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Downslope flows and regions of enhanced cooling have important impacts on society and the environment. Parameterisation of these often subgrid-scale phenomena in numerical models requires a sound understanding of the underlying physical processes, which has been the overarching aim of this work. A numerical model has been used to characterise the development of a region of enhanced cooling in an idealised alpine valley with width and depth of order 10 and 1 km, respectively, under stable, decoupled, poorly-drained conditions. A focus of this work has been to remove the uncertainty surrounding the forcing mechanisms behind the development of regions of enhanced cooling. The average valley-atmosphere cooling has been found to be almost equally partitioned between radiative and dynamics effects. Complex interactions between the downslope flows and the region of enhanced cooling have been quantified for the first time. For example, relatively large variations in the downslope flows are generally restricted to the region of enhanced cooling and cannot solely be attributed to the analytical model of [McNider, 1982a]. These flow variations generally coincide with return flows above the downslope flows, where a thin region of unstable air occurs, as well as coinciding with elongated downslope flow structures. The impact of these interactions on the dispersion of passive pollutants has been investigated. For example, pollutants are generally trapped within the region of enhanced cooling. The concentration of pollutants within the region of enhanced cooling, emitted over the lower half of the slopes, increase as the emission source moves away from the ground-based inversion that expands from the bottom of the valley. The concentration of pollutants within the region of enhanced cooling is very similar when varying the location of the emission source over the top half of the valley slopes. This work includes a test of the effects of varying the horizontal numerical grid resolution on average valley-atmosphere temperature changes.

<p>Today many professional property holders use different types of software for monthly energy analyses. The data is however often limited to energy and water use, that is paid for by the property holder. In year 2001, financed by the Swedish Energy Agency, the first steps were taken to create a national web based data base, eNyckeln. A property holder may then enter consumption data together with about 50 other building specific parameters to this data base in order to enable benchmarking and energy performance evaluations. Due to EU-regulations and the increasing awareness of energy and environmental issues there is a large interest in evaluating the energy performance and also to identify effective energy retrofits. The used energy performance indicator is still only the annual energy use for heating per square meter of area to let, kWh/m²,year, despite the fact that monthly data often are available. The main problem with this indicator, which is the stipulated measure, is that it reflects a lot of user influence and that only a part of the total energy use is considered. The main focus of this thesis is to explore the possibilities, based on the national data base, to extract additional energy information about multi family buildings (MFB) using monthly data in combination with different assumed consumption pattern but also to identify potential for energy savings. For the latter a multivariate method was used to identify relations between the energy use and building specific parameters. The analysis gave clear indications that the available area, the area to let, is not appropriate for normalization purposes since the remaining heated area can be significant. Due to this fact, the analysis was mainly limited to qualitative conclusions. As measure of the buildings energy characteristic, the total heat loss coefficient, <em>K_tot</em>,(W/ºK) is determined and the robustness for the estimate of<em> K_tot</em> to different assumptions of user behaviour is investigated. The result shows that the value of <em>K_tot</em> is fairly insensitive to different indoor temperature, use of domestic hot water and household electricity. With the addition of m² it can of course be used for benchmarking. Using the mentioned measure of the buildings energy characteristic for validating the energy performance has a clear advantage compared to the traditional kWh/m², since the user behaviour is of minor importance. As a result of this an improved analysis of the energy performance will be obtained. A guarantee for new buildings energy performance based on this method is therefore a challenge for the building sector to develop.</p>

Background: Protection against cold is vitally important in prehospital trauma care to reduce heat loss and prevent body core cooling. Objectives: Evaluate the effect on cold stress and thermoregulation in volunteer subjects byutilising additional insulation on a spineboard (I). Determine thermal insulation properties of blankets and rescue bags in different wind conditions (II). Establish the utility of wet clothing removal or the addition of a vapour barrier by determining the effect on heat loss within different levels of insulation in cold and warm ambient temperatures (III) and evaluating the effect on cold stress and thermoregulation in volunteer subjects (IV). Methods: Aural canal temperature, sensation of shivering and cold discomfort was evaluated in volunteer subjects, immobilised on non-insulated (n=10) or insulated (n=9) spineboards in cold outdoor conditions (I). A thermal manikin was setup inside a climatic chamber and total resultant thermal insulation for the selected ensembles was determined in low, moderate and high wind conditions (II). Dry and wet heat loss and the effect of wet clothing removal or the addition of a vapour barrier was determined with the thermal manikin dressed in either dry, wet or no clothing; with or without a vapour barrier; and with three different levels of insulation in warm and cold ambient conditions (III). The effect on metabolic rate, oesophageal temperature, skin temperature, body heat storage, heart rate, and cold discomfort by wet clothing removal or the addition of a vapour barrier was evaluated in volunteer subjects (n=8), wearing wet clothing in a cold climatic chamber during four different insulation protocols in a cross-over design (IV). Results: Additional insulation on a spine board rendered a significant reduction of estimated shivering but there was no significant difference in aural canal temperature or cold discomfort (I). In low wind conditions, thermal insulation correlated to thickness of the insulation ensemble. In greater air velocities, thermal insulation was better preserved for ensembles that were windproof and resistant to the compressive effect of the wind (II). Wet clothing removal or the use of a vapour barrier reduced total heat loss by about one fourth in the cold environment and about one third in the warm environment (III). In cold stressed wet subjects, with limited insulation applied, wet clothing removal or the addition of a vapour barrier significantly reduced metabolic rate, increased skin rewarming rate, and improved total body heat storage but there was no significant difference in heart rate or oesophageal temperature cooling rate (IV). Similar effects on heat loss and cold stress was also achieved by increasing the insulation. Cold discomfort was significantly reduced with the addition of a vapour barrier and with an increased insulation but not with wet clothing removal. Conclusions: Additional insulation on a spine board might aid in reducing cold stress inprolonged transportations in a cold environment. In extended on scene durations, the use of a windproof and compression resistant outer cover is crucial to maintain adequate thermal insulation. In a sustained cold environment in which sufficient insulation is not available, wet clothing removal or the use of a vapour barrier might be considerably important reducing heat loss and relieving cold stress.

Chosen as one of six Generation‒IV nuclear-reactor concepts, SuperCritical Water-cooled Reactors (SCWRs) are expected to have high thermal efficiencies within the range of 45 ‒ 50% owing to reactor‘s high outlet temperatures. A generic pressure-channel (or pressure-tube)SCWR operates at a pressure of 25 MPa with inlet- and outlet-coolant temperatures of 350°C and 625°C. Consequently, the sheath and fuel centerline temperatures are higher in SCWRs than those of the current nuclear reactors. Previous studies have shown that the sheath and fuel centerline temperatures could exceed the design and industry accepted limits of 850°C and 1850°C, respectively. These studies correspond to UO2 enclosed in a 43-element fuel bundle at an average thermal power per channel of 8.5 MWth. Additionally, these high operating conditions in the range of 350 - 625°C lead to high heat losses from the coolant to the moderator, which in turn reduces the overall thermal efficiency of the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Therefore, there is a need for alternative fuels or fuel bundles for future use in SCWRs. Hence, it is also necessary to determine the amount of heat losses from a number of fuel-channel designs for SCWRs. The objectives of this study are to investigate the possibility of using alternative fuels and to determine the heat losses from a fuel-channel design at SCWR conditions. The investigated fuels are categorized as low thermal-conductivity (e.g., UO2, MOX, and ThO2), high thermal-conductivity (e.g., UC, UC2, UN), and enhanced thermal-conductivity (e.g., UO2‒SiC, UO2‒C, and UO2‒BeO) fuels. Additionally, the examined fuel channel is the High Efficiency Channel (HEC), which has been designed by the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) for the proposed CANDU SCWR. In order to achieve the objectives of this study, a steady-state one-dimensional heat-transfer analysis was conducted. The MATLAB© and NIST REFPROP© software were used for programming and retrieving thermophysical properties of a light-water coolant, respectively. The fuel centerline temperature was calculated for the fuel channels with the maximum thermal power, i.e., +15% above average channel power. Results of this analysis showed that the fuel centerline temperatures of low thermal-conductivity fuels exceed the industry limit; therefore, either a fuel with a higher thermal conductivity should be used or the fuel bundle geometry must be modified. Among the high thermal-conductivity fuels, UC has been shown to be a candidate for future use in SCWRs. However, the chemical compatibility of UC with water at high operating temperatures of SCWRs remains ambiguous. Therefore, further studies are required before selecting UC. In regards to enhanced thermal-conductivity fuels, UO2‒BeO is the most suitable candidate; however, its mechanical and neutronic properties must be thoroughly studied before any decision is made with regards to the selection of a fuel. In regards to the heat losses from the examined fuel channel, the heat loss was between 70 kW and 110 kW per fuel channel based on an average thermal power per channel of 8.5 MWth and a moderator pressure of 0.1 MPa at 80°C. A sensitivity analysis of the fuel channel shows that the heat loss can be reduced by increasing the operating pressure of the moderator, which in turn allows for increasing the operating temperature of the moderator. Higher operating temperatures of the moderator result in smaller temperature differences between the coolant and the moderator, which leads to lower heat losses. Therefore, either the thickness of the insulator or the pressure of the moderator should be increased in order to reduce the heat losses from the fuel channel. / UOIT

Over the last fifty years, our knowledge of the Solar System has increased exponentially. Many planetary surfaces were seen for the first time through spacecraft observations. Yet the interiors of most planetary bodies remain poorly studied. This dissertation focuses on two main topics: the formation of central pit craters and what this reveals about the subsurface volatile content of the target material, and the mantle dynamics of Io and how they relate to the extensive volcanism on its surface. Central pit craters are seen on icy satellites, Mars, the Moon, and Mercury. They have terraced rims, flat floors, and a pit at or near their center. Several formation mechanisms have been suggested. This dissertation assesses the feasibility of central pit crater formation via drainage of impact melt through impact-generated fractures. For impacts on Ganymede, the expected volume of melt and volume of fracture space generated during the impact and the volume of melt able to drain before fractures freeze shut all exceed the observed central pit volumes on Ganymede. This suggests that drainage of impact melt could contribute to central pit crater formation on Ganymede. Molten rock draining through solid rock fractures will freeze shut more rapidly, so this work suggests that impact melt drainage is unlikely to be a significant factor in the formation of central pit craters on rocky bodies unless a significant amount of volatiles are present in the target. Io is the most volcanically active body in the Solar System. While volcanoes are most often associated with plate tectonics on Earth, Io shows no signs of plate tectonics. Previous work has suggested that Io could lose a significant fraction of its internal heat through volcanic eruptions. In this dissertation, I investigate the relationship between mantle convection and magma generation, migration by porous flow, and eruptions on Io. I couple convective scaling laws to a model solving the two-phase flow equations applied to a rising column of mantle. I show that Io has a partially molten upper mantle and loses the majority of its internal heat through volcanic eruption. Next, I present two-dimensional numerical simulations that self-consistently solve the two-phase flow equations including mantle convection and magma generation, migration by porous flow, and eruption. These simulations produce a high heat flux due to volcanic eruption, a thick lithosphere, a partially molten upper mantle, and a high eruption rate—all consistent with observations of Io. This model also reveals the eruption rate oscillates around the statistical steady state average eruption rate suggesting that the eruption rate and total heat flux measurements from the past 35 years may not be representative of Io's long term behavior.

The  aim  of  this  master  thesis  is  an  investigation  of  the  thermal  performance  of  a  thermal compound parabolic concentrating (CPC) collector from Solarus. The collector consists of two troughs with absorbers which are coated with different types of paint with  unknown  properties.  The  lower  and  upper  trough  of  the  collector  have  been  tested individually. In  order  to  accomplish  the  performance  of  the  two  collectors,  a  thorough  literature  study  in  the  fields  of  CPC  technology,  various  test  methods,  test  standards  for  solar thermal  collectors  as  well  as  the  latest  articles  relating  on  the  subject  were  carried  out. In addition, the set‐up of the thermal test rig was part of the thesis as well. The thermal  performance  was  tested  according  to  the  steady  state  test  method  as  described in the European standard 12975‐2. Furthermore, the thermal performance of  a  conventional  flat  plate  collector  was  carried  out  for  verification  of  the  test  method. The  CPC‐Thermal  collector  from  Solarus  was  tested  in  2013  and  the  results  showed  four  times  higher  values  of  the  heat  loss  coefficient  UL (8.4  W/m²K)  than  what  has been reported for a commercial collector from Solarus. This value was assumed to be too large and it was assumed that the large value was a result of the test method used that time. Therefore, another aim was the comparison of the results achieved in this work with the results from the tests performed in 2013. The results of the thermal performance showed that the optical efficiency of the lower trough of the CPC‐T collector is 77±5% and the corresponding heat loss coefficient UL 4.84±0.20  W/m²K.  The  upper  trough  achieved  an  optical  efficiency  of  75±6  %  and  a  heat loss coefficient UL of 6.45±0.27 W/m²K. The results of the heat loss coefficients  are  valid  for  temperature  intervals  between  20°C  and  80°C.  The  different  absorber paintings have a significant impact on the results, the lower trough performs overall better.  The  results  achieved  in  this  thesis  show  lower  heat  loss  coefficients UL and higher optical efficiencies compared to the results from 2013.

Domestic gas consumption for central heating is a function both of the efficiency of the heating system and the way in which it is used. While many studies have concentrated on the performance of systems and their controls, there have been few studies of occupant behaviour. The thesis therefore studies household behaviour patterns relating to domestic gas consumption. There are two main aims: firstly, to study a variety of these patterns and, secondly, to make a detailed investigation of one particular behaviour pattern, namely window opening. These two studies centre on 113 households on two local authority estates, where all the dwellings are of similar construction. The first study makes use of two main data sources: quarterly gas consumption readings and data obtained from an in-depth interview with each head of household. It identifies a variety of behaviour patterns and their underlying motivations. Additionally, this study shows that design heat loss and terrace position account for less than a third of the variance in winter consumption. A regression analysis using only behavioural and social variables resulted in a similar proportion of variance being explained. These two sets of independent variables could not justifiably be combined due to their inter-correlations. In conclusion, it was suggested that consumption may not be determined by a few variables of major significance but rather by a large number of inter-acting variables each with a small influence on consumption. The second study, window opening, makes use of three data sources: a series of systematic window observations, meteorological data and data obtained from postal questionnaires. The study identifies the objective correlates of estate-wide window opening, as well as the subjective motivations for the opening and closing of windows. It highlights the wide range of variation in window opening amongst householders. In addition, the study indicates that householders adopt characteristic window opening patterns which they can reliably report.

Today many professional property holders use different types of software for monthly energy analyses. The data is however often limited to energy and water use, that is paid for by the property holder. In year 2001, financed by the Swedish Energy Agency, the first steps were taken to create a national web based data base, eNyckeln. A property holder may then enter consumption data together with about 50 other building specific parameters to this data base in order to enable benchmarking and energy performance evaluations. Due to EU-regulations and the increasing awareness of energy and environmental issues there is a large interest in evaluating the energy performance and also to identify effective energy retrofits. The used energy performance indicator is still only the annual energy use for heating per square meter of area to let, kWh/m2,year, despite the fact that monthly data often are available. The main problem with this indicator, which is the stipulated measure, is that it reflects a lot of user influence and that only a part of the total energy use is considered. The main focus of this thesis is to explore the possibilities, based on the national data base, to extract additional energy information about multi family buildings (MFB) using monthly data in combination with different assumed consumption pattern but also to identify potential for energy savings. For the latter a multivariate method was used to identify relations between the energy use and building specific parameters. The analysis gave clear indications that the available area, the area to let, is not appropriate for normalization purposes since the remaining heated area can be significant. Due to this fact, the analysis was mainly limited to qualitative conclusions. As measure of the buildings energy characteristic, the total heat loss coefficient, Ktot,(W/ºK) is determined and the robustness for the estimate of Ktot to different assumptions of user behaviour is investigated. The result shows that the value of Ktot is fairly insensitive to different indoor temperature, use of domestic hot water and household electricity. With the addition of m2 it can of course be used for benchmarking. Using the mentioned measure of the buildings energy characteristic for validating the energy performance has a clear advantage compared to the traditional kWh/m2, since the user behaviour is of minor importance. As a result of this an improved analysis of the energy performance will be obtained. A guarantee for new buildings energy performance based on this method is therefore a challenge for the building sector to develop.

Na+/K+-ATPase has been shown to regulate the sweating and cutaneous vascular responses during exercise; however, similar studies have not been conducted to assess the roles of the Na-K-2Cl cotransporter (NKCC) and K+ channels. Additionally, it remains to be determined if these mechanisms underpinning the heat loss responses differ with exercise intensity. Eleven young (24±4 years) males performed three 30-min semi-recumbent cycling bouts at low (30% VO2peak), moderate (50% VO2peak), and high (70% VO2peak) intensity exercise, respectively, each separated by 20-min recovery periods. Using intradermal microdialysis, four forearm skin sites were continuously perfused with either: 1) lactated Ringer solution (Control), 2) 6 mᴍ ouabain (Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitor), 3) 10 mᴍ bumetanide (NKCC inhibitor), or 4) 50 mᴍ BaCl2 (non-specific K+ channel inhibitor); sites at which we assessed local sweat rate (LSR) and cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC). Inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase attenuated LSR compared to Control during the moderate and high intensity exercise bouts (both P˂0.01), whereas attenuations with NKCC and K+ channel inhibition were only apparent during the high intensity exercise bout (both P≤0.05). Na+/K+-ATPase inhibition augmented CVC during all exercise intensities (all P˂0.01), whereas CVC was greater with NKCC inhibition during the low intensity exercise only (P˂0.01) and attenuated with K+ channel inhibition during the moderate and high intensity exercise conditions (both P˂0.01). We show that Na+/K+-ATPase, NKCC and K+ channels all contribute to the regulation of sweating and cutaneous blood flow but their influence is dependent on the intensity of exercise.