Experimental and Computational Fluid Dynamic study of an active ventilated façade integrating battery and distributed MPPT

Ventilated Façades integrating photovoltaic panels are a promising way to improve efficiency and the thermal-physical performances of buildings. Due the inherent intermittence of the non-programmable renewable energy sources, their increasing usage implies the use of energy storage systems to mitigate the mismatch between power generation and the buildings’ load demand. The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the thermo-fluid dynamic performances of a prototype integrating a photovoltaic cell and a battery as a module of an active ventilated façade. Based on an experimental setup, a numerical study in steady state conditions of flow through the air cavity of the module has been carried out and implemented in a fluid-dynamics Finite Volume code. In order to assess the viability of the prototype, the calibrated model was lastly used to predict thermal performance of the prototype on different climate conditions supporting its further improvement

The risk stratification of adverse neonatal outcomes in women with gestational diabetes (STRONG) study

Aims: To assess the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes in women with gestational diabetes (GDM) by identifying subgroups of women at higher risk to recognize the characteristics most associated with an excess of risk. Methods: Observational, retrospective, multicenter study involving consecutive women with GDM. To identify distinct and homogeneous subgroups of women at a higher risk, the RECursive Partitioning and AMalgamation (RECPAM) method was used. Overall, 2736 pregnancies complicated by GDM were analyzed. The main outcome measure was the occurrence of adverse neonatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by GDM. Results: Among study participants (median age 36.8 years, pre-gestational BMI 24.8 kg/m2), six miscarriages, one neonatal death, but no maternal death was recorded. The occurrence of the cumulative adverse outcome (OR 2.48, 95% CI 1.59–3.87), large for gestational age (OR 3.99, 95% CI 2.40–6.63), fetal malformation (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.00–7.18), and respiratory distress (OR 4.33, 95% CI 1.33–14.12) was associated with previous macrosomia. Large for gestational age was also associated with obesity (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.00–2.15). Small for gestational age was associated with first trimester glucose levels (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.04–3.69). Neonatal hypoglycemia was associated with overweight (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.02–2.27) and obesity (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.04–2.51). The RECPAM analysis identified high-risk subgroups mainly characterized by high pre-pregnancy BMI (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.21–2.33 for obese; OR 1.38 95% CI 1.03–1.87 for overweight). Conclusions: A deep investigation on the factors associated with adverse neonatal outcomes requires a risk stratification. In particular, great attention must be paid to the prevention and treatment of obesity

Fluorenyl derivatives of early transition elements: a synthetic and structural study

The tetracarbonyls of niobium(I) and tantalum(I), M(eta (5)-9-phenylfluorenyl)(CO)(4), have been prepared from the dinuclear tetracarbonyl anions [M-2(mu -Cl)(3)(CO)(8)](-) and Li(9-phenylfluorenyl). A slightly distorted four-legged piano stool geometry, due to the presence of the sterically demanding phenyl substituent, has been found in the case of the niobium derivative. The crystal and molecular structures of Zr(fluorenyl)(2)Me-2 and of the 9-phenyl-substituted derivative have been solved. The structure of Zr(fluorenyl)(2)Me-2 is similar to that of the known dichloride, Zr(fluorenyl)(2)Cl-2 where fluorenyl ligands of different hapticity are present. On the other hand, the use of the more sterically demanding phenyl-substituted fluorenyl ligand in Zr(eta (5)-9-phenylfluorenyl)(2)Me-2, induces the fluorenyl ligands to be symmetrically and pentahapto-coordinated to zirconium

An integrated building energy simulation early—Design tool for future heating and cooling demand assessment

Climate change and its effects are becoming clear on a global scale either from the perspective of global warming and the increase in the rate of occurrence of weather events of extreme magnitude. This has impacts also for sure on the standard building performance analysis approach, since the buildings designed today are supposed to withstand for the following decades climate impacts that may be different than those they were designed for. The paper proposes a simple, easy to use and freely available building simulation utility which performs morphing of existing weather data files and, by connecting to the Energy Plus simulation routine, allows to perform future climate building simulation analyses. Users are required to select one of the ASHRAE buildings models or provide one of their own choosing and to input the original weather data file. The tool will generate a future weather data file with the preferred assumptions (e.g. RCP scenarios, time frame) and elaborate results in terms of heating and cooling required for air conditioning. The paper proposes also an implementation of the tool to a case study aimed at showing the potential of the application proposed. A typical office building model from the ASHRAE library was simulated in two different locations under different climate change assumptions up to the year 2090. The analysis of the results in the two locations of Palermo (Italy) and Copenhagen (Denmark) highlight relevant increases in the current century of up to +20% of cooling requirements and similar reductions for heating in both case studies, if compared to current levels. The research targets a specific limit in the investigation of climate resilience of buildings and follows the principles described by SDSN in the definition of SDGs and the interest at the EU level towards climate neutral and innovative cities. In this context, the paper may contribute to the limited availability of easy to use and free tools available for practitioners to investigate the design of climate resilience buildings

Load match and grid interaction optimization of a net zero energy building through electricity storage: An Italian case-study

The study aims at applying of Load Match and Grid Interaction indexes to a Net Zero Energy Building in order to optimize the performances of its energy systems. The case study is a modular prefabricated house that uses solar energy (photovoltaic) and natural gas (Fuel Cell) as energy sources and equipped with an Energy Management System addressing the optimal energy use

Perfluorofluorenyl Anions and their Use as Coƒ{Catalysts in the Zirconoceneƒ{Promoted Polymerization of Olefins

Fluorofluorenes [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8ƒ{octafluoroƒ{9ƒ{(pentafluorophenyl)ƒ{9Hƒ{fluorene, OFPF, 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8ƒ{octafluoroƒ{9ƒ{(2,4ƒ{trifluoromethylphenyl)ƒ{9H¡Vfluorene, OFTF, and 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8ƒ{octafluorofluorene, OFF] react with sodium hydride or with lithium alkyls to give fluorofluorenyl anions which have been characterized in solution by 19F−NMR spectroscopy. OFPF is deprotonated by ethylenediamine, by HMPT and by 1,7ƒ{diazoƒ{bicyclo(5,4)ƒ{undecƒ{7ƒ{ene, DBU, as shown by 1Hƒ{ and 19Fƒ{NMR spectrometry. The new compound [racƒ{ethyleneƒ{bis(ƒØ5ƒ{4,5,6,7ƒ{tetrahydroindenyl)]diallylzirconium(IV), ZRAL, as prepared from [racƒ{ethyleneƒ{bis(ƒØ5ƒ{4,5,6,7ƒ{tetrahydroindenyl)]dichloridezirconium(IV) and allylmagnesium chloride, undergoes allyl abstraction with OFPF, CPh3[B(C6F5)4], and B(C6F5)3 forming zirconiumƒ{containing cations, as established by 1Hƒ{ and 19Fƒ{NMR spectrometry. Toluene/pentafluoroanisole solutions of the fluorinated anions, in combination with ZRAL, catalyze the..