Search Results (272)

Creating a comfortable microclimate in the premises of buildings is currently becoming one of the priorities in the field of architecture, construction and engineering systems. The increased attention from the scientific community to this topic is due not only to the desire to ensure healthy and favorable conditions for human life but also to the need for the rational use of energy resources. This area is becoming particularly relevant in the context of global challenges related to climate change, rising energy costs and increased environmental requirements. Practice shows that any technical solutions to ensure comfortable temperature, humidity and air exchange in rooms should be closely linked to the concept of energy efficiency. This allows one not only to reduce operating costs but also to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby contributing to sustainable development and environmental safety. In this connection, this study presents a parametric assessment of the influence of climatic and geometric factors on the aerodynamic characteristics of the air cavity, which affect the heat exchange process in the ventilated layer of curtain wall systems. The assessment was carried out using a combined analytical calculation method that provides averaged thermophysical parameters, such as mean air velocity ($V_s$), average internal surface temperature ($t_{in.s}^{av}$), and convective heat transfer coefficient (${\alpha }_s$) within the air cavity. This study resulted in empirical average values, demonstrating that the air velocity within the cavity significantly depends on atmospheric pressure and façade height difference. For instance, a 10-fold increase in façade height leads to a 4.4-fold increase in air velocity. Furthermore, a three-fold variation in local resistance coefficients results in up to a two-fold change in airflow velocity. The cavity thickness, depending on atmospheric pressure, was also found to affect airflow velocity by up to 25%. Similar patterns were observed under ambient temperatures of +20 °C, +30 °C, and +40 °C. The analysis confirmed that airflow velocity is directly affected by cavity height, while the impact of solar radiation is negligible. However, based on the outcomes of the analytical model, it was concluded that the method does not adequately account for the effects of solar radiation and vertical temperature gradients on airflow within ventilated façades. This highlights the need for further full-scale experimental investigations under hot climate conditions in South Kazakhstan. The findings are expected to be applicable internationally to regions with comparable climatic characteristics. Ultimately, a correct understanding of thermophysical processes in such structures will support the advancement of trends such as Lightweight Design, Functionally Graded Design, and Value Engineering in the development of curtain wall systems, through the optimized selection of façade configurations, accounting for temperature loads under specific climatic and design conditions. Full article

Atmospheric climate science lacks the capacity to integrate thermodynamics with the gravitational potential of air in a classical quantum theory. To what extent can we identify Carnot’s ideal heat engine cycle in reversible isothermal and isentropic phases between dual temperatures partitioning heat flow with coupled work processes in the atmosphere? Using statistical action mechanics to describe Carnot’s cycle, the maximum rate of work possible can be integrated for the working gases as equal to variations in the absolute Gibbs energy, estimated as sustaining field quanta consistent with Carnot’s definition of heat as caloric. His treatise of 1824 even gave equations expressing work potential as a function of differences in temperature and the logarithm of the change in density and volume. Second, Carnot’s mechanical principle of cooling caused by gas dilation or warming by compression can be applied to tropospheric heat–work cycles in anticyclones and cyclones. Third, the virial theorem of Lagrange and Clausius based on least action predicts a more accurate temperature gradient with altitude near 6.5–6.9 °C per km, requiring that the Gibbs rotational quantum energies of gas molecules exchange reversibly with gravitational potential. This predicts a diminished role for the radiative transfer of energy from the atmosphere to the surface, in contrast to the Trenberth global radiative budget of ≈330 watts per square metre as downwelling radiation. The spectral absorptivity of greenhouse gas for surface radiation into the troposphere enables thermal recycling, sustaining air masses in Lagrangian action. This obviates the current paradigm of cooling with altitude by adiabatic expansion. The virial-action theorem must also control non-reversible heat–work Carnot cycles, with turbulent friction raising the surface temperature. Dissipative surface warming raises the surface pressure by heating, sustaining the weight of the atmosphere to varying altitudes according to latitude and seasonal angles of insolation. New predictions for experimental testing are now emerging from this virial-action hypothesis for climate, linking vortical energy potential with convective and turbulent exchanges of work and heat, proposed as the efficient cause setting the thermal temperature of surface materials. Full article

Thermal sensors are widely used in medical, industrial and other fields, where the requirements for high sensitivity and portability continues to increase. Here we propose a suspended bridge structure fabricated using MEMS, which effectively shrinks the size and reduces heat loss. This study reviews current sensor-related theories of heat conduction, convective heat transfer and thermal radiation. Heat loss models for suspended and non-suspended bridge structures are established, and finite element analysis is conducted to evaluate their thermal performance. The thermal performance of the suspended bridge structure is further validated through infrared temperature measurements on the manufactured sensor device. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the proposed suspension bridge structure reduces heat loss by 88.64% compared with traditional designs. Benefiting from this improved heat retention, which was also confirmed by infrared thermography, the thermal sensor fabricated based on the suspension bridge structure achieves an ultra-high sensitivity of 0.38 V/W and a fast response time of less than 200 ms, indicating a high accuracy in thermal characterization. The correlation coefficient obtained for the sensor output voltage and input power of the sensor is approximately 1.0. Based on this design, multiple microfluidic channels with suspended bridge structures can be integrated to realize multi-component detection, which is important for the development of multifunctional biomedical detection. Full article

A significant portion of energy losses in industrial systems arises from the inefficient use of high-temperature exhaust gases, emphasizing the need for enhanced heat recovery strategies. This study aims to improve energy efficiency by examining the effects of radiation-intensifying inserts on combined radiative and convective heat transfer in flue-gas heated channels. A systematic literature review revealed a research gap in understanding the interaction between these mechanisms in flue-gas heat exchangers. To address this, analytical calculations were conducted for two geometries: a radiation-intensifying plate between parallel plates and the same insert in a circular pipe. The analysis covered a range of gas-flue and wall temperatures (560–1460 K and 303–393 K, respectively), flow velocities, and spectral emissivity values. Key performance metrics included Reynolds and Nusselt numbers to assess flow resistance and heat transfer. Results indicated that flue-gas temperature has the most significant effect on total rate of heat transfer, and the insert significantly enhanced radiative heat transfer by over 60%, increasing flow resistance. A local Nusselt number minimum at a length-to-diameter ratio of approximately 26 suggested transitional flow behavior. These results provide valuable insights for the design of high-temperature heat exchangers, with future work planned to validate the findings experimentally. Full article

The combustion of gaseous fuels in condensing boilers contributes to the greenhouse gas and toxic compound emissions in exhaust gases. Hydrogen, as a clean energy carrier, could play a key role in decarbonizing the residential heating sector. However, its significantly different combustion behavior compared to hydrocarbon fuels requires thorough investigation prior to implementation in heating systems. This study presents experimental and theoretical analyses of the co-combustion of natural gas with hydrogen in low-power-output condensing boilers (second and third generation), with hydrogen content of up to 50% by volume. The results show that mixtures of hydrogen and natural gas contribute to increasing heat transfer in boilers through convection and flue gas radiation. They also highlight the benefits of using the heat from the condensation of vapors in the flue gases. Other studies have observed an increase in efficiency of up to 1.6 percentage points compared to natural gas at 50% hydrogen content. Up to a 6% increase in the amount of energy recovered by water vapor condensation was also recorded, while exhaust gas losses did not change significantly. Notably, the addition of hydrogen resulted in a substantial decrease in the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO). At 50% hydrogen content, NO_x emissions decreased several-fold to 2.7 mg/m³, while CO emissions were reduced by a factor of six, reaching 9.9 mg/m³. All measured NO_x values remained well below the current regulatory limit for condensing gas boilers, which is 33.5 mg/m³. These results highlight the potential of hydrogen blending as a transitional solution on the path toward cleaner residential heating systems. Full article

Hot metal is produced in a blast furnace. Subsequently, the hot metal is loaded from the blast furnace into a torpedo car and transported to the ladle, where the desulfurization process of the hot metal is realized. After desulfurization, the hot metal is poured from the ladle into the oxygen converter. The temperature of the hot metal has an impact on the steelmaking process realized in the oxygen converter. The complex model presented in the article calculates the temperature drop of the hot metal in the torpedo car and the ladle. Predicting the hot metal temperature behavior allows for determining the length of time the hot metal transport requires and thus initiating steelmaking at its required hot metal temperature. This model, based on heat transfer by conduction, convection, radiation, heat accumulation, and chemical reactions, also allows for the monitoring of the hot metal temperature drop in the torpedo car and the ladle, the analysis of the influence of the linings in terms of heat accumulation, the investigation of the desulfurization process in the ladle, and the optimization torpedo and ladle selection in terms of the accumulated heat in the lining for their entry into the hot metal transport process. An absolute and relative error calculation was used to verify the proposed model. Full article

As global mineral resources at shallow depths continue to deplete, thermal hazards have emerged as a critical challenge in deep mining operations. Conventional localized cooling systems suffer from a fundamental inefficiency where their cooling capacity is rapidly dissipated by the main ventilation airstream. This study introduces the innovative concept of a “microclimatic circulation zone” implemented through a convection–radiation cooling system. The design incorporates a synergistic arrangement of dual fans and flow-guiding baffles that creates a semi-enclosed air circulation field surrounding the modular convection–radiation cooling apparatus, effectively preventing cooling capacity loss to the primary ventilation flow. The research develops comprehensive theoretical models characterizing both internal and external heat transfer mechanisms of the modular convection–radiation cooling system. Using Fluent computational fluid dynamics software, we constructed an integrated heat–moisture–flow coupled numerical model that identified optimal operating parameters: refrigerant velocity of 0.2 m/s, inlet airflow velocity of 0.45 m/s, and outlet aperture height of 70 mm. Performance evaluation conducted at a mining operation in Yunnan Province utilized the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index as the assessment criterion. Results demonstrate that the enhanced microclimatic circulation system exhibits superior cooling retention capabilities, with a 19.83% increase in refrigeration power and merely 3% cooling capacity dissipation at a 7 m distance, compared to 19.23% in the conventional system. Thermal field analysis confirms that the improved configuration successfully establishes a stable microclimatic circulation zone with significantly more concentrated low-temperature regions. This effectively addresses the principal limitation of conventional systems where conditioned air is readily dispersed by the main ventilation current. The approach presented offers a novel technological pathway for localized thermal environment management in deep mining operations affected by heat stress conditions. Full article

Vibrational double diffusion has gained increasing attention in recent studies due to its role in enhancing mixing, disrupting thermal boundary layers, and stabilizing convection structures, especially in nanofluids and porous media. This study focuses on the case of two-phase nanofluid flow in the presence of vibrational effects. The flow domain is a fined chamber that is filled with a non-Darcy porous medium. Two concentration formulations are proposed for the species concentration and nanoparticle concentration. The thermal radiation is in both the x- and y-directions, while the flow domain is considered to be inclined. The solution technique depends on an effective finite volume method. The periodic behaviors of the stream function, Nusselt numbers, and Sherwood numbers against the progressing time are presented and interpreted. From the major results, a significant reduction in harmonic behaviors of the stream function is obtained as the lengths of the fins are raised while the gradients of the temperature and concentration are improved. Also, a higher rate of heat and mass transfer is obtained when the vibration frequency is raised. Furthermore, for fixed values of the Rayleigh number and vibration frequency (Ra = 10⁴, σ = 500), the heat transfer coefficient improves by 27.2% as the fin length increases from 0.1 to 0.25. Full article

This research investigates the impact of second-order slip conditions, Stefan flow, and convective boundary constraints on the stagnation-point flow of couple stress nanofluids over a solid sphere. The nanofluid density is expressed as a nonlinear function of temperature, while the diffusion-thermo effect, chemical reaction, and thermal radiation are incorporated through linear models. The governing equations are transformed using appropriate non-similar transformations and solved numerically via the finite difference method (FDM). Key physical parameters, including the heat transfer rate, are analyzed in relation to the Dufour number, velocity, and slip parameters using an artificial neural network (ANN) framework. Furthermore, response surface methodology (RSM) is employed to optimize skin friction, heat transfer, and mass transfer by considering the influence of radiation, thermal slip, and chemical reaction rate. Results indicate that velocity slip enhances flow behavior while reducing temperature and concentration distributions. Additionally, an increase in the Dufour number leads to higher temperature profiles, ultimately lowering the overall heat transfer rate. The ANN-based predictive model exhibits high accuracy with minimal errors, offering a robust tool for analyzing and optimizing the thermal and transport characteristics of couple stress nanofluids. Full article

The prevailing fire-resistant design of steel structures typically relies on the premise of localized heating, whereas the overall temperature increase resulting from the dispersion of hot smoke is frequently oversimplified. These theoretical simplifications may result in considerable structural safety risks. This research utilized the Transient Thermo-Mechanical Coupling Theory and developed a double-layer steel frame finite element model using ABAQUS 2023 software. The simulation of multi-physics field coupling involving smoke convection-radiation heat transfer and nonlinear structure response in fire situations was accomplished by establishing 24 sets of comparative conditions over three distinct premises. Upon comparing the conditions with the greatest displacement values across the three situations, it was concluded that when hot smoke is produced in the initial room, it commences diffusion into adjacent rooms both horizontally and vertically. In comparison to the scenario that disregards the dispersion of hot smoke, the displacement of the components escalated by 342.3%. The dispersion of hot smoke reveals that the displacement of components in the center room of the fire’s origin was 23.1% greater than in the corner room, while the displacement in the second-story room was 115.6% greater than in the first-story room. The use of fireproof coating markedly diminished component displacement in the context of hot smoke dispersion, achieving an 82.8% reduction in displacement among components in identical positions. The enhanced vulnerability model augmented the precision of forecasting the ongoing failure of steel frames by 29.1%. Full article

When the vapour–gas mixture flow heats the cold walls of a heat exchanger, condensed phase (solid and liquid) precipitation can occur on their surfaces. This study aims to improve a model of thermohydraulic processes in a heat exchanger during condensed phase precipitation on its cold surfaces. The process is considered to occur when a multi-component solid-phase layer and a liquid film are simultaneously formed on the wall. Heat is transferred to the interface surface through radiation and convection and due to the phase transition of diffusing components. The mass flow to the interphase surface is determined for each diffusing component. The developed model allows for the calculation of heat transfer parameters in both steady-state and transient conditions, taking into account the formation of a multi-component condensed phase on cold walls. Full article

Estimation of the heating or cooling capacity of radiant systems requires selecting appropriate internal heat transfer coefficients by convection (CHTCs) and radiation (RHTCs). Due to practical reasons, their measurement during the normal use of buildings is very troublesome. This study attempts to present the results of measurements of CHTCs and RHTCs taken in an office room located in a passive building with a heated concrete ceiling. Special attention was paid to the proper choice of reference temperatures. For better accuracy, view factors for radiant heat exchange were calculated using Matlab. Average values of CHTCs and RHTCs calculated from measurements amounted to 0.80 W/m²K and 5.66 W/m²K. RHTCs showed a significant correlation against the ceiling temperature, with the coefficient of determination being R² = 0.96. Finally, the total heat transfer coefficient of 6.47 W/m²K was obtained. These values are comparable with other studies and standards and confirm that measurements were performed correctly. Full article

The inhomogeneous distribution of temperature in bridges causes stresses and strains inside the structure, thus affecting the safety and durability of bridges. Therefore, the study of temperature action in bridge structures is crucial; boundary conditions of the temperature field are critical to study them. In this study, the calculation method of the boundary conditions for the three-dimensional temperature field of box girders in the natural environment is investigated by taking box girders as the object, which integrates the solar radiation, environmental radiation, structural shading effect, and convective heat transfer between the inner and outer surfaces of box girders. The effects of the atmospheric transparency coefficient and concrete short-wave absorptivity on the temperature field distribution of box girders were also investigated. It is shown that the calculation results obtained by the method in this study are in good agreement with the measured results, and the method can effectively simulate the three-dimensional temperature field of the box girder. The atmospheric transparency coefficient and the short-wave absorptivity of concrete have a significant effect on the temperature field distribution of box girders, and materials with lower short-wave absorptivity can be used in the design of box girders to reduce the structural temperature. Full article

In addition to convective heat transfer, radiation heat transfer constitutes a significant component of the thermal performance of Passive Containment Air-Cooling System (PAS). The installation of radiation plates within the PAS flow channel enhances the convective heat transfer area between the wall and the air, an effect that should not be overlooked. ANSYS Fluent was employed to investigate how the placement and quantity of radiation plates influence the heat transfer efficiency of PAS. The computational results indicate that radiation plates can substantially enhance the thermal performance of PAS. Specifically, when a radiation plate is positioned 0.9 m from the inner wall of the concrete shell, an improvement in PAS heat transfer power by as much as 34.4% can be achieved. However, it was observed that increasing the number of radiation plates has a minimal impact on overall performance; thus, utilizing multiple plates does not further augment the PAS heat transfer capability. Nonetheless, incorporating several radiation plates may contribute to lowering the temperature of the concrete shell. Based on this research, it can be concluded that strategically arranging radiation plates significantly improves the PAS heat transfer capacity. While multiple radiation plates do not provide additional enhancements to heat transfer efficiency under normal conditions, they remain a viable option for mitigating concrete shell temperatures during accident scenarios. Full article

Grain storage in silos plays a fundamental role in preserving the quality and safety of agricultural products. This study presents a comparative evaluation of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) mathematical models to predict the temperature and moisture distribution during unventilated corn storage in cylindrical silos with conical roofs. The models incorporate external temperature fluctuations, solar radiation, grain moisture equilibrium with air humidity via sorption isotherm (water activity), and grain respiration to simulate real-world storage conditions. The 2D model offers computational efficiency and is suitable for preliminary assessments but simplifies natural convection effects and underestimates axial temperature gradients. Conversely, the 3D model provides a detailed representation of heat and moisture transfer phenomena, capturing complex interactions such as buoyancy-driven flow and localized effects of solar radiation. The results reveal that temperature and moisture accumulation are more pronounced in the upper regions of the silo, driven by solar radiation and natural convection, with significant implications for large-scale silos where thermal inertia plays a key role. This dual modeling approach demonstrates that while the 2D model is valuable for quick evaluations, the 3D model is essential for comprehensive insights into thermal and moisture gradients. The findings support informed decision-making in silo design, optimization, and management, enhancing grain storage strategies globally. Full article