Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Increased awareness of environmental problems has awakened interest in renewable energy systems. Natural ventilation systems are especially of interest, as people spend most of their time indoors. Indoor air quality is an important consideration when human health and occupant comfort is to be maintained. This study focusses on determining the best inlet and outlet shape for a natural ventilation system from a chosen set of configurations. The inlet and outlet configurations were tested on a PDEC (Passive Downdraught Evaporative Cooling) shaft and solar chimney. The PDEC incorporated an evaporative cartridge made from cotton cloth. Independent models of the PDEC and solar chimney were built in a thermally controlled space where the configurations were tested at different wind speeds. The configurations were tested on a wet or dry PDEC shaft and on a hot or cold solar chimney. One-dimensional finite difference models, accounting for some two-dimensional effects in the evaporative cartridge, of the cartridge and solar chimney were developed. CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) models were further constructed in FLUENTr, simulating operating conditions for each inlet and outlet test. The CFD models were constructed to obtain numerical comparisons for the experimental data. The ability of the one-dimensional and CFD models to predict the performance of the PDEC and solar chimney were investigated. The results indicated that an inlet configuration called a TFI (Turbine Fan Inlet) performed the best at the tested wind speeds. The TFI was further able to significantly increase volumetric flow rate in the PDEC shaft for the dry evaporative cartridge tests. The outlet that performed best under the tests is a Windmaster Tornado Wind Turbine, or Whirlybird, which is a commercially available configuration. The one-dimensional models were not able to accurately predict conditions during start-up. The CFD models were highly accurate in predicting the experimental values. It is recommended that a two-dimensional theoretical model be developed to better predict start-up conditions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verhoogde bewustheid van omgewings probleme het belangstelling in hernubare energie stelsels ontwaak. Natuurlike ventilasie stelsels is veral van belang, sedert mense die meeste van hul tyd binnenshuis spandeer. Binnenshuise lug kwaliteit is ’n belangrike oorweging wanneer menslike gesondheid en insittendes se gemak in stand gehou moet word. Hierdie studie fokus op die bepaling van die beste inlaat en uitlaat vorm van ’n gekose stel konfigurasies vir ’n natuurlike ventilasie-stelsel. Die inlaaten uitlaat-konfigurasies is op ’n PDEC (Passive Downdraught Evaporative Cooling) skag en sonkrag skoorsteen getoets. Die PDEC het ’n verdampings doek, gemaak van katoen, ingesluit. Onafhanklike modelle van die PDEC en sonkrag skoorsteen is in ’n termies-beheerde ruimte en die konfigurasies is by ’n onveranderende wind spoed getoets. Die konfigurasies is op ’n nat of droog PDEC skag en op ’n warm of koue son skoorsteen getoets. Een-dimensionele eindige verskil modelle, wat sommige twee-dimensionele effekte in ag neem in die verdampings doek, van die doek en sonkrag skoorsteen is ontwikkel. CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) modelle is verder gebou in FLUENTr, wat die werkstoestande vir elke inlaat en uitlaat toets simuleer. Die CFD modelle is ontwikkel om die eksperimentele data met numeriese waardes te vergelyk. Die vermoë van die een-dimensionele en CFD modelle om die verrigting van die PDEC en sonkrag skoorsteen te voorspel, is ondersoek. Die resultate dui daarop dat ’n inlaat opset genoem TFI (Turbine Fan Inlet) die beste vaar by die elke getoetsde wind spoed. Die TFI was verder in staat om die volumetriese vloeitempo in die PDEC skag aansienlik te verhoog vir die toetse met ’n droë verdamping doek. Die uitlaat wat die beste presteer het in die toetse is ’n Windmaster Tornado Wind Turbine, of Whirlybird, wat ’n kommersieel beskikbare konfigurasie is. Die een-dimensionele modelle was nie in staat om die toestande tydens die begin-fase akkuraat te voorspel nie. Die CFD modelle was hoogs akkuraat in die voorspelling van die eksperimentele waardes. Dit word aanbeveel dat ’n twee-dimensionele teoretiese model ontwikkel word om die toestande tydens begin-fase beter te voorspel.

Master of Science / Department of Architecture / Michael D. Gibson / The use of Natural Ventilation (NV) to cool buildings in mixed climates can conserve significant cooling energy. In mixed climates it is particularly important during the fall and the spring, where appropriately designed buildings should use very little energy for heating or cooling. Natural ventilation is also important in residential buildings, where internal heat gain can be managed, making cooling by natural ventilation easier. Earlier investigations have clearly shown the economic, social, and health benefits of the use of NV in built environment. Studies have shown that increased airflow or air-speed during ventilation can bring a significant rise in comfort range which further reduces the cooling energy required to maintain comfort. The climatic data of the central United States (U.S.) shows that the availability of frequent high speed wind and favorable seasonal humidity conditions make natural ventilation feasible in late spring and early fall, where NV can offset most of the cooling demand for a home or multifamily residential unit, though it is not possible to maintain thermal comfort during the entire summer with NV alone. In mixed climates, NV for multifamily residential units has not been investigated thoroughly. According to 2009 International Residential Code, multifamily residential buildings are typically designed to use a code minimum amount of operable or ventilating windows, 4% of the floor area being ventilated, while also using lightweight construction methods (such as wood framing) that is prone to fast thermal response during the overheated periods of the year. While climate may favor the use of NV in these building types, the sizing of windows and the building construction type limit the potential to save energy with NV. This study hypothesized that the maximum benefits from NV in the climate of the central U.S. requires further optimization of window openings beyond the energy code minimum, and a construction system incorporating mass that can slow thermal response during overheated periods. During the study, the climatic data of the central US was scrutinized to understand the most suitable time frames where NV could be applied in order to maintain indoor thermal comfort in various construction systems in residential buildings: mainly lightweight using wood framing, and heavier construction using concrete and masonry. The location of the housing unit, first level or second level, was also examined to account for the differences in thermal gains and losses as a result of ground coupling and additional heat gain from the roof. Further, computational fluid dynamics evaluated the comfort achieved with different ventilation areas. Change in comfort hours by using NV tested the practicability of the use of NV to maintain indoor thermal comfort for different scenarios. The study concluded with design recommendations for building orientation, operable window size, and construction type as these factors relate to thermal comfort and the optimization of multifamily residential buildings to utilize NV for energy savings in the U.S.

Esta pesquisa avalia o potencial de utilização da ventilação natural em edifícios de escritórios na cidade de São Paulo do ponto de vista do conforto térmico. Como parte do trabalho, foi elaborado um modelo de um edifício de escritórios com características arquitetônicas e de ocupação semelhantes às existentes nestes edifícios atualmente em São Paulo. A pesquisa foi feita com simulações computacionais deste modelo. Primeiramente foram avaliadas as temperaturas internas. Uma área do modelo foi simulada no software EnergyPlus para as oito orientações solares principais, com objetivo de se estimar as temperaturas operativas médias horárias para todos os meses do ano. Os resultados foram analisados sob o enfoque da teoria adaptativa de conforto térmico, de acordo com o índice para ambientes ventilados naturalmente proposto pela norma Ashrae 55, 2004. Esta análise gerou o mapeamento dos períodos do ano onde o ambiente estaria confortável se forem considerados 90% ou 80% de usuários satisfeitos e quanto não estaria confortável, tanto por calor quanto por frio. Também foi feita uma avaliação do modelo, de caráter exploratório, com simulações em um software de dinâmica dos fluidos, o CFX. Estas simulações objetivaram estimar se a estratificação da temperatura ou as velocidades internas do ar poderiam gerar áreas localizadas de desconforto no ambiente. / This research evaluates the potential for the use of natural ventilation in São Paulo city office buildings from a thermal comfort viewpoint. As part of the work, a model was developed with architectural and occupational characteristics similar to the those of office buildings in São Paulo city. The research was carried out using computational simulations of this model. First internal temperatures were evaluated. An area of the model was simulated in EnergyPlus software for the eight main solar orientations, with the object of estimating the average operative temperature for all months of the year. The results were analyzed under the focus of the adaptive thermal comfort theory, according the index proposed in Ashrae Standard 55, 2004 for naturally ventilated environments. This analysis generated a mapping of the annual periods where this space would be comfortable for 90% or 80% satisfied users and when it would not be comfortable, either for warmth or for cold. An exploratory study of that model was done, using computational fluid dynamics with CFX software. The objective was to estimate if the temperature stratification and the internal air velocities could cause local areas of discomfort within this environment.

Com a disseminação do conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável tem sido verificado um aumento no interesse por sistemas de baixo ou nenhum consumo de energia. Uma forma de diminuir o consumo e propiciar condições de qualidade do ar e conforto térmico é utilizar a ventilação natural. No presente trabalho analisa-se a influência de diferentes tipos de janelas e mobiliário sobre as condições de ventilação natural em ambientes de escritório utilizando simulação numérica. O modelo é composto por um edifício de cinco pavimentos, sendo analisadas as condições térmicas do pavimento mais alto. A mudança do mobiliário apresentou tendência de piora das condições de conforto com o aumento das partições, sendo significativa com partições de 1,50m de altura e as demais condições menos propícias para a ventilação natural. Não foi observada mudança significativa entre as partições de 0,90m e 1,10m, sendo preferível então a última pela melhor privacidade dos ocupantes. A modificação do layout não resultou em mudanças significativas de temperatura do ar no ambiente ocupado, salvo na configuração que reuniu as piores condições de ventilação. Já a geometria das janelas apresentou resultados significativamente diferentes, pois a janela maxim-ar permitiu a entrada de um volume maior de ar e o distribuiu melhor dentro dos ambientes de escritório simulados, em comparação com a janela de correr vertical. Verificou-se que a escolha adequada das janelas influencia o ambiente térmico de maneira semelhante à redução da iluminação e dos equipamentos que dissipam calor. Concluiu-se que com a implantação adequada da edificação, escolha correta das aberturas, da configuração do mobiliário e das cargas térmicas internas é possível utilizar sistemas de ventilação natural em ambientes de escritórios com bons resultados. Por fim, é importante destacar que a aplicação da dinâmica dos fluidos computacional (CFD) para ventilação natural é complexa, pois este fenômeno é naturalmente instável, com necessidade de bastante cuidado na definição dos modelos para representar o problema e no processo de simulação numérica. / Among the spread of the sustainability concept it has been found a rising interest on low or zero energy consumption systems. One approach to reduce energy consumption and also provide acceptable levels of indoor air quality and thermal comfort is using natural ventilation. On the present report it is analyzed the influence of different types of windows and furniture on natural ventilation conditions of office environments using numerical simulation. The model is a five storey building, being the thermal conditions evaluated in the highest floor. Furniture change presented a worsen tendency of the comfort conditions as the partitions height increased. This worsen was significant when 1.50m height partitions were combined with other features less propitious for natural ventilation. No significant change was found between the 0.90m and 1.10m height partitions, being the last preferable due to occupants privacy enhance. Layout modification did not result on significant changes of occupied zone air temperature, except on the set up that gathered the worse ventilation conditions. However, the different window geometries presented results significantly different, since the maxim-air window allowed the entrance of more wind and has distributed it better inside the simulated office environments. Therefore, thermal comfort conditions became better than in comparison with the vertical sliding windows. It was verified that the adequate choice of windows influences the thermal environment in a similar way to the reduction of lighting and equipments that dissipate heat. It was concluded that with the proper building implementation, correct choice of openings, furniture configuration and internal heat gains it is possible to use natural ventilation in office environments with good results. Finally, it is noteworthy the complexity in applying the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for natural ventilation, since it is an inherently unstable phenomenon, requiring considerable care in defining the models to represent the problem and in the numerical simulation process.

Submitted by Ana Damasceno (ana.damasceno@unipampa.edu.br) on 2016-09-13T17:27:22Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) ESTUDOS DE MICROPROPAGAÇÃO EM CONDIÇÕES FOTOAUTOTRÓFICAS EUGENIA UNIFLORA L..pdf: 2307376 bytes, checksum: 051fc4c36e9557f153142034fa726c5a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-13T17:27:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) ESTUDOS DE MICROPROPAGAÇÃO EM CONDIÇÕES FOTOAUTOTRÓFICAS EUGENIA UNIFLORA L..pdf: 2307376 bytes, checksum: 051fc4c36e9557f153142034fa726c5a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-04-28 / A Eugenia uniflora L.(Myrtaceae) é uma espécie nativa, que apresenta potencial econômico e farmacológico. A micropropagação é uma importante ferramenta na obtenção de plantas sadias e de alta qualidade. A aclimatização é uma fase limitante devido ao estresse hídrico, decorrência às baixas sobrevivência e capacidade fotossintética são causadas pelas concentrações de sacarose, a alta umidade e a baixa irradiância. A micropropagação fotoautotrófica emprega reduções do açúcar do meio de cultura e da umidade relativa nos recipientes. Também, o aumento do gás carbônico e de ventilação natural ou ventilação forçada. Este trabalho teve por objetivo de testar a micropropagação fotoautotrófica de Eugenia uniflora L., com utilização de quatro concentrações de sacarose (0, 10, 20 e 30 g) e ventilação natural. A interação dos resultados demostraram que a micropropagação fotoautotrófica testada não apresentou bom desempenho e o problema não está na concentração de gás carbônico ou na ventilação natural, mas na qualidade de luz dentro da câmara de crescimento. / Eugenia uniflora L. (Myrtaceae) is a native species, which has economic and pharmacological potential. The micropropagation is an important tool in raising healthy plants and high quality. Acclimatization is a limiting stage due to water stress, due to the low survival and photosynthetic capacity are caused by concentrations of sucrose, high humidity and low irradiance. The photoautotrophic micropropagation employs sugar reductions of the culture medium and the relative humidity in the containers. Also, the increase in carbon dioxide and natural ventilation or forced ventilation. This study aimed to test the photoautotrophic micropropagation of Eugenia uniflora L., using four sucrose concentrations (0, 10, 20 and 30 g), and natural ventilation. The interaction of the results demonstrated that the micropropagation Photoautotrophic tested did not show good performance and the problem is not in concentration of carbon dioxide or natural ventilation, but the quality of light within the growth chamber.

Environmental consciousness leads the construction industry to greater concerns about local adaptation, less waste of resources and energy efficiency In Brazil, earth construction is a feasible approach to house building in many locations and can play a useful part in resolving the housing problems faced by that country, being already a popular approach to providing affordable housing for low income groups within the population, particularly in the Northeast Region of the country, although usually not built correctly. Although used since the colonial period, from 1500, knowledge around earth systems is not formally embedded within the Brazilian building standards and this is unhelpful in terms of promoting quality of performance of buildings thus constructed. For example, appropriate use of high thermal mass in conjunction with natural ventilation, which is frequently used in Brazil due to energy costs, can significantly influence the thermal comfort within residences, but appropriate guidance is lacking. This research considers the combined effects of earth construction and natural ventilation upon thermal comfort within social housing in Northeast Brazil. The main thesis hypothesis is that the use of thermal mass provided by earth construction combined with natural ventilation results in acceptable levels of thermal performance with respect to thermal comfort in both hot and humid and hot and dry climates. The aim is to evaluate the thermal performance of high thermal mass dwellings using adobe system combined with natural ventilation in the bioclimatic zones of Brazil's Northeast Region. The method explores thermal performance simulation using Design Builder, a graphical interface for Energy Plus program. The assessment uses parametric analysis and the adaptive thermal comfort index from de Dear and Brager (1998). The results suggest that earth construction provides a high number of comfort hours in all bioclimatic zones in Northeast Brazil and ventilation use enhances the comfort sensation.

Esta pesquisa avalia o potencial de utilização da ventilação natural em edifícios de escritórios na cidade de São Paulo do ponto de vista do conforto térmico. Como parte do trabalho, foi elaborado um modelo de um edifício de escritórios com características arquitetônicas e de ocupação semelhantes às existentes nestes edifícios atualmente em São Paulo. A pesquisa foi feita com simulações computacionais deste modelo. Primeiramente foram avaliadas as temperaturas internas. Uma área do modelo foi simulada no software EnergyPlus para as oito orientações solares principais, com objetivo de se estimar as temperaturas operativas médias horárias para todos os meses do ano. Os resultados foram analisados sob o enfoque da teoria adaptativa de conforto térmico, de acordo com o índice para ambientes ventilados naturalmente proposto pela norma Ashrae 55, 2004. Esta análise gerou o mapeamento dos períodos do ano onde o ambiente estaria confortável se forem considerados 90% ou 80% de usuários satisfeitos e quanto não estaria confortável, tanto por calor quanto por frio. Também foi feita uma avaliação do modelo, de caráter exploratório, com simulações em um software de dinâmica dos fluidos, o CFX. Estas simulações objetivaram estimar se a estratificação da temperatura ou as velocidades internas do ar poderiam gerar áreas localizadas de desconforto no ambiente. / This research evaluates the potential for the use of natural ventilation in São Paulo city office buildings from a thermal comfort viewpoint. As part of the work, a model was developed with architectural and occupational characteristics similar to the those of office buildings in São Paulo city. The research was carried out using computational simulations of this model. First internal temperatures were evaluated. An area of the model was simulated in EnergyPlus software for the eight main solar orientations, with the object of estimating the average operative temperature for all months of the year. The results were analyzed under the focus of the adaptive thermal comfort theory, according the index proposed in Ashrae Standard 55, 2004 for naturally ventilated environments. This analysis generated a mapping of the annual periods where this space would be comfortable for 90% or 80% satisfied users and when it would not be comfortable, either for warmth or for cold. An exploratory study of that model was done, using computational fluid dynamics with CFX software. The objective was to estimate if the temperature stratification and the internal air velocities could cause local areas of discomfort within this environment.

A ventilação nas edificações tem por objetivo principal criar um ambiente interno confortável e saudável, preservando a qualidade do ar interior. Um dos principais sistemas de renovação do ar, e praticamente a única opção economicamente viável, utilizado no projeto de ambientes industriais é a ventilação natural. Esta pode ser promovida por dois mecanismos: o denominado efeito chaminé e o efeito dos ventos, porém também podem ocorrer pelos dois simultaneamente. O objetivo deste trabalho é pesquisar a viabilidade do emprego de modelos reduzidos no projeto da ventilação natural em pavilhões industriais, considerando unicamente o efeito chaminé. Para atingir esse objetivo foi ensaiado um modelo, com escala geométrica 1/100, de um pavilhão industrial real situado na cidade de Passo Fundo – RS, que será utilizado como uma fábrica para injeção de alumínio em carcaças e rotores elétricos. Nos ensaios foram medidas velocidades na abertura de saída, com anemômetro de fio quente, e temperaturas com termopares, tanto dentro como fora do modelo. Os resultados alcançados permitem avaliar quais são as leis de semelhança relevantes neste tipo de ensaio com modelo reduzido, as limitações do procedimento experimental e, ainda, determinar valores de vazões de ar nas aberturas de saída e compará-los com vazões obtidas através da utilização de alguns modelos teóricos. / The ventilation in the constructions has for main objective to create a comfortable and healthful internal environment, preserving the quality of the interior air. One of the main systems of renewal of air, and practically the only economically viable option, used in the industrial environment project is the natural ventilation. This can be promoted by two mechanisms: the called buoyancy and the effect of the winds, however also can occur for the two simultaneously. The objective of this work is to search the viability of the job of models reduced in the project of the natural ventilation in industrial pavilions, considering solely the buoyancy. To reach this objective a model was assayed, with geometric scale 1/100, of a situated real industrial pavilion in the city of Passo Fundo – RS, that will be used as a plant for injection of aluminum in carcasses and electric rotors. In the assays speeds in the exit opening had been measured, with anemometer of hot wire, and temperatures with thermocouples, in such a way inside as it are of the model. The reached results allow to evaluate which are the excellent laws of similarity in this type of assay with reduced model, the limitations of the experimental procedure and still to determine values of air outflows in the exit openings and to compare them with outflows gotten through the use of some theoretical models.

This research seeks to find a design solution for reducing the energy usage in high-rise office buildings in Singapore. There are numerous methods and techniques that could be employed to achieve the purpose of designing energy efficient buildings. The Thesis explores the viability of double-skin fa??ades (DSF) to provide natural ventilation as an energy efficient solution for office buildings in hot and humid environment by using computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations and case study methodologies. CFD simulations were used to examine various types of DSF used in office buildings and the behaviour of airflow and thermal transfer through the DSF; the internal thermal comfort levels of each office spaces were analyzed and compared; and an optimization methodology was developed to explore the best DSF configuration to be used in high-rise office buildings in the tropics. The correlation between the fa??ade configurations, the thermal comfort parameters, and the internal office space energy consumption through the DSF is studied and presented. The research outcome of the Thesis has found that significant energy saving is possible if natural ventilation strategies could be exploited with the use of DSF. A prototype DSF configuration which will be best suited for the tropical environment in terms of its energy efficiency through cross ventilation strategy is proposed in this Thesis. A series of comprehensive and user-friendly nomograms for design optimization in selecting the most appropriate double-skin fa??ade configurations with considerations of various orientations for the use in high-rise office buildings in the tropics were also presented.

Battle Hall, located at the heart of the University of Texas at Austin’s campus since 1911, has been serving the University for a century. It was designed for cooling with natural ventilation prior to being fully air conditioned in the mid-1960s. The mechanical system currently installed in Battle Hall is over 40 years old. While it provides reasonable environment for the collections, it struggles to achieve stable conditions for various zones in the building. The purpose of this study is to consider isolating the Reading Room as an individual zone and explore the possibility of restoring natural ventilation as it was originally designed. There are various benefits in restoring natural ventilation to the hundred-year old Reading Room, including psychological benefits, indoor air quality, and energy savings. However, various concerns, such as environmental conditions, air pollutants, acoustic, and potential light damages, also exist. This study focuses on investigating the possibility of restoring natural ventilation by examining existing conditions, collection care requirements for library collections and historic architectural elements. Two data-loggers were placed in the Reading Room to record temperature and relative humidity readings for approximately five months. Through analysis of these readings of existing collection care settings and existing architectural settings, potential solutions and alternatives were considered and examined. These included non-action, hybrid natural ventilation, Johnson Controls Personal Environmental System, and HVAC shut-off. This study is the first of its kind for Battle Hall. As a Historic Structures Report of Battle Hall is commissioned by the University, this study provides a better understanding of potential solutions and alternatives to restore natural ventilation to Battle Hall. This may also serve as a platform to stimulate ideas and research on natural ventilation restoration to other buildings in the University. / text