Our understanding of the global marine xed nitrogen budget has undergone rapid growth, and as a result there is debate as to whether or not it is balanced. The Arctic plays a disproportionately large role in the sink terms of this budget. This paper works to understand the role of the Canada Basin in the nitrogen cycle. We utilize two tracers of denitri cation: N2/Ar, a dissolved gas tracer, and N*, a nutrient ratio tracer. We aim to quantify the current state of nitrogen cycling in the Canada Basin, and determine its role in the global cycle. Our paired tracer method provides support for shelf denitri cation rates while providing an estimate of ventilation in the same water mass, and provides an estimate for deep benthic denitri cation rates. We observe a disconnect between N2/Ar and N* in the Paci c Upper Halocline Layer (PUHL), wherein the excess N2/Ar we expect from N* is nearly 250% larger than the excess we observe. Our calculations suggest that an approximate steady state between benthic denitri cation and gas exchange on the Chukchi shelf maintains this disconnect. Our measurements of the PUHL support the shelf denitri cation rates reported from direct measurements, and can predict wind speeds required for ventilation within a factor of two. A 1D diffusion model of the old deep waters of the Canada Basin supports benthic denitri cation rates of 0.095-0.15 Tg N y-1. Benthic denitri cation rates determined from the model are on the low end of rates in other deep basins. Our results suggest additional measurements of these tracers in the Canada Basin and surrounding areas would help to constrain both the physical and biological processes controlling nitrogen cycling. / Graduate / 0425 / jen.l.reeve@gmail.com

The growing awareness of global warming potential has internationally aroused interest and demand in reducing greenhouse gas emissions produced by human activity. Each year, the UK consumes a significant amount of energy for residential and industrial space heating and domestic hot water production. At present, gas boilers are mostly installed in the domestic water heating which contributes significantly to excessive CO2 emissions and consumption of primary energy resources. However, air-source heat pump system has higher performance efficiency comparing to the traditional gas boiler, which can reduce the carbon dioxide emission and the usage of primary energy resources. The coefficient of efficiency of the heat pump can be range from 2 to 4.5 in various situations. The market shares of heat pump have been predicted to increase in the coming years to meet the requirement of the European Union Commission. There were about 22,000 heat pumps set up in the UK with 18 percent growth comparing to 2016 as reported by BSRIA. A range from 0.6 to 5.7 million heat pumps are estimated by the National Grid to be set up by 2030 to increase the energy efficiency of the UK. Although the energy efficiency of the heat pump is extremely high, there is still a space for improvement in air-source heat pump water heating system. The performance of the heat pump water heating system can be further enhanced if the dissolved gases in its hot water circuit can be efficiently discharged. The undissolved bubbles can stack in a specific position of the radiator, which would cause the cold spot. This could immensely reduce the efficiency of the heat pump water heating system. To avoid this happening, the bubble behaviors in the heat pump water heating system need to be extensively investigated. The better understanding of the bubble behaviors in an air-source heat pump water heating system can contribute to the design of an air evacuation valve and heat pump piping systems. In this thesis, the effects of various heat pump hot water side parameters on gas microbubble diameters and bubble productions were measured and analyzed by varying different experimental conditions. Correspondingly, a summarized conclusion has been presented to predict the gas microbubble's diameter distributions and volumetric void fraction distributions at different operating conditions. These parameters include various system pressures, water flow rates, and saturation ratios. In this thesis, the main results showed that larger average bubble diameter is at the higher water flow rates at heat pump exit. At 2.2 bar condition, when system water flow rate increased from 800 l/h to 1150 l/h, the average bubble diameter increased from 0.086 mm to 0.108 mm. Moreover, the average bubble diameters increase along with the decrease in system pressures. At 1000 l/h condition, when system pressure increased from 2.2 bar to 2.7 bar, the average bubble diameter decreased from 0.100 mm to 0.087 mm. At 850 l/h condition, when system pressure increased from 1.7 bar to 2.5 bar, the average bubble diameter decreased from 0.101 mm to 0.081 mm. In addition, the average bubble diameters slightly increase along with the increase in saturation ratio. Besides, a prediction equation for the bubble diameter distribution in the water pipe was proposed. At SR 1.15 and 2.5 bar condition, when water flow rate increased from 900 l/h to 1100 l/h, volumetric void fraction decreased from 2.25 E-05 to 4.83 E-06. However, at 1000 l/h and SR 1.15 condition, when system pressure increased from 2.2 bar to 2.7 bar, volumetric void fraction decreased from 2.16 E-05 to 3.78 E-06. It is found that the highest city main saturation ratio was achieved at 1.07 at the specific environmental condition.

No description available.

A inovação tecnológica é uma ferramenta muito poderosa utilizada para avançar estrategicamente no mundo competitivo. Esta tendência também é uma realidade nos sistemas de isolamento dos transformadores. Os isolamentos passam então a ser avaliados tanto do ponto de vista econômico, quanto do ambiental e da segurança. Em todo o mundo, são consumidos bilhões de litros de óleo isolante mineral e vegetal que, juntamente com o papel, formam a isolação interna dos equipamentos. Essa isolação ao ser degradada por uma ação térmica, química ou elétrica, não só diminui a vida útil dos equipamentos, mas também aumenta a taxa de falha e acarreta prejuízos e multas severas às concessionárias de energia. Aumenta-se a urgência em explorar o uso de óleos não fósseis, renováveis e biodegradáveis. Os fluídos isolantes vegetais, com capacidade de reduzir incêndios e riscos ambientais, já são uma realidade e alternativa possível em substituição aos óleos isolantes minerais. Como são de uso recente, os estudos sobre os gases dissolvidos nesses óleos ainda são poucos e seu uso como elementos indicadores de faltas causam desconfiança. Assim, o objetivo do trabalho foi o de criar metodologias para produzir em laboratório arcos elétricos e superaquecimento em óleos, capazes de gerar gases dissolvidos. Depois por ensaios térmicos e elétricos, realizaram-se estudos comparativos entre óleo mineral e vegetal com as técnicas disponíveis para monitoramento de faltas em transformadores. / Technological innovation is a very powerful tool used to advance strategically in the competitive world. This trend is also a reality in the insulation systems of transformers. Thus, insulation systems both from an economic, environmental and security viewpoint. Around the world are consumed billions of liters of insulating oil which jointly to paper forms the internal equipments insulation. When this insulation is damaged by thermal, chemical or electrical reaction it reduces the equipment durability, increases its failure rates, and cause great losses and severe fines to Electricity dealers. Consequently, this increases the urgency to explore the use of non-fossil oil, renewable and biodegradable. The vegetable insulating fluids is less-flammable and presents less environmental hazards, so it is a viable alternative to replace the use of mineral insulating oils. However, considering its recent use, studies involving dissolved gases in these oils are still scarce, and its use as shortages indicator, today, cause a deep distrust. Thus, the aim of this study was to create methodologies to produce, in laboratory, electric arcs and overheating in oils capable of generating dissolved gases. After a trial, was carried out a comparative analysis between mineral and vegetable oils, using the techniques available for monitoring transformers failures.

A inovação tecnológica é uma ferramenta muito poderosa utilizada para avançar estrategicamente no mundo competitivo. Esta tendência também é uma realidade nos sistemas de isolamento dos transformadores. Os isolamentos passam então a ser avaliados tanto do ponto de vista econômico, quanto do ambiental e da segurança. Em todo o mundo, são consumidos bilhões de litros de óleo isolante mineral e vegetal que, juntamente com o papel, formam a isolação interna dos equipamentos. Essa isolação ao ser degradada por uma ação térmica, química ou elétrica, não só diminui a vida útil dos equipamentos, mas também aumenta a taxa de falha e acarreta prejuízos e multas severas às concessionárias de energia. Aumenta-se a urgência em explorar o uso de óleos não fósseis, renováveis e biodegradáveis. Os fluídos isolantes vegetais, com capacidade de reduzir incêndios e riscos ambientais, já são uma realidade e alternativa possível em substituição aos óleos isolantes minerais. Como são de uso recente, os estudos sobre os gases dissolvidos nesses óleos ainda são poucos e seu uso como elementos indicadores de faltas causam desconfiança. Assim, o objetivo do trabalho foi o de criar metodologias para produzir em laboratório arcos elétricos e superaquecimento em óleos, capazes de gerar gases dissolvidos. Depois por ensaios térmicos e elétricos, realizaram-se estudos comparativos entre óleo mineral e vegetal com as técnicas disponíveis para monitoramento de faltas em transformadores. / Technological innovation is a very powerful tool used to advance strategically in the competitive world. This trend is also a reality in the insulation systems of transformers. Thus, insulation systems both from an economic, environmental and security viewpoint. Around the world are consumed billions of liters of insulating oil which jointly to paper forms the internal equipments insulation. When this insulation is damaged by thermal, chemical or electrical reaction it reduces the equipment durability, increases its failure rates, and cause great losses and severe fines to Electricity dealers. Consequently, this increases the urgency to explore the use of non-fossil oil, renewable and biodegradable. The vegetable insulating fluids is less-flammable and presents less environmental hazards, so it is a viable alternative to replace the use of mineral insulating oils. However, considering its recent use, studies involving dissolved gases in these oils are still scarce, and its use as shortages indicator, today, cause a deep distrust. Thus, the aim of this study was to create methodologies to produce, in laboratory, electric arcs and overheating in oils capable of generating dissolved gases. After a trial, was carried out a comparative analysis between mineral and vegetable oils, using the techniques available for monitoring transformers failures.

Icicles are a ubiquitous and picturesque feature of cold winter weather. Their familiar form emerges from a subtle interplay between the solidification dynamics of ice and the gravity-driven flow of the thin water film flowing over their evolving surface. The latent heat released by freezing is advected by the water film and ultimately carried away by the surrounding sub-zero air, which is also flowing. Like many processes far from equilibrium, icicle growth can exhibit nonlinear pattern formation. While scaling theory predicts that icicles converge to `platonic', self-similar shapes, natural icicles often exhibit regular ripple patterns about their circumference, which are due to a morphological instability. This thesis presents a comprehensive experimental study of icicles that sheds new light on the dynamics of their growth and the origin of their form. A table-top apparatus was designed and built for the controlled growth of icicles, under different conditions of temperature, water supply rate, ambient air motion, and water purity. Image analysis and Fourier methods were used to examine their morphology. Contrary to theoretical expectations, ripples do not appear on icicles made from pure water. Instead, ripples grow and travel on icicles made from salt solutions, even at very low concentrations. The addition of non-ionic surfactant or dissolved gases does not produce ripples, unless ionic impurities are also present. The ripple wavelength is independent of time and growth conditions. The ripple amplification rate and traveling velocity vary weakly with the ionic concentration, as do the tip and radial growth speeds of the icicle. While the tip and radial growth also depend on the ambient temperature and input mass flux, the ripple dynamics is not correlated with extrinsic conditions. If the ambient temperature or input mass flux is sufficiently low, the tip growth only advances for a short period of time before it ceases. After cessation, the shape of the icicle deviates increasingly from self-similarity. The most self-similar icicles are made from pure water with the surrounding air gently stirred, whereas icicles made from impure water in still air tend to grow multiple tips.

Icicles are a ubiquitous and picturesque feature of cold winter weather. Their familiar form emerges from a subtle interplay between the solidification dynamics of ice and the gravity-driven flow of the thin water film flowing over their evolving surface. The latent heat released by freezing is advected by the water film and ultimately carried away by the surrounding sub-zero air, which is also flowing. Like many processes far from equilibrium, icicle growth can exhibit nonlinear pattern formation. While scaling theory predicts that icicles converge to `platonic', self-similar shapes, natural icicles often exhibit regular ripple patterns about their circumference, which are due to a morphological instability. This thesis presents a comprehensive experimental study of icicles that sheds new light on the dynamics of their growth and the origin of their form. A table-top apparatus was designed and built for the controlled growth of icicles, under different conditions of temperature, water supply rate, ambient air motion, and water purity. Image analysis and Fourier methods were used to examine their morphology. Contrary to theoretical expectations, ripples do not appear on icicles made from pure water. Instead, ripples grow and travel on icicles made from salt solutions, even at very low concentrations. The addition of non-ionic surfactant or dissolved gases does not produce ripples, unless ionic impurities are also present. The ripple wavelength is independent of time and growth conditions. The ripple amplification rate and traveling velocity vary weakly with the ionic concentration, as do the tip and radial growth speeds of the icicle. While the tip and radial growth also depend on the ambient temperature and input mass flux, the ripple dynamics is not correlated with extrinsic conditions. If the ambient temperature or input mass flux is sufficiently low, the tip growth only advances for a short period of time before it ceases. After cessation, the shape of the icicle deviates increasingly from self-similarity. The most self-similar icicles are made from pure water with the surrounding air gently stirred, whereas icicles made from impure water in still air tend to grow multiple tips.

Depuis plus d’un siècle, les changements globaux sont à l’origine de profondes modifications de nos sociétés, nos modes de vie et il en va bien sûr de même pour notre environnement. Cette trajectoire empruntée, bon gré mal gré, par l’ensemble de l’humanité n’est pas sans conséquences pour les systèmes naturels et semble déjà mener les générations futures au-devant de grands défis. Afin de ne pas compromettre notre capacité à relever ces épreuves futures et, devant l’urgence du besoin d’action, une partie de la communauté scientifique a choisi de concentrer ses efforts sur la couche superficielle de notre planète qui soutient la vie terrestre : la Zone Critique. L’émergence de ce concept souligne la nécessité de développer des approches scientifiques pluridisciplinaires intégrant une large variété d’échelles de temps et d’espace. En tant que lien entre les différents compartiments de la Zone Critique (Atmosphère, Biosphère, Hydrosphère, Lithosphère et Pédosphère), l’eau est une molécule essentielle aux échanges d’énergie et de matière dont la dynamique requiert une attention particulière. Compte tenu de la diversité et de la variabilité spatiotemporelle des transferts d’eau et de matière dissoute dans les milieux aquatiques, de nouvelles méthodes d'investigations sont nécessaires. L'objectif général de cette thèse est de décrire l’intérêt et le potentiel qui résident dans l’utilisation des gaz dissous, en particulier lorsqu’ils sont mesurés à haute fréquence sur le terrain, afin de caractériser la dynamique hydrobiogéochimique des eaux naturelles de la Zone Critique à différentes échelles spatiales et temporelles. Pour parfaire cette ambition, ce travail s’est tout d’abord attaché au développement d'une instrumentation innovante puis, à la mise en place de nouveaux traceurs intégrés dans des dispositifs expérimentaux originaux et enfin, à l'acquisition, au traitement et à l'analyse de différents jeux de données de gaz dissous en se focalisant sur les eaux souterraines. / For more than a century, global change has led to a profound modification of our societies, our lifestyles and, of course, our environment. This trajectory followed willy-nilly by all mankind has consequences for natural systems and already seems to lead the future generations ahead of serious challenges. In order not to compromise our ability to meet these future ordeals, and because of the urgent need for action, part of the scientific community has chosen to concentrate on the near-surface environment that supports terrestrial life: the Critical Zone. The emergence of this concept underlines the need to develop multidisciplinary scientific approaches integrating a wide variety of temporal and spatial scales. As the link between the different compartments of the Critical Zone (Atmosphere, Biosphere, Hydrosphere, Lithosphere and Pedosphere), water is an essential molecule controlling the exchanges of energy and matter whose dynamics require special attention. In view of the diversity and spatiotemporal variability of water and matter transfers arising in aquatic environments, new methods of investigation are needed. The general objective of this thesis is to describe the interest and the potential lying in the use of dissolved gases, especially when they are measured at high frequency in the field, in order to characterise the hydrobiogeochemical dynamics of the natural waters of the Critical Zone at different spatial and temporal scales. To perfect this ambition, this work focused first on the development of an innovative instrumentation, then, on the implementation of novel tracers integrated into original experimental setups and finally, on the acquisition, processing and analysis of different dissolved gas datasets focusing on groundwater.