Dynamic Daylight Metrics for Electricity Savings in Offices: Window Size and Climate Smart Lighting Management

Daylight performance metrics provide a promising approach for the design and optimization of lighting strategies in buildings and their management. Smart controls for electric lighting can reduce power consumption and promote visual comfort using different control strategies, based on affordable technologies and low building impact. The aim of this research is to assess the energy efficiency of these smart controls by means of dynamic daylight performance metrics, to determine suitable solutions based on the geometry of the architecture and the weather conditions. The analysis considers different room dimensions, with variable window size and two mean surface reflectance values. DaySim 3.1 lighting software provides the simulations for the study, determining the necessary quantification of dynamic metrics to evaluate the usefulness of the proposed smart controls and their impact on energy efficiency. The validation of dynamic metrics is carried out by monitoring a mesh of illuminance-meters in test cells throughout one year. The results showed that, for most rooms more than 3.00 m deep, smart controls achieve worthwhile energy savings and a low payback period, regardless of weather conditions and for worst-case situations. It is also concluded that dimming systems provide a higher net present value and allow the use of smaller window size than other control solutions

Efectos de la eliminación del requisito mínimo de flota en el transporte de mercancías

El presente trabajo realiza una aproximación a la sentencia del Tribunal de Justicia de la Unión Europea que declara contraria a la reglamentación comunitaria la exigencia de una flota mínima para obtener la autorización de transporte público. La resolución del Tribunal de Justicia (Sala Décima) de 8 de febrero de 2018 obliga al Ministerio de Fomento a modificar las condiciones hasta ahora exigidas para el ejercicio de la profesión de transportista por carretera. El Tribunal impone a España bajar el límite de vehículos para el acceso al mercado de tres vehículos a uno

Aplicació d’alta pressió sobre dissolucions aquoses de goma diutan: influència sobre les propietats reològiques

En este trabajo se estudia el efecto de aplicar alta presión sobre el comportamiento reológico de disoluciones acuosas de goma diutan con el objeto de ampliar su uso potencial. Muestras de goma diutan sin tratar y tratadas fueron comparadas usando ensayos de cizalla estacionaria y ensayos de cizalla oscilatoria de baja amplitud. Esto se ha hecho haciendo pasar una vez disoluciones acuosas de 0.5% en peso de goma diutan en 0 y 1% en peso de NaCl a través de un Microfluidizador M110P a 5000 psi (34,47 MPa). Inicialmente las disoluciones de goma diutan presentaron un comportamiento tipo gel débil con valores del módulo elástico por encima de los del módulo viscoso. Adicionalmente presentaron un comportamiento pseudoplástico, claramente no newtoniano, que se ajusta perfectamente al modelo de Carreau. Después de aplicar alta presión, las muestras ilustraron un cambio de comportamiento reológico. Se produce una fuerte destrucción estructural evidenciada por una disminución de viscosidad y la aparición de un comportamiento tipo líquido con valores de G” por encima de los de G’.In this work, the effect of applying high pressure on the rheological properties of diutan gum aqueous solutions in order to extend its potential use was studied. Untreated and treated diutan gum samples have been compared using steady and small amplitude oscillatory shear. This has been done passing once 0.5wt% diutan gum solutions in 0 and 1wt% NaCl through a Microfluidizer M110P at 5000 psi (34.47 Mpa). At first, the diutan gum solutions exhibited a gel-like behaviour with elastic modulus values above the viscous modulus values. Additionally, they showed a pseudoplastic behaviour, clearly no-Newtonian which succesfully fitted the Carreau model. After applying high pressure, the samples illustrated a modification of the rheological behaviour. An important structural destruction occurred. This was evidenced by a decrease of viscosity and the appearance of a liquid-like behaviour with G” above G’ values.En aquest treball s’estudia l’efecte d’aplicar alta pressió sobre el comportament reològic de dissolucions aquoses de goma diutan amb l’ objectiu d’ampliar el seu potencial d’us. Mostres de goma diutan sense tractar i d’altres tractades van ser comparades emprant assajos de cisalla estacionaria i assajos de cisalla oscil·latòria de baixa amplitud. Això s’ha obtingut, fent passar un cop dissolucions aquoses de 0.5% en pes de goma diutan en 0 i 1% en pes de NaCl a través d’un Microfluidizador M110P a 5000 psi (34,47 MPa). Inicialment les dissolucions de goma diutan presentaren un comportament tipus de gel dèbil amb valors del mòdul elàstic per sobre dels del mòdul viscos. Addicionalment presentaren un comportament pseudoplàstic, clarament no newtonià, que s’ajusta perfectament al model de Carreau. Després d’aplicar alta pressió, les mostres il·lustraren un canvi de comportament reològic. Es produeix una forta destrucció estructural evidenciada per una disminució de viscositat i l’aparició d’un comportament tipus líquid amb valores de G” per damunt dels de G’.Proyecto CTQ2011-27371 financiado por el Ministerio español de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO)Comisión Europea (Programa FEDER)Dr. Ross Clark y CP Kelc

Hygrothermal Performance of Worship Spaces: Preservation, Comfort, and Energy Consumption

The energy problem, one the most important on a global scale, greatly affects the environment. Much of the current energy consumption occurs in existing buildings, including heritage buildings with varying protected status. Energy intervention and heritage conservation conflict to some extent, as research focuses more on the search for improved energy efficiency solutions for materials and systems than on their application to heritage buildings. This study describes experimental research on environmental conditioning techniques in spaces of worship in a temperate climate in southern Spain. Buildings were monitored and assessed in the implementation of different environmental techniques—active and combined (passive and active)—with the aim of improving the thermal comfort conditions of the faithful while preserving the cultural heritage of these buildings. The need for a control system of RH and the air system was concluded, as well as radiant floors and radiators, which, in the considered case studies, would barely affect the artworks. 24- and 12-h operation are better suited to heritage preservation than occasional use. All operation schedules are valid for thermal comfort

Characterization of novel nanoemulsions, with improved properties, based on rosemary essential oil and biopolymers

ACKGROUND: Nowadays, it is of great interest to develop stable and sustainable formulations that act as nanocarriers of active ingredients. In this work, the droplet size distribution, rheology and physical stability of nanoemulsions with improved properties containing rosemary essential oil and biopolymers as a function of the concentration of these polysaccharides were investigated. RESULTS: Mean diameters below 150 nm were achieved, indicating nanostructures were obtained. Regardless of gum type, a gel-like structure and a shear thinning behaviour was achieved. In addition, an increase of G′, G″ and viscosity and a decrease of J0, J1, J2, λ1 and λ2 with increasing gum concentration were observed, due to the formation of a three-dimensional network in the aqueous phase. Slight differences between nanoemulsions containing welan or xanthan were found. Creaming, depletion flocculation and gel aggregation were the main destabilization processes at low, intermediate and high gum concentration, respectively. A 0.4 wt% gum nanoemulsion exhibited the best physical stability. CONCLUSION: These stable and sustainable nanoemulsions with improved rheological properties contribute to the development of biodegradable and non-toxic food or agrochemical products. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CTQ2015-70700-

Influence of the welan gum biopolymer concentration on the rheological properties, droplet size distribution and physical stability of thyme oil/W emulsions

The objective of this work is to obtain a stable and natural antimicrobial delivery system. Thus, the effect of the addition of a natural polysaccharide such as welan gum on the linear viscoelastic properties, flow behaviour, droplet size distribution and physical stability of thyme oil/W emulsions formulated with a wheat-derived surfactant was studied. All emulsions obtained show submicron diameters regardless of the concentration of welan. Emulsion without gum shows Newtonian behaviour under steady shear. Meanwhile, emulsions containing welan gum show a weak gel-like behaviour with higher G′ and G″ values on increasing the content of gum in the emulsion. Their flow curves illustrate a shear thinning behaviour with much greater viscosity than that exhibited by emulsions without gum. This behaviour fits well to the Cross model. The main destabilization process of thyme oil/W emulsion without gum is creaming versus flocculation and coalescence in emulsions containing welan. Rheology, diffraction laser and multiple light scattering techniques have proved that welan gum is an important rheological modifier for thyme oil/W ecological emulsions, it being possible to control the rheological properties of these emulsions by adjusting the concentration of gum. However, welan gum does not improve the physical stability of these emulsions.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad CTQ2015-70700-

Influence of glycerol addition on the droplet size distribution, mean diameters and physical stability of ecological O/W emulsions processed with Microfluidizer technology

The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of the pressure ( 0 psi and 15000 psi) and the number of passes (0,1,2 and 3) through a high pressure homogenizer with Microfluidizer technology on the droplet size distribution, mean diameters and physical stability of ecological O/W emulsions. The results with an emulsion formulated with 50 wt% of glycerol in the continuous phase are compared. As dispersed phase a 30 wt% mixture of green solvents, N,N-dimethyldecanamide and α-pinene with a 75/25 mass ratio was used. In addition, an ecological surfactant derived from coconut oil, HLB = 13.El objetivo de este trabajo ha consistido en investigar cómo influye la presión (0 y 15000 psi) y el número de pasadas (1, 2 y 3) a través de un homogeneizador de alta presión con tecnología Microfluidizer sobre la distribución de tamaños de gota, diámetros medios y estabilidad física de una emulsión ecológica O/W. Se comparan los resultados con la emulsión formulada con un 50% en peso de glicerol en el medio continuo. Como fase dispersa se utiliza un 30% en peso de una mezcla de disolventes verdes, N,N-dimetildecanamida y α-pineno, en una relación en masa de 75/25. Adicionalmente se emplea un tensioactivo ecológico derivado de aceite de coco, de HLB 13.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España-CTQ2015-70700-PComisión Europea (Programa FEDER

"Reference values" of trace elements in the hair of a sample group of Spanish children (aged 6-9 years) are urban topsoils a source of contamination?

Human hair is used as a biomonitor to evaluate the environmental exposure to contaminants in the individual. However, the use of human hair is controversial, mainly because reference levels for pollutants in hair have not yet been set. In the case of Spain, few biomonitoring studies have involved infants and children. A biomonitoring study was conducted to investigate the possible normal values of trace elements of toxicological concern in children aged 6–9 years from the city of Alcalá de Henares, Community of Madrid (Spain), following the methodology and strict inclusion criteria previously developed by our group. Levels of Al, As, Be, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, Ti, Tl, V and Zn were monitored in scalp–hair from 117 healthy children (47 boys and 70 girls) between April and May of 2001. The levels of trace elements here described could be considered as possible 'reference values” for children aged 6–9 years resident in the Community of Madrid. These values might also be selected as a preliminary screening tool to evaluate if a Spanish child has been exposed to any of the contaminants studied here. This study also investigated whether local urban topsoils were a source of metals for this population

A Comparison of the Effect of Temperature on the Rheological Properties of Diutan and Rhamsan Gum Aqueous Solutions

The rheological properties exhibited by gums make its use in applications interesting, such as foods, cosmetics, enhanced oil recovery, or constructions materials. Regardless of application field, the effect of temperature on these properties is of great importance, since these properties can be modified and cause the gum not to be useful for those conditions. Diutan and rhamsan gums are biopolymers, belonging to the sphingans, with similar structures which differ in the substituents of their side chains. It is known that both gums exhibit suitable viscoelastic properties and flow behavior when used as a stabilizer, gelling agent, or thickener. Both gums are widely used in food industry, personal care products, construction materials, oil operations, etc. For this reason, to know the effect of the temperature on their rheological properties is very helpful. For this purpose, small amplitude oscillatory shear measurements and flow curves, as a function of the temperature from 10 C to 60 C, have been performed, and the results obtained for both gums compared. The obtained results provide interesting information from an industrial point of view, since they reveal that the rheological properties remained almost unaltered in the temperature range assessed with diutan gum aqueous solutions, being slightly more viscous and viscoelastic than rhamsan gum solutions.Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) and FEDER, UE project CTQ2015-70700-