Although the countries of the Western Balkans are mostly electrified, there are still regions which do not have access to the electricity network or where the network capacity is insufficient. For the most part such areas are under special care of the state (i. e. underdeveloped, devastated by war, depopulated), on islands or in mountainous regions. Since the decentralized energy generation covers a broad range of technologies, including many renewable energy technologies that provide small-scale power at sites close to the users, such concept could be of interest for these locations. This paper identifies the areas in Western Balkans where such systems could be applied. Consideration is given to geographical locations as well as possible applications. Wind, hydro, solar photovoltaic, and biomass conversion systems were taken into consideration. Since the renewable energy sources data for Western Balkans region are rather scarce, the intention was to give a survey of the present situation and an estimate of future potential for decentralized energy generation based on renewable energy sources. The decentralized energy generation based on renewable energy sources in Western Balkans will find its niche easier for the users that will produce electricity for their own needs and for the users located in remote rural areas (off-grid applications).

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Paper gives a review of the most important results of turbulence research achieved by the Laboratory for Thermal Engineering and Energy. Paper presents detailed overview of the history of the scientific research provided in the laboratory, from the beginning in the mid-60s to today, pointing out the main reasons initiating the investigations in this field. After the first period, which was mainly devoted to the research of the structure of the turbulence, since the beginning of the 80s, research is mainly oriented to the flows at high temperatures including chemical reactions and to the development and improvement of differential mathematical models as a modern and very efficient tool in the technological development. This research significantly contributed to the development of pulverized coal burners, plasma-chemical reactors, and optimization of pulverized coal fired boilers operating parameters and prediction of the greenhouse gases emissions. Most recent period includes experimental and numerical studies of the coherent structures in turbulent fluid jets, mathematical modeling of various turbulent thermal flow processes including two-phase turbulent flow in the multiphase heat exchangers and mathematical modeling of the atmospheric boundary layer.

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One of the key requirements related to successful utilization of plasma technology as an oil-free backup system for coal ignition and combustion stabilization in power plant boilers is provision of properly regulated pulverized coal distribution to the feed ducts leading the fuel mixture to a burner. Proper regulation of coal distribution is deemed essential for achieving an adequate pulverized coal concentration in the zone where thermal plasma is being introduced. The said can be efficiently achieved by installation of stationary louver in the coal-air mixing duct ahead of the feed ducts of a burner. The paper addresses numerical simulation of a two-phase flow of air-pulverized coal mixture in the mixing ducts, analyzing the effects of particle size distribution on pulverized coal distribution to the burner feed ducts. Numerical simulation was performed using the FLUENT 6.3 commercial code and related poly-dispersed flow module, based on the PSI-CELL approach. Numerical experiments have been performed assuming a mono-dispersed solid phase with particle diameter ranging from 45 mm to 1200 mm. Distance between the louver blades and the resulting effect on the flow profile was analyzed as well. Results obtained indicate that the size of coal particles considerably influence the overall solid phase distribution. While fine particles, with diameters at the lower end of the above specified range, almost fully follow the streamlines of the continuous phase, coarser particles, which hit the louver blades, deflect towards the thermal plasma zone. In this manner, a desired phase concentration in the considered zone can be reached. For the said reason, installation of stationary louver have been deemed a very efficient way to induce phase separation, primarily due to more pronounced impact of the installed louver on discrete phase flow then the impact on the flow of the continuous phase.