Projects | ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Webinar “Role of waste heat in future energy systems” | 23.01. | 10.30-12.30

We invite you to participate in a webinar on the integration of waste heat flow into central heating systems, also referred to as excess or surplus heat. This process is considered a significant step towards climate neutrality, providing substantial savings in primary energy. However, to broaden the utilization of this waste heat flow, it is essential to adhere to specific economic and technical conditions. The seminar will provide insights into the role of waste heat in future smart energy systems, with a particular focus on Latvia, Estonia, and Norway. The presentation will cover key findings from both national and regional.

WORKSHOP OF THE SYSTEMIC CIRCULAR ECONOMY SOLUTIONS IN THE FUTURE ON 19.05.2023, KIPSALA

EU-project TREASoURcE is organising a workshop on 19.05.2023, at 13:00 - 16:00, implementing and replicating systemic circular economy solutions targeted for local stakeholders. Place: RTU Scientific Library, Paula Valdena street 5, 2nd floor, Conference room 2.12A TREASoURcE is part of the EU’s Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI) that seeks to support the implementation of circular economy solutions across Europe’s cities and regions. TREASoURcE project aims to initiate systemic change by developing technologies and systemic circular economy (CE) solutions in cities and regions for currently underutilized or unused plastic waste, end-of-life electric vehicle batteries and bio-based side and waste streams. Implementing.

A chair based on eco-design principles | ERDF project “Sustainable solutions for biomass plates”

Our institute's team of researchers and commercialization leaders worked not only on the creation of sustainable wood composite boards within project No. KC-PI-2020/32 "Sustainable solutions for biomass plates". The chair created during the project is made without a single screw or glue point - it is made of one material and can be easily assembled and disassembled. Such a chair is registered as a design and available for purchase. It doesn't matter whether you are a private person, a representative of a start-up company or a representative of the interests of a large company, if you are ready to promote.

Summer School «Bioeconomy. Sustainable Use of Biological Resources» and role game

Bioeconomy is a sector focused on the sustainable use of biological resources by producing products with high added value. Bioeconomy has a great potential reduction of effect to climate change. Processing of resources and production of innovative products is essential to get and use knowledge in cleaner production, environmental technologies, energy efficiency, waste management, and other aspects, using resources effectively and reducing a negative impact on the environment. Implementation of bioeconomy is a key to self-sufficient and sustainable cities and regions. Bioeconomy is an essential part of the circular economy. Bioeconomy defines the aspects of bioresource use and technological problems.

RIBuild project is highly evaluated

The performance of RTU IESE and partners in the RIBuild project is highly evaluated in the European Union; the expected impact of the guidelines and the tools is considered very high, delivered information and knowledge has high quality. The RIBuild project summarizes the latest research on internal insulation in historic buildings, which is one of the most complex energy efficiency measures. Developed guidelines are applicable to historic buildings all over Europe. Anybody with an interest in building physics, retrofitting or energy efficient restoration can benefit from the guidelines. RTU realises this project together with partners from Denmark, Belgium, Germany, Italy,.

Scientific articles in the project “Fog Unit”

The project “Individual Heat Supply with Integrated Fog Unit System (IFUS)” has published two publications on the results of a set of experiments submitted for publication in international journals indexed in the Web of Science and SCOPUS databases. Link Between Multivariables of Heat and Mass Transfer in a Scrubber. Case Study: Fog Unit Article summary - Combustion processes are one of the major sources of air pollution. The research uses a new, innovative flue-gas cleaning technology - a fog unit. Its purpose is to purify the flue gases produced by households. In the European Union, including Latvia, from 2020 a.

Experimental data of the fog unit

The project “Individual Heat Supply with Integrated Fog Unit System (IFUS)” collects experimental data at three boiler capacities (10 kW, 20 kW, 30 kW) and nozzles (MPL 1.51, MPL 1.12, MPL 0.77) used to obtain the data set to be analysed. The data analysis program Statgraphics XVII performed experimental data analysis to determine what parameters affect the capacity of the fog unit and the efficiency of particulate matter (PM). Regression analysis was performed to determine the parameters affecting the capacity of the fog unit, in which the dependent variables are: Flue gas temperature at inlet (tg1) and outlet (tg2); Water.

Fog Unit: calculation model to describe the operation of the fog unit

Within the framework of the activity 3.2, a program was developed, which includes a calculation model to describe the operation of the fog unit. The program is based on a pre-built mathematical model in the Excel environment (activity 1.3), which has been refined and transferred to another environment, facilitating faster calculations. Program written in PYTHON 3.7 using Visual Studio 2019. It includes the calculation of the thermal-physical parameters, the auxiliary equations and the calculation of changes in the main parameters. The main parameters, whose changes are considered in the model, are: injected water temperature, temperature of the flue gas, diameter.

Horizon 2020 BIOEASTsUP Project Launched!

The project “Advancing Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy in Central and Eastern European countries BIOEASTsUP” is funded by the EU Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020 and began on 1st October 2019. Over the next three years, the consortium will have 21 partners from 14 different countries and will support the 11 Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries participating in the BIOEAST initiative to develop their national bioeconomy strategies and action plans for the transition to a sustainable bioeconomy. The RTU Institute of Energy Systems and Environment together with the Research Institute of Agricultural Economics from Hungary will develop a virtual toolbox.

Conference “Is it time for changes in the Latvian energy sector?”

What changes, endures. Rainis, “The Golden Horse” In the energy sector in Latvia in recent years we can observe the implementation of new, innovative and thoughtful projects. One of the last of these is the initiative of "Salaspils Siltums" Ltd. to start using solar energy in district heating. However, at the very core, we are still living the practice and thinking of 10-20 years or even earlier, which has resulted in the energy sector not developing as it could. No one can deny that in Latvia we still have huge potential in this sector that we are not using. Is this why we can.