Exergy

An introduction to exergy and an overview of education and research in the field of exergy at Delft University of Technology.

What is exergy?

The website ‘Do more with the quality of energy' (in Dutch) explains in plain words what exergy is. The differences between energy and exergy and the importance of applying exergy are discussed in the opinion paper ‘A Common Scale for Our Common Future: Exergy, a Thermodynamic Metric for Energy’. The ‘Exergy Guidebook for Building Professionals’ explains how to use exergy to analyse and develop energy systems for the built environment.

A scientific journal dedicated to exergy exists as well, it is named the International Journal of Exergy. Delft University of Technology contributed to the development of a software package for exergy calculations named Cycle-Tempo: a software tool for thermodynamic analysis and optimisation of systems for the production of electricity, heat and cold.

Education

Exergy is part of the following courses:

  • Energy, Recycling and Safety (4052ENRV6)
  • Processes in the Energy Sector (TB242E)
  • Process Engineering & Thermodynamics (WB2543)
  • Energy conversion: Devices, Systems and Efficiencies (WB3575)
  • Assessment of Energy Systems (WB3585)
  • Energy transition (AESM1315)
  • SWAT Studio (AR3B015)
  • Equipment for Heat & Mass Transfer (ME45165)
  • The Necessity of Storage Technology (SET3080)

Projects, symposia and workshops

LowExNet
LowExNet is a network of international society for low exergy systems in buildings. The Towards Sustainable Architecture brochure deals with the relationship between exergy and the whole system consisting of humans, architecture and the global environment. The Low exergy systems for heating and cooling of buildings handbook discusses the heating and cooling of building with focus on increased energy efficiency and improved comfort.

SREX
The project named Spatial planning and exergy (SREX) considered the availability and quality of renewable energy sources in the development of the built environment. A digital version of the end report can be downloaded.

Symposia and workshops
Interduct, the Delft university clean technology institute, has organised a number of symposia and workshops of which syllabi are available. The syllabus Exergy analysis (in Dutch) explains what exergy analysis is and what the causes of exergy losses are. The syllabus Exergetically efficient heat production and use (in Dutch) deals with the analysis and assessment of energy systems for the production and use of low temperature heat. The syllabus named Energy efficiency and the quality of energy in the food processing industry is dedicated to the use of exergy analysis in the food processing industry.