Thermo-economics and diagnostics

The research group Thermochemical Power Group of DIME (www.tpg.unige.it) was founded in 1998. Its mission is to carry out theoretical and experimental research in the field of advanced energy systems. Since 2004, the TPG hosts the Rolls-Royce University Technology Center on Fuel Cell Systems (UTC), with the aim of studying solutions and technologies for fuel cell and hydrogen stationary power generation. Since 2017 DIME hosts the Fincantieri joint laboratory (HI-SEA) for activities related to the storage and propulsion of clean energy in the marine environment, i.e. on boats and ships. The main research fields of the TPG concerning thermoeconomics and diagnostics are: thermoeconomic analysis and optimization of energy systems; economic scenario analysis for the impact of renewable sources on the electricity system, smart grid and smart polygeneration grid; cogeneration, trigeneration and district heating; robust design applied to hybrid fuel cell systems; monitoring and diagnostic techniques for combined cycles and energy systems; data reconciliation and neural networks for the monitoring of energy plants and networks. Original software resources are: WECoMP - Web Economic Cogeneration Modular Program for the design and optimization of CHP networks; WTEMP - Web ThermoEconomic Modular Program, for the thermoeconomic analysis and development of energy systems; TRANSEO - Matlab-based tool for dynamic simulation and development of control systems.

Researchers 

• Aristide F. Massardo
• Loredana Magistri
• Alberto Traverso
• Mario L. Ferrari
• Alessandro Sorce
• Massimo Rivarolo

Laboratories 

• Thermochemical Power Group and Rolls-Royce UTC laboratory
• Innovative Energy Systems Lab
• Laboratorio cicli chiusi innovativi

Publications 

• D. Bellotti, A. Sorce, M. Rivarolo, L. Magistri, 2019, “Techno-economic analysis for the integration of a power to fuel system with a CCS coal power plant”, Journal of CO2 Utilization, Vol.33, pp.262-272.
• M. Minutillo, A. Perna, A. Sorce, 2019, “Combined hydrogen, heat and electricity generation via biogas reforming: Energy and economic assessments”, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol.44, pp.23880-23898.
• D. Bellotti, L. Cassettari, M. Mosca, L. Magistri, 2019, “RSM approach for stochastic sensitivity analysis of the economic sustainability of a methanol production plant using renewable energy sources”, Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol.240, pp.117947-117961.Pubblicazione 3
• R. Guédez, J. Garcia, A. Nuutinen, G. Graziano, J. Chiu, A. Sorce, L. Piantelli, A. Traverso, B. Laumert, 2019, “Techno-Economic Comparative Analysis of Innovative Combined Cycle Power Plant Layouts Integrated With Heat Pumps and Thermal Energy Storage”, ASME Paper GT2019-91036, BEST PAPER AWARD.
• I. Rossi, A. Sorce, A. Traverso, 2017, “Gas turbine combined cycle start-up and stress evaluation: A simplified dynamic approach”, Applied Energy 190 (2017) 880–890.