BES with FEM: Building Energy Simulation using Finite Element Methods

An overall objective of energy efficiency in the built environment is to improve building and systems performances in terms of durability, comfort and economics. In order to predict, improve and meet a certain set of performance requirements related to the indoor climate of buildings and the associated energy demand, building energy simulation (BES) tools are indispensable. Due to the rapid development of FEM software and the Multiphysics approaches, it should possible to build and simulate full 3D models of buildings regarding the energy demand. The paper presents a methodology for performing building energy simulation with Comsol. The method was applied to an international test box experiment. The results showed an almost perfect agreement between the used BES model and Comsol. These preliminary results confirm the great opportunities to use FEM related software for building energy performance simulation.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, Proceedings of the 2012 COMSOL Conference in Mila

The development of a mapping tool for the evaluation of building systems for future climate scenarios on European scale

The paper presents a tool for the mapping of the performance of building systems on European scale for different (future) time periods. The tool is to use for users and be applicable for different building systems. Users should also be able to use a broad range of climate parameters to assess the influence of climate change on these climatic parameters. Also should the calculation time be reasonable short. The mapping tool is developed in MATLAB, which can be used by other users for their own studies.Comment: 21 pages, 24 figures, pre-conferenc

An evidence-based Physical Activity and Fitness Programme for Ageing Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

In this study, extremely low physical activity and fitness levels among older adults with intellectual disabilities were demonstrated. Although the importance of physical activity for health has been recognised in the field of people with ID, only few welldesigned studies with a substantial amount of participants evaluated the health-related effectiveness of physical activity programmes among people with ID, mostly children or adults with mild ID. The development of a physical activity and fitness programme for ageing people with ID, results of implementation and execution, and programme’s effects are described in this thesis

Application of system identification methods to implement Comsol models into external simulation environments

Full coupling of distributed parameter models, like Comsol, with the lumped models often lead to very time-consuming simulation duration times. In order to improve the speed of the simulations, the idea of using system identification methods to implement the distributed parameters models of Comsol into external simulation environments (SimuLink), is explored. It is concluded that the system identification methods are a valuable tool for such applications, and result in models that not only are easy and fast to derive using the appropriate tools (SI Toolbox of Matlab), but also in models with a very satisfactory performance that offer great reduction of the simulation times

Purification and quantification of recombinant Epstein-Barr viral glycoproteins gp350/220 from Chinese hamster ovary cells

Truncated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) membrane antigen gp350/220 (EBV-MA) lacking the membrane anchor was expressed and secreted into the medium of recombinant Chinese hamster ovary cells that had been cultured in Plasmapur hollow-fibre modules using defined serum-free medium. The EBV-MA in the medium was concentrated by 70% (w/v) ammonium sulphate precipitation and subsequently purified by immunoaffinity chromatography using an anti-EBV-MA (EBV.0T6) monoclonal antibody (mAb) column. Adsorbed antigen was eluted with 3 M MgCl2 in phosphate-buffered saline, concentrated by Mono Q anion-exchange chromatography and analysed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, silver staining and Western blotting using EBV-positive serum and anti-EBV-MA specific mAbs. Monospecific polyclonal rabbit antibodies against the purified EBV-MA were raised and purified by protein G affinity chromatography. For the measurement of EBV-MA antigen levels a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using rabbit polyclonal antibodies and a horseradish peroxidase-conjugated anti-MA mAb was developed having a detection level of 10 ng/ml

Levensbeschouwing op school mist status

Volgens Expertisecentrum Lervo is er dringend behoefte aan een leerplan voor het vak levensbeschouwing en religie op middelbare scholen. ‘De school moet kinderen klaarmaken voor de superdiverse samenleving.’Religious Studie

Comsol Simulations of Cracking in Point Loaded Masonry with Randomly Distributed Material Properties

This paper describes COMSOL simulations of the stress and crack development in the area where a masonry wall supports a floor. In these simulations one of the main material properties of calcium silicate, its E-value, was assigned randomly to the finite elements of the modeled specimen. Calcium silicate is a frequently used building material with a relatively brittle fracture characteristic. Its initial E-value varies, as well as tensile strength and post peak behavior. Therefore, in the simulation, initial E-values were randomly assigned to the elements of the model and a step function used for describing the descending branch. The method also allows for variation in strength to be taken into account in future research. The performed non-linear simulation results are compared with experimental findings. They show the stress distribution and cracking behavior in point loaded masonry when varying material properties are used.Comment: Conference pape