published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Mechanical Engineering / Master / Master of Philosophy

Optimization of the performance of absorption systems during transient operations such as start-up and shut-down is particularly important for small-capacity chillers and heat pumps to minimize lifecycle costs. Dynamic models in the literature have been used to study responses to step changes in a single parameter, but more complex processes such as system start-up have not been studied in detail. A robust system-level model for simulating the transient behavior of an absorption chiller is developed here. Individual heat and mass exchangers are modeled using detailed segmental models. The UA-values and thermal masses of heat exchangers used in the model are representative of a practical operational chiller. Thermal masses of the heat exchangers and energy storage in the heat exchanging fluids are accounted for to achieve realistic transient simulation of the heat transfer processes in the chiller. The pressure drop due to fluid flow across the heat exchangers is considered negligible in comparison to the pressure difference between the high- and low-side components (~ 1.5 MPa). In components with significant mass transfer effects, reduced-order models are employed to decrease computational costs while also maintaining accurate system response. Mass and species storage in the cycle are modeled using storage devices. The storage devices account for expansion and contraction of the refrigerant and solution in the cycle as the system goes through start-up, shut-down, and other transient events. A counterflow falling film desorber model is employed to account for the heat and mass transfer interactions between the liquid and vapor phases, inside the desorber. The liquid film flows down counter to the rising vapor, thereby exchanging heat with the counterflowing heated coupling fluid. A segmented model is used to account for these processes, and a solver is developed for performing rapid iteration and quick estimation of unknown vapor and liquid states at the outlet of each segment of the desorber. Other components such as the rectifier, expansion valves and solution pump are modeled as quasi-steady devices. System start-up is simulated from ambient conditions, and the coupling fluid temperatures are assumed to start up to their steady-state values within the first 90 s of simulation. It is observed that the system attains steady-state in approximately 550 s. The evaporator cooling duty and COP of the chiller during steady-state are observed to be 3.41 kW and 0.60, respectively. Steady-state parameters such as flow rates, heat transfer rates and concentrations are found to match closely with results from simulations using corresponding steady-state models. Several control responses are investigated using this dynamic simulation model. System responses to step changes in the desorber coupling fluid temperature and flow rate, solution pumping rate, and valve setting are used to study the effects of several control strategies on system behavior. Results from this analysis can be used to optimize start-up and steady state performances. The model can also be used for devising and testing control strategies in commercial applications.

A Fabric Composite Radiation Heat Transfer Study has been conducted to determine the effective emissivities of specific fabric composite materials. The weave of the fabric and the high strength capability of the individual fiber in combination with the thermal conductivity and chemical stability of specific metallic liner, result in a very efficient light weight heat rejection system. Primary investigation included aluminum, copper, stainless steel and titanium as liner materials, and three different ceramic fabrics - Astroquartz II (a trademark of JPS Co., Slater, SC), Nextel (a trademark of 3M Co., St. Paul, MN) and Nicalon (a trademark of The Nippon Carbon Co., Japan). Experiments showed that fabric composite materials have significantly higher effective emissivities than the bare metallic liner materials. Aluminum and Astroquartz II combination and aluminum and Nextel combination appeared to be the most promising among the tested samples. To simulate deep space the experiment was performed in vacuum where coolant fluid was cirulated at about -10°C. The effective emissivity measurements were conducted at 376 K, 521 K and 573 K. Also high temperature effective emissivity measurements need to be performed. / Graduation date: 1993

A rotating, flat plate condensation experiment has been developed to investigate the heat of the Rotating Bubble Membrane Radiator (RBMR). The RBMR is a proposed heat rejection system for space applications which uses working fluid condensation on the inside surface of a rotating sphere to reject heat to space. The flat plate condensation heat transfer experiment simulates the microgravity environment of space by orienting the axis of rotation parallel to the gravitational vector and normal to the surface of the plate. The condensing surface is cooled to simulate the rejection of heat to cold surface. The working fluid is a super heated steam. The results obtained include relationships between the overall heat transfer coefficient as a function of the temperature difference between the working fluid and a cold environment, both placed in dimensionless groups, and plate angular rotational speeds. This empirical relationship is useful for choosing the optimum rotational speed for the flat plate radiator given a desired heat rejection load. A RBMR prototype, using full sphere shell, was designed and built completely in this research efforts and ready to be tested in future planned experiments in microgravity environment. This RBMR is the first one ever built to investigate the RBMR concepts experimentally. This study also provides the basis for designing new heat rejection systems utilizing centrifugal forces and condensation phenomena in both space and ground applications. / Graduation date: 1993

Shale barrens are unique habitats located throughout the southern Appalachians. They are characterized by a south or south west aspect, a steep slope, and an exposed rocky surface (Platt, 1951). They have a high total irradiance and can experience temperatures higher than the surrounding deciduous forest. A variety of plant species, several of which are rare or endangered, are endemic to the shale barren habitat. One reason proposed fc)r their endemism is that the plants are obligate heliophytes (Keener, 1983). The purpose of this dissertation is tel examine the acclimation ability of the shale barren endemic Eriogonum alIeni to shade and high temperature. / Ph. D.

Orientador: Rosana Maria Caram / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-19T03:21:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Roriz_VictorFigueiredo_D.pdf: 10020580 bytes, checksum: b85781c508b837b2a89be30231390421 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Saliências e reentrâncias existentes nas superfícies típicas das edificações, tanto na escala da rugosidade quanto das ondulações (de uma telha, por exemplo), constituem obstáculos que podem diferenciar o comportamento das mesmas em relação aos fluxos por radiação, se comparadas a superfícies perfeitamente lisas e planas. Absortividades e emissividades são propriedades dos materiais, enquanto absortâncias e emitâncias são características das superfícies, sendo influenciadas não apenas pelo material de que são constituídas, mas também por sua geometria. Esta pesquisa objetivou verificar tais influências, por meio de desenvolvimentos teóricos, e por procedimentos experimentais. Foi desenvolvido um modelo teórico de cálculo para o chamado "efeito cavidade", que permite estimar as absortâncias e emitâncias efetivas de uma superfície. As estimativas resultantes foram comparadas às obtidas em procedimentos clássicos para cálculo deste mesmo efeito. Foram realizados ensaios de campo, a céu aberto e sob condições climáticas reais, possibilitando uma análise do fenômeno na presença de outros fluxos de calor e sob a influência das diversas variáveis do clima. Para complementar os dados, experimentos foram realizados sob condições controladas, possibilitando aferir o modelo teórico. A fim de quantificar as implicações dos efeitos acima mencionados, simulações foram feitas no software EnergyPlus, considerando uma edificação de geometria simples, submetida ao clima da cidade de Brasília, com diferentes propriedades radiantes para as telhas. Adotando-se absortâncias e emitâncias efetivas, as simulações revelaram diferenças acima de 2.5oC nas temperaturas internas do ar, em relação às obtidas supondo-se que a cobertura fosse lisa e plana. No caso de uso de condicionadores de ar, esta diferença pode provocar uma variação de até 30% nas estimativas de consumo de energia elétrica. A pesquisa demonstrou que, para as superfícies normalmente encontradas nas edificações, o modelo proposto é adequado e pode contribuir para o aperfeiçoamento dos estudos de comportamento térmico e energético dos edifícios / Abstract: On surfaces perfectly flat and smooth, there are no obstacles to the radiant flow. However, typical surfaces of buildings have bumps and hollows that can significantly change the behaviour of them. The absorptivity and emissivity are properties of materials, while the emittance and absorptance are surface characteristics, being influenced not only by the material they are made, but also by its geometry and surface feature. This research aimed to verify such influences by means of theoretical and experimental procedures. A theoretical model for calculating the so-called "cavity effect" was developed, which allows to estimate the effective absorptance and Emittance of a surface. The resulting estimates were compared with those obtained in classical procedures for calculating the same effect. Field tests were conducted under actual weather conditions, allowing an analysis of the phenomenon in the presence of other heat fluxes and under the influence of different climate variables. To complement the data, experiments were performed under controlled conditions, allowing to test the theoretical model. In order to quantify the implications of the effects mentioned above, simulations were made with the software EnergyPlus considering a simple geometry building, submitted to the climate of the city of Brasilia, with different radiant properties of the roofs Adopting effective absorptances and emittance, simulation results show differences of up to 2.5 ° C in the internal air temperature, compared to those obtained ignoring the influences that the ripples of the tiles have on radiant flows. Considering the use of air conditioners, this could represent up to 30% variation in the energy consumption estimative. Research has shown that for surfaces typically found in buildings, the proposed model is adequate and may contribute to the improvement of thermal and behavioral studies of buildings / Doutorado / Arquitetura e Construção / Doutor em Engenharia Civil

An investigation of the high spectral resolution signatures and radiative forcing of tropospheric aerosol in the thermal infrared was conducted. To do so and to support advanced modeling of optical properties, a high spectral resolution library of atmospheric aerosol optical constants was developed. This library includes new optical constants of sulfate-nitrate-ammonium aqueous solutions and the collection of a broad range of existing optical constants for aerosol components, particularly mineral optical constants. The mineral optical constants were used to model and study infrared dust optical signatures as a function of composition, size, shape and mixing state. In particular, spherical and non-spherical optical models of dust particles were examined and compared to high spectral resolution laboratory extinction measurements. Then the performance of some of the most common effective medium approximations for internal mixtures was examined by modeling the optical constants of the newly determined sulfate-nitrate-ammonium mixtures. The optical signature analysis was applied to airborne and satellite high spectral resolution thermal infrared radiance data impacted by Saharan dust events. A new technique to retrieve dust microphysical properties from the dust spectral signature was developed and compared to a standard technique. The microphysics retrieved from this new technique and from a standard technique were then used to investigate the effects of dust on radiative forcing and cooling rates in the thermal IR.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Over the past two decades, northern parts of the United States have experienced extreme heat conditions. Some of the notable heat wave impacts have occurred in Chicago in 1995 with over 600 reported deaths and in Philadelphia in 1993 with over 180 reported deaths. The distribution of extreme heat events in Indianapolis has varied since the year 2000. The Urban Heat Island effect has caused the temperatures to rise unusually high during the summer months. Although the number of reported deaths in Indianapolis is smaller when compared to Chicago and Philadelphia, the heat wave in the year 2010 affected primarily the vulnerable population comprised of the elderly and the lower socio-economic groups. Studying the spatial distribution of high temperatures in the vulnerable areas helps determine not only the extent of the heat affected areas, but also to devise strategies and methods to plan, mitigate, and tackle extreme heat. In addition, examining spatial patterns of vulnerability can aid in development of a heat warning system to alert the populations at risk during extreme heat events. This study focuses on the qualitative and quantitative methods used to measure extreme heat events. Land surface temperatures obtained from the Landsat TM images provide useful means by which the spatial distribution of temperatures can be studied in relation to the temporal changes and socioeconomic vulnerability. The percentile method used, helps to determine the vulnerable areas and their extents. The maximum temperatures measured using LST conversion of the original digital number values of the Landsat TM images is reliable in terms of identifying the heat-affected regions.