Neste trabalho é apresentado o desenvolvimento de um programa computacional que simula o desempenho térmico de um sistema de aquecimento solar de água com circulação forçada, adequado para uso em edificações. O programa trabalha realizando o balanço de massa e de energia no reservatório térmico a cada hora, tendo como valores de entrada dados do ano meteorológico típico da localidade selecionada e a vazão de água quente de consumo. Os componentes do sistema são o reservatório térmico de água quente com aquecedor auxiliar interno, o coletor solar e a bomba de circulação. A base de dados meteorológicos escolhida foi a do projeto SWERA, que contém arquivos no formato padrão TMY disponíveis na internet para um número considerável de cidades, incluindo diversas localidades brasileiras. Foi proposto um modelo de temperatura de água da rede de abastecimento relacionado com a temperatura do solo, dado disponível nos arquivos de entrada utilizados. O programa utilizou como referência para a validação dos modelos de cálculo resultados obtidos pelo programa comercial de simulação TRNSYS. Foram comparados resultados para os modelos de irradiação incidente em superfície inclinada, do coletor solar e do sistema completo. Para isto foram simulados sistemas localizados em quatro cidades distintas com climas diferentes. O tempo total usado nas simulações foi de um ano e os resultados das comparações dos valores resultantes foram considerados satisfatórios. / This paper presents the development of a software that simulates the thermal performance of a solar water heating system with forced circulation, suitable for buildings. The implemented model computes the mass and energy balance in the thermal tank every hour. Its input data are values from a typical meteorological year of a chosen location and the hot water load. The system components are the thermal tank, the solar collector and the circulation pump. The Swera project was used as the meteorological database, which contains files in the standard TMY format. Those are available on the internet for a number of cities, including several Brazilian locations. A model for the network water supply temperature was proposed. It is related with the ground temperature, available in the data input files. The validation of the models used results obtained by the commercial simulation software TRNSYS. Results for the incident radiation on tilted surface, the solar collector and the complete system models were compared. For that, systems were simulated in four cities with different climates. The total time used in the simulations was one year and the results obtained from this comparison were satisfactory.

This work investigates the thermal performance of buildings in Cyprus and application of a particular passive technology; Phase Change Materials (PCMs) for the ultimate aim of reducing indoor air temperatures and energy supplied for the cooling season.PCMs for passive building applications are emerging technology and have not been tested for the buildings of Cyprus neither by computer simulations nor by practical applications. In this work, particular PCM end product; wallboard, having phase change temperature of 26 oC is employed together with various construction materials and simulated for buildings of Cyprus. Description of the current state in Cyprus has been carried out in terms of low energy building studies, widely used building fabric and building statistics. There is a huge gap in Cyprus in the field of energy performance and thermal comfort of buildings, which creates big room for research. Climatic design of buildings has been abandoned resulting in poor thermal comfort and increased energy consumption. There is still no regulation in place regarding the thermal performance of buildings in North Cyprus.Recent weather data of different Cyprus locations has been investigated and compared with the simulation weather data files that are employed in this work. The author has demonstrated that Finkelstein-Schafer statistics between recent weather data of Cyprus and simulation weather data files are close enough to obtain accurate results.Dynamic thermal simulations has been carried out by using Energy Plus, which is a strong and validated thermal simulation program that can model PCMs. Simulations are done for two different building geometry; “simple building” and “typical building” by employing different construction materials. Simple building is a small size box shaped building and typical building is a real existing building and selected by investigation of the building statistics.Simulation results showed that with this particular PCM product, indoor air temperatures and cooling energies supplied to simple building is reduced up to 1.2 oC and 18.64 % when heavier construction materials are used and up to 1.6 oC and 44.12 % when lighter construction materials are used. These values for typical building are found to be 0.7 oC, 3.24 % when heavier construction materials are used and 1.2 oC, 3.64 % when lighter construction materials are used. It is also found that, if thinner walls and slabs are used in the buildings the effectiveness of the PCM lining increases in significant amount.

Practicing engineers need an integrated building, HVAC and control simulation tool for optimum HVAC design and retrofit. Various tools are available to the researchers, but these are not appropriate for the consulting engineer. To provide the engineer with a tool which can be used for typical HVAC projects, new models for building, HVAC and control simulation are introduced and integrated in a user-friendly, quick-to-use tool. The new thermal model for buildings is based on a transfer matrix description of the heat transfer through the building shell. It makes provision for the various heat flow paths that make up the overall heat flow through the building structure. The model has been extensively verified with one hundred and three case studies. These case studies were conducted on a variety of buildings, ranging from a 4m2 bathroom, to a 7755 m2 factory building. Eight of the case studies were conducted independently in the Negev Desert in Israel. The thermal model is also used in a program that was custom-made for the AGREMENT Board (certification board for the thermal performance of new low-cost housing projects). Extensions to the standard tool were introduced to predict the potential for condensation on the various surfaces. Standard user patterns were incorporated in the program so that all the buildings are evaluated on the same basis. In the second part of this study the implementation of integrated simulation is discussed. A solution algorithm, based on the Tarjan depth first-search algorithm, was implemented. This ensures that the minimum number of variables are identified. A quasi-Newton solution algorithm is used to solve the resultant simultaneous equations. Various extensions to the HVAC and control models and simulation originally suggested by Rousseau [1] were implemented. Firstly, the steady-state models were extended by using a simplified time-constant approach to emulate the dynamic response of the equipment. Secondly, a C02 model for the building zone was implemented. Thirdly, the partload performance of particular equipment was implemented. Further extensions to the simulation tool were implemented so that energy management strategies could be simulated. A detailed discussion of the implications of the energy management systems was given and the benefits of using these strategies were clearly illustrated, in this study. Finally, the simulation tool was verified by three case studies. The buildings used for the verification ranged from a five-storeyed office and laboratory building, to a domestic dwelling. The energy consumption and the dynamics of the HVAC systems could be predicted sufficiently accurately to warrant the use of the tool for future building retrofit studies / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 1997. / gm2014 / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

A obtenção de urânio metálico é fundamental para produção de elementos combustíveis que alimentam reatores nucleares de pesquisa e que fabricam radioisótopos e radiofármacos. No IPEN, o urânio metálico é obtido via redução magnesiotérmica do UF4. Essa reação é realizada em um cadinho fechado de grafite inserido em um reator metálico vedado e evitando contato com o meio exterior. O conjunto é aquecido gradualmente em um forno poço, até que se atinja a temperatura de ignição da reação (entre 600-650oC). A modelagem do perfil de aquecimento do sistema pode ser realizada empregando programas de simulação pelo Método dos Elementos Finitos. Através dos perfis térmicos no corpo da carga, têm-se uma noção do período de aquecimento necessário para que a reação ocorra, possibilitando a identificação da mesma em um agrupamento de maior ou menor rendimento em urânio metálico. Estima-se as propriedades térmicas do UF4, determinando sua condutividade térmica e capacidade térmica empregando o Método Flash Laser, bem como as propriedades térmicas da carga UF4 + Mg. Os resultados obtidos são comparados a testes laboratoriais realizados para a simulação preliminar do processo de produção. / The production of metallic uranium is essential for production of fuel elements for using in nuclear reactors manufacturing of radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals. In IPEN, metallic uranium is produced by magnesiothermical reduction of UF4. This reaction is performed in a closed graphite crucible inserted in a sealed metal reactor and no contact with the outside environment. The set is gradually heated in an oven pit, until it reaches the ignition temperature of the reaction (between 600-650°C). The modeling of the heating profile of the system can be made using simulation programs by finite element method. Through the thermal profiles in the load, we can have a notion of heating period required for the reaction to occur, allowing the identification of the same group in a greater or smaller yield in metallic uranium production. Thermal properties of UF4 are estimated, obtaining thermal condutivity and heat capacity using the Flash Laser Method, and for the load UF4 + Mg, either. The results are compared to laboratory tests to simulate the primary production process.

A obtenção de urânio metálico é fundamental para produção de elementos combustíveis que alimentam reatores nucleares de pesquisa e que fabricam radioisótopos e radiofármacos. No IPEN, o urânio metálico é obtido via redução magnesiotérmica do UF4. Essa reação é realizada em um cadinho fechado de grafite inserido em um reator metálico vedado e evitando contato com o meio exterior. O conjunto é aquecido gradualmente em um forno poço, até que se atinja a temperatura de ignição da reação (entre 600-650oC). A modelagem do perfil de aquecimento do sistema pode ser realizada empregando programas de simulação pelo Método dos Elementos Finitos. Através dos perfis térmicos no corpo da carga, têm-se uma noção do período de aquecimento necessário para que a reação ocorra, possibilitando a identificação da mesma em um agrupamento de maior ou menor rendimento em urânio metálico. Estima-se as propriedades térmicas do UF4, determinando sua condutividade térmica e capacidade térmica empregando o Método Flash Laser, bem como as propriedades térmicas da carga UF4 + Mg. Os resultados obtidos são comparados a testes laboratoriais realizados para a simulação preliminar do processo de produção. / The production of metallic uranium is essential for production of fuel elements for using in nuclear reactors manufacturing of radioisotopes and radiopharmaceuticals. In IPEN, metallic uranium is produced by magnesiothermical reduction of UF4. This reaction is performed in a closed graphite crucible inserted in a sealed metal reactor and no contact with the outside environment. The set is gradually heated in an oven pit, until it reaches the ignition temperature of the reaction (between 600-650°C). The modeling of the heating profile of the system can be made using simulation programs by finite element method. Through the thermal profiles in the load, we can have a notion of heating period required for the reaction to occur, allowing the identification of the same group in a greater or smaller yield in metallic uranium production. Thermal properties of UF4 are estimated, obtaining thermal condutivity and heat capacity using the Flash Laser Method, and for the load UF4 + Mg, either. The results are compared to laboratory tests to simulate the primary production process.

The temperature dependent electrical characteristics of silicon carbide power transistors – 4H-SiC metal semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFETs) and 4H-SiC bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) have been investigated through simulation and experimental approaches. Junction temperatures and temperature distributions in devices under large power densities have been estimated. The DC and RF performance of 4H-SiC RF Power MESFETs have been studied through two-dimensional electro-thermal simulations using commercial software MEDICI and ISE. The simulated characteristics of the transistors were compared with the measurement results. Performance degradation of transistors under self-heating and high operating temperatures have been analyzed in terms of gate and drain characteristics, power density, high frequency current gain and power gain. 3D thermal simulations have been performed for single and multi-finger MESFETs and the simulated junction temperatures and temperature profiles were compared with the results from electro-thermal simulations. The reduction in drain current caused by self-heating was found to be more prominent for transistors with more fingers and it imposes a limitation on both the output power and the power density (in W/mm) of multi-fingered large area devices. Thermal issues for design of high power multi-fingered SiC MESFETs were also investigated. A couple of useful ways to reduce the self-heating effects were discussed. Trap-induced performance instabilities of the devices were analyzed by carrying out DC, transient, and pulse measurements at room and elevated temperatures. Electrical characteristics of 4H-SiC BJTs have been measured. A reduction in current gain at elevated temperatures was observed. Based on the collector current-voltage diagram measured at three different ambient temperatures the junction temperature was extracted using the assumption that the current gain only depends on the temperature. Temperature measurements have been carried out for SiC BJTs. Thermal images of a device under operation were recorded using an infrared camera. 3D thermal simulations were conducted using FEMLAB. Both the simulations and the measurement showed a significant temperature increase in the vicinity of the device when operated at high power densities, thus causing the decrease of the DC current gain. The junction temperatures obtained from the thermal imaging, simulation and extraction agree well.

Safety, performance and driving comforts are given high importance while developing modern day cars. All-Wheel Drive vehicles are exactly designed to fulfill such requirements. In modern times, human concern towards depleting fossil fuels and cognizance of ecological issues have led to new innovations in the field of Automotive engineering. One such outcome of the above process is the birth of electrical hybrid vehicles. The product under investigation is a combination of all wheel drive and hybrid system. A superior fuel economy can be achieved using hybrid system and optimized vehicle dynamic forces are accomplished by torque vectoring action which in turn provides All-Wheel Drive capabilities. Heat generation is inevitable whenever there is a conversion of energy from one form into another. In this master thesis investigation, a thermal simulation model for the product is built using 1D simulation tool AMESim and validation is done against the vehicle driving test data. AMESim tool was chosen for its proven track record related to vehicle thermal management. The vehicle CAN data are handled in MATLAB. In a nutshell, Simulation model accounts for heat generation sources, oil flow paths, power loss modeling and heat transfer phenomena. The final simulation model should be able to predict the transient temperature evolution in the rear drive when the speed and torque of motor is supplied as input. This simulation model can efficiently predict temperature patterns at various locations such as casing, motor inner parts as well as coolant at different places. Various driving cases were tried as input including harsh (high torque, low speed) ones. Simulation models like this helps Engineers in trying out new cooling strategies. Flow path optimization, flow rate, convection area, coolant pump controlling etc are the few variables worth mentioning in this regard.

<p>The temperature dependent electrical characteristics of silicon carbide power transistors – 4H-SiC metal semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFETs) and 4H-SiC bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) have been investigated through simulation and experimental approaches. Junction temperatures and temperature distributions in devices under large power densities have been estimated. </p><p>The DC and RF performance of 4H-SiC RF Power MESFETs have been studied through two-dimensional electro-thermal simulations using commercial software MEDICI and ISE. The simulated characteristics of the transistors were compared with the measurement results. Performance degradation of transistors under self-heating and high operating temperatures have been analyzed in terms of gate and drain characteristics, power density, high frequency current gain and power gain. 3D thermal simulations have been performed for single and multi-finger MESFETs and the simulated junction temperatures and temperature profiles were compared with the results from electro-thermal simulations. The reduction in drain current caused by self-heating was found to be more prominent for transistors with more fingers and it imposes a limitation on both the output power and the power density (in W/mm) of multi-fingered large area devices. Thermal issues for design of high power multi-fingered SiC MESFETs were also investigated. A couple of useful ways to reduce the self-heating effects were discussed. Trap-induced performance instabilities of the devices were analyzed by carrying out DC, transient, and pulse measurements at room and elevated temperatures. </p><p>Electrical characteristics of 4H-SiC BJTs have been measured. A reduction in current gain at elevated temperatures was observed. Based on the collector current-voltage diagram measured at three different ambient temperatures the junction temperature was extracted using the assumption that the current gain only depends on the temperature. Temperature measurements have been carried out for SiC BJTs. Thermal images of a device under operation were recorded using an infrared camera. 3D thermal simulations were conducted using FEMLAB. Both the simulations and the measurement showed a significant temperature increase in the vicinity of the device when operated at high power densities, thus causing the decrease of the DC current gain. The junction temperatures obtained from the thermal imaging, simulation and extraction agree well. </p>

Experiments involving the dissociation of artificial methane-hydrate-bearing sediments were performed using X-ray computed tomography (X-CT, 40 s scanning speed at 2 min intervals) to directly observe dissociation behavior in the sediments and the gas and water flows generated by dissociation. Dissociation by depressurization was performed using a backpressure regulator, and showed that the temperature reduction induced by depressurization depends on the phase equilibrium state of methane hydrate, and that preferential dissociation occurs along the periphery of the core. This behavior is caused by heat flux from the outside of the core, and this controls the dissociation rate. A heat exchanger was installed at one end of the core to simulate thermal stimulation, and propagation of a clear and unidirectional dissociation front was observed. Depending on the heating temperature, the dissociation rate was less than that observed for depressurization. Hot water was also injected at a constant rate from the bottom of the core, and CT images showed the movement of distinct accumulations of dissociated gas being pushed by the hot water. The gas production rate increased immediately after the gas accumulation reached the opposite end of the core where the gas and water flow out.

A presente dissertação propõe avaliar a influência da legislação atual brasileira no conforto térmico no interior de edificações utilizadas como escritório em Porto Alegre no estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Para isso, foram avaliadas as horas de conforto para um modelo simplificado através de simulações térmicas. Este trabalho analisa se as prescrições dos textos legislativos resultam em conforto térmico no interior dos ambientes utilizados como escritório através do uso de elementos arquitetônicos abstraídos a partir da legislação brasileira. Para cada uma dos 12 séries, que representam os elementos arquitetônicos abstraídos dos textos legislativos, foram simuladas 5 variações que, por sua vez, consideram 4 orientações solares. A metodologia desenvolve-se a partir das informações obtidas a partir da revisão bibliográfica que se concentra nos fundamentos relacionados ao clima, à legislação brasileira e ao conforto térmico. Os resultados demostram que a legislação brasileira resulta em conforto térmico em apenas algumas das séries consideradas neste trabalho. Note que cada série representa um elemento arquitetônico mencionado na legislação brasileira. Assim, baseado nos resultados obtidos, entre outras conclusões, foi identificada a falta de detalhamento em relação à orientação solar nos textos legislativos em vigor para Porto Alegre. / The present Master thesis proposes a revision of the present Brazilian legislation regarding its influence on the thermal comfort of the internal environments of office buildings in Porto Alegre, situated in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Using computational thermal simulation, the hours of comfort of a simplified model are evaluated to analyse if the values defined in the Brazilian legislation result in confortable interior environments. Inside this case study, a total of 12 series are created and 5 variations are defined for each. All variations are simulated using 4 solar orientations. The methodology is derived from the information obtained during the review of the literature regarding climate, legislation and thermal comfort. The obtained results demonstrate that the Brazilian legislation partially results in offices with thermal comfort. Based on the results and among other conclusions, the work identifies the general lack of details regarding the solar orientation in the legislative texts for Porto Alegre.