Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The water utilized by passive air-conditioning systems in buildings is typically required at higher elevations. The thermally driven natural circulation water pump (TDNCWP) is a passively driven pumping system for delivering water from ground level against gravity to a higher elevation. It consists of a humid air closed duct loop to which a temperature difference is applied, resulting in a density gradient driven flow. A hot water evaporation tray inside the loop at ground level introduces water vapour to the loop air flow, and a cold condensation plate inside the loop at the elevated level removes this water vapour for passive airconditioning usage. In this thesis, a one-dimensional theoretical and numerical simulation model is developed. Experiments were conducted on two experimental TDNCWP set-ups of different cross sectional areas to evaluate the pump design and the theoretical model. It is shown in this thesis that the TDNCWP can provide water at varied elevations using non-mechanical, passive means. A temperature difference of 9 to 12.5 °C induced an average velocity of 0.4 to 0.6 m/s for a duct cross section of 100 mm2. For a larger cross section of 400 mm2, a temperature difference of 2 to 5 °C induced an average velocity of 0.25 to 0.3 m/s. An asymmetrical velocity profile was observed which varied at different points in the loop. A water delivery rate of 1.2 to 7.5 L/day was experimentally determined which compares well to the passive air-conditioning water requirements of a small building. The theoretical model over-predicted the delivery rate at increased duct cross sectional areas but fared well when compared to the smaller experimental model results. Further refinement of the numerical model and the TDNCWP design is required, and recommendations were made regarding this. It is clear however that the TDNCWP provides an alternative to a conventional water pump for low-volume water pumping requirements. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die water wat gebruik word deur passiewe lugversorgingstelsels in geboue word tipies benodig op hoër vlakte. Die termies gedrewe natuurlike sirkulasie waterpomp (TDNCWP) is ʼn passiewe gedrewe pomp stelsel vir die lewering van water vanaf die grondvlak teen swaartekrag na ʼn hoër vlak. Dit bestaan uit 'n vogtige geslote lug geut siklus waarop ʼn temperatuur verskil toegepas word, dit lei tot vloei gedrewe deur ʼn digtheids gradiënt. ʼn Warm water verdampings-pan binne die geut op grondvlak stel waterdamp aan die geut lugvloei toe, en ʼn koue kondensasie plaat binne die geut op die verhoogde vlak verwyder hierdie waterdamp vir passiewe lugversorgings gebruik. In hierdie tesis word ʼn eendimensionele teoretiese en numeriese simulasie model ontwikkel. Eksperimente is uitgevoer op twee eksperimentele TDNCWP stelsels van verskillende deursnee grootes om die pomp ontwerp en die teoretiese model te evalueer. Die tesis dui aan dat die TDNCWP water kan voorsien teen verskillende hoogtes op ʼn nie-meganiese, passiewe wyse. ʼn Temperatuur verskil van 9 tot 12.5 °C veroorsaak ʼn gemiddelde snelheid van 0.4 tot 0.6 m/s vir ʼn geut deursnit van 100 mm2.Vir ʼn groter deursnit van 400 mm2, het ʼn temperatuur verskil van 2 tot 5 °C ʼn gemiddelde snelheid van 0.25 tot 0.3 m/s veroorsaak. ʼn Asimmetriese snelheidsprofiel was waargeneem wat gewissel het op verskillende punte in die siklus. ʼn Water voorsienings tempo van 1.2 tot 7.5 L / dag was eksperimenteel waargeneem wat goed vergelyk met die passiewe water lugversorging vereistes van 'n klein gebou. Die teoretiese model het ʼn groter voorsienings tempo voorspel vir die groot deursneë, maar het goed gevaar in vergelyking met die kleiner eksperimentele model. Verdere verfyning van die numeriese model en die TDNCWP ontwerp word vereis, en aanbevelings is gemaak ten opsigte van hiervan. Dit is egter duidelik dat die TDNCWP ʼn alternatief is vir konvensionele lae-volume water pomp applikasies. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

A test system for the performance analysis of a novel thermally regenerative fuel cell (TRFC) using propiophenone and hydrogen as the oxidant and fuel respectively was designed and built. The test system is capable of either hydrogen-air or hydrogen-propiophenone operation. Membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) were made using commercial phosphoric acid-doped polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes and commercial electrodes. Using Pt/carbon paper electrodes with a catalyst loading of 1mg/cm2 and a membrane with an acid doping level of 10.2 mol acid/mol of polymer repeat unit, a maximum performance of 212 mW/cm2 at a current density of 575 mA/cm2 was achieved for baseline hydrogen-air testing at 110°C. Problems were encountered, however, in achieving consistent, reproducible performance for in-house fabricated MEAs. Furthermore, ex-situ electrochemical impedance spectrometry (EIS) showed that the phosphoric acid-doped PBI was unstable in the propiophenone and that acid-leaching was occurring. In order to have MEAs with consistent characteristics for verifying the test system performance, commercial phosphoric acid-doped PBI membrane electrode assemblies were used. At a temperature of 160°C and atmospheric pressure with hydrogen and air flowrates of 150 mL/min and 900 mL/min respectively a maximum power density of 387 mW/cm2 at a current density of 1.1 A/cm2 was achieved. This performance was consistent with the manufacturer’s specifications and these MEAs were subsequently used to verify the performance of TRFC test system despite the EIS results that indicated that acid-leaching would probably occur. The Pt catalyzed commercial MEAs achieved very limited performance for the hydrogenation of the ketone. However, the performance was less than but comparable to similar results previously reported in the literature by Chaurasia et al. [1]. For pure Pt catalyst loading of 1 mg/cm2, using a commercial PBI MEA operating at 160°C and atmospheric pressure, the maximum power density was 40 µW/cm2 at a current density of 1.3 mA/cm2. A 16 hour test was conducted for these conditions with a constant 1 ohm load, successfully demonstrating the operation of the test system. The test system will be used in the development of better catalysts for ketone hydrogenation. / Thesis (Master, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2012-10-12 10:00:58.854

Within the existing available mix of numerical and analytical thermal analysis options, lumped parameter thermal modelling is selected as the operational backbone to develop an improved novel synchronous generator thermal modelling package. The objective is for the creation of a user friendly quick feedback tool, which can serve as a means to make quick machine design thermal calculations and answer customer queries quickly and reliably. Furthermore, thermally improved generator designs will allow for inevitable operational losses to be channelled away from the machine more efficiently. As a result, machine component temperatures will be reduced, allowing lower generator thermal ratings. The end result will be smaller, longer lasting, more efficient generators, with the ability to be adapted with greater ease to particular applications. With the contribution of selected numerical analysis techniques, mainly finite element analysis for the distribution of iron losses, the MySolver thermal modelling package is developed and presented in this thesis. It is this combination of numerical and analytical tools that improves synchronous generator thermal modelling accuracy, but ultimately it is the lumped parameter nature of the thermal models developed that makes MySolver succeed as a reliable quick feedback electrical machine thermal design tool, validated using experimental results for a wide range of operating conditions. The initial part of the thesis analyses the electrical machine thermal modelling techniques available today, indicating advantages and disadvantages associated with each one, and providing a rationale for the selection of lumped parameter modelling to be used by MySolver. The development of the synchronous generator lumped parameter thermal models is detailed, with examples on its construction presented. Subsequently, finite element analysis is utilised to predict the distribution of machine iron losses across the rotor and stator laminations, with the findings applied to MySolver. Furthermore, a study is performed into the lumped parameter discretisation level needed to effectively represent machine windings. MySolver is experimentally verified using experimental data from a fully instrumented synchronous generator and this data is also used to obtain further insight into the temperature distribution within the generator. In the final part results are evaluated and the use of MySolver for modelling and optimising electrical machines is discussed. Finally, appropriate conclusions on the work presented are drawn.

This work investigates the fabrication, process optimization, and characterization of cobalt oxide-antimony doped tin oxide (CoO-ATO) nanofibersusing polystyrene (PS) solutions with toluene orD-limonene as solvents. These nanofibers are produced by anelectrospinning process. Nanofibers are fabricated using polymeric solutions of CoO doped ATO and mixtures of PS: D-limonene and PS:toluene. PSis a base aromatic organic polymer, a non-toxic material, and a versatile catalyst for fiber formation. PSsolutions are made by mixing polystyrene beads and D-limonene or toluene at specific weight percentages. These polymeric solutions of PS: D-limonene and PS:toluene are then mixed with CoO-ATO at various weight percentages. The two solutions are electrospun and the best process parameters optimized to obtain nanofibers with limited beading. Process optimization is completed by analyzing how changes in the electrospinningexperimental set up impact nanofiber formation and production efficiency (speed of formation). CoO-ATO nanofibers are characterizedby scanning electron microscopy, hydrophobicity via contact angle measurements, and viscosity measurements. Additional analysis is conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of using two different solvents to fabricate the CoO-ATO nanofibers. In this project, I was able to successfully produce novel nanofiber membranes of CoO-ATOusing two different solvents. These investigations were conducted and nanofiberprocess optimized to provide a technological contribution to future industrial scaleproductions of thermally reflective materials.

In den letzten Jahren ist eine Vielzahl neuer organischer Polymere und niedermolekularer Verbindungen synthetisiert worden, die sich als aktive Komponente für Elektrolumineszenz-Bauelemente und andere elektronische Anwendungen eignen. Trotz der großen technologischen Bedeutung und des erheblichen Fortschrittes, der bei der Herstellung solcher Materialien erzielt worden ist, sind grundlegende physikalische Eigenschaften dieser Materialklassen noch nicht ausreichend erforscht. Insbesondere das Auftreten lokalisierter Zustände innerhalb der Bandlücke hat besondere Bedeutung für ihre elektronischen Eigenschaften. Sowohl die Präsenz dieser flachen traps (Fallen, Löcher) als auch der Einfluß der Herstellungsbedingungen auf die tiefen und flachen lokalisierten Zustände wurden bisher nicht systematisch untersucht.<br /> Thermische Techniken sind wichtige Methoden, um lokalisierte Niveaus in organischen und anorganischen Materialien zu erforschen. Themisch-Stimulierte Lumineszenz (TSL), Thermisch-Stimulierte Ströme (TSC) und Thermisch-Stimulierte Depolarisierte Ströme (TSDC) ermöglichen die Untersuchung flacher und tiefer traps; in Verbindung mit DiElektrischer Spektroskopie (DES) können außerdem Polarisations- und Depolarisationseffekte studiert werden.<br /> Mit Hilfe numerischer Simulationen haben wir die kinetischen Gleichungen erster und zweiter Ordnung untersucht, die sich durch schwaches bzw. starkes Wieder-Fangen beschreiben lassen. In diesen Gleichungen haben wir Gaussian-, exponentielle und quasi-kontinuierliche Verteilungen von lokalisierten Zustände berücksichtigt. Durch Veränderung der beiden wichtigsten Parameter (Tiefe der traps E und Häufigkeit) konnte die Form der thermischen Maxima untersucht werden. Auch die die Gaussian-Verteilung bestimmenden Faktoren wurden verändert. <br /> Diese theoretischen Ergebnisse wurden auf die experimentellen Glow-Kurven angewandt. Dünne Filme aus polymeren und niedermolekularen Verbindungen (Polyphenylquinoxaline, Trisphenylquinoxaline und Oxadiazole), die wegen ihrer technologischen Bedeutung ausgewählt wurden, zeigen komplexes thermisches Verhalten.<br /> Insbesondere hoch geordnete Filme eines amphiphil substituierten 2-(p-nitrophenyl)-5-(p-undecylamidophenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazols (NADPO) zeichnen sich durch komplexe TSL-Diagramme aus. Im Bereich von Em = 4 meV wurde eine Region flacher traps gefunden. Zwei weitere TSL-Maxima treten bei Tm = 221.5 K bzw. Tm = 254.2 K auf. Sie besitzen Aktivierungsenergien von Em= 0.63 eV bzw. Em = 0.66 eV, ihre Frequenzfaktoren betragen s = 2.4x1012 s-1 bzw. s = 1.85x1011 s-1, sie zeigen Breiten der Verteilung von s = 0.045 eV bzw. s = 0.088 eV. <br /> Des weiteren zeigt diese Arbeit, daß die Form der Glow-Kurven stark von der Anregungstemperatur und vom thermischen Kreislauf beeinflußt wird. / New polymers and low molecular compounds, suitable for organic light emitting devices and organic electronic applications, have been synthesised in this years in order to obtain electron transport characteristics compatible with requirements for applications in real plastic devices. However, despite of the technological importance and of the relevant progress in devices manufacture, fundamental physical properties of such class of materials are still not enough studied. In particular extensive presence of distributions of localised states inside the band gap has a deep impact on their electronic properties. Such presence of shallow traps as well as the influence of the sample preparation conditions on deep and shallow localised states have not been, until now, systematically explored.<br /> The thermal techniques are powerful tools in order to study localised levels in inorganic and organic materials. Thermally stimulated luminescence (TSL), thermally stimulated currents (TSC) and thermally stimulated depolarisation currents (TSDC) allow to deeply look to shallow and deep trap levels as well as they permit to study, in synergy with dielectric spectroscopy (DES), polarisation and depolarisation effects. <br /> We studied, by means of numerical simulations, the first and the second order kinetic equations characterised by negligible and strong re-trapping respectively. We included in the equations Gaussian, exponential and quasi-continuous distributions of localised states. The shapes of the theoretical peaks have been investigated by means of systematic variation of the two main parameters of the equations, i. e. the energy trap depth E and the frequency factor a and of the parameters regulating the distributions, in particular for a Gaussian distribution the distribution width s and the integration limits. <br /> The theoretical findings have been applied to experimental glow curves. Thin films of polymers and low molecular compounds. Polyphenylquinoxalines, trisphenylquinoxalines and oxadiazoles, studied because of their technological relevance, show complex thermograms, having several levels of localised states and depolarisation peaks. <br /> In particular well ordered films of an amphiphilic substituted 2-(p-nitrophenyl)-5-(p-undecylamidophenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole (NADPO) are characterised by rich TSL thermograms. A wide region of shallow traps, localised at Em = 4 meV, has been successfully fit by means of a first order kinetic equation having a Gaussian distribution of localised states. <br /> Two further peaks, having a different origin, have been characterised. The peaks at Tm = 221.5 K and Tm = 254.2 have activation energy of Em= 0.63 eV and Em = 0.66 eV, frequency factor s = 2.4x1012 s-1 and s = 1.85x1011 s-1, distribution width s = 0.045 eV and s = 0.088 eV respectively. <br /> Increasing the number of thermal cycle, a peak, probably connected with structural defects, appears at Tm = 197.7 K. The numerical analysis of this peak was performed by means of a first order equation containing a Gaussian distribution of traps. The activation energy of the trap level is centred at Em = 0.55 eV. The distribution is perfectly symmetric with a quite small width s = 0.028 eV. The frequency factor is s = 1.15 x 1012 s-1, resulting of the same order of magnitude of its neighbour peak at Tm = 221.5 K, having both, probably, the same origin.<br /> Furthermore the work demonstrates that the shape of the glow curves is strongly influenced by the excitation temperature and by the thermal cycles. For that reason Gaussian distributions of localised states can be confused with exponential distributions if the previous thermal history of the samples is not adequately considered.

La descripción del flujo de fluidos involucra la solución de las ecuaciones de Navier-Stokes compresible, un problema muy complejo cuya estructura matemática no es del todo comprendida. Por lo tanto, mediante análisis asintótico, se pueden derivar modelos simplificados bajo ciertas hipótesis sobre el problema hechas en términos de parámetros adimensionales que miden la importancia relativa de los diferentes procesos físicos. Los flujos a baja velocidad se pueden describir por diferentes modelos que incluyen las ecuaciones de Navier Stokes incompresible cuya matemática es mucho mas conocida. Sin embargo, algunos flujos importantes no se pueden considerar incompresibles debido a la presencia de efectos térmicos. En esta clase de problemas se pueden derivar otra clase de ecuaciones simplificadas: las ecuaciones de Boussinesq y las ecuaciones de bajo numero de Mach.La complejidad de estos problemas matemáticos hace que su solución numérica sea muy difícil. En estos problemas el método de los elementos finitos es inestable, lo que en la práctica implica soluciones numéricas que presentan oscilaciones nodo a nodo de naturaleza no física. En las ecuaciones de Navier Stokes incompresible, dos fuentes bien conocidas de inestabilidad son la condición de incompresibilidad y la presencia del término convectivo. Muchas técnicas de estabilización utilizadas hoy en día se basan en la separación de escalas, descomponiendo la incógnita en una parte gruesa inducida por la discretización del domino y una parte fina de subescala. Modelar la subescala y su influencia conduce a un problema modificado para la escala gruesa que resulta estable.Aunque las técnicas de estabilización son ampliamente utilizadas hoy en día, importantes problemas permanecen abiertos. Contribuyendo a su comprensión, en este trabajo se analizan varios aspectos del modelado de las subescalas. Para problemas escalares de segundo orden, se encuentra la dependencia de la subescala con el tamaño de la malla en el caso general de mallas anisótropas. Estas ideas son extendidas a sistemas de ecuaciones para considerar el problema de Oseen. También se analiza el modelado de las subescalas en problemas transitorios, obteniendo un mejor esquema de integración temporal para el problema de escala gruesa. Para considerar flujos a baja velocidad, se presenta la extensión de estas técnicas a problemas no lineales acoplados, lo que esta íntimamente relacionado con el problema del modelado de la turbulencia, que es un tema en si mismo.Los flujos acoplados térmicamente, aparte del interés intrínseco que merecen, son importantes desde un punto de vista ingenieril. Una solución precisa del problema de flujo es necesaria para definir las cargas térmicas sobre las estructuras, que en muchos casos responden fuertemente, haciendo el problema acoplado. Esta clase de problemas, que motivaron este trabajo, incluyen la respuesta estructural en el caso de un incendio. / A general description of a fluid flow involves the solution of the compressible Navier-Stokes equations, a very complex problem whose mathematical structure is not well understood. Therefore, simplified models can be derived by asymptotic analysis under some assumptions on the problem, made in terms of dimensionless parameters that measure the relative importance of different physical processes. Low speed flows can be described by several models including the incompressible Navier Stokes equations whose mathematical structure is much better understood. However many important flows cannot be considered as incompressible, even at low speed, due to the presence of thermal effects. In such kind of problems another class of simplified equations can be derived: the Boussinesq equations and the Low Mach number equations.The complexity of these mathematical problems makes their numerical solution very difficult. For these problems the standard finite element method is unstable, what in practice means that node to node oscillations of non physical nature may appear in the numerical solution. In the incompressible Navier Stokes equations, two well known sources of numerical instabilities are the incompressibility constraint and the presence of the convective terms. Many stabilization techniques used nowadays are based on scale separation, splitting the unknown into a coarse part induced by the discretization of the domain and a fine subgrid part. The modelling of the subgrid scale and its influence leads to a modified coarse scale problem that now can be shown to be stable. Although stabilization techniques are nowadays widely used, important problems remain open. Contributing to their understanding, several aspects of the subgrid scale modelling are analyzed in this work. For second order scalar problems, the dependence of the subgrid scale on the mesh size, in the general anisotropic case, is clarified. These ideas are extended to systems of equations to consider the Oseen problem. The modelling of the subgrid scales in transient problems is also analyzed, leading to an improved time discretization scheme for the coarse scale problem. To consider low speed flow models, the extension of these techniques to nonlinear and coupled problems is presented, something that is intimately related to the problem of turbulence modelling, which a entire subject on its own right. Thermally coupled flow problems, despite the intrinsic interest they deserve, are important from an engineering point of view. An accurate solution of a flow problem is needed to define thermal loads on structures which, in many cases have a strong response, making the problem coupled. This kind of problems, that motivated this work, include the problem of a structural response in the case of fires.

In this thesis, in order to study the structural, optical and electrical transport properties of Tl2In2S3Se, TlInSeS and Tl2In2SSe3 crystals, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopic analysis (EDSA), transmission, reflection, photoluminescence (PL), thermally stimulated current (TSC) and photoconductivity decay (PC) measurements were carried out. Lattice parameters and atomic composition of these crystals were determined from XRD and EDSA experiments, respectively. By the help of transmission and reflection experiments, the room temperature absorption data were analyzed and it was revealed the coexistence of indirect and direct band gap energies of the studied crystals. Moreover, the refractive index dispersion parameters - oscillator energies, dispersion energies, oscillator strengths, oscillator wavelengths and zero-frequency refractive indexes were determined. Temperature-dependent transmission measurements made it possible to find the rate of change of indirect band gaps with temperature, absolute zero values of the band gap energies and Debye temperatures of these crystals. From the analysis of the transmission and reflection measurements, it was established that, there is a decrease in the values of indirect and direct band gaps energies and an increase in zero-frequency refractive indexes with increasing of selenium content. PL measurements were carried out to obtain the detailed information about recombination levels in crystals studied. The behavior of PL spectra were investigated as a function of laser excitation intensity and temperature. The variation of the spectra with laser excitation intensity and temperature suggested that the observed emission bands in these crystals were due to the donor-acceptor pair recombination. TSC measurements were carried out with various heating rates at different illumination temperatures to obtain information about trap levels in these crystals. The mean activation energies, attempt-to-escape frequencies, concentrations and capture cross sections of the traps were determined as a result of TSC spectra analysis. The analysis of experimental TSC curves registered at different light illumination temperatures revealed the exponential trap distribution in the studied crystals. From the analysis of PC measurements, carrier lifetimes were obtained.

Gold nanoshells, a material generally composed of a core of silica surrounded by a thin shell of gold, are of great interest due to their unique and tunable optical properties. By varying the shell thickness and core size, the absorption and scattering properties are greatly enhanced. The nanoshells can be made to absorb or scatter light at various regions across the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible to the near infrared. The ability to tune the optical properties of nanoshells allows for their potential use in many different areas of research such as optical imaging, tumor ablation, drug delivery, and solar energy conversion. The research in this thesis focused on the synthesis and characterization of two novel gold nanoshell materials containing thermally-responsive, organic-inorganic hybrid layers. One type of material was based on a two-layer particle with a thermally responsive hybrid core of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) copolymerized with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (MPS) that was then coated with a thin layer of gold. The second material was a three-layer particle with a silica core, a thermally responsive copolymer of NIPAM and MPS middle layer and an outer shell of gold. Various techniques were used to characterize both materials. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to image the particles and dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to determine particle size and the temperature response. Additionally, UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to characterize the optical properties as a function of temperature.

Complex flow structures consisting of branching, multi-scale, hierarchically arranged flow paths can be a beneficial in certain applications by providing lower hydraulic and thermal resistances than conventional flow arrangements. In this study, an experimental approach was used to investigate the hydrodynamic and thermal effects of the complexity, or degree of branching, in microscale complex flow structures. The primary focus of this work was to develop new concepts to advance the current capabilities of complex flow structures through management of complexity. The effects of complexity were determined from experiments performed on a set of microfluidic test sections which were identical except for the complexity of the underlying microchannel configuration. Comparison of the relative hydrodynamic and thermal performance indicates that complexity has a strong effect on both the pressure drop and heat transfer. When the pumping power is taken into account, the results suggest that higher complexity arrangements improve the overall thermal-hydraulic performance. This conclusion was confirmed by the trends observed in the coefficient of performance, a measure of the device thermal efficiency. To address the limitations of conventional fixed-complexity designs, the concept of a variable-complexity flow structure is developed. With a variable-complexity design, the configuration of a branched flow structure can be dynamically controlled to improve performance as operational conditions vary. This concept was successfully demonstrated by developing and testing an active variable-complexity microfluidic device in which pneumatically controlled microvalves were used to create different flow channel configurations. The variable-complexity concept was further refined by developing a microfluidic device with a passive variable-complexity design in which the flow channel configuration changed autonomously based on local temperatures. By using microvalves containing a temperature sensitive polymer, the flow configuration of the device was made thermally adaptive. Experiments were performed to characterize the behavior of the polymer microvalves and the overall device performance. The results showed that the device was capable of tracking changes in external heat sources by adapting and reconfiguring its internal flow structure. The experiments also showed how this variable-complexity design can reduce the pumping power expenditure by automatically directing flow only to areas where it is required. / text

The effects that thermally induced forces and deformations have on the performance and safety of steel columns subjected to fire are not well understood and are not clearly treated in building codes and standards. This thesis investigates the behavior of steel columns subjected to fire, with an emphasis on studying the significance of thermally induced forces and deformations. The approach used in this research is to conduct a series of analyses of steel columns using the finite element computer program ABAQUS. Columns are modeled in ABAQUS using beam elements that include nonlinear geometry, nonlinear temperature dependent material properties, and initial geometric imperfections. Using the ABAQUS model, a series of analyses are conducted on the behavior of columns under axial compression for temperatures varying from room temperature up to 2400° F. A series of individual columns are analyzed with and without restraint to thermal expansion. A column that is part of a truss is also analyzed to study a simple case of a flexible restraint to thermal expansion. Finally, the behavior of columns that are part of multi-story steel moment frames are investigated. All of the analyses conducted in this research indicate that forces generated by restraint to thermal expansion can have a very large impact on the performance of a steel column in fire. When evaluating the safety of a column in a fire, it is important to recognize that the total axial force in the column is the sum of the force generated by external gravity load on the frame and the force generated by restraint to thermal expansion. The force generated by restrained thermal expansion can be very large, and neglecting this force can lead to unsafe designs. / text