Advanced fabric energy storage systems in Australia

There is a growing interest in the use of advanced fabric energy storage (FES) systems in Australia. The influence of slab thickness and ventilation rate on the annual thermal load, and maximum heating and cooling demands for an office module using a ventilated hollow core concrete slab system has been investigated by simulation. Airflow through the panels was set at 1, 2 or 4 air changes per hour (ACH) for slab thicknesses of 205, 220 and 300 mm. These configurations were simulated using two different FES operational strategies for six capital cities in mainland Australia. The simulations show that FES systems can offer either energy and/or peak load savings in almost all locations investigated. Overall, compared to a conventional AC system, the tempering of incoming fresh air combined with night flushing of the FES system appears to be the most successful operational strategy.

Retrofitting for ventilation, infiltration and comfort

Legislation is demanding that our existing building stock be improved to a minimum of 4.0 Star AGBRS (Aust. Green Building Rating Scheme) energy standards. In the 'Green Building Fund' scheme for office buildings and other government incentives, retrofitting our existing building stock makes plain good sense. However, many of the stakeholders (owners, facilities managers, occupants) do not know where to begin to invest, for making these savings. This paperdemonstrates through two case studies, in government related  office buildihgs,how real energy savings were approached and obtained. It illustrates a process whereby preliminary and pretesting results lead to solutions of building ventilation, infiltration and comfort improvement. Furthermore, it discusses how post building performance testing results verified improvement as well as provided inputs to energy simulation, indicating where further invested improvements could be made.
One case study illustrates how the weatherisation of a building prevented a 1.5 million dollar retrofitting spending, costing the client less than one-tenth of the initial retrofitting cost. Another example demonstrates how over-engineering and incorrect ventilation concepts can cost the client up to 70% of their energy bill. Both papers involve real evidence-based pre and post measurement results in existing occupied buildings.

Investigating glazing system simulated results with real measurements

Over the past decades there has been a great deal of research related to simulation programs that calculate glazing thermal performance. In this study, several glazing systems were designed using VISION 3 (University of Waterloo, 1992) and WINDOW-6 (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, 2010). The systems were fabricated and experimentally tested in-situ for a summer month. It was found that in most cases the predicted results of the glass temperature matched those measured, though slight discrepancies were observed during periods of high solar radiation, particularly for more complex systems and systems with shading devices.

Thermal and ventilation performance of a multifunctional sports hall within an aquatic centre

There has been an increasing demand for sports facilities in urban areas recently. As a result of this, more attention is drawn towards not only the energy performance of these building typologies, but also creating a healthy indoor environment for the users. This Study investigates the thermal and ventilation performance of a sports hall within an aquatic centre using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. IES Virtual Environment software was used to perform the simulations. A number of scenarios were tested by changing the position of extract fans as well as by incorporating natural ventilation strategies. A high level of discomfort was observed in the space. Better comfort condition was achieved by changing the location of exhaust fans ad openings. The results help to recommend some guidelines to inform the proposed refurbishment plans of the site.

An alternative for the extraction and storage of DNA from insects in forensic entomology

An important area of recent research in forensic entomology has been the use of insect DNA to provide identification of insects for fast and accurate estimation of time since death. This requires DNA to be extracted efficiently and in a state suitable for use in molecular procedures, and then stored on a long-term basis. In this study, Whatman FTA™ cards were tested for use with the Calliphoridae (Diptera). In particular, testing examined their ability to effectively extract DNA from specimens, and store and provide DNA template in a suitable condition for amplification using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The cards provided DNA that was able to be amplified from a variety of life stages, and thus appears to be of sufficient quality and quantity for use in subsequent procedures. FTA cards therefore appear suitable for use with calliphorids, and provide a new method of extraction that is simple and efficient and allows for storage and transportation without refrigeration, consequently simplifying the handling of DNA in forensic entomological cases.

Incorporating carbon footprints into seafood sustainability certification and eco-labels

The seafood industry has become increasingly interconnected at a global scale, with fish the most traded commodity worldwide. Travel to the farthest reaches of the oceans for capture is now common practice, and subsequent transport to market can require hundreds to thousands of miles of travel by sea and air. Refrigeration of seafood products is generally required at all stages of the journey from ocean to dinner plate, resulting in substantial energy expenditure. Energy input for aquaculture (including mariculture) products can also be high, namely due to the large amounts of feed required to support fish growth. As a result of these factors, the seafood industry has a substantial carbon footprint. Surprisingly, however, carbon footprints of seafood products are rarely integrated into assessments of their sustainability by eco-labels, sustainability certification, or consumer seafood sustainability guides. Suggestions are provided here for how carbon footprints could be incorporated within seafood sustainability schemes.

Automotive Classroom at the New York Trade School

Black and white photograph of an empty classroom of the Automotive Department at the New York Trade School.

Interface entre arquitetura bioclimática e decisões projetuais

This research has as its object study focus bioclimatic in architecture and its conection with projects decisions, on what regards to environmental comfort for single-family dwelling. From the analysis of five architectural projects inserted in Natal/RN, warm-moist weather, this research gather informations regarding architectural features guided by shape and space arrengement, which embody important elements for the project design development. Computer simulations assisted as foundation to verify the efficiency grade for these projects strategies from shading analysis. Related strategies for the demands of natural ventilation circulation and thermal mass for refrigeration were analysed as well. Results show that there is an hierarchizing of priorities for the decisions made when it comes to shape and space disposition variables, as well as the way these variables will consider the bioclimatic demands. The analysis, even, show that there is no single way to respond to specific bioclimatic demands, as it points out the value of examination of the projectual solutions throughtout the conception process, in order to achieve an efficient project performance for the envimonment comfort

Construção, caracterização e aplicação de eletrodos para descarga por arco de cátodo oco

The system built to characterize electrodes and, consequently, deposited fine films are constituted by a hollow cathode that works to discharges and low pressures (approximately 10-3 to 5 mbar), a source DC (0 to 1200 V), a cylindrical camera of closed borossilicato for flanges of stainless steel with an association of vacuum bombs mechanical and spread. In the upper flange it is connected the system of hollow cathode, which possesses an entrance of gas and two entrances for its refrigeration, the same is electrically isolated of the rest of the equipment and it is polarized negatively. In front of the system of hollow cathode there is a movable sample in stainless steel with possibility of moving in the horizontal and vertical. In the vertical, the sample can vary its distance between 0 and 70 mm and, in the horizontal, can leave completely from the front of the hollow cathode. The sample and also the cathode hollow are equipped with cromel-alumel termopares with simultaneous reading of the temperatures during the time of treatment. In this work copper electrodes, bronze, titanium, iron, stainless steel, powder of titanium, powder of titanium and silício, glass and ceramic were used. The electrodes were investigated relating their geometry change and behavior of the plasma of the cavity of hollow cathode and channel of the gas. As the cavity of hollow cathode, the analyzed aspects were the diameter and depth. With the channel of the gas, we verified the diameter. In the two situations, we investigated parameters as flow of the gas, pressure, current and applied tension in the electrode, temperature, loss of mass of the electrode with relationship at the time of use. The flow of gas investigated in the electrodes it was fastened in a work strip from 15 to 6 sccm, the constant pressure of work was among 2.7 to 8 x 10-2 mbar. The applied current was among a strip of work from 0,8 to 0,4 A, and their respective tensions were in a strip from 400 to 220 V. Fixing the value of the current, it was possible to lift the curve of the behavior of the tension with the time of use. That curves esteem in that time of use of the electrode to its efficiency is maximum. The temperatures of the electrodes were in the dependence of that curves showing a maximum temperature when the tension was maximum, yet the measured temperatures in the samples showed to be sensitive the variation of the temperature in the electrodes. An accompaniment of the loss of mass of the electrode relating to its time of use showed that the electrodes that appeared the spherical cavities lost more mass in comparison with the electrodes in that didn't appear. That phenomenon is only seen for pressures of 10-2 mbar, in these conditions a plasma column is formed inside of the channel of the gas and in certain points it is concentrated in form of spheres. Those spherical cavities develop inside of the channel of the gas spreading during the whole extension of the channel of the gas. The used electrodes were cut after they could not be more used, however among those electrodes, films that were deposited in alternate times and the electrodes that were used to deposit films in same times, those films were deposited in the glass substrata, alumina, stainless steel 420, stainless steel 316, silício and steel M2. As the eletros used to deposit films in alternate time as the ones that they were used to deposit in same times, the behavior of the thickness of the film obeyed the curve of the tension with relationship the time of use of the electrode, that is, when the tension was maximum, the thickness of the film was also maximum and when the tension was minimum, the thickness was minimum and in the case where the value of the tension was constant, the thickness of the film tends to be constant. The fine films that were produced they had applications with nano stick, bio-compatibility, cellular growth, inhibition of bacterias, cut tool, metallic leagues, brasagem, pineapple fiber and ornamental. In those films it was investigated the thickness, the adherence and the uniformity characterized by sweeping electronic microscopy. Another technique developed to assist the production and characterization of the films produced in that work was the caloteste. It uses a sphere and abrasive to mark the sample with a cap impression, with that cap form it is possible to calculate the thickness of the film. Through the time of life of the cathode, it was possible to evaluate the rate of waste of its material for the different work conditions. Values of waste rate up to 3,2 x 10-6 g/s were verified. For a distance of the substratum of 11 mm, the deposited film was limited to a circular area of 22 mm diameter mm for high pressures and a circular area of 75 mm for pressure strip. The obtained films presented thickness around 2,1 µm, showing that the discharge of arch of hollow cathode in argon obeys a curve characteristic of the tension with the time of life of the eletrodo. The deposition rate obtained in this system it is of approximately 0,18 µm/min

Estudo comparativo da variação temporal da comunidade fitoplanctônica do açude Cruzeta inserido no bioma caatinga, Rio Grande do Norte

The Cruzeta impoundment, situated in the city of Cruzeta, hinterland of the state of the Rio Grande do Norte state has significant importance to the municipality as it represents the only source of supplying water to the region. It was hypothesized that the regional consequence of the global warming and the warming of surface water could substantially contribute the significant growth of the aquatic macrophytes in the years 2008-2009. The growth of these vegetation believed to be improved the degree of water transparency and as a consequence of the improved growth of phytoplankton species and chlorophyll biomass. At the same time the aquatic macrophyte could interact and compete potentially for the dissolved inorganic nutrients resources and the phytoplankton community. This study presents a comparison of years 2004-2005 when it did not have the expressive presence of the aquatic macrophyte community or restricted to the littoral region. In contrast, the years 2008-2009 showed a significant growth of the aquatic macrophyte in the Cruzeta/RN impoundments. The present study is an attempt to elucidate the significant presence of the aquatic macrophyte, Eichhornia crassipes, Ceratophyllum submersum, Nymphea sp and Pistia sp, and its interference on the ecology of phytoplankton. The samplings had been carried out from September of 2008 to April of 2009 and consistently between 10:00 h and 12:00 h with the aid of Van Dorn bottle and the plankton net of mesh size 20 Qm. The collections were made in three depths ie., surface, mid-column and bottom. The Physical-Chemical parameters such as pH, temperature, electrical conductivity and dissolved oxygen had been analyzed in situ. The samples for analysis of nutrients and chlorophyll were kept under refrigeration for posterior analysis in the laboratory. Phytoplankton samples were preserved in Lugol-iodine and kept for sedimentation for quali-quantitative analysis of phytoplankton. Enumeration of cells, colonies and filaments was done with the aid of Sedgwick-Rafter counting chamber and expressed as numbers/ml. Chlorophyll a was analyzed as a functional component of phytoplankton biomass and extracted with cold 90% acetone. The results indicate that the chlorophyll concentration varied between 5,65-8,08 Qg.L-1 for the dry period and 5,09-6,23 Qg.L-1 for the rainy period and showed considerable reduction when compared to the values to the 2004-2005 study period. The temperature was always presented higher in relation to the 2004-2005 study. Phytoplankton species showed a relative abundance of the Cyanophyceae for both the period of dry and rainy. The predominance species are filamentous Leptolymbya geophila Borzi (Planctolyngbya sp), Anabaena plankctônica Brunnthaler, Oscillatória limosa Ag. and Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Wolosz). The concentration of the nutrients such as nitrate and orto-phosfato had always presented higher values during the rainy period and the ammoniacal nitrogen retained moderate values in the dry period and a slight increase in rainy season. The main conclusions are the reduction of the concentration of chlorophyll, diversity of phytoplankton, and the increase in temperature and transparency of the water during the period of the study

QUANTIFICAÇÃO DE AÇÚCARES em PÊSSEGOS da VARIEDADE BIUTI, ARMAZENADOS SOB CONDIÇÕES DE AMBIENTE E REFRIGERAÇÃO

O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar e quantificar os açúcares em frutos de pessegueiro da variedade 'Biuti', armazenados sob condições de ambiente (27,3ºC; 70% UR) e sob refrigeração (4ºC; 90%), comparar as diferenças entre os teores de açúcares nas duas condições de armazenamento. A identificação e a quantificação precisa dos açúcares (glicose, frutose e sacarose) foi realizada por cromatografia em fase líquida HPLC. Verificou-se que a sacarose foi o açúcar encontrado em maior quantidade, sendo verificado apenas traços de glicose e frutose em alguns frutos. Sob condições ambientais, os teores de sacarose do 3º até o 9º dia de armazenamento não diferiram significativamente entre si; entretanto, no 12º dia, os frutos obtiveram baixos teores de sacarose, pois os mesmos já estavam em processo de senescência. Sob refrigeração, o aumento nos teores de açúcares dos frutos ocorreu gradativamente durante todo o armazenamento, e ao final do mesmo, verificaram-se os maiores teores de sacarose, frutose e glicose, os quais eram mais elevados do que os encontrados nos frutos armazenados sob condições ambientais.

Estabilidade do antígeno de célula total de Brucella abortus para uso no diagnóstico sorológico da brucelose bovina pela reação de fixação de complemento

A reação de fixação de complemento é um dos testes usados no diagnóstico confirmatório da brucelose bovina, e para sua realização emprega-se o mesmo antígeno usado na prova de soroaglutinação lenta, porém não foi possível encontrar na literatura estudos sobre a estabilidade desse antígeno para uso na prova de fixação de complemento, de modo a estabelecer um prazo de validade para o mesmo. Por isso, esta investigação teve por objetivo avaliar a estabilidade do antígeno de célula total de Brucella conservado sob refrigeração, para uso na reação de fixação de complemento. Analisaram-se 14 partidas de antígeno, preparado com Brucella abortus amostra 1119/3 e padronizado para uso na prova de soroaglutinação lenta, com tempo de fabricação variando de 9 meses a 23 anos e 11 meses. Testaram-se 167 soros bovinos com títulos variáveis de anticorpos contra Brucella, adotando-se a técnica com incubação a 37ºC nas duas fases da reação e 5 unidades hemolíticas 50% de complemento. Considerou-se como positivo o soro com pelo menos 25% de fixação de complemento na diluição 1:4. Compararam-se os resultados obtidos com as 13 partidas de antígeno com aqueles obtidos com a partida com 9 meses de fabricação, usando o teste de chi2 de McNemar e o coeficiente kappa. A grande maioria dos soros apresentou resultados muito próximos quando testados com as diversas partidas de antígeno, e não se observou relação entre tempo de fabricação do antígeno e diferenças nos resultados obtidos.

Postharvest Conservation of Mature-Green and Ripe 'Paluma' Guava Stored at Two Temperatures

This work aimed to establish the importance of maturation and ripeness stages and the use of refrigeration for the conservation of 'Paluma' guavas. Fruit picked at the mature-green and ripe stages were stored at ambient conditions (21 degrees C and 85% RH) and also at 10 degrees C (85% RH). The fruit were evaluated every 2 or 3 days for weight loss, appearance, decay, color, firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, total polyphenols extractable content and total antioxidant activity. The fruit stored at 21 degrees C had higher weight loss than those stored at 10 degrees C. Mature-green guavas at 21 degrees C remained in good quality for 6 days, but at 10 degrees C, the preservation period increased to 15 days. Ripe fruit were preserved for 4 days at 21 degrees C, which was extended with refrigeration to 6 days. Mature-green fruit at 21 degrees C had decay in 6 days; while at 10 degrees C decay happened in 18 days. The peel color of mature-green fruits, at 21 degrees C, showed increasing values of luminosity, indicating that its color became lighter (change from green to yellow) and at 10 degrees C it showed constant values until the end of storage. Pulp firmness of mature-green fruit declined during storage as a result of ripening. In ripe fruits such reduction occurred more slowly, since they were softer. The color of the pulp became intense red for mature fruits. Soluble solids were lower in ripe fruit at 21 degrees C, while in mature fruits at 10 degrees C, it increased. The titratable acidity increased in fruits stored at 10 degrees C. The fruits kept at 21 degrees C and the mature guavas kept at 10 degrees C showed no changes in ascorbic acid content. The ripe fruit at 10 degrees C maintained their ascorbic acid levels. Mature guavas, stored at 10 degrees C, had the longest shelf life and higher contents of soluble solids and titratable acidity, with no changes in total polyphenols extractable content and total antioxidant activity.

Chilling Injury in Avocados and Its Prevention with Thermal Treatment

The combinations of temperature and time which can cause chilling injuries in avocados 'Geada', 'Quintal' and 'Fortuna' were determined. The binomial 4 degrees C/ 28 days was selected to determine the activity of peroxidase (POD), polyphenoloxidase (PPO), polygalacturonase (PG) and methylesterase pectin (PME). The respiratory activity was also evaluated. The fruits were stored at this condition until being transferred to ambient conditions (22 degrees C and 77% RH) until maturity, when they were compared to fruits stored permanently at this environment, after being cleaned (control). In the second part of this work, different hydrothermal treatments were tested to prevent or minimize chilling injuries. Avocados 'Geada', 'Quintal' and 'Fortuna' were treated at 38 degrees C for 0, 30, 60 and 90 minutes before storage at 4 degrees C for 28 days. It was observed that the activity of enzymes associated to browning, POD and PPO, and to maturation, PG and PME, had become greater in fruits stored at 4 degrees C, or when they were transferred to environmental conditions. Fruits subjected to refrigeration, after transferred to environment, presented lower respiratory peak intensity and it occurred earlier than the others. Treatments using 38 degrees C for 60 and 90 min minimized the symptoms of chilling injury in avocados 'Geada' while for 'Quintal' the most efficient was 38 degrees C for 60 min. In 'Fortuna' these treatments did not minimize the damage by cold.