ALBERT

Description: The need for efficient use of energy and sustainable energy management and the fact that large quantities of heat are deposited in the discharged sewage have contributed to the development of research on waste heat recovery. Gray water began to be seen not just as waste, but also as an alternative source of energy. Research related to the development, improvement, and finally, the popularization of waste energy recovery devices and systems has evolved rapidly over the last two decades. Initially, technologies for gray water reuse were not widely used, which was due to the low efficiency of the current heat exchangers and the significant investment outlays that would have to be covered by potential users. Research conducted by scientists from around the world has allowed us to eliminate construction flaws, improve efficiency, and also provide information on the selection of optimal waste heat recovery technology, depending on the installation conditions and operating parameters. The ability to correctly select the device allows for effective energy collection from gray water, which improves the investment profitability. This paper reviews the research regarding issues related to waste heat recovery from gray water in sewage installations and systems. A critical analysis of the current state of knowledge was carried out with a special consideration to the technologies intended for the residential buildings.

Description: The growing interest in the use of unconventional energy sources is a stimulus for the development of dedicated devices and technologies. Drain water heat recovery (DWHR) units can be an example of such devices. They allow the recovery of part of the heat energy deposited in grey water. This paper describes the results of research on the assessment of the financial profitability of the use of two horizontal heat exchanger solutions, taking into account the actual distribution of cold water temperature during the operating year in the plumbing and two operating regimes of the premises as the residential and service facilities. The analysis showed that the use of a horizontal heat exchanger with increased efficiency in a dwelling in a 15-year life cycle allowed for achieving more than twice as much savings (reaching up to EUR 1427) compared to a classic horizontal heat exchanger. At the same time, it was shown that the installation of this type of equipment was more profitable the greater the water consumption of the premises. The article also notes the impact of cold water temperature in the installation on the results of the analysis. It was featured that taking temperature on the basis of installation design recommendations led to significant distortions in the financial analysis. On the other hand, comparing the method of averaging the cold water temperature (daily, monthly and yearly), it was determined that averaging the temperature over the annual cycle was an acceptable simplification of the model. The research results presented in the paper have a practical aspect and may constitute guidelines for designers and potential investors. In addition, they can be an incentive to continue research on heat exchangers by other scientific centers, which on a global scale will increase the universality of their use.

Description: Stormwater is a valuable resource, whose management in harmony with nature is one of the main challenges of modern water management. The problems encountered are additionally exacerbated by the lack of space for the development of sustainable drainage systems. For that reason, new housing estates should be designed considering efficient stormwater management. This paper assesses five stormwater management models to determine the statistically most appropriate model for managing stormwater in newly designed multi-family housing estates using multi-criteria analysis. Various options were assessed by means of the scoring method based on six groups of criteria (political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental). The research considered the different views and priorities of the experts involved in stormwater management in Poland. A survey conducted among them showed that the statistically most suitable way of managing stormwater is its infiltration into the ground with the use of infiltration basins or tanks. Only if the possibility of their application is excluded, should the application of other models of stormwater management, especially its retention, be considered. It is expected that the research results presented in this paper will be a guide for investors and developers, and their use will allow people who are not experts in the field of stormwater management to make appropriate decisions.

Description: In Poland, domestic hot water is heated mainly using fossil fuel energy sources. Such an approach results in the depletion of natural resources, pollution of the atmosphere and, consequently, irreversible changes to the climate. In response to this problem, this research identified the factors that most determine energy savings for heating water in residential buildings, as well as those that affect the choice of an alternative energy source. Additionally, the possibility of implementing shower heat exchangers in existing and newly built residential buildings was assessed, as well as society’s willingness to use such devices. The research was carried out on a sample of 462 inhabitants of the Podkarpackie Voivodeship (Poland). A questionnaire survey was used as a tool. The conducted research has shown that the perspective of environmental protection is not a sufficient motivator to save energy for heating domestic hot water. It is necessary to implement appropriate programs aimed at informing the public about the possibilities offered by the use of alternative energy sources and co-financing the purchase of appropriate devices. In the case of drain water heat recovery systems, a significant problem is also the need to develop new, highly effective designs of shower heat exchangers which can be installed under the floor linear shower drain or on the horizontal shower waste pipe.