Assessment of refrigerant mixtures performance with thermal glide for cold climate air-source heat pumps

Paper presented to the 10th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Florida, 14-16 July 2014.Heat pumps are currently considered as one of the most promising means for meeting low energy consumption requirements in buildings. However conventional air source heat pumps suffer from severe limitations in terms of performance at low ambient temperatures, while new designs such as multi-stage compression or ground source heat pumps are still very costly. The main challenge is to improve on the air-source heat pumps low efficiency in cold climates at a reasonable cost. The use of mixtures of refrigerants with the aim of increasing heat pumps performance (COP and/or heating capacity) by taking advantage of the thermal glide has been so far, little studied for the heating and cooling of buildings. In this paper, the goal is to assess the performance of refrigerant mixtures with thermal glide for cold climate air-source heat pumps. A simple theoretical and an extended model have been developed and used for refrigerant mixtures performance evaluation. It is shown that a good potential exists in refrigerant mixtures with moderate glide to improve the performance of cold climate air-source heat pumps.cf201

A Novel Approach to Study the Performance of Finned-Tube Heat Exchangers under Frosting Conditions

Frost accumulation due to moist air flowing on a refrigeration coil cold surface impacts negatively on performance. The frost layer growth has an insulating effect in terms of heat transfer and causes the increase of the air pressure drop by blocking the free flow area across the coil. In this paper a new modeling approach, accounting for heat and mass transfer as well as the hydrodynamics of the problem, is proposed. A related FORTRAN program was developed, allowing the study of a large range of complex refrigerant circuit configurations. This model predicts the dynamic behavior of a refrigeration coil under dry and frosting conditions. Comparisons were made based on the frost mass accumulation and pressure drop across the coil and the results were found to agree reasonably well with experimental results reported in the literature. The model was then applied to study an evaporator typically employed in supermarkets. In terms of refrigerant temperature glide, it was shown that the glide decrease with time because of the decrease of the refrigeration capacity of the coil during the frosting. Further, the air pressure drop is strongly affected by the variation of the free flow area

Reporting Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Men on Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer : The PRECISE Recommendations-A Report of a European School of Oncology Task Force

Background: Published data on prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during follow-up of men on active surveillance are lacking. Current guidelines for prostate MRI reporting concentrate on prostate cancer (PCa) detection and staging. A standardised approach to prostate MRI reporting for active surveillance will facilitate the robust collection of evidence in this newly developing area. Objective: To develop preliminary recommendations for reporting of individual MRI studies in men on active surveillance and for researchers reporting the outcomes of cohorts of men having MRI on active surveillance. Design, setting, and participants: The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method was used. Experts in urology, radiology, and radiation oncology developed a set of 394 statements relevant to prostate MRI reporting in men on active surveillance for PCa. Each statement was scored for agreement on a 9-point scale by each panellist prior to a panel meeting. Each statement was discussed and rescored at the meeting. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Measures of agreement and consensus were calculated for each statement. The most important statements, derived from both group discussion and scores of agreement and consensus, were used to create the Prostate Cancer Radiological Estimation of Change in Sequential Evaluation (PRECISE) checklist and case report form. Results and limitations: Key recommendations include reporting the index lesion size using absolute values at baseline and at each subsequent MRI. Radiologists should assess the likelihood of true change over time (ie, change in size or change in lesion characteristics on one or more sequences) on a 1-5 scale. A checklist of items for reporting a cohort of men on active surveillance was developed. These items were developed based on expert consensus in many areas in which data are lacking, and they are expected to develop and change as evidence is accrued. Conclusions: The PRECISE recommendations are designed to facilitate the development of a robust evidence database for documenting changes in prostateMRI findings over time ofmen on active surveillance. If used, they will facilitate data collection to distinguish-measurement error and natural variability in MRI appearances from true radiologic progression. Patient summary: Few published reports are available on how to use and interpret magnetic resonance imaging for men on active surveillance for prostate cancer. The PRECISE panel recommends that data should be collected in a standardised manner so that natural variation in the appearance and measurement of cancer over time can be distinguished from changes indicating significant tumour progression. (C) 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

MRI in active surveillance: a critical review

INTRODUCTION: Recent technological advancements and the introduction of modern anatomical and functional sequences have led to a growing role for multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in the detection, risk assessment and monitoring of early prostate cancer. This includes men who have been diagnosed with lower-risk prostate cancer and are looking at the option of active surveillance (AS). The purpose of this paper is to review the recent evidence supporting the use of mpMRI at different time points in AS, as well as to discuss some of its potential pitfalls. METHODS: A combination of electronic and manual searching methods were used to identify recent, important papers investigating the role of mpMRI in AS. RESULTS: The high negative predictive value of mpMRI can be exploited for the selection of AS candidates. In addition, mpMRI can be efficiently used to detect higher risk disease in patients already on surveillance. CONCLUSION: Although there is an ongoing debate regarding the precise nature of its optimal implementation, mpMRI is a promising risk stratification tool and should be considered for men on AS