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This paper analyses the key benefits of a multiple paralleled diesel generator system over a “Single” diesel generator system for supplying small remote and isolated loads. Even though having several small diesel generators in parallel instead of one larger one will certainly induce higher capital cost of the generating unit, the resulting cost of kWh generated as well as the system is life cycle...
Solar Home Systems (SHSs) can fulfil the basic energy needs of the globally unelectrified population. With costs as one of the biggest barriers for SHS uptake, optimizing the system size with energy needs is crucial. Where most solutions focus only on the present needs, this work also addresses the future energy needs. The methodology includes extensive mapping of the current electricity needs in...
This is a review paper written with the intention to shed light on continued reliance on high polluting energy sources in the Southern Africa. In developing countries the use of low cost fuels including coal, wood, pellets, charcoal and cow dung remains an obstacle in ensuring the right to clean air. In this study, several stove to fuel combustion technologies researches, were reviewed for similarities/...
Air quality in the South African low-income residential areas is poor due to gaseous and particulate emissions from a range of sources including domestic burning. The absence of data on fuel use and variability in low-income residential areas introduces uncertainties when quantifying total emissions from the township. The aim is to characterise KwaDela resident's fuel use, and stove operation behaviour...
Solid fuels (wood, coal, and biomass) are used as alternative energy sources in South Africa, predominantly in low-income households. Space heating using wood is a common practice to obtain thermal comfort. Consequently, this practice has health-related risks as people are exposed to harmful gasses and particles (e.g. PM4) emitted from the combustion process. This study was designed to examine temperature...
Reliance on round wood for heating and cooking has increased the percentage of deforestation to 0.7% per annum especially within sub-Saharan region where communities live off the electricity supply grid. The majority of these communities rely on agriculture and forestry activities for sustenance. Therefore, large amounts of agricultural and forestry residues are produced annually although they are...
A low-smoke fuel (LSF) produced via the devolatilisation of coal lumps is proposed as an option to combat the health-damaging effects of domestic coal combustion. This study investigates the effect of the LSF particle size on its performance in a conventional domestic coal stove. Three size groups, 15mm, 40mm, and a mixed size LSF were tested against their coal counterpart for reduction in CO and...
The performance of a wall mounted space comfort heater has been studied with respect to the geometry of its mounting condition. Tests were conducted in a laboratory with the heater positioned at various heights from the floor and the channel that is created by the various gaps with the wall on which the heater was mounted. Tests were also performed with the heater mounted on the wall whose emissivity...
In a rapidly evolving industry as a result of consumer self-generation and a drive to become more energy efficient, it is necessary to understand whether traditional network planning methods are sufficient. Electrical master plans and network designs require long term forecasts. These forecasts require assumptions to be made based on various factors such as income level, climate, pricing signals to...
This study evaluates the pattern of energy usage at the twenty-eight residences of the University of Johannesburg during the 2016 academic year. The study investigates the trend of energy consumption based on the total energy usage per residence in terms of the number of students at each of the residences on a monthly and daily basis. The data employed in this study was collected over a period of...
Preparation of Injera, the cultural staple bread food item in Ethiopia, is known for its intensive energy consuming cooking. Baking this food item in the traditional three stone stoves, with an efficiency of 5–15%, consumes huge amounts of firewood and causes consequent problems like deforestation, global warming and household air pollution. Electrical injera stoves (mitads) are a sound alternative...
This paper investigates the operation of different demand sector such as residential, commercial and industrial load profiles when supplied with a grid tied micro-hydrokinetic pumped-hydro storage (MHK-PHS) hybrid system. The aim is to explore the demand sector which is more favorable to the proposed grid-tied MHK-PHS hybrid system under the time-of-use (TOU) tariff scheme. Hence, the optimum configuration...
Biomass briquettes are hailed as a fitting solution to cooking and space heating which are primary and most energy intensive domestic activities entrapping low income households in poverty. Yet, the uncarbonised briquettes and pellets commonly produced burn out fast, are smoky and users seem not to like them.
Many households do not have the financial capacity to afford to implement energy savings measures across the board. This paper therefore compared four different energy savings measures and compared their payback periods in order to ascertain the most effective measures for a consumer's budget.
Air source heat pump (ASHP) water heater is an energy-efficient device for sanitary hot water production. The study focused on monitoring the electrical energy consumed to compensate for the standby losses of three hot water cylinders without and with isotherm blankets. Accordingly, the analysis of thermal energy losses was performed using 150 L high-pressure geyser and 150 L split and integrated...
Various domestic appliances use the Direct Current (DC) for its operation such as chargers, TV and DVD sets, laptops etc. However, the powers supplied in homes are Alternating Current (AC), 220/230V 50Hz. Several rectifiers have been developed over the time to convert this AC to DC (suitable for devices or appliances) and the better option among them is the diode bridge rectifier. In terms of power...
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