedicated to MFCs. It not only serves as an introduction to the theory underlying the development and functioning of MFCs, it also serves as a manual for ongoing research. In addition, author Bruce Logan, a leading pioneer in MFC research and development, provides practical guidance for the effective design and operation of MFCs based on his own firsthand experience.
This reference covers everything you need to fully understand MFCs, including:
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Key topics such as voltage and power generation, MFC materials and architecture, mass transfer to bacteria and biofilms, bioreactor design, and fundamentals of electron transfer
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Applications across a wide variety of scales, from power generation in the laboratory to approaches for using MFCs for wastewater treatment
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The role of MFCs in the climate change debate
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Detailed illustrations of bacterial and electrochemical concepts
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Charts, graphs, and tables summarizing key design and operation variables
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Practice problems and step-by-step examples
Microbial Fuel Cells, with its easy-to-follow explanations, is recommended as both a textbook for students and professionals interested in entering the field and as a complete reference for more experienced practitioners.

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: From Fundamental Principles to Complete Systems is a valuable resource for beginners, experienced researchers, and developers of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). It provides a fundamental understanding of SOFCs by covering the present state-of-the-art as well as ongoing research and future challenges to be solved. It discusses current and future materials, and provides an overview of development activities with a more general system approach toward fuel cell plant technology, including plant design and economics, industrial data, and advances in technology. Provides an understanding of the operating principles of SOFCs Discusses state-of-the-art materials, technologies, and processes Includes a review of the current industry and lessons learned Offers a more general system approach toward fuel cell plant technology, including plant design and economics of SOFC manufacture Covers significant technical challenges that remain to be solved Presents the status of government activities, industry, and market This book is aimed at electrochemists, batteries and fuel cell engineers, alternative energy scientists, and professionals in materials science.

'This is a book primarily for engineers and materials scientists either researching or developing Li-ion energy storage batteries who want to understand some of the critical aspects of Li-ion battery technology and gain knowledge about the latest engineering designs and latest materials being used in Li-ion batteries. Good technical depth, many tables of data, and many illustrations combined with references at the end of each chapter for further in-depth study make this book worth reading to gain a quick understanding of the current state-of-the art in Li-ion battery technology and the fundamental issues and challenges facing Li-ion battery designers.'IEEE Electrical Insulation MagazineThis richly illustrated book written by Professor Kai Peter Birke and several co-authors addresses both scientific and engineering aspects of modern batteries in a unique way. Emphasizing the engineering part of batteries, the book acts as a compass towards next generation batteries for automotive and stationary applications. The book provides distinguished answers to still open questions on how future batteries look like.Modern Battery Engineering explains why and how batteries have to be designed for successful commercialization in e-mobility and stationary applications. The book will help readers understand the principle issues of battery designs, paving the way for engineers to avoid wrong paths and settle on appropriate cell technologies for next generation batteries. This book is ideal for training courses for readers interested in the field of modern batteries.

Energy and Fuel Systems Integration explains how growing energy and fuel demands, paired with the need for environmental preservation, require different sources of energy and fuel to cooperate and integrate with each other rather than simply compete. Providing numerous examples of energy and fuel systems integration success stories, this book: Discusses the use of different mixtures of fuels for combustion, gasification, liquefaction, pyrolysis, and anaerobic digestion processes Describes the use of hybrid nuclear and renewable energy systems for power and heat cogenerations with nonelectrical applications Details the holistic integration of renewable, nuclear, and fossil energy systems by gas, heat, and smart electrical grids Energy and Fuel Systems Integration emphasizes the many advantages of these integrated systems, including sustainability, flexibility for optimization and scale-up, and more efficient use of storage, transportation, and delivery infrastructures.

The handbook focuses on a complete outline of lithium-ion batteries. Just before starting with an exposition of the fundamentals of this system, the book gives a short explanation of the newest cell generation. The most important elements are described as negative / positive electrode materials, electrolytes, seals and separators. The battery disconnect unit and the battery management system are important parts of modern lithium-ion batteries. An economical, faultless and efficient battery production is a must today and is represented with one chapter in the handbook. Cross-cutting issues like electrical, chemical, functional safety are further topics. Last but not least standards and transportation themes are the final chapters of the handbook. The different topics of the handbook provide a good knowledge base not only for those working daily on electrochemical energy storage, but also to scientists, engineers and students concerned in modern battery systems.

ENERGY STORAGE Written and edited by a team of well-known and respected experts in the field, this new volume on energy storage presents the state-of-the-art developments and challenges in the field of renewable energy systems for sustainability and scalability for engineers, researchers, academicians, industry professionals, consultants, and designers. The world's energy landscape is very complex. Fossil fuels, especially because of hydraulic fracturing, are still a mainstay of global energy production, but renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar, and others, are increasing in importance for global energy sustainability. Experts and non-experts agree that the next game-changer in this area will be energy storage. Energy storage is crucial for continuous operation of power plants and can supplement basic power generation sources over a stand-alone system. It can enhance capacity and leads to greater security, including continuous electricity supply and other applications. A dependable energy storage system not only guarantees that the grid will not go down, but also increases efficacy and efficiency of any energy system. This groundbreaking new volume in this forward-thinking series addresses all of these issues, laying out the latest advances and addressing the most serious current concerns in energy storage. Whether for the veteran engineer or the student, this latest volume in the series, "Advances in Renewable Energy," is a must-have for any library. This outstanding new volume: Is practically oriented and provides new concepts and designs for energy storage systems, offering greater benefit to the researcher, student, and engineer Offers a comprehensive coverage of energy storage system design, which is also useful for engineers and other professionals who are working in the field of solar energy, biomass, polygeneration, cooling, and process heat Filled with workable examples and designs that are helpful for practical applications, also offers a thorough, novel case study on hybrid energy systems with storage Is useful as a textbook for researchers, students, and faculty for understanding new ideas in this rapidly emerging field

This book offers an essential overview of screen-printing. Routinely utilised to fabricate a range of useful electrochemical architectures, screen-printing is also used in a broad range of areas in both industry and academia. It supports the design of next-generation electrochemical sensing platforms, and allows proven laboratory-based approaches to be upscaled and commercially applied. To those skilled in the art, screen-printing allows novel and useful electrochemical architectures to be mass produced, offering fabrication processes that are cost-effective yet highly reproducible and yield significant electrical benefits. However, there is no readily available textbook that actually equips readers to set about the task of screen-printing, explaining its techniques and implementation. Addressing that gap, this book will be of interest to both academics and industrialists delving into screen-printing for the first time. It offers an essential resource for those readers who want learn to successfully design, fabricate and implement (and mass-produce) electrochemical based architectures, as well as those who already have a basic understanding of the process and want to advance their technical knowledge and skills.

Over the past decade, ZnO as an important II-VI semiconductor has attracted much attention within the scientific community over the world owing to its numerous unique and prosperous properties. This material, considered as a future material , especially in nanostructural format, has aroused many interesting research works due to its large range of applications in electronics, photonics, acoustics, energy and sensing. The bio-compatibility, piezoelectricity & low cost fabrication make ZnO nanostructure a very promising material for energy harvesting.

The book provides a systematic and profound account of scientific challenges in fuel cell research. The introductory chapters bring readers who have a scientific background, but who are not experts in electrochemical energy conversion, up to date on the urgency and implications of the global energy challenge, the prospects of electrochemical energy conversion technologies, and the thermodynamic and electrochemical principles underlying the operation of polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The book then presents the scientific challenges in fuel cell research as a systematic account of distinct components, length scales, physicochemical processes, and scientific disciplines.

The main part of the book focuses on theory and molecular modeling. Theoretical tools and approaches, applied to fuel cell research, are presented in a self-contained manner. Chapters are arranged by different fuel cell materials and components, and sections advance through the hierarchy of scales, starting from molecular-level processes in proton conducting media or electro catalytic systems and ending with performance issues at the device level, including electrochemical performance, water management, durability and analysis of failure mechanisms.

Throughout, the book gives numerous examples of formidable scientific challenges as well as of tools to facilitate materials design and development of diagnostic methods. It reveals reserves for performance improvements and uncovers misapprehensions in scientific understanding that have misled or may continue to mislead technological development. An indispensable resource for scientifically minded and practically oriented researchers, this book helps industry leaders to appreciate the contributions of fundamental research, and leaders of fundamental research to appreciate the needs of industry.

Large-scale battery packs are needed in hybrid and electric vehicles, utilities grid backup and storage, and frequency-regulation applications. In order to maximize battery-pack safety, longevity, and performance, it is important to understand how battery cells work. This first of its kind new resource focuses on developing a mathematical understanding of how electrochemical (battery) cells work, both internally and externally.This comprehensive resource derives physics-based micro-scale model equations, then continuum-scale model equations, and finally reduced-order model equations. This book describes the commonly used equivalent-circuit type battery model and develops equations for superior physics-based models of lithium-ion cells at different length scales.This book presents a breakthrough technology called the "discrete-time realization algorithm" that automatically converts physics-based models into high-fidelity approximate reduced-order models.

The residential sector consumes a vast amount of energy. This situation has resulted in an increased interest by the scientific community in the subject of energy saving. In the present work, the authors examine the characteristics of some newer systems and options for energy savings in residential buildings. Sources for optimally heating buildings, energy systems distribution, thermal energy storage systems, control systems among other improvements and operations, which may help to reduce energy consumption in the residential sector, are discussed. The possibilities of use of heat pumps in technical systems, passive solar heating and water heating in domestic hot-water systems are also outlined. Special attention is paid to the problem of energy storage in energy systems.

This comprehensive book focuses on the basic physical features and purpose of nanofluids and miniature heat sinks. The contents demonstrate the design modification, fabrication, experimental investigation, and various applications of miniature heat sinks. The book provides context for thermal performance of miniature heat sinks as well as summaries of experimental results correlations that reflect the current technical innovations are included. This book is a useful reference for both academia and industry alike.

This book reports thermodynamic investigation, analyses, and options of temperature/humidity control systems and their technologies for agricultural applications including (but not limited to) fruits and vegetable storage, poultry air-conditioning, livestock thermal comfort, and wet market air-conditioning. The optimum temperature and humidity requirements for these agricultural applications are identified. Consequently, energy-efficient heat pump options are explored accordingly. The book helps to understand and to apply the thermodynamic knowledge of the energy-efficient systems for agricultural applications.