Qualitative and quantitative assessment of interior moisture buffering by enclosures

The significance of interior humidity in attaining sustainable, durable, healthy and comfortable buildings is increasingly recognised. Given their significant interaction, any interior humidity appraisal requires a qualitative and/or quantitative assessment of interior moisture buffering. While the effective moisture penetration depth and effective capacitance models allow quantified assessment, their reliance on the ‘moisture penetration depth’ necessitates comprehensive material properties and hampers their application to multidimensional interior objects. On the other hand, while various recently suggested protocols for the simple and fast measurement of the moisture buffer potential of interior elements allow qualitative assessment, none of these are currently dependable for a wide range of moisture production regimes.In response to these flaws, this paper introduces the production-adaptive characterisation of the moisture buffer potential of interior elements and corroborates their superposition toward a room-enclosure moisture buffer potential. It is verified that this enables qualitative comparison of enclosures in relation to interior moisture buffering. It is moreover demonstrated that it forms an alternative basis for quantitative evaluation of interior moisture buffering by the effective moisture penetration depth and effective capacitance models. The presented methodology uses simple and fast measurements only and can also be applied to multimaterial and/or multidimensional interior elements.     

Human peroxisomal disorders

Peroxisomes are single membrane-bound cell organelles performing numerous metabolic functions. The present article aims to give an overview of our current knowledge about inherited peroxisomal disorders in which these organelles are lacking or one or more of their functions are impaired. They are multiorgan disorders and the nervous system is implicated in most. After a summary of the historical names and categories, each having distinct symptoms and prognosis, microscopic pathology is reviewed in detail. Data from the literature are added to experience in the authors' laboratory with 167 liver biopsy and autopsy samples from peroxisomal patients, and with a smaller number of chorion samples for prenatal diagnosis, adrenal-, kidney-, and brain samples. Various light and electron microscopic methods are used including enzyme- and immunocytochemistry, polarizing microscopy, and morphometry. Together with other laboratory investigations and clinical data, this approach continues to contribute to the diagnosis and further characterization of peroxisomal disorders, and the discovery of novel variants. When liver specimens are examined, three main groups including 9 novel variants (33 patients) are distinguished: (1) absence or (2) presence of peroxisomes, and (3) mosaic distribution of cells with and without peroxisomes (10 patients). Renal microcysts, polarizing trilamellar inclusions, and insoluble lipid in macrophages in liver, adrenal cortex, brain, and in interstitial cells of kidney are also valuable for classification. On a genetic basis, complementation of fibroblasts has classified peroxisome biogenesis disorders into 12 complementation groups. Peroxisome biogenesis genes (PEX), knock-out-mice, and induction of redundant genes are briefly reviewed, including some recent results with 4-phenylbutyrate. Finally, regulation of peroxisome expression during development and in cell cultures, and by physiological factors is discussed.     

Wind-driven rain as a boundary condition for HAM simulations: Analysis of simplified modelling approaches

While the numerical simulation of moisture transfer inside building components is currently undergoing standardisation, the modelling of the atmospheric boundary conditions has received far less attention.     

Heterogeneity in auditory alarm sets makes them easier to learn

The primary objective of the experiments reported here was to demonstrate the effects of opening up the design envelope for auditory alarms on the ability of people to learn the meanings of a set of alarms. Two sets of alarms were tested, one already extant and one newly-designed set for the same set of functions, designed according to a rationale set out by the authors aimed at increasing the heterogeneity of the alarm set and incorporating some well-established principles of alarm design. For both sets of alarms, a similarity-rating experiment was followed by a learning experiment. The results showed that the newly-designed set was judged to be more internally dissimilar, and easier to learn, than the extant set. The design rationale outlined in the paper is useful for design purposes in a variety of practical domains and shows how alarm designers, even at a relatively late stage in the design process, can improve the efficacy of an alarm set.     

Intercomparison of wind-driven rain deposition models based on two case studies with full-scale measurements

Three different calculation models for wind-driven rain (WDR) on buildings are compared for two case studies for which full-scale measurements are available. The models are the semi-empirical model in the ISO standard for WDR (ISO), the semi-empirical model by Straube and Burnett (SB) and the CFD model by Choi, extended by Blocken and Carmeliet. This paper builds further on two generic studies in which these models were compared based on model theory and based on their application for idealized building configurations and for constant wind and rain conditions. In the present study, the models are applied to calculate WDR on the facades of a low-rise test building and a monumental tower building for actual transient rain events. The spatial and temporal distributions of WDR at the windward facade are determined and the model results are compared with each other and with the full-scale measurements. The agreement between the CFD results and the measurements is on average 20-25%, whereas the ISO and SB models show large discrepancies at many facade positions, up to a factor 2-5. The identification of the reasons for the discrepancies is based on the previous generic studies and on the detailed information provided by the validated CFD simulations. The reasons include: (1) the ISO and SB models do not take into account the wind-blocking effect; (2) they do not model the variation of shelter by roof overhang as a function of the wind speed and; (3) they only provide information for a limited number of building geometries. In spite of these deficiencies, these models provide a strong basis for further development. The deficiencies can be addressed with CFD, and it is suggested that future research should focus on improving the semi-empirical models based on the detailed results of validated CFD simulations.     

Experimental data set for validation of heat,air and moisture transport models of building envelopes

This paper reports experimental studies on heat, air and moisture (HAM) transfer through a full scale light weight building envelope wall under real atmospheric boundary conditions. The main objective of the article is to generate informative data so that it can be used for numerical validation of HAM models. The considered wall is a multilayered structure built up from outside to inside of external board, vented cavity, fibreboard sheathing, mineral wool between wooden studs and interior finishing. The global wall has a surface area of (1.80 × 2.68) m²; and is subdivided into three vertical parts. The parts differ from each other by the applied interior finishing. Between the different layers of each part and on the surfaces of the wall humidity, temperature and heat flux sensors are placed in a 3D matrix. At the outer surface of the wall, the applied sheathing is a bituminous wood board. In the board nine removable specimens are included. By regularly weighing the fibreboard samples, their moisture content could be quantified. Using data collected over a total time span of about two years, insight about the hygrothermal behaviour of the different envelope parts is obtained and at the same time a well-documented data set is generated that can be used for hygrothermal envelope model validation purposes.     

Use of a calcium phosphate matrix as a temporary cast for bony defect repair: a pilot study

The bony repair effect of different Calcium Phosphate Bone Cements was tested in a dog model. Seven different formulations were synthesized and tested on their biocompatibility, osseoconduction and biodegradability. Three dogs were used in this pilot study, in each dog 4 cranial, circular defects were made with a critical size diameter of 12 mm. Autologous bone was used as a control. The dogs were sacrificed after 6 months. Mineral phase analysis showed a reaction of the cements to form a more or less crystalline calciumhydroxyapatite. Histologic evaluation revealed that the presence of the cements stimulated the formation of a thin bone layer on the cranial and caudal side of each defect. The cements did not evoke an inflammatory reaction. Two formulations showed extensive bone formation.     

Strategies to improve the energy performance of multiple-skin facades

This paper describes how to optimize the energy performance of single-story multiple-skin facades (MSF) by changing the settings of the façades and HVAC-system according to the net energy demand of the building. The annual energy performance is analyzed for typical Belgian climatic conditions using a whole building simulation tool. Three MSF are scrutinised: a mechanically ventilated airflow window, a naturally ventilated double-skin façade and a mechanically ventilated supply window. Their performance is compared against the performance of two traditional facades: a traditional window with exterior and interior shading device. It is shown that both the heating and cooling demand may significantly be improved by implementing control strategies such as controlling the airflow rate and the recovery of air returning from the multiple-skin facades.     

Microbially mediated phosphine emission

There is still a lot of controversy in literature concerning the question whether a biochemical system exists enabling micro-organisms to reduce phosphate to phosphine gas. The search for so-called 'de novo synthesised' phosphine is complicated by the fact that soils, slurries, sludges, etc., which are often used as inocula, usually contain matrix bound phosphine (MBP). Matrix bound phosphine is a general term used to indicate non-gaseous reduced phosphorus compounds that are transformed into phosphine gas upon reaction with bases or acids. A study was carried out to compare the different digestion methods, used to transform matrix bound phosphine into phosphine gas. It was demonstrated that caustic and acidic digestion methods should be used to measure the matrix bound phosphine of the inoculum prior to inoculation to avoid false positive results concerning de novo synthesis. This is especially true if anthropogenically influenced inocula possibly containing minute steel or aluminium particles are used. The comparative study on different digestion methods also revealed that the fraction of phosphorus in mild steel, converted to phosphine during acid corrosion depended on the temperature. Following these preliminary studies, anaerobic growth experiments were set up using different inocula and media to study the emission of phosphine gas. Phosphine was detected in the headspace gases and its quantity and timeframe of emission depended on the medium composition, suggesting microbially mediated formation of the gas. The amount of phosphine emitted during the growth experiments never exceeded the bound phosphine present in inocula, prior to inoculation. Hence, de novo synthesis of phosphine from phosphate could not be demonstrated. Yet, microbially mediated conversion to phosphine of hitherto unknown reduced phosphorus compounds in the inoculum was evidenced.