992 research outputs found
A New Model for Evaluating the Future Options of Integrating Ground Source Heat Pumps in Building Construction
Decision-making for effective infrastructure integration is challenging because the performances of long-lasting objects
often depends on conditions which are either outside the control of the designer or difficult to foresee at the design
stage. In this paper we examine a new approach to estimating the range of cost-effective solutions for integrating
the construction/retrofit of two or more different types of infrastructure. Infrastructure integration has many perceived
benefits, but also faces serious new challenges and doubts from practitioners, particularly in sectors with complex
construction process, long asset lives, uncertain cost parameters, and slow and unwieldy decision-making, such as
is common with civil engineering works. We test all main options in integrating a ground source heat pump (GSHP)
system with the construction and retrofit of an archetypal, office building. A new simulation model is developed and
parameterized using actual data in the UK. We incorporate unavoidable uncertainties and randomness in how the
decisions are triggered, and test the effectiveness of proactive measures to embed future options. The model highlights
how sensitive the range of cost-effective solutions is to the setting of renewable energy incentives, discount rates,
technical performance and life-cycle asset management of interdependent infrastructure. This points to a clear need for
establishing appropriate regulatory standards. We expect this model to find increasing applications in the planning and
designing of integrated complexes of buildings, transport facilities, renewable energy supply, water supply and waste
management in dense urban areas, which are an increasingly key part of sustainable urban development
Experimentally observed evolution between dynamic patterns and intrinsic localized modes in a driven nonlinear electrical cyclic lattice
Locked intrinsic localized modes (ILMs) and large amplitude lattice spatial
modes (LSMs) have been experimentally measured for a driven 1-D nonlinear
cyclic electric transmission line, where the nonlinear element is a saturable
capacitor. Depending on the number of cells and electrical lattice damping a
LSM of fixed shape can be tuned across the modal spectrum. Interestingly, by
tuning the driver frequency away from this spectrum an LSM can be continuously
converted into ILMs and visa versa. The differences in pattern formation
between simulations and experimental findings are due to a low concentration of
impurities. Through this novel nonlinear excitation and switching channel in
cyclic lattices either energy balanced or unbalanced LSMs and ILMs may occur.
Because of the general nature of these dynamical results for nonintegrable
lattices applications are to be expected. The ultimate stability of driven aero
machinery containing nonlinear periodic structures may be one example.Comment: 7 pages 7 figure
Theoretical and Experimental Studies on the Contribution of Wave-Particle Interactions to Radial Transport in a Strongly Magnetized Non-neutral Plasma
DEM study on the mechanical behaviours of methane hydrate sediments: hydrate growth patterns and hydrate bonding strength
Natural methane hydrate soil sediments attract worldwide interest, as there is huge commercial potential in the immense global deposits of natural gas hydrate that lies under deep seabeds and permafrost regions. However, the geomechanical behaviour of methane hydrate soil is poorly understood. In this study, Discrete Element Method (DEM) was employed to provide insights into the mechanical behaviour of hydrate-bearing sediments with different hydrate patterns in the pores: the pore-filling case and the cementation case. A series of drained triaxial compressional tests were performed, and the results were analyzed in terms of stress-strain response and volumetric response. In both pore-filling and cementation cases, the presence of hydrates caused an increase in the strength and dilative tendency of the simulated hydrate-bearing soil samples, and the strength and dilation both increased with hydrate saturation (or amount of hydrates in the pores). In addition, at the same hydrate saturation, the cementation case showed higher values of strength and dilation than the pore-filling case. In the cementation case, two typical hydrate growth patterns were considered: soil surface coating (hydrates form around the grain surface) and soil-soil contact gathering (hydrates preferentially form at the grain contacts). Results showed that hydrate growth patterns greatly influenced the mechanical behaviour of the simulated hydrate-bearing samples, especially when the bonding strength and hydrate saturation were increased. In both patterns, strength and dilation were enhanced as bonding strength increased, and the enhancement was greater in the soil-soil contact model than in the soil surface gathering model. At high hydrate saturation, as bonding strength increased, a larger axial strain was needed to reach the peak strength, and the development of dilation was delayed
Recommended from our members
Detecting changes in sediment overburden using distributed temperature sensing: an experimental and numerical study
Fibre optic cables can be used as sensors to monitor temperature changes through the analysis of back scattered light. This can be linked to changes in the ambient conditions surrounding the fibre optic cable. Active distributed temperature sensing relies on an external heat source relative to the fibre optic cable to measure the properties of, and changes in, the surrounding medium. An experiment was conducted using distributed temperature sensing technology to monitor changes in sediment overburden for the purpose of determining whether scour could be measured above buried power cables containing fibre optic cables. Fibre optic cables were buried in a channel containing saturated sand and water with an external heat source. The depth of overburden sediment above the fibre optic cables was reduced, whilst the associated temperature response along the fibre optic cable was monitored. The data was matched to a finite element model so that the heat transfer taking place could be simulated and then the thermal conductivity of the soil modified to observe the potential changes in heat detected by the fibre optic cables. This paper explains the characteristics of heat transfer from an active heat source to the surrounding soil medium providing a means to translate the temperature measurement to the associated overburden thickness and to model the same response in different materials
Physical Mechanism of Self-organization of Novel Density Distribution in a Pure Electron Plasma Driven by Rotating Wave Field
Complex Relationship of Body Mass Index with Mortality in Patients with Critical Limb Ischemia Undergoing Endovascular Treatment
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and long-term outcomes of patients with CLI after endovascular treatment (EVT).DesignRetrospective multicenter study.Subjects1088 consecutive patients (1306 limbs, mean age 72 ± 10 years) with CLI who underwent EVT for isolated infrapopliteal artery lesions were evaluated. These subjects were identified in the J-BEAT III registry.MethodsThe patients were divided into groups based on BMI <18.5 kg/m2 (underweight, n = 188; 219 limbs), 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2 (normal weight, n = 718; 868 limbs), and >25.0 kg/m2 (overweight/obese, n = 182; 219 limbs). The endpoints were overall survival and freedom from major adverse limb events (MALE).ResultsThe median follow up period was 1.5 years (range: 1 month–8.7 years). The 3 year overall survival rates were 33.3%, 61.2%, and 69.8% in underweight, normal, and overweight/obese patients, respectively. The survival rate was significantly lower in underweight patients and significantly higher in overweight/obese patients compared with patients of normal weight (both p < .0001). The 3 year rates of freedom from MALE did not differ significantly among the three groups (36.4%, 45.4%, and 52.3%, respectively, p = .32). Age, BMI <18.5 kg/m2, heart failure, aortic valve stenosis, renal failure, triglyceride levels, serum albumin <3.0 g/dL, anticoagulant treatment, non-ambulatory status, and Rutherford 6 classification all were significantly associated with overall survival.ConclusionsBMI has a complex correlation with mortality in patients with CLI after EVT for isolated infrapopliteal artery lesions. Underweight patients with CLI have an extremely poor prognosis. Such patients have many other factors associated with mortality, but low BMI was identified as an independent predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with CLI. Similarly, normal weight patients had a small but significant increase in mortality compared with overweight/obese patients
- …