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1 – 10 of over 1000Keramatollah Akbari, Jafar Mahmoudi and Mahdi Ghanbari
The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate indoor radon distribution and ventilation effects. This technique was used to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate indoor radon distribution and ventilation effects. This technique was used to predict and visualize radon content and indoor air quality in a one‐family detached house in Stockholm. The effects of intake fans, exhaust fans and doors on radon concentration were investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study a mechanically balanced ventilation system and a continuous radon monitor (CRM) were used to measure the indoor ventilation rate and radon levels. In a numerical approach, the FLUENT CFD package was used to simulate radon entry into the building and ventilation effects.
Findings
Results of the numerical study indicated that indoor pressure created by ventilation systems and infiltration through doors or windows have significant effects on indoor radon content. The location of vents was found to affect the indoor radon level and distribution.
Research limitations/implications
It may be possible to improve any discrepancies found in this article by using a more refined representation of grids and certain boundary conditions, such as pressure and temperature differences between inside and outside and by considering some real situations in residential buildings and external situations.
Originality/value
From the viewpoints of indoor air quality (IAQ) and energy savings, ventilation has two opposing functions; on the positive side it enhances IAQ and the establishment of thermal comfort, and on the negative side it increases energy consumption. This paper describes the search for a solution to cope with this contradiction.
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Subarna Roy, Sudipta Majumder, Sourin Bhattacharya and Imran Hossain Sardar
An indoor office space should not only provide adequate illuminance on horizontal planes but also cater to the physiological and psychological requirements of the occupants. This…
Abstract
Purpose
An indoor office space should not only provide adequate illuminance on horizontal planes but also cater to the physiological and psychological requirements of the occupants. This paper aims to describe a lighting simulation-based work conducted in Kolkata, India which modeled an indoor office to investigate the effects of variation in room surface reflectance combinations on user perception, mean room surface exitance (MRSE), average horizontal illuminance and overall uniformity of horizontal illuminance.
Design/methodology/approach
A fluorescent illumination system–based office space was modeled and retrofitted with tubular LED lamps in DIALux. Simulations were conducted for 16 different room surface reflectance combinations and a five-point Likert scale-type survey questionnaire was formulated to conduct a survey with 32 test subjects to assess the subjective preferability of each resultant light scene.
Findings
Simulation results demonstrate that the relationship between average horizontal illuminance and MRSE as well as between average horizontal illuminance and overall uniformity of horizontal illuminance, was statistically significant (p < 0.001). In the conducted survey, the resultant light scene arising out of the reflectance combination of wall:ceiling:floor = 60%:90%:20% was the most well-received one with 187 convinced agreements (“agree” and “strongly agree” responses).
Originality/value
This work found strong linear correlation between average horizontal illuminance and MRSE and between average horizontal illuminance and overall uniformity. A five-point Likert scale-type survey questionnaire with seven questions was formulated and validated with 32 test subjects (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.9295), which showed that the wall:ceiling:floor reflectance combination of 60%:90%:20% was the most favored choice.
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The corrosion problem of the tank bottom plate is growing more and more obvious as the usage period of the tank increases. The purpose of this study is to explore the specific…
Abstract
Purpose
The corrosion problem of the tank bottom plate is growing more and more obvious as the usage period of the tank increases. The purpose of this study is to explore the specific effects of various factors on the potential distribution of the tank bottom plate and propose reasonable cathodic protection measures for tanks through simulation and indoor tests.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, several aspects (such as anode conditions, soil resistivity and so on) impacting the potential distribution of the tank bottom plate are explored by means of indoor tests and MATLAB software simulations, and the related results are presented using Origin software plots.
Findings
The results show that the potential value of the tank bottom plate is positively shifted with the increase of anode well depth and distance and the decrease of output current, and the overall potential distribution uniformity is higher; the anodic well output current has the greatest influence on potential distribution; to set up regional cathodic protection in the multitank area, the anodic well should be arranged in the central position between multiple tanks. Regional cathodic protection potential distribution for multiple anodes is more uniform, but a reasonable number of anodes should be selected, usually 2–3 anodes.
Originality/value
This paper provides solid theoretical and technical support for the future establishment of cathodic protection systems in station yards, as well as the renewal and transformation of cathodic protection systems in old tanks, by investigating the influencing factors on the potential distribution of tank bottom plate and verifying them through indoor experiments.
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Rui Pitarma, Miguel Lourenço and João Ramos
Indoor environments are characterized by several pollutant sources. Some of these can be sufficiently characterized through the prediction of the airflow and pollutant…
Abstract
Purpose
Indoor environments are characterized by several pollutant sources. Some of these can be sufficiently characterized through the prediction of the airflow and pollutant distribution patterns. The purpose of this study was to simulate, analyze and compare different locations of known pollutant source inside a ventilated room.
Design/methodology/approach
Computational fluid dynamics modelling approach was used to analyze the prediction of the airflow and pollutant distribution patterns for different locations of known pollutant source inside a ventilated room by mixing ventilation.
Findings
Distinct areas of poor air quality, perfectly identified by concentration fields, were given. The indoor air quality obtained by the different simulated conditions was analyzed and compared.
Research limitations/implications
Pollutant concentration was not measured in the validation experiments (qualitative validation based on the velocity fields).
Practical implications
Once the contaminant concentration fields are calculated based on the source location, the model is very useful to choose the best place to install any pollutant indoor equipment to preserve breathing zones.
Originality/value
Providing an effective indoor air quality assessment to prevent exposure risk. The results would be useful for making decisions to optimize the design procedure, such as establish the best location to install polluting equipment, occupied areas and their interdependence with ventilation systems. In addition, this tool also helps to choose the best location and correct set point adjustment for the pollutant sensors.
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The purpose of this paper is to develop a simple and efficient conservative semi-Lagrangian scheme (SL) for solving advection equation in fast fluid dynamics (FFD), so FFD can…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a simple and efficient conservative semi-Lagrangian scheme (SL) for solving advection equation in fast fluid dynamics (FFD), so FFD can provide fast indoor airflow simulations while preserving conservation for energy and species transport.
Design/methodology/approach
This study thus proposed a mass-fixing type conservative SL that redistributes global surplus/deficit on the advected field after performing the standard semi-Lagrangian advection. The redistribution weights were designed to preserve the properties of conservatives and monotonicity.
Findings
The effectiveness of the conservative SL was validated with several test cases, and the results show that the proposed scheme is indeed conservative with negligible impact on the accuracy of the standard solutions. The numerical tests show that the proposed scheme was indeed conservative with negligible impact on the accuracy of the flow prediction.
Originality/value
The FFD with conservative SL can effectively enforce the energy and species conservation for indoor airflow and predict airflow distributions with reasonable accuracy.
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Subarna Roy and Parthasarathi Satvaya
Good illumination creates an aesthetic environment that may positively influence patients’ well-being and provide comfort to the hospital staff. This study aims to focus on…
Abstract
Purpose
Good illumination creates an aesthetic environment that may positively influence patients’ well-being and provide comfort to the hospital staff. This study aims to focus on exploring the energy efficiency of lighting and subjective perception of the lit environment in a hospital ward to assess quality indicators of ambient lighting conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
The existing conventional tubular fluorescent lamp–based lighting system in the surveyed patients’ ward was retrofitted with light-emitting diode (LED) luminaires to explore illumination and energy parameters. Thereafter, a software lighting model was created, simulated and analyzed. A Web-based survey with five bipolar adjective pairs in a semantic differential scale was conducted with 48 participants to record and analyze their subjective responses pertaining to the variations in lamp types and surface reflectance combinations.
Findings
The findings imply that the LED tubular lamp–based illumination was deemed more adequate compared to other lamp types and the effects of variations in room surface reflectance combinations on the participants’ responses were statistically significant at α = 0.05 level. The simulated horizontal work plane average illuminance level varied from 131 to 171 lx, mean room surface exitance (MRSE) levels remained between 30 and 90 lm/m2 and overall uniformity of illuminance remained between 0.5 and 0.7.
Originality/value
In a hospital ward illuminated by LED tubular lamps, variations in room surface reflectance combinations for a constant luminous flux package output from the lamps may affect the subjective perception of users and the correlation between horizontal work plane average illuminance and MRSE is found to be highly linear (coefficient of determination > 0.97).
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Improper evaluation and information mismanagement concerning thermal comfort appears to negatively affect occupants' satisfaction and building energy consumption in precast…
Abstract
Purpose
Improper evaluation and information mismanagement concerning thermal comfort appears to negatively affect occupants' satisfaction and building energy consumption in precast concrete (PC) building contexts. Predictive models are particularly problematic in PC building construction projects where natural ventilation levels do not coincide with occupants' thermal comfort and thermal sensation specifications.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review is undertaken to explore the viability and benefits of a new ICT-based approach for meeting social and environmental objectives.
Findings
Sophisticated thermal comfort system solutions are essential for optimising thermal comfort and saving energy in PC building construction projects.
Originality/value
It is imperative that designers and manufacturers are kept up-to-date with the possibilities and potentials associated with new and nascent technologies so that building projects can meet key sustainability criteria.
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Jingqi Zhang, Shaohua Jiang and Xiaomin Qi
The purpose of this paper is to conduct a comprehensive study on building, fire and evacuation, so as to effectively improve the efficiency of building fire evacuation and the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to conduct a comprehensive study on building, fire and evacuation, so as to effectively improve the efficiency of building fire evacuation and the management level of fire evacuation site. Make up for the difficulties of BIM technology in effectively connecting building information and fire data.
Design/methodology/approach
First, this paper establishes a fire model and an evacuation model based on BIM information. Then, the safety index (SI) is introduced as a comprehensive index, and the IRI is established by integrating the SI function to evaluate the safety of evacuation routes. Based on these two indices, the IRI-based fire evacuation model is established.
Findings
This study offers an Improved Risk Index (IRI)-based fire evacuation model, which may achieve effective evacuation in fire scenes. And the model is verified by taking the fire evacuation of a shopping center building as an example.
Originality/value
This paper proposes a fire evacuation principle based on IRI, so that the relevant personnel can comprehensively consider the fire factors and evacuation factors to achieve the optimization of building design, thereby improving the fire safety of buildings.
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Jingqi Zhang, Hui Zhao and Ziliang Guo
This paper improves the evaluation index system of green building operation effect and establishes the evaluation model of green building operation effect. It is expected to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper improves the evaluation index system of green building operation effect and establishes the evaluation model of green building operation effect. It is expected to promote energy saving and emission reduction and provide a more scientific evaluation method for green building operation effect evaluation.
Design/methodology/approach
First, 20 key evaluation indexes are selected to establish the operation effective evaluation index system. Then, the combined weight method is proposed to determine the weight of each evaluation index. Next, the gray clustering-fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used to construct the green building operation effective evaluation model. Finally, the feasibility and validity of the selected model were verified by taking Shenzhen Bay One green building in Shenzhen as an example.
Findings
This paper establishes the evaluation system of green building operational effect, and evaluates green building from the angle of operational effect. Taking Shenzhen Bay One project as an example, the rationality and applicability of the model are verified.
Originality/value
In this paper, for the first time, relevant indexes of user experience are included in the evaluation system of green building operational effect, which makes the evaluation system more perfect. In addition, a more scientific fuzzy gray clustering method is used to evaluate the operational effect of green building, and a new evaluation model is established.
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Fei Wang, Yuqiang Liu, Yahui Zhang, Yu Gao, Ling Xiao and Chengdong Wu
A robotic wheelchair system was designed to assist disabled people with disabilities to walk.
Abstract
Purpose
A robotic wheelchair system was designed to assist disabled people with disabilities to walk.
Design/methodology/approach
An anticipated sharing control strategy based on topological map is proposed in this paper, which is used to assist robotic wheelchairs to realize interactive navigation. Then, a robotic wheelchair navigation control system based on the brain-computer interface and topological map was designed and implemented.
Findings
In the field of robotic wheelchairs, the problems of poor use, narrow application range and low humanization are still not improved.
Originality/value
In the system, the topological map construction is not restricted by the environment structure, which helps to expand the scope of application; the shared control system can predict the users’ intention and replace the users’ decision to realize human-machine interactive navigation, which has higher security, robustness and comfort.
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