Application of water loop variable refrigerant flow air-conditioning system in large-scale buildings in northern China

A water loop variable refrigerant flow（WLVRF）air-conditioning system is designed to be applied in large-scale buildings in northern China.The system is energy saving and it is an integrated system consisting of a variable refrigerant flow（VRF）air-conditioning unit,a water loop and an air source heat pump.The water loop transports energy among different regions in the buildings instead of refrigerant pipes,decreasing the scale of the VRF air-conditioning unit and improving the performance.Previous models for refrigerants and building loads are cited in this investigation.Mathematical models of major equipment and other elements of the system are established using the lumped parameter method based on the DATAFIT software and the MATLAB software.The performance of the WLVRF system is simulated.The initial investments and the running costs are calculated based on the results of market research.Finally,a contrast is carried out between the WLVRF system and the traditional VRF system.The results show that the WLVRF system has a better working condition and lower running costs than the traditional VRF system.

Risk assessment of floor water inrush in coal mines based on MFIM-TOPSIS variable weight model

Floor water inrush is one of the main types of coal mine water hazards.With the development of deep mining,the prediction and evaluation of floor water inrush is particularly significant.This paper proposes a variable weight model,which combines a multi-factor interaction matrix(MFIM)and the technique for order performance by similarity to ideal solution(TOPSIS)to implement the risk assessment of floor water inrush in coal mines.Based on the MFIM,the interaction between seven evaluation indices,including the confined water pressure,water supply condition and aquifer water yield property,floor aquifuge thickness,fault water transmitting ability,fracture development degree,mining depth and thickness and their influence on floor water inrush were considered.After calculating the constant weights,the active degree evaluation was used to assign a variable weight to the indices.The values of the middle layer and final risk level were obtained by TOPSIS.The presented model was successfully applied in the 9901 working face in the Taoyang Mine and four additional coal mines and the results were highly consistent with the engineering situations.Compared with the existing nonlinear evaluation methods,the proposed model had advantages in terms of the weighting,principle explanation,and algorithm structure.

Effects of physical parameter range on dimensionless variable sensitivity in water flooding reservoirs

The similarity criterion for water flooding reservoir flows is concerned with in the present paper. When finding out all the dimensionless variables governing this kind of flow, their physical meanings are subsequently elucidated. Then, a numerical approach of sensitivity analysis is adopted to quantify their corresponding dominance degree among the similarity parameters. In this way, we may finally identify major scaling law in different parameter range and demonstrate the respective effects of viscosity, permeability and injection rate.

A new mathematical model for horizontal wells with variable density perforation completion in bottom water reservoirs

Horizontal wells are commonly used in bottom water reservoirs,which can increase contact area between wellbores and reservoirs.There are many completion methods used to control cresting,among which variable density perforation is an effective one.It is difficult to evaluate well productivity and to analyze inflow profiles of horizontal wells with quantities of unevenly distributed perforations,which are characterized by different parameters.In this paper,fluid flow in each wellbore perforation,as well as the reservoir,was analyzed.A comprehensive model,coupling the fluid flow in the reservoir and the wellbore pressure drawdown,was developed based on potential functions and solved using the numerical discrete method.Then,a bottom water cresting model was established on the basis of the piston-like displacement principle.Finally,bottom water cresting parameters and factors influencing inflow profile were analyzed.A more systematic optimization method was proposed by introducing the concept of cumulative free-water production,which could maintain a balance（or then a balance is achieved）between stabilizing oil production and controlling bottom water cresting.Results show that the inflow profile is affected by the perforation distribution.Wells with denser perforation density at the toe end and thinner density at the heel end may obtain low production,but the water breakthrough time is delayed.Taking cumulative free-water production as a parameter to evaluate perforation strategies is advisable in bottom water reservoirs.

Optimum control strategy for all-variable speed chiller plant

The optimum control strategy and the saving potential of all variable chiller plant under the conditions of changing building cooling load and cooling water supply temperature were investigated. Based on a simulation model of water source chiller plant established in dynamic transient simulation program (TRNSYS),the four-variable quadratic orthogonal regression experiments were carried out by taking cooling load,cooling water supply temperature,cooling water flow rate and chilled water flow rate as variables,and the fitting formulas expressing the relationships between the total energy consumption of chiller plant with the four selected parameters was obtained. With the SAS statistical software and MATHEMATICA mathematical software,the optimal chilled water flow rate and cooling water flow rate which result in the minimum total energy consumption were determined under continuously varying cooling load and cooling water supply temperature. With regard to a chiller plant serving an office building in Shanghai,the total energy consumptions under different control strategies were computed in terms of the forecasting function of cooling load and water source temperature. The results show that applying the optimal control strategy to the chiller plant can bring a saving of 23.27% in power compared with the corresponding conventional variable speed plant,indicating that the optimal control strategy can improve the energy efficiency of chiller plant.

Long-term operation optimization of circulating cooling water systems under fouling conditions

Fouling caused by excess metal ions in hard water can negatively impact the performance of the circulating cooling water system(CCWS)by depositing ions on the heat exchanger's surface.Currently,the operation optimization of CCWS often prioritizes short-term flow velocity optimization for minimizing power consumption,without considering fouling.However,low flow velocity promotes fouling.Therefore,it's crucial to balance fouling and energy/water conservation for optimal CCWS long-term operation.This study proposes a mixed-integer nonlinear programming(MINLP)model to achieve this goal.The model considers fouling in the pipeline,dynamic concentration cycle,and variable frequency drive to optimize the synergy between heat transfer,pressure drop,and fouling.By optimizing the concentration cycle of the CCWS,water conservation and fouling control can be achieved.The model can obtain the optimal operating parameters for different operation intervals,including the number of pumps,frequency,and valve local resistance coefficient.Sensitivity experiments on cycle and environmental temperature reveal that as the cycle increases,the marginal benefits of energy/water conservation decrease.In periods with minimal impact on fouling rate,energy/water conservation can be achieved by increasing the cycle while maintaining a low fouling rate.Overall,the proposed model has significant energy/water saving effects and can comprehensively optimize the CCWS through its incorporation of fouling and cycle optimization.

Using Fuzzy Theory and Variable Weights for Water Quality Evaluation in Poyang Lake, China

Achieving water purity in Poyang Lake has become a major concern in recent years, thus appropriate evaluation of spatial and temporal water quality variations has become essential. Variations in 11 water quality parameters from 15 sampling sites in Poyang Lake were investigated from 2009 to 2012. An integrative fuzzy variable evaluation(IFVE) model based on fuzzy theory and variable weights was developed to measure variations in water quality. Results showed that: 1) only chlorophyll-a concentration and Secchi depth differed significantly among the 15 sampling sites(P < 0.01), whereas the 11 water quality parameters under investigation differed significantly throughout the seasons(P < 0.01). The annual variations of all water quality variables except for temperature, electrical conductivity, suspended solids and total phosphorus were considerable(P < 0.05). 2) The IFVE model was reasonable and flexible in evaluating water quality status and any possible ′bucket effect′. The model fully considered the influences of extremely poor indices on overall water quality. 3) A spatial analysis indicated that anthropogenic activities(particularly industrial sewage and dredging) and lake bed topography might directly affect water quality in Poyang Lake. Meanwhile, hydrological status and sewage discharged into the lake might be responsible for seasonal water quality variations.

Analytical solution for the time-fractional heat conduction equation in spherical coordinate system by the method of variable separation

In this paper,using the fractional Fourier law,we obtain the fractional heat conduction equation with a time-fractional derivative in the spherical coordinate system.The method of variable separation is used to solve the timefractional heat conduction equation.The Caputo fractional derivative of the order 0 〈 α≤ 1 is used.The solution is presented in terms of the Mittag-Leffler functions.Numerical results are illustrated graphically for various values of fractional derivative.

Variable Stars in the 50BiN Open Cluster Survey.Ⅲ.NGC 884

Open clusters are the basic building blocks that serve as a laboratory for the study of young stellar populations in the Milky Way.Variable stars in open clusters provide a unique way to accurately probe the internal structure,temporal and dynamical evolutionary stages of individual stars and the host cluster.The most powerful tool for such studies is time-domain photometric observations.This paper follows the route of our previous work,concentrating on a photometric search for variable stars in NGC 884.The target cluster is the companion of NGC869,forming the well-known double cluster system that is gravitationally bound.From the observation run in 2016 November,a total of 9247 B-band CCD images and 8218Ⅴ-band CCD images were obtained.We detected a total of 15 stars with variability in visual brightness,including five Be stars,three eclipsing binaries,and seven of unknown types.Two new variable stars were discovered in this work.We also compared the variable star content of NGC 884 with its companion NGC 869.

An Efficient Multiple-Dimensional Finite Element Solution for Water Flow in Variably Saturated Soils

Multiple-dimensional water flow in variably saturated soils plays an important role in ecological systems such as irrigation and water uptake by plant roots; its quantitative description is usually based on the Richards＇ equation. Because of the nonlinearity of the Richards＇ equation and the complexity of natural soils, most practical simulations rely on numerical solutions with the nonlinearity solved by iterations. The commonly used iterations for solving the nonlinearity are Picard and Newton methods with the former converging at first-order rate and the later at second-order rate. A recent theoretical analysis by the authors, however, revealed that for solving the diffusive flow, the classical Picard method is actually a chord-Newton method, converging at a rate faster than first order; its linear convergence rate is due to the treatment of the gravity term. To improve computational efficiency, a similar chord-Newton method as for solving the diffusive term was proposed to solve the gravity term. Testing examples for one-dimensional flow showed significant improvement. The core of this method is to produce a diagonally dominant matrix in the linear system so as to improve the iteration-toiteration stability and hence the convergence. In this paper, we develop a similar method for multiple-dimensional flow and compare its performance with the classical Picard and Newton methods for water flow in soils characterised by a wide range of van Genuchten parameters.

Diatom distribution in surface sediments from Chinese inshore waters and the relationship to modern environmental variables

Diatoms are widely used to study past and present changes in the marine environment. Unimodal models are appropriate for exploring the relationship between environmental properties in Chinese inshore waters and fossil diatom species derived from modem surface sediments. The best-fit relationships between two multivariate datasets （diatom species and environmental variables） were identified using canonical correspondence analysis （CCA）, which is a constrained ordination technique. The absolute abundance of diatoms in the Chinese inshore waters ranged from 500 to 48 000 valves/g, and the average absolute abundance of all the 29 sites was l l 300 valves/g. 153 species and varieties of diatoms belonging to 42 genera in all were identified in the Chinese inshore waters. There were 28 dominant diatom species in all. According to the absolute abundance of the dominant species and the spatial distribution of the currents from the Chinese inshore waters, 12 diatom assemblages were distinguished from north to south, which reflected the different oceanographic conditions at the regional scale. Of the eight environmental variables considered, the most important environmental variable is winter sea surface salinity （WSS）, which was also the only environmental variable with statistical significance. Therefore, it may be used to establish a transfer functions for the Chinese inshore waters in future paleoclimate studies.

G328: A Small-Amplitude Red Variable with a Period Near One Day

G328 = A65 = L3314 （V = 13.83, B - V = 1.91） is a field star in the direction of the globular cluster M4. If we take E（B - V） = 0.40, then its （B - V）0 = 1.51, corresponding to a spectral type of K5Ⅲ if it is a giant star; or of dM2 if it is a dwarf. Observations at both the MSSSO and Yunnan Observatory have shown that G328 is a new variable with peak to peak amplitude ≌ 0.05 mag in V. While it is not unusual for so red a star to be a variable, special attention must be paid to its short period of about one day. If the variability is due to pulsation, the spectral type and luminosity as well as effective temperature should be determined in order to compare it with Xiong＇s theory.

New Variable Stars Discovered as By-product of the Beijing Astronomical Observatory Supernova Survey

The Beijing Astronomical Observatory (BAO) 0.6 m telescope has been used for nearby supernova survey in more than 3000 fields, covering a total area of 235 deg2. More than 260000 CCD images have been collected since April 1996, with 45 supernovae discovered. We searched for variables in about 90000 images taken during 1996-1998. For the fields in which long period variables (LPVs) were discovered, we reduced further images taken from 1999 to 2000, for the period estimation. Among the 280000 stars selected from the survey fields, i.e., brighter than 18 mag, we discovered seven new LPVs and reconfirmed three known LPVs. Additionally, we found 146 variable star candidates, and reconfirmed about 20 previously known or suspected objects.

Associations between IL-1RN variable number of tandem repeat, IL-1β (-511) and IL-1β (+3954) gene polymorphisms and urolithiasis in Uighur children of China

Objective:Interleukin-1(IL-1)is a pro-inflammatory cytokine which may be related to urolithiasis.Genetic polymorphisms of the interleukin-1beta(IL-1β)have been proposed as markers for urolithiasis in some areas.Due to the high incidence of urolithiasis in Uighur children(Xinjiang,China)and existence of ethnic difference,our aim is to explore the potential of IL-1 gene polymorphisms and urolithiasis among these children.Methods:Genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood of 115 patients and 98 controls were used for genotype polymorphisms analyses.IL-1 receptor antagonist(IL-1RN)gene variable number of tandem repeat(VNTR)gene polymorphisms were analyzed by PCR method.PCR-based restriction analysis was done for the IL-1β(-511)and IL-1β(+3954)gene polymorphisms by endonucleases Ava I and Taq I,respectively.The genotype distribution,allele frequencies,carriage rate,and haplotype frequencies were statistically analyzed.Results:No significant differences were observed in genotypic frequencies between pediatric urolithiasis patients and control group for IL-1RN gene(χ^(2)=1.906,p=0.605),IL-1β(-511)gene(χ^(2)=0.105,p=0.949),or IL-1β(+3954)gene(χ^(2)=3.635,p=0.169).There were yet no significant differences of the allele frequencies of IL-1RN VNTR gene(p=0.779),IL-1β(-511)gene(p=0.941),and IL-1β(+3954)gene(p=0.418)in the case and control groups,as well as the carriage rate and haplotype of them(all p>0.05).Conclusions:The associations between IL-1RN VNTR,IL-1β(-511)and IL-1β(+3954)genes polymorphisms and urolithiasis were not significant in Uighur children.The results need to be confirmed in studies with larger population sample size,as well as in other ethnic groups.

Physical parameters and orbital period variation of a newly discovered cataclysmic variable GSC 4560-02157

GSC 4560-02157 is a new eclipsing cataclysmic variable with an orbital period of 0.265359 days. By using the published V- and R-band data together with our observations, we discovered that the O - C curve of GSC 4560-02157 may show a cyclic variation with a period of 3.51 years and an amplitude of 1.40 min. If this variation is caused by a light travel-time effect via the existence of a third body, then its mass can be derived as M3 sin i1≈ 91.08 Mjup, and it should be a low-mass star. In addition, several physical parameters were measured. The color of the secondary star was determined to be V - R = 0.77（±0.03） which corresponds to a spectral type of K2-3. The secondary star＇s mass was estimated as M2 = 0.73（±0.02） Mo by combing the derived V - R value around phase 0 with the assumption that it obeys the mass-luminosity relation for main sequence stars. This mass is consistent with the mass-period relation for CV donor stars. For the white dwarf, the eclipse durations and contacts of the white dwarf yield an upper limit on the white dwarf＇s radius corresponding to a lower limit on mass of M1 ≈ 0.501 M⊙. The overestimated radius and previously published spectral data indicate that the boundary layer may have a very high temperature.

A Preliminary Analysis of Trace-Elemental Signatures in Statoliths of Different Spawning Cohorts for Dosidicus gigas off EEZ Waters of Chile

We applied solution-based ICP-MS method to quantify the trace-elemental signatures in statoliths of jumbo flying squid, Dosidius gigas, which were collected from the waters off northern and central Chile during the scientific surveys carried out by Chinese squid jigging vessels in 2007 and 2008. The age and spawning date of the squid were back-calculated based on daily increments in statoliths. Eight elemental ratios(Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca, Mg/Ca, Mn/Ca, Na/Ca, Fe/Ca, Cu/Ca and Zn/Ca) were analyzed. It was found that Sr is the second most abundant element next to Ca, followed by Na, Fe, Mg, Zn, Cu, Ba and Mn. There was no significant relationship between element/Ca and sea surface temperature(SST) and sea surface salinity(SSS), although weak negative or positive tendency was found. MANOVA analysis showed that multivariate elemental signatures did not differ among the cohorts spawned in spring, autumn and winter, and no significant difference was found between the northern and central sampling locations. Classification results showed that all individuals of each spawned cohorts were correctly classified. This study demonstrates that the elemental signatures in D. gigas statoliths are potentially a useful tool to improve our understanding of its population structure and habitat environment.

Wind-Driven Ocean Circulation in Shallow Water Lattice Boltzmann Model

A lattice Boltzmann (LB) model with overall second-order accuracy is applied to the 1.5-layer shallow water equation for a wind-driven double-gyre ocean circulation. By introducing the second-order integral approximation for the collision operator, the model becomes fully explicit. In this case, any iterative technique is not needed. The Coriolis force and other external forces are included in the model with second-order accuracy, which is consistent with the discretized accuracy of the LB equation. The numerical results show correct physics of the ocean circulation driven by the double-gyre wind stress with different Reynolds numbers and different spatial resolutions. An intrinsic low-frequency variability of the shallow water model is also found. The wind-driven ocean circulation exhibits subannual and interannual oscillations, which are comparable to those of models in which the conventional numerical methods are used.

Spatial and Temporal Variability of Water Vapor Content during 1961-2011 in Tianshan Mountains,China

Based on the climate factors data and surface vapor pressure （SVP） data of 44 weather stations in Tianshan Mountains during the years 1961-2011, this paper establishes a water vapor content （WVC） estimation model according to the relationship between monthly WVC of radiosonde and corresponding SVP and analyzes the spatial and temporal variability of WVC and their causes. The results show that the WVC is linearly and negatively related to the elevation and longitude （Vertical zonality and Longitude zonality）, while it was not linearly related to the latitude. The westerly wind, geographical situation and sea level elevation composed complex surface conditions to influence the spatial distribution of WVC in the Tianshan Mountains. The Mann-Kendall （M-K） statistical test shows a significant increasing trend in the mean annual WVC in Tianshan Mountains during 1961- 2011（P 〈 0.001）, with a rate of 0.23 mm/decade, and indicates an abrupt turning point in 1985 （P.〈0.001）. Correlation analysis shows that the WVC are significantly correlated to the temperature, especially during the winter, but the summer WVC are significantly correlated to the precipitation. In addition, the North Atlantic Oscillation Index （NAOI） and the Arctic Oscillation Index （AOI） are significantly correlated to the winter WVC in the Tianshan Mountains. As a new Microwave radiometric profilers （MWRPs） instrument, the MP- 3000A provides continuous, real-time and high temporal resolution atmospheric profiles up to 10 km. In order to monitor water vapor and atmosphere profiles in Tianshan Mountains, an MP-3000A was established in Urumqi （43.8°N, 87.58°N） in May 2008. The results indicated that the MP-3oooA was applicable to this area, and the evolutionary process of water vapor and the WVC peak values of MP- 3000A were a strong signal for rainstorm and flood forecasts for Urumqi and the Tianshan Mountains.

Three-dimensional hydrodynamic model of Xiamen waters

A semi-implicit and Eulerian - Lagrangian finite difference method for three-dimensionalshallow flow has been extended to a more complete system of equations incorporating second-moment turbulence closure model and transport equations of salinity and temperature. The simulation for flooding and drying of mudflats has been improved. The model is applied to Xiamen waters. Based on extensive survey data, water level elevation, temperature and salinity field along the eastern open boundary and at the Jiulong River inlets and runoffs are analyzed, specified and calibrated. The computed results show good agreement with the measured data, reproduce flooding, emergence of large and complex mudflat region.

The diffusive fluxes of inorganic nitrogen across the intertidal sediment-water interface of the Changjiang Estuary in China

Ammonium and nitrate concentrations were analyzed in near-bottom water and pore water collected from ten stations of the intertidal flat of the Changjiang Estuary during April, July, November and February. The magnitudes of the benthic exchange fluxes were determined on the basis of concentration gradients of ammonium and nitrate at the near-bottom water and interstitial water interface in combination with calculations of a modified Fick＇ s first law. Ammonium fluxes varied from - 5.05 to 1.43 μg/（ cm^2·d） and were greatly regulated by the production of ammonium in surface sediments, while nitrate fluxes ranged from - 0. 38 to 1.36 μg/ （ cm^2·d） and were dominated by nitrate concentrations in the tidal water. It was found that ammonium was mainly released from sediments into water columns at most of stations whereas nitrate was mostly diffused from overlying waters to intertidal sediments. In total, 823.75 t/a ammonium-N was passed from intertidal sediments to water while about 521.90 t/a nitrate-N was removed from overlying waters to intertidal sediments. This suggests that intertidal sediments had the significant influence on modulating inorganic nitrogen in the tidal water.