Relationship between deep, maximum and minimum temperatures and their locations in one layer grounds in Turkey

Ground surface temperatures and ground temperatures at different depths are required for the design of Ground-Source Heat Pump (GSHP) systems. The State Meteorological Affairs General Directorate (DMİ) measures the ground temperatures at certain depths at some stations in Turkey. However, these measurements are valid only for the ground structures and properties at the measurement locations and, therefore, can not be used for other ground and ground surface properties. In this study, one layer ground temperatures were calculated numerically using at least 20 years daily mean values of ambient temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity and wind velocity. The data were taken from DMİ for 20 cities selected from different climatic regions in Turkey. The depths for maximum and minimum temperatures in the soil and yearly constant temperatures at 12 m depth from the soil surface (soil end temperatures) were expressed in equations using the numerically calculated temperatures. It was found that soil end temperature is mainly dependent on the yearly mean air temperature. Other parameters that have also influence on the soil end temperature are soil surface absorption coefficient, evaporation fraction and yearly mean solar radiation. Maximum and minimum temperatures are only 0.48 oC higher and lower than the soil end temperature, respectively. © Sila Science

Effect of harvest dates and forced air cooling on post-harvest quality of apricot cv. 'Precoce de Tyrinthe'

Effect of maturity at harvest and forced-air cooling (FAC) on postharvest quality and physiology of apricot cv 'Precoce de Tyrinthe' were investigated. Apricots were harvested at 2 different stages: minimum maturity, MI (9% SSC, orange color except on suture) and ideal harvest maturity, MII (10% SSC, completely orange color). Within a few hours after harvest: (i) half of the fruits of each maturity stage were placed in a cold room at 0-1°C and 90% RH and (ii) the other half was forced-air cooled at 600 cfm. All apricots were stored at 0°C for 7 days and then transferred to 20°C for up to 8 days. Another group of apricots was kept at 20°C immediately after harvest to observe post-harvest changes. Apricots were analyzed for firmness, SSC, titratable acidity, color (hue angle), respiration, weight loss and evaluated for taste. For both stages of maturity, FAC at 0°C increased the shelf-life and improved the appearance of apricots when compared to room cooling at 0°C. The 7/8 cooling time of apricots ranged from 86 min. to 225 min. for FAC and was 431 min for room cooling (RC). Apricots could be forced-air cooled to 0°C and then transported for a period of 7 days in a refrigerated truck while maintaining their quality after additional 6 to 8 days at 20°C

A research on environmental rating systems considering building energy performances in different climatic regions of Turkey

Turkey’s diverse regions lead to complex issues in sustainability. We studied to cities in different areas of the country to examine the effects of local climate on energy use in energy-efficient buildings. Erzurum is the coldest city; Antalya lies in the Mediterranean region and has the highest solar global horizontal radiation in Turkey. We used Heating Degree Days (HDD) and Cooling Degree Days (CDD) values for both cities to estimate the energy demand for heating and cooling the buildings. In Erzurum, CO2 emissions are high, because fuel consumption to heat the same building is more than 4 times of that of Antalya in winter. CO2 emission is significant as the key greenhouse gas. In Antalya, the electricity costs for cooling the same building are more than 42 times that of Erzurum; CO2 emissions are also higher during summer. A building certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) uses about 35% less energy for heating and cooling in both cities. The economic and environmental contributions of a LEED-certified building in Erzurum is higher during cold weather, while in Antalya, a LEED-certified building conserves comparatively more energy and retains more CO2 during hot weather. The results show that the LEED Certification System can be a more international system if geographical and climatic differences are also taken into consideration