Articles for June 22, 2009
ENERGY NEWSBRIEFS is a weekly current awareness service provided by the
Washington State University Extension Energy Program Library and written
by Angela Santamaria, WSU Energy Library Manager, to assist users in tracking
developments in the energy field. To view past issues or to subscribe
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BIODIESEL
The following two articles
appeared in the May 2009 issue of Biodiesel
Magazine:
- "Mission: Jatropha," by Susanne Retka
Schill, Assistant Editor, Biodiesel Magazine, reports that an
Australian-based firm that already produces biodiesel from palm oil in a facility
in Malaysia is moving into the production of biodiesel from jatropha oil in
India. See this article at http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=3410&q=&page=all.
- "Modular Production: Co-locating Plant and
Feedstock" was written by Kris Bevell, Editor, Ethanol Producer
Magazine. Modular biodiesel plants are common in Europe; the company
in Sweden, cited in the article, has been producing biodiesel from
multiple feedstocks harvested near their small-scale biodiesel plants. It
is becoming an attractive option for the U.S. biodiesel manufacturing
industry to compensate for the lack of interest in large-quantities of the
fuel that must be produced at more-costly large biodiesel plants. The
article includes a link to the sidebar, "What Makes Modular Systems Worth
Considering?" See this article at http://www.biodieselmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=3408&q=&page=all.
BOILERS
Power has published a very
informative two-part series, "Boiler-Tuning Basics," by Tim Leopold,
ABB Inc., in two separate issues of the journal:
Part I of "Boiler-Tuning Basics" is a five
Web-page article that focuses on the control loops of boilers with an emphasis
on the idiosyncrasies of individual boilers. The author covers operator
controls, furnace controls, forced-draft fans, feedwater controls, and
superheated steam temperature controls. See Part 1 in the March 2009 issue of Power
at http://www.powermag.com/issues/features/Boiler-Tuning-Basics-Part-I_1741.html.
Part II of "Boiler-Tuning Basics" is a four
Web-page article describing how to integrate a plant's slow-reacting boilers
and fast-reacting turbines. The author focuses on strategies for the controls
engineer including coordinated front-end control, unit response, and rundowns
and runbacks. See Part 2 in the May 2009 issue of Power at http://www.powermag.com/issues/features/Boiler-Tuning-Basics-Part-II_1859.html.
GREEN BUILDINGS
The following four articles
appeared in the May 2009 issue of Building
Design and Construction:
"Penn State Completes
Its First BIM Project," by staff, is a case study of a new law school
building for a student body of 450. The building designers used BIM (building
information modeling) so that the performance of the building could be
monitored during its life cycle and adjustments could be made to maintain or
improve performance levels. See this case study at http://www.bdcnetwork.com/article/CA6657861.html.
"School district plans net-zero building," by staff, is a brief article reporting on the Camas
School District (Washington state) which is considering which renewable source
of energy to employ for its proposed off-grid, net-zero energy high school.
Photovoltaics, wind, and geothermal resources are all in the running. See this
article at http://www.bdcnetwork.com/article/CA6657871.html.
"Setting the Green Standard for Community
Colleges," by Dave Barista,
Managing Editor, Building Design and Construction, is a case study of a
new health center on California's Ohlone College (the Newark campus). Using
geothermal, photovoltaics, and enthalpy heat-recovery wheels - the technology
is well-described - this facility runs from 80% off-grid to completely
grid-free, depending upon the season. See this case study at http://www.bdcnetwork.com/article/CA6657857.html.
"A Very Brave Building," by staff, describes a very green facility for art,
design, and architecture on a college campus in Illinois. It uses natural
ventilation during the mild Midwestern spring and summer and mechanical
ventilation to accommodate the extreme temperatures of that region's winter and
summer. The building earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental) Gold
certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. See this case study at http://www.bdcnetwork.com/article/CA6657859.html.
RESEARCH
"DOE
Invests in Energy Research Centers," by Hope Deutscher, explains the
rationale behind the establishment of 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers
(EFRCs) across the country where very advanced research will be conducted. It
also names the institutions that will house some of the ERFCs and describes
some of the research that will be pursued. The article includes a link to a U.S.
Department of Energy website on Energy Frontier Research Centers. See this
article, carried in Biomass Magazine and originally published in Ethanol
Producer Magazine, May 2009, at http://www.biomassmagazine.com/article.jsp?article_id=2680&q=&page=all.
STORMWATER
"Green Roof Solves Stormwater Runoff Problem,"
by Mark Bushey, describes the vegetative roof planted on the new 22,000 sq. ft.
cold storage plant built by Rice Fruit Company in Pennsylvania. In addition to
energy efficiency gains, the green roof eliminated the need for a retaining
pond to meet requirements for stormwater management. See this case study in Sustainable
Facility, May 2009, at http://www.sustainablefacility.com/CDA/Articles/Featured_Special_Sections/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000559946.
Past issues of Energy Newsbriefs are available at
http://www.energy.wsu.edu/library/newsbriefs.cfm.
Generally, subscription information for the journals cited above can be
found at the home page of their web sites.
© 2009 Washington State University Extension Energy Program. This
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