Practical support for evaluating efficiency factors of a space heating system in cold climates

Plenty of technical norms, included in the EPBD umbrella, assesses the performance of buildings or its sub-systems in terms of efficiency. In particular, EN 15316 and its sub-sections determine the efficiency factors of a space heating system. This paper focuses on the estimation of efficiency factors for hydronic panel radiators. The assessment of efficiency factors occurs by evaluating the amount of heat emitted from the heat emitter and the thermal losses towards building envelope. A factor that influences the heat emitted is the location of radiator connection pipes. Connection pipes can be located on opposite side or at the same side of the radiator. To better estimate the heat emitted from the radiator with different location of connection pipes, a transient model with multiple storage elements is implemented in a commercial building simulation software and validated versus available experimental measurements. Sensitivity analysis encompasses the variations of heat losses due to the building location in different climates, the changing of the active thermal mass and the type of radiator local control. The final outcome of this paper is a practical support where designers and researchers can easily assess the efficiency factors for space heating system equipped with hydronic panel radiators of buildings located in Sweden. As main results, (i) the efficiency factor for control is higher in Northern climates (Luleå) than in Southern climates (Gothenburg), (ii) heavy-weight active thermal masses allow higher efficiency factors than light active thermal masses, and (iii) connection pipes located on the same side of the hydronic panel radiator enable higher efficiency factors than pipes located on opposite side.     

Channel changes associated with two adjacent weirs on a regulated lowland alluvial river

Survey data from 1906 and 1988 for the lower River Murray, Australia, reveal changes in channel morphology associated with the construction of Locks 2 and 3 (1925–8), which form contiguous pools in the Valley and Gorge sections, respectively. Regulated annual flows are less than half the volume of natural flows, and the frequency of maximum flows has decreased. Upstream weirs have reduced the sediment supply to the study reach by 1.05 × 10⁶ tonnes per annum. The trap efficiencies of Pools 2 and 3 from 1906 to 1988 were 8 and 13% respectively, with retention channel of 80723 and 267470 tonnes. Responses over the past 60–70 years have differed between the pools-some channel characteristics have attained a new dynamic equilibrium and others have not. In Pool 3 the average bed slope has been reduced by 000004 (44%) and has attained equilibrium, but in Pool 2 the supply and redistribution of sediment have not been sufficient to reduce the bed slope. There are continuous areas of degradation and aggradation in Pool 3 but discontinuous areas in Pool 2, reflecting different stages in slope adjustment. Cross-sections have become wider and shallower in Pool 3 but narrower and deeper in Pool 2. These adjustments are influenced by local boundary conditions, floodplain morphology and the position of the study reach in the sequence of weirs. In general, the situation in the lower Murray does not conform to conventional models of the impact of regulation, which are based on data from upland dams. The Murray's gross morphology remains as a relict of the natural, semi-arid regime. Low contemporary stream energies and cohesive bank materials restrict the initiation of channel metamorphosis and prolong the time required for the completion of channel adjustment.     

Einflüsse von Mo,V, Nb,Ti, Zr und deren Karbiden auf die Korrosion und Wasserstoffaufnahme des Eisens in Schwefelsäure

Effects of Mo, V, Nb, Ti, Zr and their carbides on the corrosion and hydrogen uptake of iron in sulphuric acid The effects of Mo, V, Nb, Ti, Zr and their carbides on the corrosion and hydrogen uptake of iron in 1 M H₂SO₄/N₂/25°C were investigated by electrochemical and surface analytical methods using binary and ternary Fe-Me alloys with about 0.2 at.-%Me. Due to the experimental conditions, no protective surface layers formed. The transition metals were enriched at the iron surface only as a carbide or oxicarbide. Mo or Zr were not markedly enriched. The corrosion current density and the hydrogen activity were decreased only by Mo or Zr. Hydrogen permeation measurements were analysed in terms of the trapping theory. The average binding energy of shallow traps for hydrogen increases with increasing atomic radius of the substituted alloying elements in the order V, Mo, Ti, Nb and Zr. Correspondingly, the hydrogen diffusion coefficient (after saturation of the deep traps) decreases and the hydrogen solubility increases. The steadystate hydrogen permeation rate remains almost unaffected. The total hydrogen content is determined by the density of deep traps and thus mostly independent of the external hydrogen activity. The trapping effect of iron is strongly increased by dissolved Zr or Nb or in the presence of fine dispersed carbides as VC_x. The effect of coarse carbide particles at a lower density is small.     

Integrating multiple aquatic values: Perspectives and a collaborative future for river science

The study and management of rivers have undergone a metamorphosis over the last four decades, transitioning from individual sub‐disciplines towards interdisciplinary approaches and an increased focus on viewing riverine landscapes as social‐ecological systems. Within this context, there is a growing emphasis on the need to take resilience‐based approaches to living with rivers in a sustainable way that maximises public security, infrastructure protection, and economic, ecological, and cultural benefits and values. The concept of viewing rivers as social‐ecological systems is gaining traction in science and management discourse; however, the idea is not new, and indigenous knowledge systems consistently place humans within the natural world. Integrating environmental knowledge, in its various forms, plays a key role in understanding issues and developing solutions for freshwater managers, especially in the context of rivers as social‐ecological systems. The 5th Biennial Symposium of the International Society for River Science conference, themed “Integrating Multiple Aquatic Values,” provided a forum for sharing environmental knowledge underpinning freshwater management critical for achieving multiple goals. The papers in this special issue highlight the fundamental properties of rivers as social‐ecological systems and the attempts to integrate multiple values concerned with rivers and their landscapes. From a series of case studies, a set of challenges and opportunities emerge that have the potential to further the management and research of rivers as social‐ecological systems and integrate multiple aquatic values. Key to this is acknowledging and respecting the value that indigenous worldviews and knowledge bring. We also echo the call of other authors that if the overall goals are that rivers, societies, and their interactions are to result in positive social and ecological outcomes for people and rivers, then integrating and respecting multiple values and knowledge systems will be required.     

Fish assemblage patterns across a gradient of flow regulation in an Australian dryland river system

Hydrological regime, physical habitat structure and water chemistry are interacting drivers of fish assemblage structure in floodplain rivers throughout the world. In rivers with altered flow regimes, understanding fish assemblage responses to flow and physico‐chemical conditions is important in setting priorities for environmental flow allocations and other river management strategies. To this end we examined fish assemblage patterns across a simple gradient of flow regulation in the upper Murray–Darling Basin, Australia. We found clear separation of three fish assemblage groups that were spatially differentiated in November 2002, at the end of the winter dry season. Fish assemblage patterns were concordant with differences in water chemistry, but not with the geomorphological attributes of channel and floodplain waterholes. After the summer‐flow period, when all in‐channel river sites received flow, some floodplain sites were lost to drying and one increased in volume, fish assemblages were less clearly differentiated. The fish assemblages of river sites did not increase in richness or abundance in response to channel flow and the associated potential for increased fish recruitment and movement associated with flow connectivity. Instead, the more regulated river's fish assemblages appeared to be under stress, most likely from historical flow regulation. These findings have clear implications for the management of hydrological regimes and the provision of environmental flows in regulated rivers of the upper Murray–Darling Basin. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigating the effects of cross wedge rolling preforming operation and die forging with flash brakes on forging titanium hip implants

To reduce production costs of forged parts, different approaches are possible. Especially for valuable materials like titanium, material costs represent a large part of the production costs. Therefore, reducing the initial material can decrease the total costs significantly. In order to identify the potential for improvements, an existing forging sequence was investigated. For a titanium hip implant, a forging sequence was developed. To reduce the initially needed material, cross wedge rolling as a preforming operation and die forging with flash brakes was investigated. The influence of the different stages on the final result was analysed and presented in detail. To increase the prediction accuracy of the newly developed flash-reduced forging sequence and decrease iteration loops of die designs, feasible simulation parameters considering the boundary conditions of the forging environment were investigated. This is done using Finite Element Analysis (FEA), considering form filling, process stability, die stress and press forces. Using cross wedge rolling and die forging with flash brakes, the newly developed forging sequence reduces the flash rate significantly from 69% to 32%.     

Lithography scaling issues associated with III–V MOSFETs

In this work we investigate fabrication issues associated with scaling down the gate length and source drain contact separation of a III–V MOSFET. We used high resolution electron-beam lithography and lift-off for gate and ohmic contact patterning to fabricate gate-last lithographically-aligned MOSFETs. This work considers the effect of variations in resist thickness on gate lengths and also the fabrication of long narrow gaps using electron-beam lithography. The study showed that the effect of resist thickness variation on metal linewidth is insignificant. A difference of around 2–3 nm was found between PtAu linewidths fabricated using 150 and 280 nm thick resist. A VB6 lithography tool was found to be useful for linewidth measurements. We showed that the choice of resist is critical to gap formation, and that PMMA is not well suited to this task.     

Strategies for carbon dioxide emissions reductions: Residential natural gas efficiency,economic, and ancillary health impacts in Maryland

As part of its commitments to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the State of Maryland, USA, auctions emission permits to electric utilities, creating revenue that can be used to benefit consumers and the environment. This paper explores the CO₂ emissions reductions that may be possible by allocating some of that revenue to foster efficiency improvements in the residential sector’s use of natural gas. Since these improvements will require changes to the capital stock of houses and end use equipment, efficiency improvements may be accompanied by economic and ancillary health impacts, both of which are quantified in this paper.