Pulssitettu laserablaatio mikrofluidisten kanavistojen sarjatuotantomenetelmänä

Puolijohteiden yleistyttyä vuodesta 1948 alkaen, ovat elektroniset laitteet pienentyneet jatkuvasti tehojen kuitenkin kasvaessa. Kasvaneet tehotiheydet kuitenkin vaikeuttavat laitesuunnittelua, sillä puoljohdekomponenttien suorituskyvylle ja eliniälle on oleellista lämpötilojen ja lämpötilavaihteluiden minimointi. Perinteisen ilmajäähdytyksen lähestyessä rajojaan niin kokonaistehon kuin järkevän energiatehokkuudenkin suhteen, on parhaaksi seuraavaksi teknologiaksi ennustettu kaksifaasijäähdytystä, jonka suorituskyky ja energiatehokkuus ovat vaaditulla tasolla. Kaksifaasijäähdytyksen optimaaliselle toiminnalle tärkeää on hyvin suunniteltu ja tarkasti valmistettu lämmönsiirtopinta, jota kutsutaan mikrokanavistoksi. Pulssitettu laserkaiverrus on edistynyt valmistustekniikka, jonka tarkkuus ja luotettavuus sopisivat mikrokanavistojen valmistamiseen. Laserkaiverruksella saavutettavat lopputulokset vaihtelevat kuitenkin materiaalista riippuen ja kupari – jota käytetään yleisesti lämmönjohteena – on eräs huonoimmin lasertyöstöön reagoivista materiaaleista ja siksi on oleellista selvittää laser-kaiverruksen toimivuutta kuparisten mikrokanavistojen valmistuksessa. Pulssitetun laser-kaiverruksen eri variaatioista nanosekunti-luokan pulssinpituuksilla toimivat laitteet ovat jatkuvan tuotannon kannalta paras vaihtoehto niiden hyvän tuottavuuden, saatavuuden sekä kohtuullisen alkuinvestoinnin vuoksi. Käytännön kaiverruskokeiden perusteella selvisi, että menetelmä on laatunsa ja tarkkuutensa puolesta sopiva varsinaiseen tuotantoon. Kaiverruksen tehokkuus kuparia työstettäessä on kuitenkin ennakoituakin heikompi ja niin valmistus- kuin suunnitelu-prosessikin vaativat vielä jatkotutkimusta ja -kehitystä.

Getting Off the Water

Brock's Junior Varsity crew of '76 pictured looking appropriately worn out after practice. Their shirts read "Brock Crew '76: Up Y'Oars" Cox: Kari Syri, Stroke: Ed Cooling, Ralph Martens, Paul Kivell, Don Rickers, Sean Stackwood, Clark Wochis, Jack Pyke, Bow: Bruce Petrie, Coach (the leg on the boat): Tony Biernacki.

Trane Centravac Chiller

An air conditionining unit supplying cooling to other parts of campus.

Far infrared reflectance and optical properties of organic superconductor (TMTSF)2ClO4 /

Polarized reflectance measurements of the quasi I-D charge-transfer salt (TMTSFh CI04 were carried out using a Martin-Puplett-type polarizing interferometer and a 3He refrigerator cryostat, at several temperatures between 0.45 K and 26 K, in the far infrared, in the 10 to 70 cm- 1 frequency range. Bis-tetramethyl-tetraselena-fulvalene perchlorate crystals, grown electrochemically and supplied by K. Behnia, of dimensions 2 to 4 by 0.4 by 0.2 mm, were assembled on a flat surface to form a mosaic of 1.5 by 3 mm. The needle shaped crystals were positioned parallel to each other along their long axis, which is the stacking direction of the planar TMTSF cations, exposing the ab plane face (parallel to which the sheets of CI04 anions are positioned). Reflectance measurements were performed with radiation polarized along the stacking direction in the sample. Measurements were carried out following either a fast (15-20 K per minute) or slow (0.1 K per minute) cooling of the sample. Slow cooling permits the anions to order near 24 K, and the sample is expected to be superconducting below 1.2 K, while fast cooling yields an insulating state at low temperatures. Upon the slow cooling the reflectance shows dependence with temperature and exhibits the 28 cm- 1 feature reported previously [1]. Thermoreflectance for both the 'slow' and 'fast' cooling of the sample calculated relative to the 26 K reflectance data indicates that the reflectance is temperature dependent, for the slow cooling case only. A low frequency edge in the absolute reflectance is assigned an electronic origin given its strong temperature dependence in the relaxed state. We attribute the peak in the absolute reflectance near 30 cm-1 to a phonon coupled to the electronic background. Both the low frequency edge and the 30 cm-1 feature are noted te shift towards higher frequcncy, upon cntering the superconducting state, by an amount of the order of the expected superconducting energy gap. Kramers-Kronig analysis was carried out to determine the optical conductivity for the slowly cooled sample from the measured reflectance. In order to do so the low frequency data was extrapolated to zero frequency using a Hagen-Ru bens behaviour, and the high frequency data was extended with the data of Cao et al. [2], and Kikuchi et al. [3]. The real part of the optical conductivity exhibits an asymmetric peak at 35 cm-1, and its background at lower frequencies seems to be losing spectral weight with lowering of the temperature, leading us to presume that a narrow peak is forming at even lower frequencies.

Some ecological effects of beaver upon the watersheds in the Porcupine Hills, Alberta /

This ecological investigation of the beaver (Castor canadensis canadensis Kuhl) was part of the Eastern Slopes (Alberta) Watershed Research program conducted during the summers of 1968 . 1969 . 1970. and 1971 . A soil particle size analysis indicated that soil heavy with clay was used by the beaver for construction purposes in the Porcupine Hills . Examples were given of the beaver controlling erosion with the construction of dams . and also causing erosion to occur . However . in general . the beaver slow down soil erosion and decrease the loss of soil from this region. The beaver utilized measureable amounts of herbaceous vegetation . However, the utilization of herbs by the beaver requires further investigation. A system of ex~sures and enclosures of herbaceous vegetation plots was used to study the utilization of sedges , grasses , and forbs . The beaver indicated stronger species preference for willow as compared to aspen . The size preference for willow was in the 1.0 to 10.0 centimeters basal diameter classes , while the beaver utilization of aspen indicated a preference for the largest trees with basal diameter greater than 20.0 centimeters. Willow was the most important plant in the low lying areas with regard to distribution, abundance and to produce sustained yield. The beaver used this plant for food and construction throughout the study area. The distribution of aspen was limited. and this species did not appear to produce more than one crop in the lifetime of a beaver colony. Nine out of 15 woody plant types were sampled by the beaver in this region. A plot-intercept transect technique was used for systematic vegetation sampling of the woody vegetation in six intensively studied watersheds. The beaver population of the Porcupine Hills region of SW-Alberta is believed to depend upon the chinooks. During the 1971 ground census, a total of 60 active beaver colonies were tallied on the 930 square kilometers large study area. The beaver of the region were not found to store large food caches during fall and winter, however, they are believed to collect feed periodically throughout the winter months. It was observed that the severe winter in 1968-69, reduced by 27 per cent the number of active beaver colonies within the study area. The Porcupine Hills region had 0.07 beaver colony per square kilometer in 1971, a low density of beaver colonies due to the rough topography of the area. However, the importance of the beaver ponds was somewhat clarified as they provide increased moisture, which lessens the fire damage, and store water for wildlife and cattle in the area. Meteorological data was collected by the author in collaboration with the Department of Transport.

Pollen and grain size records in abyssal sediments of the northwest Pacific Ocean as proxies of Plio-Pleistocene climate change /

A distinctive period of global change occurred during the PUocene between the warm Miocene and subsequent Quaternary cooling. Samples from Ocean Drilling Project Site 11 79 (-5586 mbsl, 41°4'N, 159°57'E), Site 881 (-5765 mbsl, 47°6.133'N, 161°29.490'E) and Site 882 (-3255 mbsl, 50°22'N, 167°36'E) were studied to determine the magnitude and composition ofterrigenous flux to the western mid-latitude North Pacific and its relation to climate change in East Asia since the mid-Pliocene. Dust-sized particles (including pollen), sourced from the arid regions and loess plateaus in East Asia are entrained by prevailing westerly winds and transported to the midlatitude northwest North Pacific Ocean. This is recorded by peaks in the total concentration of pollen and spores, as well as the mean grain size of allochthonous and autochthonous silicate material in abyssal marine sediments. Aridification of the Asian interior due to the phased uplift of the Himalayan-Tibetan Plateau created the modem East Asian Monsoon system dominated by a strengthening of the winter monsoon. The winter monsoon is further enhanced during glacials due to the expansion of desert and steppe environments at the expense ofwoodlands and forests recorded by the composition of palynological assemblages. The late Pliocene-Pleistocene glacials at ODP Sites 1 179, 881, and 882 are characterized by increases in grain size, magnetic susceptibility, pollen and spore concentrations around 3.5-3.3, 2.6-2.4, 1.7-1.6, and 0.9-0.7 Ma (ages based on magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic datums). The peaks during these times are relatively rich in pollen taxa derived primarily from steppe and boreal vegetation zones, recording cool, dry climates. The overall size increase of sediment and abundance of terrestrial palynomorphs record enhanced wind strength. The increase in magnitude of pollen and spore concentrations as well as grain size record global cooling and Northern Hemisphere glaciation. The peaks in grain size as well as pollen and spore abundance in marine sediments correlate with the mean grain size of loess in East Asia, consistent with the deflation of unarmoured surfaces during glacials. The transport of limiting nutrients to marine environments enhanced sea surface productivity and increased the rate of sediment accumulation.

Effect of the position of the double-bond in monounsaturated phospholipids on the dynamics of model membranes

Therllloelynalllics of lllodel 11lel1ll)rane systeills containing 1110nollnsaturatecl I)lloSI)holil) ids is strongly infllienced l)y the I)osition of the C==C dOlll)le })ond in tIle acyl chain. The telllI)eratllres of both chain-nlelting (TM) and La -+ HI! (TH) I)hase traIlsitions are lowered by IIp to 20°C when C==C is Inoved froln positions 6 or 11 to I)osition 9 in an 18-carl)on chain. This work is an attellll)t to ellicidate the uIlderlying Illoleclilar Illechanisllls reSI)Onsi])le for tllese draillatic tllerillodynaillic changes. Mixtllres of di-18: 1 l)hoSI)hatidylethanolanline with C==C at l)ositioIlS 6, 9, 11 were llsed, witll a sI1lall aI1lOlint of I)erdellterated tetradecanol, known to })e a gooel rel)Orter of the cllain Illoleclilar order. SI)ectral second 11I0I1lents were llsed to Illonitor tIle La -+ HII I)hase transition, which was fOllnd to ])e ])road (2-6°C), with a slight llysteresis on heatiIlg/cooling. The orientational order I)rofiles were nleasllred 1lSiIlg 2H Illiclear Illagnetic resonance and changes in these order I)rofiles between La aIld HII I)hases silow l)oth a local increase in order in the vicinity of the C==C bonds and an o\Terall decrease ill the average orientational order of the chain as a whole. These Sll])tle changes recluire })oth high-fidelity SI)ectrosCol)y and a careflll data analysis that takes into aCCOllnt the effects due to l)artiall1lagnetically-indllced orientational ordering of the l)ilayers. In tIle COIltext of SOllle recently rel)Orted cross-relaxation 11leaSlirenlents in Silllilar l)llOSI)llolil)iels, 0111' reslilts sllggest that large-anll)litllde conforlllational changes in the interior of tIle I110del 111eI11])ranes I)lay a 1110re significant role than I)reviollsly thOllght.

Electrical properties of some single crystal dodecaborides /|nby Jyoti Burte. -- 260 St. Catharines [Ont. : s. n.],

PreVi011.3 ':i or~ : indicat e('. tk~t ho t~)rE's sed ~-Al B 12 1i~2, ~' a semiconductor. r:Toreove r , the s i mpl.(~ electronic t heory also indi cates that ~ -AIB1 2 should be a semico nductor, since thf're is one nonbonding e 'Le ctrofl per AlB12- uni t. JPor these reasons, we decided to measure t he electrical n ropert i ~ s of ~ -AlB1 2 single crystal s . Singl e crystal s of¥- AIB 12 ab ou t 1 x 1 r1n1 . size were grown from a copper mel t at 12500 C. The melt technique coupled. 1,vi th slow cooling vilas used because of i ts advantages such as : siTYInle set- up of the expe rimon t ; only e ;l.sil y available c hemi cals are required and it i s a c omparatively strair::bt forvvard y,le t hod still yielding crystal s big enouGh for OtU' purpose . Copper rms used as a solvent , i nst8ad of previOl.wly used aluminum , because it allows c.l.'ystal growth at hig he r t emneratures. HovlGver, the cry s tals of ] -AlB12 shm'red very hi gh res i s t ance a t r oom temperature . From our neasureJ'lents we conclude that the r esistivity of j3- Al B12 is, at least, given as ~ = 4. x 107 oblD .em •• Those results are inc ons i s t ent wi 'uh the ones .. reported by IIiss Khin fo r bot- pressed j3-AlB12 g i ven a s = 7600 ohm . em . or I e s s . ' Since tbe hot pressing was done at about 800 - ' 9000C i n ~ rap hi te moul ds 1,7i th 97% AlB12- p oVJder, vie thi nk there is pas s ib i 1 i ty th a.t lower borides or borot] carbide are , being formed, ':.Jhich are k11 own to be good semiconductors . v7e tried to ro-pe r-AlB12 by addi'J,'?: agents s uch as l:Ig , IG.-InO 4. ' HgS04 , KI12PO 4·' etc. to t he melt .. However , all these re age 11 t eel either reduced the yield and size of t lJe crystals or r;ave crystals of high r esis'can ce again. We think tba t molten copper keeps t he i mpurities off . There is also a pos s i bil i ty t hc:!,t these doping agents get oxidi~::;ed at '1 250°C • Hence, we co ~ clud e that J -AIB12 has v~ ry high r es i stance at r oom temperature . This was a l s o C011 - fi rmed by checki ng the siYlgle and. polycrystals of .~-AIB12 from Norton Co., Ontario and Cooper Nletallurgical Association. Boron carbide has been reported to be a semiconductor with ~ - 0.3 to 0.8 ohm . cm. for hotpres sed s araples. Boron carbide b e inq: struct urally related to ¥-AIB12 , we de cided to study the electrical prone rties of it~ Single crystals. These crystals were cut from a Single melt grovvn crystal a t Norton Co., Ontario. The resistivity of th," se crystal s was measured by the Van der Pam-v' s ~ nethod, which \vas very c onvenient fo r our crystal sha-pp.s. Some of the crystals showed resistivity ~ == 0.50 ob,Tn.cr] . i n agreement with the previously reported results . However , a few crystals showed lower resistivity e.g . 0 .13 and 0.20 ohm.cra • • The Hall mobility could .not be measured and th8reiore i s lower than 0 .16 em 2 v - 1 sec -1 • This is in agreement \vith t he re1)orted Hall mobility for pyrolytic boron . _ 2 -1 -1 carbide as 0.13 cm v sec • We also studied the orientation of the boron carbide crystals by the Jjaue-method. The inclination of c-axis with res pect to x-ray be81Il was det ermined . This was found to be 100 t o 20° f or normal resistivity sarnples (0.5 ohm . cm.) and 27 - 30° for t he lower r esistivity samples (0.1 ~5 to 0.20 ohm.cm .). This indica tes the possibility that th.e r es if.1tivity of B13C3 i s orientation dependent.

Second Welland Canal - Book 2, Survey Map 13 - Through Thorold

Survey map of the Second Welland Canal created by the Welland Canal Company showing the canal in Thorold Township northwest of Allanburgh. Identified structures associated with the Canal include the towing path. The surveyors' measurements and notes can be seen in red and black ink and pencil. Local area landmarks are also identified and include streets and roads (ex. Holland Road), Higgins Flume, Davis Culvert, J. Upper Tavern, a barn, creek, bridge, ditch, fence, and several unnamed ponds. Properties and property owners of note are: Lots 96, 97, and 98, Joseph Upper, A. Church, and T. Higgins.

Second Welland Canal - Book 3, Survey Map 8 - Quaker Bridge in Thorold

Survey map of the Second Welland Canal created by the Welland Canal Company showing the canal in the Thorold Township between Port Robinson and Welland. Identified structures and features associated with the Canal include the towing path, back ditch, and the waterway itself. The surveyors' measurements and notes can be seen in red and black ink and pencil. Local area landmarks are also identified and include roads and streets (ex. Road to Port Robinson), Quaker Bridge, Hagar's Wood Wharf, Spoil Bank, and several ponds. Properties and property owners of note are: Lots 222, 223, and 224, Johnathan Hagar, E. Shotwell, and Alem Marr.

Second Welland Canal - Book 3, Survey Map 9 - Canal along Chippewa Creek in Thorold

Survey map of the Second Welland Canal created by the Welland Canal Company showing the canal in the Thorold Township between Port Robinson and Welland. Identified structures and features associated with the Canal include the towing path, back ditches, and the waterway itself. The surveyors' measurements and notes can be seen in red and black ink and pencil. Local area landmarks are also identified and include several road allowances, two bridges(Northern most bridge would be the Quaker Bridge), Spoil Bank, two ponds, and several fences. Properties and property owners of note are: Lot 229, and Jacob Silverthorne.

Second Welland Canal - Book 3, Survey Map 13 - Village of Welland - Merrittville and Crowland

Survey map of the Second Welland Canal created by the Welland Canal Company showing the township of Crowland as well as the Village of Welland-Merritville. Identified structures associated with the Canal include Old Canal, old towing path, water way, bridge, culvert, covered drain, drain, and towing path. Surveyor measurements and notes can be seen in red and black ink and pencil. Local area landmarks include E. Seeley's store, W.A. Bald's store, barn, and two ponds. Roads parallel to Canal include the old towing road, towing path, Canal Street, road to Welland_lle, and road to Junction. Roads perpendicular to Canal include Road Allowance between the 5th and 6th Concession, Division Street, Road to Narrows. Properties and property owners are noted as W.A. Bald, E. Seeley, John Price, Eli Mead, Jacob Griffith, John Hellems. Lots noted are: Lots Number 25, 26, 5th Concession.

Aspects of spatial and habitat ecology of multiple Anopheles species (Diptera: Culicidae): malaria vectors in the highlands and foothills of Ecuador

The resurgence of malaria in highland regions of Africa, Oceania and recently in South America underlines the importance of the study of the ecology of highland mosquito vectors of malaria. Since the incidence of malaria is limited by the distribution of its vectors, the purpose of this PhD thesis was to examine aspects of the ecology of Anopheles mosquitoes in the Andes of Ecuador, South America. A historical literature and archival data review (Chapter 2) indicated that Anopheles pseudopunctipennis transmitted malaria in highland valleys of Ecuador prior to 1950, although it was eliminated through habitat removal and the use of chemical insecticides. Other anopheline species were previously limited to low-altitude regions, except in a few unconfirmed cases. A thorough larval collection effort (n=438 attempted collection sites) in all road-accessible parts of Ecuador except for the lowland Amazon basin was undertaken between 2008 - 2010 (Chapter 3). Larvae were identified morphologically and using molecular techniques (mitochondrial COl gene), and distribution maps indicated that all five species collected (Anopheles albimanus, An. pseudopunctipennis, Anopheles punctimacula, Anopheles oswaldoi s.l. and Anopheles eiseni) were more widespread throughout highland regions than previously recorded during the 1940s, with higher maximum altitudes for all except An. pseudopunctipennis (1541 m, 1930 m, 1906 m, 1233 m and 1873 m, respectively). During larval collections, to characterize species-specific larval habitat, a variety of abiotic and biotic habitat parameters were measured and compared between species-present and species-absent sites using chi-square tests and stepwise binary logistic regression analyses (Chapter 4). An. albimanus was significantly associated with permanent pools with sand substrates and An. pseudopunctipennis with gravel and boulder substrates. Both species were significantly associated with floating cyanobacterial mats and warmer temperatures, which may limit their presence in cooler highland regions. Anopheles punctimacula was collected more often than expected from algae-free, shaded pools with higher-than-average calculated dissolved oxygen. Anopheles oswaldoi s.l., the species occurring on the Amazonian side of the Andes, was associated with permanent, anthropogenic habitats such as roadside ditches and ponds. To address the hypothesis that human land use change is responsible for the emergence of multiple highland Anopheles species by creating larval habitat, common land uses in the western Andes were surveyed for standing water and potential larval habitat suitability (Chapter 5). Rivers and road edges provided large amounts of potentially suitable anopheline habitat in the western Andes, while cattle pasture also created potentially suitable habitat in irrigation canals and watering ponds. Other common land uses surveyed (banana farms, sugarcane plantations, mixed tree plantations, and empty lots) were usually established on steep slopes and had very little standing water present. Using distribution and larval habitat data, a GIS-based larval habitat distribution model for the common western species was constructed in ArcGIS v.l 0 (ESRI 2010) using derived data layers from field measurements and other sources (Chapter 6). The additive model predicted 76.4 - 97.9% of the field-observed collection localities of An. albimanus, An. pseudopunctipennis and An. punctimacula, although it could not accurately distinguish between species-absent and speciespresent sites due to its coarse scale. The model predicted distributional expansion and/or shift of one or more anopheline species into the following highland valleys with climate warming: Mira/Chota, Imbabura province, Tumbaco, Pichincha province, Pallatanga and Sibambe, Chimborazo province, and Yungilla, Azuay province. These valleys may serve as targeted sites of future monitoring to prevent highland epidemics of malaria. The human perceptions of malaria and mosquitoes in relation to land management practices were assessed through an interview-based survey (n=262) in both highlands and lowlands, of male and female land owners and managers of five property types (Chapter 7). Although respondents had a strong understanding of where the disease occurs in their own country and of the basic relationship among standing water, mosquitoes and malaria, about half of respondents in potential risk areas denied the current possibility of malaria infection on their own property. As well, about half of respondents with potential anopheline larval habitat did not report its presence, likely due to a highly specific definition of suitable mosquito habitat. Most respondents who are considered at risk of malaria currently use at least one type of mosquito bite prevention, most commonly bed nets. In conclusion, this interdisciplinary thesis examines the occurrence of Anopheles species in the lowland transition area and highlands in Ecuador, from a historic, geographic, ecological and sociological perspective.

New Building Blocks for Dual-Property Molecule-Based Magnets

Two classes of compounds have been prepared and characterized as building blocks for chiral magnets and ferromagnetic conductors. In the fIrst project, the organic framework of a pentadentate, (N302) macro cycle has been synthetically modifIed to introduce phenyl substituents into its organic framework and the synthesis of four new [Fe(In(N302)(CN)2] complexes (I) - (IV) is presented. [Molecular diagram availble in pdf] This work represents the fIrst structural and magnetic studies of a family of spin crossover macrocycles that comprise of both structural and stereo-isomers. Magnetic susceptibility and Mossbauer data for the R,R-complex (I) is consistent with both a thermal and a light induced spin crossover transition. The X-ray data supports a change in geometry accompanying the thermal spin transition, from a high spin (HS) 7 -coordinate complex at room temperature to a low spin (LS) 5-coordinate complex at 100 K. The crystal structure ofthe racemic complex (III) reveals a HS, 7-coordinate complex at 200 K that undergoes no signifIcant structural changes on cooling. In contrast, the magnetic - susceptibility and Mossbauer data collected on a powder sample of the racemic complex are consistent with a LS complex. Finally, the meso complex (IV) was prepared and its structure and magnetic properties are consistent with a 5-coordinate LS complex that remains low spin, but undergoes conformational changes on cooling in solution. The chiral [Fe(H)(N302)(CN)2] macro cycle (I), together with its Mn(H) and Fe(H) derivatives have also been exploited as building blocks for the self-assembly of chiral magnets. In the second project, a synthetic route for the preparation of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) donors covalently attached to a diisopropyl verdazyl radical via a cross conjugated pyridyl linker IS presented. Following this strategy, four new TTF-py- (diisopropyl)verdazyl radicals have been prepared and characterized (V) - (VIII) . [Molecular diagram available in pdf] The first (2:1) charge transfer complex ofa TTF-py-(diisopropyl)verdazyl radical donor and a TCNQ acceptor has been prepared and structurally characterized. The crystal packing shows that the donor and acceptor molecules are organized in a mixed stacking arrangement consistent with its insulating behaviour. EPR and magnetic susceptibility data support intramolecular ferromagnetic interactions between the TTF and the verdazyl radicals and antiferromagnetic interactions between TTF donors within a stack. In an attempt to increase the intramolecular exchange interaction between the two radicals, a TTF-x-(diisopropyl)verdazyl radical (IX) was prepared, where the two radicals are connected ia a conjugated divinylene linker. The neutral radical donors stack in a more favourable head-to-head arrangement but the bulky isopropyl groups prevent the donor radicals from stacking close enough together to facilitate good orbital overlap. [Molecular diagram available in pdf].

Passive Solar Building Design Using Genetic Programming

Passive solar building design is the process of designing a building while considering sunlight exposure for receiving heat in winter and rejecting heat in summer. The main goal of a passive solar building design is to remove or reduce the need of mechanical and electrical systems for cooling and heating, and therefore saving energy costs and reducing environmental impact. This research will use evolutionary computation to design passive solar buildings. Evolutionary design is used in many research projects to build 3D models for structures automatically. In this research, we use a mixture of split grammar and string-rewriting for generating new 3D structures. To evaluate energy costs, the EnergyPlus system is used. This is a comprehensive building energy simulation system, which will be used alongside the genetic programming system. In addition, genetic programming will also consider other design and geometry characteristics of the building as search objectives, for example, window placement, building shape, size, and complexity. In passive solar designs, reducing energy that is needed for cooling and heating are two objectives of interest. Experiments show that smaller buildings with no windows and skylights are the most energy efficient models. Window heat gain is another objective used to encourage models to have windows. In addition, window and volume based objectives are tried. To examine the impact of environment on designs, experiments are run on five different geographic locations. Also, both single floor models and multi-floor models are examined in this research. According to the experiments, solutions from the experiments were consistent with respect to materials, sizes, and appearance, and satisfied problem constraints in all instances.