Università degli studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia

One of the main issues that has limited the use of hydrogen as an energy vector for a long time is its low energy density per unit of volume. Alternative chemical storage methods have been developed in recent years to overcome the limitations associated with compressed or liquified hydrogen storage. One of these is the Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC), which utilizes organic hydrocarbons that can capture hydrogen (through an exothermic hydrogenation reaction) and release hydrogen (through an endothermic dehydrogenation reaction). In this paper, a 0D model of an internal combustion engine fueled with a mixture of hydrogen and methane was used to investigate whether the enthalpy of the exhaust gases can balance the heat rate required to self-sustain the dehydrogenation stage. Two LOHC+ compounds were considered, namely, Perhydro-dibenzyltoluene and Perhydro-N-Ethylcarbazole. Four different hydrogen-to-methane ratios were considered, assuming an engine maximum brake power ranging from 500 to 6000 RPM. An energy balance was performed, balancing the dehydrogenation heat rate and the exhaust gas cooling heat rate, in order to establish the minimum temperatures of the exhaust gases required to self-sustain the LOHC+ dehydrogenation. We demonstrated that the minimum exhaust temperatures required to self-sustain the process in different running regimes and at different hydrogen-to-methane ratios are lower than literature and experimental exhaust temperatures.

This paper describes the “I Lazzari di Maserno” landslide (Northern Apennines, Italy) which resumed its activity on 1st January 1996, following a 3.3 magnitude seismic shock that struck a vast sector of the north-western Apennines. The area is geologically characterised by clastic rock types belonging to Ligurian and epi-Ligurian Units. The landslide is ascribable to a slow, intermittent movement taking place along rotational and rotational-translational surfaces of rupture, accompanied by earth flows in the most superficial portion. During 1996 and in the following years several subsurface investigations and instrumental surveys were carried out; they allowed detailed knowledge of the geometrical, mechanical and kinematic characteristics of the landslide body to be obtained. In particular, the levels of soil subject to load decrease and the depth of the slip surfaces were identified and the mechanisms of rupture were reconstructed.