Effect of damper and heat source on wind catcher natural ventilation performance

Experimental wind tunnel and smoke visualisation testing and CFD modelling were conducted to investigate the effect of air flow control mechanism and heat source inside rooms on wind catchers/towers performance. For this purpose, a full-scale wind catcher was connected to a test room and positioned centrally in an open boundary wind tunnel. Pressure coefficients (C-p's) around the wind catcher and air flow into the test room were established. The performance of the wind catcher depends greatly on the wind speed and direction. The incorporation of dampers and egg crate grille at ceiling level reduces and regulates the air flow rate with an average pressure loss coefficient of 0.01. The operation of the wind catcher in the presence of heat sources will potentially lower the internal temperatures in line with the external temperatures.

Relação entre uniformidade da produtividade e indicadores de uniformidade da irrigação em sistema de irrigação por microaspersão em citros

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effects of architectural features of air-permeable roof cladding materials on wind-induced uplift loading

Widespread damage to roofing materials (such as tiles and shingles) for low-rise buildings, even for weaker hurricanes, has raised concerns regarding design load provisions and construction practices. Currently the building codes used for designing low-rise building roofs are mainly based on testing results from building models which generally do not simulate the architectural features of roofing materials that may significantly influence the wind-induced pressures. Full-scale experimentation was conducted under high winds to investigate the effects of architectural details of high profile roof tiles and asphalt shingles on net pressures that are often responsible for damage to these roofing materials. Effects on the vulnerability of roofing materials were also studied. Different roof models with bare, tiled, and shingled roof decks were tested. Pressures acting on both top and bottom surfaces of the roofing materials were measured to understand their effects on the net uplift loading. The area-averaged peak pressure coefficients obtained from bare, tiled, and shingled roof decks were compared. In addition, a set of wind tunnel tests on a tiled roof deck model were conducted to verify the effects of tiles' cavity internal pressure. Both the full-scale and the wind tunnel test results showed that underside pressure of a roof tile could either aggravate or alleviate wind uplift on the tile based on its orientation on the roof with respect to the wind angle of attack. For shingles, the underside pressure could aggravate wind uplift if the shingle is located near the center of the roof deck. Bare deck modeling to estimate design wind uplift on shingled decks may be acceptable for most locations but not for field locations; it could underestimate the uplift on shingles by 30-60%. In addition, some initial quantification of the effects of roofing materials on wind uplift was performed by studying the wind uplift load ratio for tiled versus bare deck and shingled versus bare deck. Vulnerability curves, with and without considering the effects of tiles' cavity internal pressure, showed significant differences. Aerodynamic load provisions for low-rise buildings' roofs and their vulnerability can thus be more accurately evaluated by considering the effects of the roofing materials.

Development of effective approaches to the large-scale aerodynamic testing of low-rise buildings

Low-rise buildings are often subjected to high wind loads during hurricanes that lead to severe damage and cause water intrusion. It is therefore important to estimate accurate wind pressures for design purposes to reduce losses. Wind loads on low-rise buildings can differ significantly depending upon the laboratory in which they were measured. The differences are due in large part to inadequate simulations of the low-frequency content of atmospheric velocity fluctuations in the laboratory and to the small scale of the models used for the measurements. A new partial turbulence simulation methodology was developed for simulating the effect of low-frequency flow fluctuations on low-rise buildings more effectively from the point of view of testing accuracy and repeatability than is currently the case. The methodology was validated by comparing aerodynamic pressure data for building models obtained in the open-jet 12-Fan Wall of Wind (WOW) facility against their counterparts in a boundary-layer wind tunnel. Field measurements of pressures on Texas Tech University building and Silsoe building were also used for validation purposes. The tests in partial simulation are freed of integral length scale constraints, meaning that model length scales in such testing are only limited by blockage considerations. Thus the partial simulation methodology can be used to produce aerodynamic data for low-rise buildings by using large-scale models in wind tunnels and WOW-like facilities. This is a major advantage, because large-scale models allow for accurate modeling of architectural details, testing at higher Reynolds number, using greater spatial resolution of the pressure taps in high pressure zones, and assessing the performance of aerodynamic devices to reduce wind effects. The technique eliminates a major cause of discrepancies among measurements conducted in different laboratories and can help to standardize flow simulations for testing residential homes as well as significantly improving testing accuracy and repeatability. Partial turbulence simulation was used in the WOW to determine the performance of discontinuous perforated parapets in mitigating roof pressures. The comparisons of pressures with and without parapets showed significant reductions in pressure coefficients in the zones with high suctions. This demonstrated the potential of such aerodynamic add-on devices to reduce uplift forces.

Experimental and Analytical Methodologies for Predicting Peak Loads on Building Envelopes and Roofing Systems

The performance of building envelopes and roofing systems significantly depends on accurate knowledge of wind loads and the response of envelope components under realistic wind conditions. Wind tunnel testing is a well-established practice to determine wind loads on structures. For small structures much larger model scales are needed than for large structures, to maintain modeling accuracy and minimize Reynolds number effects. In these circumstances the ability to obtain a large enough turbulence integral scale is usually compromised by the limited dimensions of the wind tunnel meaning that it is not possible to simulate the low frequency end of the turbulence spectrum. Such flows are called flows with Partial Turbulence Simulation. In this dissertation, the test procedure and scaling requirements for tests in partial turbulence simulation are discussed. A theoretical method is proposed for including the effects of low-frequency turbulences in the post-test analysis. In this theory the turbulence spectrum is divided into two distinct statistical processes, one at high frequencies which can be simulated in the wind tunnel, and one at low frequencies which can be treated in a quasi-steady manner. The joint probability of load resulting from the two processes is derived from which full-scale equivalent peak pressure coefficients can be obtained. The efficacy of the method is proved by comparing predicted data derived from tests on large-scale models of the Silsoe Cube and Texas-Tech University buildings in Wall of Wind facility at Florida International University with the available full-scale data. For multi-layer building envelopes such as rain-screen walls, roof pavers, and vented energy efficient walls not only peak wind loads but also their spatial gradients are important. Wind permeable roof claddings like roof pavers are not well dealt with in many existing building codes and standards. Large-scale experiments were carried out to investigate the wind loading on concrete pavers including wind blow-off tests and pressure measurements. Simplified guidelines were developed for design of loose-laid roof pavers against wind uplift. The guidelines are formatted so that use can be made of the existing information in codes and standards such as ASCE 7-10 on pressure coefficients on components and cladding.

First-principles investigation of the alloy scattering potential in dilute Si1-xCx

A first-principles method is applied to find the intra and intervalley n-type carrier scattering rates for substitutional carbon in silicon. The method builds on a previously developed first-principles approach with the introduction of an interpolation technique to determine the intravalley scattering rates. Intravalley scattering is found to be the dominant alloy scattering process in Si1-xCx, followed by g-type intervalley scattering. Mobility calculations show that alloy scattering due to substitutional C alone cannot account for the experimentally observed degradation of the mobility. We show that the incorporation of additional charged impurity scattering due to electrically active interstitial C complexes models this residual resistivity well.

Experimental and analytical methodologies for predicting peak loads on building envelopes and roofing systems

The performance of building envelopes and roofing systems significantly depends on accurate knowledge of wind loads and the response of envelope components under realistic wind conditions. Wind tunnel testing is a well-established practice to determine wind loads on structures. For small structures much larger model scales are needed than for large structures, to maintain modeling accuracy and minimize Reynolds number effects. In these circumstances the ability to obtain a large enough turbulence integral scale is usually compromised by the limited dimensions of the wind tunnel meaning that it is not possible to simulate the low frequency end of the turbulence spectrum. Such flows are called flows with Partial Turbulence Simulation.^ In this dissertation, the test procedure and scaling requirements for tests in partial turbulence simulation are discussed. A theoretical method is proposed for including the effects of low-frequency turbulences in the post-test analysis. In this theory the turbulence spectrum is divided into two distinct statistical processes, one at high frequencies which can be simulated in the wind tunnel, and one at low frequencies which can be treated in a quasi-steady manner. The joint probability of load resulting from the two processes is derived from which full-scale equivalent peak pressure coefficients can be obtained. The efficacy of the method is proved by comparing predicted data derived from tests on large-scale models of the Silsoe Cube and Texas-Tech University buildings in Wall of Wind facility at Florida International University with the available full-scale data.^ For multi-layer building envelopes such as rain-screen walls, roof pavers, and vented energy efficient walls not only peak wind loads but also their spatial gradients are important. Wind permeable roof claddings like roof pavers are not well dealt with in many existing building codes and standards. Large-scale experiments were carried out to investigate the wind loading on concrete pavers including wind blow-off tests and pressure measurements. Simplified guidelines were developed for design of loose-laid roof pavers against wind uplift. The guidelines are formatted so that use can be made of the existing information in codes and standards such as ASCE 7-10 on pressure coefficients on components and cladding.^

Orbit determination using GPS including perturbations due to geopotential coefficients of high degree and order and solar radiation pressure

The main target here is to determine the orbit of an artificial satellite, using signals of the GPS constellation and least squares algorithms implemented through sequential Givens rotations as a method of estimation, with the aim of improving the performance of the orbit estimation process and, at the same time, minimizing the computational procedure cost. Geopotential perturbations up to high order and direct solar radiation pressure were taken into account. It was also considered the position of the GPS antenna on the satellite body that, lately, consists of the influence of the satellite attitude motion in the orbit determination process. An application has been done, using real data from the Topex/Poseidon satellite, whose ephemeris is available at Internet. The best accuracy obtained in position was smaller than 5 meters for short period (2 hours) and smaller than 28 meters for long period (24 hours) orbit determination. In both cases, the perturbations mentioned before were taken into consideration and the analysis occurred without selective availability on the signals measurements.

Influence coefficients for toroidal shells. Uniform pressure acting on the concave surface.

"Subject no. 18550. Stress analysis."

Influence coefficients for toroidal shells. Uniform internal pressure acting on the convex surface.

"Subject no. 68-18550."

Stiffness and damping coefficients of 3-axial groove water lubricated bearing using perturbation technique

A Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach is used to model fluid flow in a journal bearing with three equi-spaced axial grooves and supplied with water from one end. Water is subjected to both velocity (Couette) & pressure induced (Poiseuille) flow. The working fluid passing through the bearing clearance generates driving force components that may increase the unstable vibration of the rotor. It is important to know the accurate rotor dynamic force component for predicting the instability of rotor bearing systems. In this paper a study has been made to obtain the stiffness and damping coefficients of 3 axial groove bearing using Perturbation technique.

Hydrodynamic Pressure on a Dam During Earthquakes

A straightforward analysis involving Fourier cosine transforms and the theory of Fourier seies is presented for the approximate calculation of the hydrodynamic pressure exerted on the vertical upstream face of a dam due to constant earthquake ground acceleration. The analysis uses the “Parseval relation” on the Fourier coefficients of square integrable functions, and directly brings out the mathematical nature of the approximate theory involved.

Electron Mean Energy, Secondary Ionization Coefficients And (E/P)Crit In Binary-Mixtures Of Sf6-N2 And Ccl2f2-N2

Measurements of the ratio of diffusion coefficient to mobility (D/ mu ) of electrons in SF6-N2 and CCl2F2-N2 mixtures over the range 80pressure in Torr reduced to 20 degrees C) are reported. Values of (E/p)c.mix (the critical E/p of the mixture, where alpha = eta ), and the electron mean energies epsilon c.mix corresponding to (E/p)c.mix, are found to vary with the percentage of the electronegative gas in the mixture (F) according to the following relationship: (E/p)c.mix=(E/p)c.N(2)+((E/p)c.A-(E/p)c.N(2)) (1-exp(- beta F/100-F)) and epsilon c.mix= epsilon c.N(2)+( epsilon c.A- epsilon c.N(2)) (1-exp(- beta F/100-F)) where A refers to the attaching gas, either SF6 or CCl2F2 and beta is a constant, equal to 2.43 for SF6 mixtures and 5.12 for CCl2F2 mixtures. In the present study, it has been possible to show that beta is indeed to a factor of synergism. Estimated gamma values (secondary ionisation coefficients) did not show any significant variation with F for F<50.

Pressure shocks in relativistic viscous heat-conducting fluids

In this paper we have studied the propagation of pressure shocks in viscous, heat-conducting, relativistic fluids. Velocities of wave fronts and growth equations for the strength of the waves are obtained in the case of low and high temperatures with variable transport coefficients. On the basis of numerical integrations the growth equation results have been discussed. In the case of constant transport coefficients and for all admissible values of ratio of specific heats of the fluid, an analytical solution for the velocity of the wave as a function of distance along the normal trajectory to the wave front, has been obtained.

Townsend's First Ionization Coefficients and Sparking Potentials in Crossed Electric and Magnetic Fields

Townsend's first ionization coefficients have been measured in corssed electric and magnetic fields for values of B/p ranging from 0.013 TESLA. TORR-1 to 0.064 TESLA.TORR-1 and for 103 x 102¿ E/p 331 x 102 V.M-1. TORR-1 in oxygen and for 122 x 102¿ E/pÂ488 x 102 V.M-1.TORR-1 for dry air. The values of effective collision frequencies determined from the equivalent pressure (pe) concept generally increase with E/p at constant B/p and decrease with increasing B/p at constant E/p. Effective collision frequencies determined from measured sparking potentials at high values of E/p increase with decreasing E/pe. The drift velocity and mean energy of electrons in oxygen in crossed electric and magnetic fields have been derived.