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Fresh water shortage and hot weather are common challenges in many countries of the world. In the other hand, the air conditioning systems which are used for indoor cooling cause peak electricity demand during high temperatures hours. This peak hour demand is very important since it is more expensive and mainly is supplied by fossil fuel power plants with lower efficiencies compare to base load fossil fuel or renewable owe plants. Moreover, these peak electricity load fossil fuel power plants cause higher green house gas emission and other environmental effects. So, all these show that any solution for these problems could make life better in those countries and all over the world.In this thesis, a new idea for a Power storage, Cooling storage, and Water production Combined Cycle (PCWCC) is introduced and reviewed. PCWCC is combination of two thermal cycles, Ice Thermal Energy Storage (ITES) and desalination by freezing cycle, which are merged together to make a total solution for fresh water shortage, required cooling, and high peak power demand. ITES is a well known technology for shifting the electricity demand of cooling systems from peak hours to off-peak hours and desalination by freezing is a less known desalination system which is based on the fact that the ice crystals are pure and by freezing raw water and melting resulted ice crystals, pure water will be produced. These two systems have some common processes and equations and this thesis shows that by combining them the resulted PCWCC could be more efficient than each of them. In this thesis, the thermodynamic equations and efficiencies of each PCWCC sub-systems are analyzed and the resulted data are used in finding thermodynamics of PCWCC itself. Also, by using reMIND software, which uses Cplex to find the best combinations of input/output and related processes, the cost of produced fresh water and cooling from PCWCC is compared with total cost of fresh water and cooling produced by each sub-systems of PCWCC in three sample cities all over the world, Kerman, Dubai, and Texas. These cities are chosen since they have similar ambient temperature trend with different electricity and fresh water tariff's. The results show that, the PCWCC is economical where there is a significant electricity price difference between ice charging and ice melting hours, off-peak and peak hours, of the day or when the fresh water price is high compare to electricity price. The results also show that how the revenue from fresh water could cover the used electricity cost and make some income as well.

Le risque de chute provoqué par le phénomène épisodique de ‘Freeze of Gait’ (FoG) est un symptôme commun de la maladie de Parkinson. Cette étude concerne la détection et le diagnostic des épisodes de FoG à l'aide d'un prototype multi-capteurs. La première contribution est l'introduction de nouveaux capteurs (télémètres et goniomètres) dans le dispositif de mesure pour la détection des épisodes de FoG. Nous montrons que l'information supplémentaire obtenue avec ces capteurs améliore les performances de la détection. La seconde contribution met œuvre un algorithme de détection basé sur des réseaux de neurones gaussiens. Les performance de cet algorithme sont discutées et comparées à l'état de l'art. La troisième contribution est développement d'une approche de modélisation probabiliste basée sur les réseaux bayésiens pour diagnostiquer le changement du comportement de marche des patients avant, pendant et après un épisode de FoG. La dernière contribution est l'utilisation de réseaux bayésiens arborescents pour construire un modèle global qui lie plusieurs symptômes de la maladie de Parkinson : les épisodes de FoG, la déformation de l'écriture et de la parole. Pour tester et valider cette étude, des données cliniques ont été obtenues pour des patients atteints de Parkinson. Les performances en détection, classification et diagnostic sont soigneusement étudiées et évaluées. / Freezing of Gait (FoG) is an episodic phenomenon that is a common symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). This research is headed toward implementing a detection, diagnosis and correction system that prevents FoG episodes using a multi-sensor device. This particular study aims to detect/diagnose FoG using different machine learning approaches. In this study we validate the choice of integrating multiple sensors to detect FoG with better performance. Our first level of contribution is introducing new types of sensors for the detection of FoG (telemeter and goniometer). An advantage in our work is that due to the inconsistency of FoG events, the extracted features from all sensors are combined using the Principal Component Analysis technique. The second level of contribution is implementing a new detection algorithm in the field of FoG detection, which is the Gaussian Neural Network algorithm. The third level of contribution is developing a probabilistic modeling approach based on Bayesian Belief Networks that is able to diagnosis the behavioral walking change of patients before, during and after a freezing event. Our final level of contribution is utilizing tree-structured Bayesian Networks to build a global model that links and diagnoses multiple Parkinson's disease symptoms such as FoG, handwriting, and speech. To achieve our goals, clinical data are acquired from patients diagnosed with PD. The acquired data are subjected to effective time and frequency feature extraction then introduced to the different detection/diagnosis approaches. The used detection methods are able to detect 100% of the present appearances of FoG episodes. The classification performances of our approaches are studied thoroughly and the accuracy of all methodologies is considered carefully and evaluated

An experimental study of phase transitions of long-chain n-alkanes induced by the effect of interfaces is described. ¶ The phase behaviour of long-chain n-alkanes (carbon number 14, 16, 17, 18) adsorbed at isolated mica surfaces and confined between two mica surfaces has been studied in the vicinity of and down to several degrees below the bulk melting points, Tm. Using the Surface Force Apparatus we have measured the thickness of alkane films adsorbed from vapour (0.97 [equal to or greater-than] p/p[subscript o] [equal to or greater-than] 0.997), studied capillary condensation transition, subsequent growth of capillary condensates between two surfaces, and phase transitions in both the adsorbed films and the condensates. By measuring the growth rate of the capillary condensates we have identified a transition in the lateral mobility of molecules in the adsorbed films on isolated mica surfaces. This transition to greater mobility occurs slightly above Tm for n-hexadecane, n-heptadecane and n-octadecane but several degrees below Tm for n-tetradecane, and is accompanied by a change in wetting behaviour and a measurable decrease in adsorbed film thickness for n-heptadecane and n-octadecane. Capillary condensates that form below Tm remain liquid, but may freeze if the degree of confinement is reduced by separation of the mica surfaces. An increase in the area of the liquid-vapour interface relative to that of the liquid-mica interface facilitates freezing in the case of the long-chain alkanes, which show surface freezing at the liquid-vapour interface. ¶ Although thermodynamic properties of the surface freezing transition have been rather well documented, the kinetics involved in formation of such ordered monolayers has so far received very little attention. We studied the surface tension of n-octadecane as a function of temperature in the vicinity of Tm, using the static Wilhelmy plate and the dynamic maximum bubble pressure methods. The two methods give different results on cooling paths, where nucleation of the surface ordered phase is involved, but agree on heating paths, where both methods measure properties of the equilibrium surface phase. On cooling paths, the surface of bubbles may supercool below the equilibrium surface freezing temperature. The onset of surface freezing is marked by a sharp drop in the surface tension. The transition is accompanied by an increased stability of the films resulting in longer bubble lifetimes at the liquid surface, which suggests that the mechanical properties of the surfaces change from liquid-like to solid-like. Our results suggest occurrence of supercooling of the monolayer itself.

Submitted by Deyse Queiroz (deysequeirozz@hotmail.com) on 2018-06-13T14:15:26Z No. of bitstreams: 1 JOSÉ DIVÂNIO PEREIRA DE OLIVEIRA - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGEA 2011..pdf: 15315292 bytes, checksum: e9b24518134206b0e9339d2a725d179a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-13T14:15:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JOSÉ DIVÂNIO PEREIRA DE OLIVEIRA - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGEA 2011..pdf: 15315292 bytes, checksum: e9b24518134206b0e9339d2a725d179a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-09 / O consumo de carne congelada é cada vez maior, sobretudo nas grandes cidades, tornando-se imprescindíveis estudos mais detalhados dos processos de congelamento e sua influência no produto destinado ao consumidor. O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a cinética de congelamento e avaliar as alterações físico-químicas do lombo da carne caprina e ovina, submetido a quatro temperaturas de congelamento: -22,5 e -45 °C (freezer comercial), -170 °C (vapor de nitrogénio líquido) e -196 °C (imersão no nitrogénio líquido). Foram realizadas as análises físico-químicas de teor de água, pH, acidez, cinzas e proteínas, de acordo com o Instituto Adolfo Lutz enquanto para os atributos textura, ruptura da fibra e resistência de corte, as amostras foram realizadas em texturômetro da marca TA.XT plus. O lombo da carne ovina a -22,5 e -45 °C congelou mais rapidamente que a do lombo da carne caprina, cujos tempos foram iguais a 10200 e 10800 segundos; 6240 e 6480 segundos, respectivamente; Já nas temperaturas de -170 e -196 o lombo da carne apresentou ligeira diferença no tempo de congelamento com a carne caprina congelando de maneira mais rápida em aproximadamente 1920 segundos com relação à carne ovina, que foi de 1940 segundos e 120 e 125 segundos, respectivamente. As difusividades efetivas médias (am) do lombo da carne caprina e ovina apresentaram tendência de aumento com a diminuição da temperatura de congelamento. Os maiores valores de teor de água, pH, acidez e proteínas do lombo da carne caprina foram iguais a 76,8447% (-45°C); 5,756 (-45 °C), 5,733 (-90 °C) e 5,770 (-196 °C); 0,052% (-90 °C); e 23,490% (-170 °C), respectivamente; por outro lado, teores de água, pH, acidez e proteínas, foram iguais a 71,6773% (-90 °C), 5,530 (-22,5 °C), 0,032% (-170 °C) e 18,390 (-196 °C), respectivamente. No lombo da carne caprina os maiores e menores valores para o teor de água foram iguais a 77,6433 (-22,5 °C) e 70, 5390 (-90 °C); pH iguais a 5,753 (-196 °C) e 5,610 (-22,5 °); acidez iguais a 0,047, 0,045, 0,044 % (-22,5, -45 e -170°C)e 0,040 (- 196 °C); proteínas iguais a 20,643 e 20,953 % (-45 e -90 °C) e 18,923 e 18,720 (-22,5 e - 170 °C), mas as cinzas não apresentaram alterações significativas. A redução da temperatura de congelamento proporcionou tendência de diminuição da força de corte e ruptura das fibras do lombo da carne caprina e ovina. / Frozen meat consumption has increased especially in large cities, calling for more exhaustive rescarch concerning the freezing process and its influence on consumer products. The main objective of present study is to determine the freezing kinetics and evaluate the physical and chemical changes that occur in the lamb loin and goat meat. Both the lamb loin and goat meat were exposed to four freezing temperatures, -22.5 and - 45 C (freezer trade), -170 C (liquid nitrogen vapor) and -196 ° C (immersion in liquid nitrogen). A physical-chemical water content analysis, including pH, acidity, ash and protein content was conducted in conformity with the Instituto Adolfo Lutz's, norms whereas for texture attributes of fiber rupture and resistance, samples cutting were done in brand texturometer TA . XT plus. The lamb loin -22.5 and -45 ° C froze faster than the goat meat , whose times were equal to 10200 and 10800 / 2, 6240 and 6480 / 2, respectively. At temperatures of -170 and -196 °C, the loin meat exhibited a slight difference in freezing weather, with freezing goat meat quickly, in about 1920 / 2, in relation to lamb, which was 1940 / 2 and 120 125 seconds, respectively. The mean effective diffusivities (am) of loin meat goats and sheep tended to increase with decreasing freezing temperature. The highest values of water content, pH, acidity and protein loin of goat meat were equal to 76.8447% (-45 ° C) 5.756 (-45 ° C), 5.733 (-90 C) and 5.770 (-196 ° C), 0.052% (-90 C) and 23.490% (-170 ° C), respectively. While the lower water content, pH, acidity and protein were equal to 71.6773% (-90 C), 5.530 (-22.5 C), 0.032% (-170 ° C) and 18.390 (-196 degrees C), respectively. On the back of the goat meat, the highest and lowest values for water content were equal to 77.6433 (-22.5 C) and 70, 5390 (-90 C), pH equal to 5.753 (-196 ° C) and 5.610 (-22.5 °); acidity equal to 0.047, 0.045, 0.044% (-22.5, -45 and - 170 ° C) and 0.040 (-196 ° C), protein equal to 20.643 and 20.953% (-45 and -90 C) and 18.923 and 18.720 (-22.5 and - 170 ° C), while the ash did not change significantly. The reduction of the freezing temperature gave a trend of cutting force and rupture of the fibers of the loin of lamb and goat meat.

Les méthodes de réduction de modèles offrent un cadre général permettant une réduction de coûts de calculs substantielle pour les simulations numériques. Dans cette thèse, nous proposons d’étendre le domaine d’application de ces méthodes. Le point commun des sujets discutés est la tentative de dépasser le cadre standard «bases réduites» linéaires, qui ne traite que les cas où les variétés solutions ont une petite épaisseur de Kolmogorov. Nous verrons comment tronquer, translater, tourner, étirer, comprimer etc. puis recombiner les solutions, peut parfois permettre de contourner le problème qui se pose lorsque cette épaisseur de Kolmogorov n’est pas petite. Nous évoquerons aussi le besoin de méthodes de stabilisation sur-mesure pour le cadre réduit. / Model reduction methods provide a general framework for substantially reducing computational costs of numerical simulations. In this thesis, we propose to extend the scope of these methods. The common point of the topics discussed here is the attempt to go beyond the standard linear "reduced basis" framework, which only deals with cases where the solution manifold have a small Kolmogorov width. We shall see how truncate, translate, rotate, stretch, compress etc. and then recombine the solutions, can sometimes help to overcome the problem when this Kolmogorov width is not small. We will also discuss the need for tailor-made stabilisation methods for the reduced frame.

<div> <p>The distribution of local water vapor in the surrounding air has been shown to be the driving mechanism for several phase change phenomena during dropwise condensation and condensation frosting. This thesis uses reduced-order modeling approaches, which account for the effects of the vapor distribution to predict the droplet growth dynamics during dropwise condensation in systems of many droplets. High-fidelity modeling techniques are used to further probe and quantify the heat and mass transport mechanisms that govern the local interactions between a freezing droplet and its surrounding ambient, including neighboring droplets. The relative significance of these transport mechanisms in the propagation of frost are investigated. A reduced-order analytical method is first developed to calculate the condensation rate of each individual droplet within a group of droplets on a surface by resolving the vapor concentration field in the surrounding air. A point sink superposition method is used to account for the interaction between all droplets without requiring solution of the diffusion equation for a full three-dimensional domain. For a simplified scenario containing two neighboring condensing droplets, the rates of growth are studied as a function of the inter-droplet distance and the relative droplet size. Interactions between the pair of droplets are discussed in terms of changes in the vapor concentration field in the air domain around the droplets. For representative systems of condensing droplets on a surface, the total condensation rates predicted by the reduced-order model match numerical simulations to within 15%. The results show that assuming droplets grow as an equivalent film or in a completely isolated manner can severely overpredict condensation rates.</p> <p>The point superposition model is then used to predict the condensation rates measured during condensation experiments. The results indicate that it is critical to consider a large number of interacting droplets to accurately predict the condensation behavior. Even though the intensity of the interaction between droplets decreases sharply with their separation distance, droplets located relatively far away from a given droplet must be considered to accurately predict the condensation rate, due to the large aggregate effect of all such far away droplets. By considering an appropriate number of interacting droplets in a system, the point sink superposition method is able to predict experimental condensation rates to within 5%. The model was also capable of predicting the time-varying condensation rates of individual droplets tracked over time. These results confirm that diffusion-based models that neglect the interactions of droplets located far away, or approximate droplet growth as an equivalent film, overpredict condensation rates.</p> <p>In dropwise condensation from humid air, a full description of the interactions between droplets can be determined by solving the vapor concentration field while neglecting heat transfer across the droplets. In contrast, the latent heat released during condensation freezing processes cause droplet-to-ambient as well as droplet-to-droplet interactions via coupled heat and mas transfer processes that are not well understood, and their relative significance has not been quantified. As a first step in understanding these mechanisms, high-fidelity modeling of the solidification process, along with high-resolution infrared (IR) thermography measurements of the surface of a freezing droplet, are used to quantify the pathways for latent heat dissipation to the ambient surroundings of a droplet. The IR measurements are used to show that the crystallization dynamics are related to the size of the droplet, as the freezing front moves slower in larger droplets. Numerical simulations of the solidification process are performed using the IR temperature data at the contact line of the droplet as a boundary condition. These simulations, which have good agreement with experimentally measured freezing times, reveal that the heat transferred to the substrate through the base contact area of the droplet is best described by a time-dependent temperature boundary condition, contrary to the constant values of base temperature and rates of heat transfer assumed in previous numerical simulations reported in the literature. In further contrast to the highly simplified descriptions of the interaction between a droplet and its surrounding used in previous models, the model developed in the current work accounts for heat conduction, convection, and evaporative cooling at the droplet-air interface. The simulation results indicate that only a small fraction of heat is lost through the droplet-air interface via conduction and evaporative cooling. The heat transfer rate to the substrate of the droplet is shown to be at least one order of magnitude greater than the heat transferred to the ambient air.</p> <p>Subsequently, the droplet-to-droplet interactions via heat and mass exchange between a freezing droplet and a neighboring droplet, for which asymmetries are observed in the final shape of the frozen droplet, are investigated. Side-view infrared (IR) thermography measurements of the surface temperature for a pair of freezing droplets, along with three-dimensional numerical simulations of the solidification process, are used to quantify the intensity and nature of these interactions. Two droplet-to-droplet interaction mechanisms causing asymmetric freezing are identified: (1) non-uniform evaporative cooling on the surface of the freezing droplet caused by vapor starvation in the air between the droplets; and (2) a non-uniform thermal resistance at the contact area of the freezing droplet caused by the heat conduction within the neighboring droplet. The combined experimental and numerical results show that the size of the freezing droplet relative to its neighbor can significantly impact the intensity of the interaction between the droplets and, therefore, the degree of asymmetry. A small droplet freezing in the presence of a large droplet, which blocks vapor from freely diffusing to the surface of the small droplet, causes substantial asymmetry in the solidification process. The droplet-to-droplet interactions investigated in thesis provide insights into the role of heat dissipation in the evaporation of neighboring droplets and ice bridging, and open new avenues for extending this understanding to a system-level description for the propagation of frost.</p> </div> <br>

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This study introduces numerical frameworks for simulating the interactions within soil systems subjected to freezing and thawing processes, crucial for addressing geotechnical challenges in cold regions. By integrating robust thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM), this research offers a general understanding and specific insights into the deformation, thermal, and moisture transport behaviors of freezing-thawing soils. The first part of this study presents a soil freezing characteristic curve (SFCC) adaptable to various computational frameworks, including THM models. The SFCC, enhanced by an automatic regression scheme and a smoothing algorithm, accommodates the dynamic changes in soil properties due to phase transitions. This model effectively captures the unique behaviors of different soil types under freezing conditions, addressing key factors such as freezing temperature, compaction, and mechanical loading. Building on this foundation, the second framework employs the phase-field method (PFM) coupled with THM to model the behavior of ice-rich saturated porous media. This approach advances the field by enabling distinct representations of the mechanical behaviors of ice and soil through a diffused interface, introducing anisotropic responses as the soil undergoes freezing. By integrating a transversely isotropic plastic constitutive model for ice, this method provides a tool for capturing the phase transition processes and the resulting mechanical responses of frozen soil. The third part extends these methodologies to model thaw consolidation in permafrost regions using a THM framework combined with phase field methods. This model incorporates internal energy functions and a multiscale modified Cam-Clay model within a damage phase field framework, adept at capturing the simultaneous effects of phase change and particle rearrangement. Through validation against experimental scenarios, this model demonstrates its effectiveness in understanding the microstructural evolution and plastic softening in thaw-sensitive soils, which is vital for enhancing infrastructure resilience under thaw conditions. Together, these integrated approaches represent a leap in the modeling and simulation of geotechnical behaviors in cold regions, offering potential applications in predicting and mitigating the impacts of climate change on permafrost and other freeze-thaw affected terrains. / Thesis / Doctor of Science (PhD)