Publications - Energy Systems

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Title

Conditions and tools in the design of energy conversion and management systems of a sustainable society

Author(s)

Wall, G.

Details

Summary

In this paper Goran (2002) discusses the exergy concept which clarifies the situation by exposing the losses of a process and the emissions to the environment. Natural processes, acting for billions of years have built up deposits in the lithosphere. Similarly the access of oxygen in the atmosphere and the removal of toxic substances from the biosphere are also affecting the living conditions. This causes a reduction in micro-organisms as well as higher forms of life because of change in physical environment due to chemical change. The exergy concept brings new light to the problem. The interest of using this concept within ecology is presently increasing.

A research project at University of California, Berkeley called 'Exergy as an Environmental Indicator' is currently underway. Similar projects linked to waste emission are also being undertaken. Researchers have also successfully introduced exergies of natural resources into the methodology of environmental LCA. An exergetic life cycle analysis, where the exergy destruction is used as a single criterion for the depletion of natural resources has already been developed. An investigation of exergy as an ecological indicator was presented by Gong. It is obvious from this study that exergy will be further applied as a useful concept in the environmental perspective. Exergy is a suitable and necessary concept in the development of sustainable society and it would be useful to direct the exergy research and applications towards the development of a sustainable society.