Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-70). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-70). Also available on the Internet.

QC 20110616

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2006. / "December, 2006." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 92-94). Online version available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2009. / Principal faculty advisor: Fabrice Veron, College of Earth, Ocean, & Environment. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--State University of New York at Binghamton, Thomas J. Watson School of Engineeering and Applied Science, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Mechanical Engineering. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A wet-cooling tower fill performance evaluation model developed by Reuter is derived in Cartesian coordinates for a rectangular cooling tower and compared to cross- and counterflow Merkel, e-NTU and Poppe models. The models are compared by applying them to a range of experimental data measured in the cross- and counterflow wet-cooling tower test facility at Stellenbosch University. The Reuter model is found to effectively give the same results as the Poppe method for cross- and counterflow fill configuration as well as the Merkel and e-NTU method if the assumptions as made by Merkel are implemented. A second order upwind discretization method is applied to the Reuter model for increased accuracy and compared to solution methods generally used to solve cross- and counterflow Merkel and Poppe models. First order methods used to solve the Reuter model and crossflow Merkel and Poppe models are found to need cell sizes four times smaller than the second order method to obtain the same results. The Reuter model is successfully implemented in two- and three-dimensional ANSYS-Fluent® CFD models for under- and supersaturated air. Heat and mass transfer in the fill area is simulated with a user defined function that employs a second order upwind method. The two dimensional ANSYS-Fluent® model is verified by means of a programmed numerical model for crossflow, counterflow and cross-counterflow. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: ‘n Natkoeltoring model vir die evaluering van pakkings werkverrigting, wat deur Reuter ontwikkel is, word in Kartesiese koördinate afgelei vir ‘n reghoekige koeltoring en word vergelyk met kruis- en teenvloei Merkel, e-NTU en Poppe modelle. Die verskillende modelle word vergelyk deur hulle op ‘n reeks eksperimentele data toe te pas wat in die kruis- en teenvloei natkoeltoring toetsfasiliteit by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch gemeet is. Dit is bevind dat die Reuter model effektief dieselfde resultate gee as die Poppe model vir kruis- en teenvloei pakkingskonfigurasies sowel as die Merkel en e-NTU metode, indien dieselfde aannames wat deur Merkel gemaak is geїmplementeer word. ‘n Tweede orde “upwind” metode word op die Reuter model toegepas vir hoër akkuraatheid en word vergelyk met oplossingsmetodes wat gewoonlik gebruik word om kruis- en teenvloei Merkel en Poppe modelle op te los. Eerste orde metodes wat gebruik is om die Reuter model en kruisvloei Merkel en Poppe modelle op te los benodig rooster selle wat vier keer kleiner is as vir tweede orde metodes om dieselfde resultaat te verkry. Die Reuter model is suksesvol in twee- en driedimensionele ANSYS-Fluent® BVD (“CFD”) modelle geїmplementeer vir on- en oorversadigde lug. Warmte- en massaoordrag in die pakkingsgebied word gesimuleer mbv ‘n gebruiker gedefinieerde funksie (“user defined function”) wat van ‘n tweede orde numeriese metode gebruik maak. Die tweedimensionele ANSYS-Fluent® model word m.b.v. ‘n geprogrameerde numeriese model bevestig vir kruis-, teen- en kruis-teenvloei.

Le caractère fortement hydrophile des isolants thermiques bio-sourcés, a montré que les modèles classiques de transfert thermique ne sont pas suffisamment adaptés pour leur caractérisation thermique. Ce travail de thèse vise à répondre à cette problématique par des approches expérimentale et théorique des transferts couplés chaleur-humidité. Dans l’approche expérimentale, un isolant thermique en feutre de fibres de lin (FFL) a été développé puis caractérisé, dans différents états hygrométriques, au moyen d’un dispositif Plan Chaud asymétrique. Des isothermes d’adsorption de l’humidité corrélés aux modèles théoriques GAB, GDW et Park permettent une caractérisation hydrique de cet isolant. Dans l’approche théorique, un modèle physique, de transfert couplé chaleur-humidité au sein de l’isolant FFL humide, est proposé. Il est résolu numériquement, en configuration 3D transitoire, par la méthode de éléments finis sous COMSOL Multiphysics et par la méthode des différences finies, en configuration 1D transitoire, sous MATLAB. La méthode de Levenberg-Marquardt couplée avec le modèle direct 1D transitoire et les températures mesurées a permis d’estimer la conductivité thermique apparente de l'échantillon étudié avec une erreur relative inférieure à 6% par rapport aux mesures expérimentales, validant ainsi les modèles théoriques. / The conventional heat transfer models are not sufficiently suitable for thermal characterization of bio-sourced thermal insulating materials due to their strongly hydrophilic nature. The proposed work in this PhD thesis aims to answer this problem with experimental and theoretical approaches of coupled heat-moisture transfers. In the experimental approach, a thermal insulating material based on Flax Fiber Felt (FFF) is developed and then characterized at different hygrometric conditions with an asymmetric hot plate device. The humidity diffusion characterization of the samples is done using the GAB, GDW and Park theoretical moisture adsorption isotherm models. In the theoretical approach, a physical model of heat and mass transfer is proposed. It is solved numerically, in transient 3D configuration, by the finite element method under COMSOL Multiphysics and, in transient 1D configuration, by the finite difference method under MATLAB. The Levenberg-Marquardt method coupled with the 1D transient direct model and the measured temperatures made it possible to estimate the apparent thermal conductivity of the studied sample with a relative error of less than 6% compared to the experimental measurements, thus validating the theoretical models.