Thermal Experience in an Era of Low Exergy Domestic Heating Systems

Existing theories of thermal comfort are largely blind to the way heat is delivered to spaces.Field studies,however,show that people create and enjoy thermal conditions that lie outside conventional definitions of comfort-the thermal experience itself is valued-some of which are tied to particular ways of delivering heat.The concept“exergy”can be used to describe the quality of heat energy and its ability to provide warmth.A shift from fossil fuels towards renewable sources heralds a new era of space heating consisting mainly of low exergy sources,such as heat pumps.This marks a major turning point in the history of domestic heating.This paper begins by discussing variations in domestic thermal environments before considering new forms of low carbon heating.Later sections analyse the way in which these systems deliver heat within people’s homes and consider the implications for thermal experience,comfort and energy consumption.

Effect of Different Heating Systems in Cucumber Production Greenhouses in Varamin Region on Crop Yield, Volume and Cost of Gas Consumed

This research was conducted to study the effect of different heating systems in cucumber production greenhouses in Varamin region,Tehran province,Iran on crop yield,volume and cost of gas consumed.Three types of conventional heating systems,namely the central heating system(including boiler+hot water pipes),gas heater system(including double-walled tank+blower)and traditional furnace system(including ignition chamber+torch+pipes carrying a mixture of hot air and flammable gases)were studied during two consecutive periods of greenhouse cucumber cultivation in the cold season(from January to June),and average values of crop yield,volume and cost of gas consumed were determined separately.Results of the study indicated that the central heating system with the highest crop yield(295 tžha^-1),and the lowest volume(100,000 m3žha^-1)and cost(210,000,000 Rialsžha^-1)of gas consumed was the best and most suitable heating system for greenhouses producing cucumbers in Varamin region and other regions with the same and similar climate as well as regions with active greenhouses in the cold season.

Effects of Different Heating Systems on Cucumber Yield in Greenhouses and Cost and Gas Volume Consumed in Varamin Region

This research was conducted to investigate the effects of three heating systems on cucumber yield,and cost and gas volume consumed in greenhouses located in Varamin region,Tehran province,Iran.Conventional heating systems used in the greenhouses are:central heating system(including boiler+hot water pipes),gas heater system(including double-walled tank+blower)and traditional furnace system(including ignition chamber+torch+pipes carrying a mixture of hot air and flammable gases).The study was carried out for two consecutive cucumber cultivation periods from January to June.Average values of crop yield,volume and cost of gas consumed were determined separately for each heating system.Results of the study indicated that the central heating system with the highest crop yield(295 t/ha),and the lowest volume(100,000 m^(3)/ha)and cost(840 USD/ha)of gas consumed was the best and most suitable heating system for greenhouses producing cucumbers in Varamin region and other regions with the same and similar climate as well as regions with active greenhouses in the cold season.

Passive Heating Systems:A Case Study in a Brazilian Mountainous Region

The study of thermal comfort in the built environment is of great relevance since it stimulates the development of more sustainable buildings suited to the local climate and able to meet the human need for well-being.The objective of this research was to develop,construct and test a passive heating system adaptable to existing buildings,reducing the need for major interventions and increasing thermal comfort in the indoor environment.The adopted methodological approach was a case study in a single-family residence located in the Brazilian city of Petrópolis,a mountainous region with a humid subtropical climate and a rigorous winter.The proposed passive heating system is totally isolated,thus mitigating air infiltration and promoting increase of temperature in the internal environment through the absorption of solar energy and greenhouse effect.This kind of solution is especially interesting for residents of this region,since most of the city buildings are not adequately prepared to handle low temperatures.Thus,given local climatic conditions,residents need to spend a lot of money on the acquisition and operation of electric or gas heating systems.The results indicated that the developed system,in fact,increased the temperature of the studied room when compared to an adjacent room,which did not receive the device.The findings of this paper,therefore,provide a valuable reference for experts and practitioners in the selection of heating systems to be used in cold regions,and proved that passive systems can provide thermal comfort at the same time that optimize the interaction of the building with the local ecosystem.

BENEFITS AND COSTS IN SELECTING FUEL FOR MUNICIPALITY HEATING SYSTEMS WITH THE ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS

Municipal economy problems are of a complex nature. Existing requirements for sustainable development make us apply various criteria while solving these problems. These can, for example, include economic, financial, social and environmental criteria. To handle them effectively, multi-criteria analysis should be applied. Decisions about heat production and delivery systems belong to such multidisciplinary problems. They were usually resolved in the past using classical numerical methodology that took into account only the technical and economic merits of the various alternatives. By applying multi-criteria tools instead it is possible to obtain more realistic results and make more effective decisions. The Analytical Hierarchy Process （AHP） seems to be a good alternative to fill the existing gap between decision-making as it is actually practiced and the traditional methods when applied to selecting district heating （DH） systems. This paper presents such an application. Our application is to select the best heat energy source for a DH system for a medium sized city located in Poland. Our results led to an interesting conclusion with regard to the best heat energy source. Our results suggest that intensifying the effort to make widespread the use of more efficient, but financially more costly, energy sources is the best.

Present Status of JT-60SA Project and Development of Heating Systems for JT-60SA

Present status of the JT-60SA （JT-60 Super Advanced） project, implemented jointly by Europe and Japan since 2007, is described. The design of the main tokamak components was completed in late 2008, and all the scientific missions are preserved to contribute to ITER and DEMO reactors. The construction of the JT-60SA has begun with procurement activities for the superconducting magnet systems, vacuum vessel, in-vessel components and other components under the relevant procurement arrangements between the implementing agencies of JAEA （Japan Atomic Energy Agency） in Japan and Fusion for Energy in Europe. Designs and developments of the auxiliary heating systems for JT-60SA have been progressing at JAEA so as to provide the total injection power of 41 MW for 100 s.

Enhancing Wind Power Integration through Optimal Use of Flexibility in Multi-Carrier Energy Systems from the Danish Perspective

Denmark’ goal of being independent of fossil energy sources in 2050 puts forward great demands on all energy subsystems (electricity, heat, gas and transport, etc.) to be operated in a holistic manner. The Danish experience and challenges of wind power integration and the development of district heating systems are summarized in this paper. How to optimally use the cross-sectoral flexibility by intelligent control (model predictive control-based) of the key coupling components in an integrated heat and power system including electrical heat pumps in the demand side, and thermal storage applications in buildings is investigated.

Optimization Study of Active-Passive Heating System Parameters in Village Houses in the Southern Xinjiang Province

Aiming at the problems of large energy consumption and serious pollution of winter heating existing in the rural buildings in Southern Xinjiang,a combined active-passive heating system was proposed,and the simulation software was used to optimize the parameters of the system,according to the parameters obtained from the optimization,a test platform was built and winter heating test was carried out.The simulation results showed that the thickness of the air layer of 75 mm,the total area of the vent holes of 0.24 m^(2),and the thickness of the insulation layer of 120 mm were the optimal construction for the passive part;solar collector area of 28 m^(2),hot water storage tank volume of 1.4 m3,mass flow rate of 800 kg/h on the collector side,mass flow rate of 400 kg/h on the heat exchanger side,and output power of auxiliary heat source of 5∼9 kWwere the optimal constructions for active heating system.Test results showed that during the heating period,the system could provide sufficient heat to the room under different heating modes,and the indoor temperature reached over 18°C,which met the heating demand.The economic and environmental benefits of the system were analyzed,and the economic benefits of the systemwere better than coal-fired heating,and the CO_(2) emissionswere reduced by 3,292.25 kg compared with coalfiredheating.The results of the study showed that the combinedactive-passiveheating systemcouldeffectively solve the heating problems existing in rural buildings in Southern Xinjiang,and it also laid the theoretical foundation for the popularization of the combined heating systems.

District heating system operation in power systems with high share of wind power

The integration of continuously varying and not easily predictable wind power generation is affecting the stability of the power system and leads to increasing demand for balancing services.In this study,a short-term operation model of a district heating system is proposed to optimally schedule the production of both heat and power in a system with high wind power penetration.The application of the model in a case study system shows the increased flexibility offered by the coordination of power generation,consumption and heat storage units which are available in district heating systems.

Concentrations and Allocation of NO₂Emissions to Different Sources in a Distinctive Italian Region after the COVID-19 Lockdown

Nitrogen dioxide concentrations, being short-lived pollutants, are good indicators of changes in emission sources and economic slowdowns. This analysis focuses on the Greater Salento region (Italy) and aims to monitor, by investigating the relative sources, the changes of NO2 tropospheric concentrations notoriously related to vehicular traffic exhausts and, in general, to fossil fuel combustion processes which are now apparently linked to many COVID-19 patients deaths. The principle objective of this paper is to map the tropospheric NO2 local distribution and to extrapolate, from the overall data of average daily concentrations of NO2 as recorded by the ARPA-Puglia ground-based monitoring stations, the single contributions and their mutual relationships of the different diffuse emission sources (motor vehicles and domestic heating systems) by identifying, the environmental background threshold of this pollutant of each geographic area, thanks to the simplified situation determined by the COVID-19 lockdown. The analyzed territory (the so-called “Greater Salento” or Salento Peninsula) is very unusual because there are two provinces with large industrial settlements, Taranto, with the steel area of ex-ILVA, and Brindisi, with petrochemical and thermoelectric power plants, which enclose a territory, the province of Lecce, free of any industrial plants of such sizes and their environmental impacts. From the results of this study, in addition to confirming the obvious and overall decrease of NO2 concentrations (-23.2% compared to previous year) during the lockdown period, interesting and distinctive local allocations of nitrogen dioxide concentrations to different sources have also emerged: heating household systems, and not road traffic, are the main sources of this dangerous pollutant in this region, with an average quota of 44.3%. The studied regional situation is so significant as to allow broader considerations regarding to other similar international areas.

Feasibility Analysis of the Operation Strategies for Combined Cooling, Heating and Power Systems (CCHP) based on the Energy-Matching Regime

Although numerous studies have considered the two traditional operation strategies:following the electric load(FEL)and following the thermal load(FTL),for combined cooling,heating,and power(CCHP)systems in different case studies,there are limited theoretical studies on the quantification methods to assess the feasibility of these two strategies in different load demands scenarios.Therefore,instead of a case study,we have undertaken a theoretical analysis of the suitable application scenarios for FEL and FTL strategies based on the energy-matching performance between systems'provision and users'demands.To compare the calculation models of energy saving rate(ESR)for FEL and FTL strategies in the left and right sub-regions of the energy-supply curve,a comprehensive parameter(^)that combines three inherently influential factors(off-design operation parameter,energy-matching parameter,and install capacity coefficient)is defined to determine the optimal installed capacity and feasibility of FEL or FTL strategies quantitatively.The results indicate that greater value of x contribute to a better energy saving performance,and FEL strategy shows better performance than FTL in most load demands scenarios,and the optimal installed capacity occurs when the load demand points were located in different regions of the energy-supply curve.Finally,taking a hotel in Beijing as an example,the value of the optimal install capacity coefficient is 0.845 and the FEL strategy is also suggested,and compared to the maximum install capacity,the average values of the ESR on a typical summer day,transition season,and winter can be enhanced by 3.9%,8.8%,and 1.89%,respectively.

UNIFORM BLOW-UP PROFILES FOR HEAT EQUATIONS WITH COUPLING NONLOCAL SOURCES OF ASYMMETRIC MIXED TYPE NONLINEARITIES

This article deals with a nonlocal heat system subject to null Dirichlet bound- ary conditions, where the coupling nonlocal sources consist of mixed type asymmetric non- linearities. We at first give the criterion for simultaneous blow-up of solutions, and then establish the uniform blow-up profiles of solutions near the blow-up time. It is observed that not only the simultaneous blow-up rates of the two components u and v are asymmet- ric, but also the blow-up rates of the same component u （or v） may be in different levels under different dominations.

Hydrogen Storage Alloy Pair as a Bus Air Conditioner

A new hydrogen storage alloy pair, La0.6Ml0.4Ni4.7 Cr0.3-La0.2Mm0.8Ni4.35Fe0.65, was developed to serve as a bus hydride air conditioner, which utilizes the waste heat of exhaust gases of a bus as the high temperature source. Under the operating temperature of 150-250 °C/35-40°C/15-20°C, the maximum working hydrogen capacity and the theoretical value of COPc are 4.5 and 0.74 H/mol M respectively, which can meet the practical requirements.

Clustering compression-based computation-efficient calibration method for digital twin modeling of HVAC system

Digital twin is regarded as the next-generation technology for the effective operation of heating,ventilation and air conditioning(HVAC)systems.It is essential to calibrate the digital twin models to match them closely with real physical systems.Conventional real-time calibration methods cannot satisfy such requirements since the computation loads are beyond acceptable tolerances.To address this challenge,this study proposes a clustering compression-based method to enhance the computation efficiency of digital twin model calibration for HVAC systems.This method utilizes clustering algorithms to remove redundant data for achieving data compression.Moreover,a hierarchical multi-stage heuristic model calibration strategy is developed to accelerate the calibration of similar component models.Its basic idea is that once a component model is calibrated by heuristic methods,its optimal solution is utilized to narrow the ranges of parameter probability distributions of similar components.By doing so,the calibration process can be guided,so that fewer iterations would be used.The performance of the proposed method is evaluated using the operational data from an HVAC system in an industrial building.Results show that the proposed clustering compression-based method can reduce computation loads by 97%,compared to the conventional calibration method.And the proposed hierarchical heuristic model calibration strategy is capable of accelerating the calibration process after clustering and saves 14.6%of the time costs.

Energy efficiency of small buildings with smart cooling system in the summer

In this paper,a novel cooling control strategy as part of the smart energy system that can balance thermal comfort against building energy consumption by using the sensing and machine programming technology was investigated.For this goal,a general form of a building was coupled by the smart cooling system(SCS)and the consumption of energy with thermal comfort cooling of persons simulated by using the EnergyPlus software and compared with similar buildings without SCS.At the beginning of the research,using the data from a survey in a randomly selected group of hundreds and by analyzing and verifying the results of the specific relationship between the different groups of people in the statistical society,the body mass index(BMI)and their thermal comfort temperature were obtained,and the sample building was modeled using the EnergyPlus software.The result show that if an intelligent ventilation system that can calculate the thermal comfort temperature was used in accordance with the BMI of persons,it can save up to 35%of the cooling load of the building yearly.