APRÈN. Portal de la producció docent del professorat de la UPC

Se plantea transformar una plantación de cereal en Llabià, Baix Empordà, en una innovadora explotación de olivicultura ecológica basada en las variedades Arbequina y Argudell. Este proyecto, que prevé unos ingresos brutos anuales de 111.040 , combina la implementación de prácticas agroecológicas avanzadas con el diseño de una edificación sostenible, concebida como punto de venta directa del producto procesado. La edificación, construida con materiales principalmente naturales y bajo los principios de la eco-arquitectura, se integrará armónicamente con el paisaje, reforzando el compromiso con la sostenibilidad y la reducción de emisiones. Esta iniciativa aspira a convertirse en un modelo de referencia que une innovación, sostenibilidad y dinamización del territorio.

El tratamiento de aguas residuales representa un reto fundamental para la preservación de los recursos hídricos y la sostenibilidad agrícola. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo evaluar la eficiencia de tres tipos de membranas de filtración (dos de nanofiltración y una de ósmosis inversa) en la regeneración de aguas depuradas, con el fin de valorizar estas aguas para su reutilización en el sector agrícola. El proceso experimental se llevó a cabo en un sistema de filtración a escala laboratorio, utilizando ósmosis inversa y nanofiltración para la eliminación de contaminantes típicos de las estaciones depuradoras de aguas residuales (EDAR), como sales, materia orgánica (DQO), fosfatos y amonio. Para simular el efluente de una EDAR urbana, se prepararon soluciones de agua sintética con concentraciones específicas de estos contaminantes, de acuerdo con la normativa vigente. Las pruebas se realizaron a diferentes presiones de operación (6, 10, 14 y 20 bar), analizando la permeabilidad y el rechazo de solutos en distintos escenarios, en presencia de sales, materia orgánica y de nutrientes. Los resultados muestran que la membrana NF90 (nano-filtration) fue la más eficiente en la eliminación de nutrientes y materia orgánica, mientras que la SW30 (sea water) destacó en la reducción de la salinidad. Este estudio proporciona una base técnica valiosa para la selección de membranas en procesos de tratamiento de aguas, particularmente en aplicaciones agrícolas. Además, destaca la importancia de considerar la interacción entre diferentes contaminantes y su influencia en la eficiencia de las membranas.

The following Bachelor's Final Project presents a detailed simulation of a carbon dioxide (CO₂) valorization plant and hydrocarbon production using green hydrogen generated by a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. The project is framed within the context of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which emphasizes the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global warming. This work also aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The proposed plant aims to contribute to these goals by reutilizing CO₂, an industrial byproduct, and converting it into useful products, thereby reducing the carbon footprint and promoting a circular economy. Using ASPEN HYSYS software, the process is modelled, from the entry of CO₂ into the plant to the production of liquid hydrocarbons, including the production of synthesis gas (CO and H₂) through the Reverse Water-Gas Shift (RWGS) reaction and Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) for hydrocarbon generation. The simulation in ASPEN HYSYS allows for the optimization of operating conditions and the evaluation of the technical feasibility of the process, providing a solid foundation for future research in CO₂ valorization projects and sustainable energy production.

This project focuses on the analysis of the daily behaviour and evolution of various energy infrastructures in mainland Spain over the last fifteen years to determine the possibility of meeting the energy goals of the UN's 2030 Agenda. To achieve this, an analysis is conducted on the electricity demand and the electrical energy and greenhouse gas emissions produced by the different electricity technologies using hourly time series, with the aim of observing the daily, monthly, seasonal and annual behaviour of the electricity generation systems. To obtain the energy system forecast for the year 2030, predictive models based on time series are used to evaluate the electricity generation and emissions produced by the end of the decade. Subsequently, the 2030 forecast is compared with the energy data from the year 2023, and the possibility of meeting Sustainable Development Goal 7, which is to produce clean, efficient and sustainable energy, is assessed under two alternative scenarios.

This Final Degree Project (TFG) addresses the production and use of biomethane as a sustainable fuel for urban transport in Barcelona, with a particular focus on the hydrogenotrophic biological methanation (MBH) process at the pilot plant located at the Wastewater Treatment Plant (EDAR) in Prat de Llobregat. This process converts carbon dioxide and hydrogen into methane through specialized microorganisms, producing a gas with a methane concentration higher than 95%, suitable for use as a direct substitute for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). In this study, the produced biomethane was used to assess its performance as fuel in a CNG bus from the fleet of Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB), thus contributing to the decarbonization of urban public transport. One of the main focuses of the research is the optimization of the nutrient formulation required for the growth and activity of microorganisms (especially nitrogen in the form of ammonium). Initially, the pilot plant had a nutrient composition limitation that restricted methane productivity. After adjusting the nutrient formulation, a significant improvement in production levels was achieved. The careful control of ammonium (NH4 + ) and its potential transformation into ammonia (NH3) is considered a critical aspect, as high concentrations of ammonia can inhibit microbial activity and, therefore, reduce system productivity. The study concludes that it is possible to increase ammonium concentration up to 400 ppm without causing inhibition, as long as strict control of pH and temperature is maintained. Additionally, the study includes a comprehensive comparison between various fuels (CNG, biomethane, diesel, hybrid, electric, and hydrogen), evaluating them according to criteria such as energy efficiency, fuel cost, associated carbon dioxide emissions, refueling time, and maintenance costs. The results show that biomethane is a viable alternative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the transition towards cleaner transport. However, the comparison highlights that, in the long term, electric fuel is the best solution for the complete decarbonization of urban public transport in Barcelona.

La gestión del purín en las granjas de cerdos, especialmente de cerdos de engorde, es una preocupación ambiental crítica debido a las emisiones de amoníaco (NH3) y gases de efecto invernadero (GEI). Este proyecto propone el diseño, construcción y operación de un sistema de Celda de Electrolisis Microbiana sumergido (sub-MEC) para la recuperación de amonio (NH4+) y la reducción de emisiones en tanques de almacenamiento de purín, mejorando la sostenibilidad agrícola. Los experimentos se iniciaron en laboratorio y avanzaron a una escalera piloto. La metodología incluye dos configuraciones experimentales: en laboratorio, se utilizaron dos tanques de metacrilato de 40 L (uno con MEC y otro como control) para replicar condiciones ideales de recuperación de amonio, producción de biogás y control de emisiones . A nivel piloto, se utilizaron dos tanques IBC de 1 m3 en condiciones ambientales reales. La MEC incluye una membrana de intercambio catiónico que separa el cátodo del ánodo. En el laboratorio, se utilizó un potenciostato para suministrar energía y monitorizar la tensión y la corriente, mientras que a escala piloto se empleó una fuente de alimentación de corriente continua (CC). Además se utilizó una campana Lindvall para medir las emisiones de NH3 y GEI, y se aplicaron métodos analíticos para monitorizar el sistema. Los resultados muestran que el sub-MEC recupera eficientemente al amonio y reduce las emisiones de gases. En el experimento de laboratorio, se recuperó un 6,44% de nitrógeno (N) durante dos períodos. El primer período mostró una mayor recuperación de N con una densidad de corriente media de 0,19 A/m2, una tasa de transferencia de nitrógeno de 0,82 gN/m2/día y una eficiencia coulómbica del 6,04%. La concentración de NH3 en el tanque con MEC fue más baja que en el de control, sugiriendo que se podría conseguir una gran reducción a largo plazo en las emisiones de NH3. La producción de metano (CH4) en el biogás fue del 16,30% en el primer período, aumentando al 27,96% en el segundo. A escala piloto, el sistema MEC recuperó 61,43 gN en 117 días. Por lo que respecta a las emisiones de NH3, el tanque MEC mostró una tasa de emisión (TE) ligeramente inferior (0,15 mg/m2/s) en comparación con el tanque de control (0,16 mg/m2/ s). La eficacia del sistema en la reducción de NH3 se demostró en condiciones controladas, sugiriendo que la MEC podría conseguir reducciones similares en entornos reales con períodos más largos de observación. Las TE de CH4 en el tanque MEC fueron más bajas (0,09 mg/m2/s) que en el tanque de control (0,15 mg/m2/s). Las emisiones de CO2 fueron ligeramente más altas en el tanque MEC, con una TE de 0,13 mg/m2/s en comparación con 0,10 mg/m2/s en el control. Las TE de N2O fueron prácticamente indetectables en ambos tanques. En resumen, la tecnología MEC es prometedora para la gestión sostenible de los purines de cerdos. Con investigación y mejora continua, el sistema sub-MEC tiene el potencial de mejorar la recuperación de NH4+, la producción de biogás y el control de emisiones en condiciones reales.

This project describes all the steps carried out for the understanding, design and validation of an O-RAN/MEC environment implemented in a private network located at an airport, where, by means of slices, an allocation will be carried out of resources where users will be classified in one slice or another depending on the requirements they demand. All this, to maintain the quality of service of the system. At first, all the elements and architectures that will be used further in the work are foing to be explained. Some of there are private networks, the core network, the O-RAN network, physical channels, the MEC and artificial intelligence, more in particular DQN. Secondly, once the theoretical principles are comprehended, an xApp, a component of O-RAN, will be developed to perform this slicing process. Moreover, all the tools and frameworks applied to the project will also be described. Finally, an amulation and validation of all the aspects incorporated into this work will be performed with the intention of determining if the application of slicing on the users truly preserves the quality of services while providing a better dedicated version of the resources.

In the era of smart buildings, sensor integration has revolutionized security, welfare, and sustainability. Building intelligence and sustainability are obtained through self-powered sensors via energy collected from residual energy available in the same building. This energy is commonly obtained through light, thermal, or electromagnetic harvesting. The goal of ambient energy harvesting is to capture ambient energy to power Internet of Things (IoT) devices that operate on their own. This document is focused on optical energy harvesting through Indoor Photovoltaic (IPV) cells. These cells provide an eco-friendly way to capture energy within buildings. Although the IPV power densities are around 100 to 1000 times lower than in outdoor applications, the scale of IPV cells makes them a desirable option for low-power Internet of Things devices. There are three chapters in this thesis. The first chapter provides a characterization of commercial IPV cells under controlled laboratory conditions, subjected to different types of artificial light. The study concludes that while the a-Si cell, with around 7% efficiency and stable VMPP values, is suitable for a constant voltage method, the perovskite cell, performing better on a Fractional Open Circuit Voltage (FOCV), despite having better efficiency ranges, exhibits instability and unclear temperature behavior, making it less viable currently. The second chapter is a study of the amount of light (artificial, natural, and a combination of artificial and natural) in different rooms oriented to different positions. The study highlights the critical importance of device placement near windows to optimize energy collection from natural light, which can be up to 4.95 times more effective than artificial light alone over a working day. Finally, an experimental characterization in uncontrolled conditions of 4 different cells located in 2 different rooms during a period of weeks is carried out. The study concludes that monocrystalline cells exhibit superior performance in capturing solar energy, emphasizing the importance of unobstructed placement and vertical orientation for optimal power generation indoors.

Over the last years, 5G technology has been playing an increasingly important role in the aeronautical and aerospace sectors. 5G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) consist of a set of elements whose objective is to complement conventional terrestrial 5G connectivity by means of components such as GEO, MEO, LEO satellite constellations, High Altitude Platform Systems (HAPS), Low Altitude Platform Systems (LAPS) and air-to-ground (A2G) networks. Some of these links can range from tens to hundreds of kilometres. To fulfil these longrange communications, it is clearly seen that the transmitted signal power should be large enough to overcome link losses. For that reason, the amplification stage plays a significant role. Highly efficient amplification architectures such as the load-modulated balance amplifier (LMBA), make use of the dynamic load modulation principle to keep the power efficiency figures high when the power amplifier is operating high peak-to-average power (PAPR) signals, such as the case of 5G new radio ones. With the objective of achieving high amplification as well as keeping fairly good efficiency, some signal linearization should be performed using digital predistortion (DPD) techniques. This project delves into a comparison among some of the most trending DPD linearization behavioral models in terms of performance and implementation complexity. These models are the single stage polynomial-based models, the N-stage cascaded polynomial-based models, and those based in artificial neural networks (ANN).

Actualmente, los pulverizadores asistidos por aire se utilizan para aplicar productos fitosanitarios en frutales y viñedos. Sin embargo, el uso de este equipo conlleva un alto riesgo medioambiental, principalmente debido a la deriva del producto fitosanitario de pulverización para aplicaciones en viticultura en precisión. La tecnología de aplicación con el sistema de pulverizador de túnel se ha centrado en analizar y cuantificar la capacidad de recuperación del producto, y, por lo tanto, reducir las pérdidas, ya sea por deriva o deposición en el suelo, obviando cómo se comporta el aire dentro del túnel y su efecto potencial sobre la distribución de producto entre paneles. Este estudio presenta datos obtenidos con el uso de marcha corta y larga de la caja del ventilador, donde se afecta las corrientes de aire, generando diferencias en velocidades y caudales entre los paneles. A lo largo de los ensayos se caracteriza detalladamente el flujo de aire generado por el pulverizador de túnel. Para estimar tanto los caudales individuales como los totales, se utilizaron los dispositivos denominados anemómetros de hilo caliente unidireccionales. En cambio, los anemómetros sónicos se usaron para estudiar cambios en la velocidad del flujo de aire en las tres direcciones del espacio entre paneles. Se analizaron la velocidad del aire y la uniformidad del flujo. Se representaron los vectores de velocidad. Se compararon los resultados obtenidos en los ensayos entre las diferentes velocidades de cada panel recuperador del pulverizador de túnel. Los resultados mostraron una clara asimetría en el patrón de flujo, destacando una mayor intensidad de las velocidades del aire en el lado izquierdo del panel. Se observaron también cambios en la dirección y velocidad del aire a diferentes alturas, lo que indica la existencia de recirculación en determinadas zonas. Este estudio demuestro que el uso de pulverizadores de túnel en viticultura podría ser una herramienta eficiente para optimizar la distribución de productos fitosanitarios.

The main purpose of this final degree project is the energy rehabilitation of a single-family house, which currently has unsustainable installations and non-renewable energy sources to cover thermal and electrical energy needs, with the aim of converting it into a zero emission residence. To achieve this goal, a comprehensive assessment has to be carried out to determine which sustainable installations and renewable energy sources represent the best option to replace the existing ones. The analysis starts with a detailed study of the current energy consumption and energy needs of the house. From this point, the selection and implementation of the new installations, which have to satisfy both thermal energy consumption and electricity consumption in an efficient and sustainable way, is carried out. Finally, an analysis is made from an economic and environmental perspective, with the aim of determining the initial investment necessary for the implementation of the project and the difference between the environmental impact of the dwelling at present and that which it would have with the installations proposed in this project.

This project aims at the design and sizing of an installation of a biomass boiler fueled by forest waste to supply thermal energy to some municipal facilities in Cardona, including the municipal swimming pool, the dressing rooms of the municipal football field, and the municipal pavilion.

To date, the development and diffusion of Renewable Energy Community (RECs) in the Italian territory is limited by two main factors; one is the absence of definitive and clear national regulations and, the second is the difficulty in engaging the RECs end-users. While the first problem will be soon solved with the transposition of the Italian Legislative Decree No. 199, the second still needs a solution. Due to different issues, private energy companies, ESCos, municipalities, cooperatives, and other subjects interested in developing RECs are nowadays experiencing difficulties in engaging end-users to take part in RECs and make them actively participate in their activities. The present dissertation aims to define which are the best practices, tools and strategies to be used by any REC developer to engage the end- users to participate in RECs. This is done by first investigating the REC state of the art and their characteristics, and then, reviewing the theory of project management and the existing practices of stakeholder engagement; this information is then applied to the context of the development of RECs to answer the research problem. The dissertation shows that end-users have a relevant impact on the development of RECs and it provides the reader with a methodology organized into three phases (REC end-users identification, REC end-users collection, and REC end-users involvement) made of tools, best practices, and strategies, to be used by any REC developer to mitigate the impacts of REC end- users and facilitate the process of development of the RECs.

While the energy supply sector has made strides in emission reductions, the industrial sector faces unique challenges, particularly in its reliance on high-temperature heat from fossil fuels. In this research, the ceramics industry, a significant contributor to CO2 emissions, is explored as a case study. We introduce a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model to assess the potential of electrolytic green hydrogen production as a sustainable alternative to natural gas in ceramic manufacturing. This study extends previous techno-economic assessments, by optimizing the costs of the VRE plant, electrolyzer, compressor, and hydrogen storage, while considering dynamic operations, the variability of VRE supply, and the sale of electricity on the wholesale day-ahead market. The model accounts for economies of scale in certain process units and incorporates technical constraints related to operating the kiln burners with an natural gas and hydrogen blend. The model is assessed through a case study on a Portuguese ceramics manufacturer, Grestel, and the ceramics manufacturing cluster to which it belongs. We evaluate the potential of the burner and kiln to operate with a dynamic hydrogen/natural gas blend share as a flexibility measure to reduce the reliance and coupling with the VRE. Our findings highlight the feasibility and cost-competitiveness of hydrogen technology in the ceramics industry, especially when the industrial installation can be operated flexibly.

A Techno-economic study will be carried out on e-Methanol production in Denmark with Hydrogen produced from electrolysis and Carbon dioxide from carbon capture or from biogenic sources. Study to sizes the MeOH production scaled to match point sources, looking at economics at different plant sizes and techno-economic analysis under the uncertainties and fluctuations in energy prices and sales prices of methanol will be done.

Aquest document contemplarà els procediments, mètodes i seqüències de treball relatius a un dipòsit de gas natural liquat (GNL) per subministrar energia a una localitat aïllada. Per aconseguir-ho, es durà a terme un estudi sobre el gas natural com a font d'energia, analitzant-ne les propietats i característiques. Un cop s'hagin determinat els avantatges del GNL, es seleccionarà una població per realitzar un anàlisi del consum energètic d'aquest grup de habitatges amb l'objectiu de calcular la quantitat necessària de GNL a emmagatzemar. Després d'aquesta recerca, amb les dades obtingudes als anàlisis anteriors, es descriuran les diferents parts d'un dipòsit de GNL i es determinaran les dimensions generals del dipòsit. A mesura que aquestes es vagin definint, es desenvoluparà un disseny més precís per concloure el dimensionament del dipòsit. Amb el dipòsit definit i el disseny realitzat, s'explicaran les diverses capes d'aïllament que aquest ha de tenir per assegurar el seu funcionament òptim sense la formació de punts freds o altres indicis de mala condició. Aquest projecte es centrarà en la descripció de la manta resilient i el material principal, com la perlita. A més, es buscarà aconseguir que l'objectiu del treball es compleixi dins dels límits tant econòmics com ambientals. Per a això, s'estudiarà la viabilitat econòmica i ambiental i, posteriorment, es valorarà la factibilitat del projecte. Per concloure el treball, es recopilarà tota la informació que s'hagi justificat i es treuran conclusions per determinar si el projecte compleix amb els objectius establerts inicialment.

Microgrids have emerged as a promising solution for energy management in localized power systems, offering reliability, efficiency and integration of renewable energy resources. However, the efficient operation of mi- crogrids pose considerable challenges due to their inherent complexity and intermittent nature of renewable energy sources. To address these challenges, this master thesis investigates the application of a multi-period Alternating Current Optimal Power Flow (ACOPF) for energy management systems in micro-grids. This re- search focuses on the development of Python based optimization tool for ACOPF based energy management systems in micro-grids. The thesis begins with a comprehensive review of the existing literature on micro-grid operation, highlighting the significance of ACOPF and a brief introduction to optimization. The thesis then presents a detailed formulation of the ACOPF problem, considering various aspects such as loads, generation, energy storage systems and grid connection constraints, among others. Mathematical models and optimization algorithms are employed to derive optimal power dispatch that minimize cost, ensure voltage stability and maintain power quality within acceptable limits. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed ACOPF-based energy management system, extensive simulations and case studies are conducted using representative micro- grid examples. The simulations incorporate various scenarios to assess the system's performance under different operating conditions and evaluate the impacts of key parameters on the overall system results.

This work focuses on the study, analysis and evaluation of a fuel cell-based vehicle with on-board hydrogen storage. To begin with, an analysis will be made of the 3 different types of automobiles that currently exist: the traditional fuel car, the electric car and the hydrogen combustion car. In this analysis, an assessment will be made of the manufacturing process of each, their environmental impact and their operation. The first two will be discussed briefly. Then, we will explain the growing interest in the implementation of fuel cells in vehicles, and how the use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel in the automotive sector could lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. For example, when hydrogen is burned in a combustion engine, the only by-product is water vapor, which means that no greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide are released. This reduction in emissions could help mitigate the effects of climate change. It will also focus on developing the various issues involved in the implementation of hydrogen fuel cells. These include reduced air pollution, increased energy efficiency, reduced dependence on fossil fuels and new business opportunities. However, there are also challenges associated with the use of hydrogen as an alternative fuel, such as large-scale hydrogen production and storage, the need for hydrogen supply infrastructures and the higher initial cost of hydrogen vehicles compared to traditional internal combustion vehicles. In addition, there will be a brief explanation of the different fuel cells and their performances studied through polarization curves. Below is a list of the 4 fuel cells to be highlighted in this work: • PEM fuel cell (proton exchange membrane) • SOFC fuel cell (solid oxide fuel cell) • PAFC fuel cell (Phosphoric acid fuel cell) • MCFC fuel cell (molten carbonate fuel cell) Each type of fuel cell has its advantages and disadvantages in terms of efficiency, costs and applications, which means that different types of fuel cells are used for different applications. Finally, an extrapolated analysis will be developed of what this change costs globally, and how this same change would reduce the environmental impact of automobiles.

El present treball consisteix en el disseny d'un sistema de control que, en relació a la posició del vaixell, la velocitat i la distància que li queda a aquest per a entrar en una zona eca (o zona de baixes emissions), automàticament i mitjançant la obertura o tancament de electrovàlvules, realitzi el canvi de combustible de fueloil pesat al combustible que compleix amb les normes de baixes emissions. L'objectiu és que, tenint en compte tots els paràmetres abans esmentats, el buc arribi a la zona eca consumint el combustible adequat al 100%. Es tindrà en compte que aquest aparell pot tenir falles, per tant la instal•lació disposarà de l'opció en que el canvi de combustible es pugui realitzar també manualment. el treball consta primerament de la descripció de les principals organitzacions i convenis que regulen i limiten la contaminació ocasionada per les embarcacions. Una vegada s'ha explicat la part de la normativa, es procedeix a la identificació i caracterització del sistema de subministrament de combustible (tancs existents al buc, com són i com estan interconnectats, sensors, tipus de vàlvules i situació, bombes, etc). una vegada definida la planta a controlar, tota la instrumentació i com està interconnectada, s'ha realitzat el disseny del sistema de control i s'ha programat el plc corresponent (fent l'esquema de connexions, etc). per últim, s'ha dissenyat la pantalla scada on es mostra com es van obrint i tancant les diferents vàlvules.