Hallazgo de una nueva columna miliaria perteneciente a la Via Augusta

By means of this article we let you know about the discovery of a new milliary column which belonged to the Roman Via Augusta. It has been found in the environs of La Torrecilla industrial area close to Córdoba. Its chronology based upon epigraphic analysis allow us to date it in the early years of Nero mandate.Mediante este artículo damos a conocer una nueva columna miliaria correspondiente a la Via Augusta y hallada en las inmediaciones del Polígono Industrial de La Torrecilla. Su cronología, basada en el análisis epigráfico, nos permite adjudicarla al emperador Nerón, en los primeros años de su mandato

The importance of permeability in granular filter design and control

Granular filters are required to perform two basic functions in embankment dams: (a) prevent the migration of base soil particles, and (b) allow drainage of seepage water. Traditionally, retention function (a) has been evaluated using Particle Size Distribution (PSD) and drainage function (b) using Permeability (kf), but usually permeability have been also correlated with PSD, so the permeability criterion have been expressed in terms of D15b of the base soil and D15f of the granular filter. Only few authors have used filter permeability for the assessment of retention function and there is no general agreement with them, but permeability should be a very important variable because it takes into account not only the whole PSD of the filter, (instead of just several representative diameters), but also other important characteristic such as compaction, porosity, density and particle shape. Based on a literature review and research experience at the University of Granada, this paper analyses the importance of filter permeability in the design and control of granular filters in embankment dams, even with dispersive base soils

Building thermal storage technology: Compensating renewable energy fluctuations

Emerging technologies and new intelligent management systems will be needed to rise to the energy challenges posed by buildings today. Thermally activated building systems (TABS) are attracting growing interest on the back of their energy savings potential. The TABS studied in this article, a new prefabricated panel designed for installation in residential building façades, was characterised by the high thermal inertia afforded by the phase change materials in its composition. The design and assessment of the potential savings derived from TABS require specific characterisation methodologies to estimate the amount of useful energy available to control the indoor environment. A two-stage approach was adopted for the TABS studied here with ``ideal'' operating control (the building is assumed to be at a constant desired temperature). The first stage involved a simplified method for characterising system behaviour based on performance maps developed from CFD simulations. Such maps can be used to quickly assess changes in system energy performance following on variations in design and operating parameters. In the second, the TABS was integrated into a building with a simplified model to assess monthly energy demand to evaluate the system potential for energy savings in representative types of Spanish single-family housing in different climate zones. The first-stage findings showed that given the system significant inertia, it discharged for several days, even when charging occurred only on the first, ensuring a wide operating range adaptable to renewable resource limitations. The analysis of potential, in turn, revealed that savings of over 40% in heating demand are possible even under the least favourable circumstances.This study was funded by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under the INPHASE (RTC-2015-3583-5) and DACAR (BIA2016-77431-C2-2-R), the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the University of Seville under its Research Plan VI (VPPI-US). Prof. Cabeza would like to thank the Catalan Government for the quality accreditation given to her research group GREiA (2017 SGR 1537). GREiA is certified agent TECNIO in the category of technology developers from the Government of Catalonia. This work is partially supported by ICREA under the ICREA Academia programme

Potential of energy flexible buildings: Evaluation of DSM strategies using building thermal mass

Energy flexible buildings through smart demand-side management (DSM) or smart demand response (DR) using efficient energy storage, are currently one of the most promising options to deploy low-carbon technologies in the electricity networks without the need of reinforcing existing networks. Although, many ignore the potential, economic and energetic benefits these alternatives could hold for buildings, users and tariffs. In the study carried out a control system of demand management measures is analyzed, based on the use of the buildings' thermal mass as thermal storage (preheating, precooling and night ventilation). This demand management system is analyzed in five existing residential buildings in the so-called reference scenario (construction, user and current prices). Subsequently, comes the analysis of the optimal manage- ment strategy choice from the system, when facing changes in the housings' constructive characteristics and electric tariffs. The dynamism of the management system stands out from the results achieved, as well as the de- pendence of the possible strategy choices on the climate zones. In the reference situation, the maximum economic savings obtained after the implementation of the management system correspond to 3.2% for heating and 8.5% for cooling. In this same manner, when the buildings are previously rehabilitated, the savings can double even generating energy savings. Finally, it can be concluded that the low installation costs of these measures make them a winning solution, as long as the electric pricing and user behavior allow the required flexibility.The authors would like to take this opportunity to thank the DACAR project “Zero-Energy Balance Districts Through Algorithms of Adaptive Comfort and Optimal Management of Energy Networks” (BIA2016-77431-C2-2-R) funded by Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Government of Spain) and European Regional Development's Funds (ERDF) for its partial support. And the University of Seville under its Research Plan VI (VPPI-US)

Reinterpreting Interpretability for Fuzzy Linguistic Descriptions of Data

Postprin

Influence of the electric field on the latent heat of the ferroelectric phase transition in KDP

The specific heat, heat flux (DTA trace) and dielectric constant of KDP ferroelectric crystal have been measured simultaneously for various electric fields with a conduction calorimeter. The specific heat presents a strong anomaly but these simultaneous measurements allow us to evaluate the latent heat accurately. Latent heat decreases with field and the value of critical electric field --that where latent heat disappears-- is estimated to be (0.44\pm0.03) kV/cm. Incidentally, we have measured simultaneously the dielectric permittivity which suggests that latent heat is developed as domains are growing.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, ReVTeX, twocolumn format, to appear in J. Phys. Cond. Matte

Conflicto de intereses en la investigación biomédica

La investigación biomédica en los últimos años se financia fundamentalmente por la industria farmacéutica. Esta dependencia modifica las relaciones entre los centros, los equipos de investigación y las empresas del sector, creando condiciones para que proliferen los conflictos de intereses y sus potenciales consecuencias negativas, para las personas enfermas y para los sistemas de salud. En este contexto, los intereses y motivaciones de los investigadores tienen un papel relevante: identificar posibles conflictos y sus potenciales consecuencias negativas, y conocer los procedimientos preventivos cuando la mera declaración del conflicto no basta es imprescindible. En este sentido velar por el respeto a los principios éticos de veracidad, confiabilidad, responsabilidad e integridad debería ser una premisa de la comunidad científica, con el compromiso por parte de los centros de investigación en fomentar y garantizar que estos se cumplan. La declaración del conflicto de intereses es un primer paso y debería ser un procedimiento exigido a todos los investigadores no solo por las revistas científicas, sino por los comités directivos de los centros de investigación

Evaluation of the behavior of an innovative thermally activated building system (TABS) with PCM for an efficient design

The global energy crisis has caused a double effect. On the one hand, users are increasingly aware of the energy cost they face. On the other hand, public administrations have become aware of the importance of limiting energy consumption in buildings as a way to combat climate change and reduce the energy dependence with the climate. This situation supposes a great opportunity for innovative constructive solutions with an energetic behaviour that surpasses the traditional approach of reduction of the transmittance. In this work, studies are presented to obtain potential of a new solution thermally activated with two innovations with respect to those existing in the market: its activation is done by hot / cold water produced by renewable systems; and its concrete structural element in addition to having coupled the heat exchanger presents an innovative mortar doped with PCM microencapsulated phase change material.Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Government of Spain) and European Regional Development's funds (ERDF) project “Zero-Energy Balance Districts Through Algorithms of Adaptive Comfort and Optimal Management of Energy Networks” (BIA2016-77431-C2-2-R)University of Seville (Spain) Plan VI (VPPI-US