Diffuse Ceiling Inlet Systems and the Room Air Distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter V.; Jensen, Rasmus Lund; Rong, Li

2010-01-01

A diffuse ceiling inlet system is an air distribution system which is supplying the air through the whole ceiling. The system can remove a large heat load without creating draught in the room. The paper describes measurements in the case of both cooling and heating, and CFD predictions are given...

Diffusion air effects on the soot axial distribution concentration in a premixed acetylene/air flame

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fassani, Fabio Luis; Santos, Alex Alisson Bandeira; Goldstein Junior, Leonardo [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP (Brazil). Faculdade de Engenharia Mecanica. Dept. de Engenharia Termica e de Fluidos]. E-mails: fassani@fem.unicamp.br; absantos@fem.unicamp.br; leonardo@fem.unicamp.br; Ferrari, Carlos Alberto [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, SP (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica. Dept. de Eletronica Quantica]. E-mail: ferrari@ifi.unicamp.br

2000-07-01

Soot particles are produced during the high temperature pyrolysis or combustion of hydrocarbons. The emission of soot from a combustor, or from a flame, is determined by the competition between soot formation and its oxidation. Several factors affect these processes, including the type of fuel, the air-to-fuel ratio, flame temperature, pressure, and flow pattern. In this paper, the influence of the induced air diffusion on the soot axial distribution concentration in a premixed acetylene/air flame was studied. The flame was generated in a vertical axis burner in which the fuel - oxidant mixture flow was surrounded by a nitrogen discharge coming from the annular region between the burner tube and an external concentric tube. The nitrogen flow provided a shield that protected the flame from the diffusion of external air, enabling its control. The burner was mounted on a step-motor driven, vertical translation table. The use of several air-to-fuel ratios made possible to establish the sooting characteristics of this flame, by measuring soot concentration along the flame height with a non-intrusive laser light absorption technique. (author)

Impact of co-flow air on buoyant diffusion flames flicker

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gohari Darabkhani, H., E-mail: h.g.darabkhani@gmail.com [School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, Sackville Street, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); Wang, Q.; Chen, L.; Zhang, Y. [Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Sheffield, Mapping Street, Sheffield S1 3JD (United Kingdom)

2011-08-15

Highlights: {yields} We present the co-flow effects on flickering behaviour of diffusion flames. {yields} Co-flow air is shown to fully suppress the buoyancy driven flame oscillations. {yields} Schlieren and PIV illustrate the shift of outer vortices beyond the flame zone. {yields} Stability controlling parameter as a ratio of air to fuel velocities is presented. {yields} Equation for linear increase in flickering frequency by co-flow air is presented. - Abstract: This paper describes experimental investigation of co-flow air velocity effects on the flickering behaviour of laminar non-lifted methane diffusion flames. Chemiluminescence, high-speed photography, schlieren and Particle Imaging Velocimetry (PIV), have been used to study the changes in the flame/vortex interactions as well as the flame flickering frequency and magnitude by the co-flow air. Four cases of methane flow rates at different co-flow air velocities are investigated. It has been observed that the flame dynamics and stability of co-flow diffusion flames are strongly affected by the co-flow air velocity. When the co-flow velocity has reached a certain value the buoyancy driven flame oscillation was completely suppressed. The schlieren and PIV imaging have revealed that the co-flow of air is able to push the initiation point of the outer toroidal vortices beyond the visible flame to create a very steady laminar flow region in the reaction zone. Then the buoyancy driven instability is only effective in the plume of hot gases above the visible flame. It is observed that a higher co-flow rate is needed in order to suppress the flame flickering at a higher fuel flow rate. Therefore the ratio of the air velocity to the fuel velocity, {gamma}, is a stability controlling parameter. The velocity ratio, {gamma}, was found to be 0.72 for the range of tested flow rates. The dominant flickering frequency was observed to increase linearly with the co-flow rate (a) as; f = 0.33a + 11. The frequency amplitudes

Air pollution and the school air environment

OpenAIRE

Fsadni, Peter; Montefort, Stephen

2015-01-01

There is growing concern about the association of school indoor air quality (SIAQ) with asthma, rhinitis, and rhinoconjunctivitis. Students and school staff deserve the highest standards of school air quality to ensure a safe and productive environment for our children’s education. Existing studies highlight the presence of several air pollutants present within school classrooms that have a direct association with poor health and poor student performance. Very little data exist ab...

Toxic potency and effects of diffuse air pollution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hamers, T.H.M.

2002-01-01

Diffuse air pollution consists of an omnipresent complex mixture of pollutants that is emitted from many widely dispersed sources as traffic, industries, households, energy plants, waste incinerators, and agriculture. It can be deposited in relatively remote areas as a result of

The electrical and diffusive properties of unattached 218Po in air systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leung, H.M.-Y.; Phillips, C.R.

1988-01-01

The electrical and diffusive properties of unattached 218 Po were determined in air environments containing traces of other gases. Of particular interest was the neutralisation of charged, unattached 218 Po. An electrostatic collection apparatus and a pulse width modulated ion mobility analyser were used to determine the fraction of the unattached 218 Po having a positive charge at the end of the recoil path (f); the diffusion coefficient of the neutral, unattached 218 Po Dsub(Α): the mobility of the charged, unattached 218 Po (B); and the neutralisation rate constant of charged, unattached 218 Po (K). Average values found for f, Dsub(Α), B and K were similar to those determined earlier for the argon system. Two mechanisms may be responsible for neutralisation, namely, scavenging of electrons from trace gases (charge transfer), and recombination with negative small ions. Which neutralisation mechanism is dominant depends on the amount and type of trace gas or organic vapour present and the degree of gas ionisation. (author)

Normal diffusion-weighted imaging in cerebral air embolism complicating angiography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sayama, T.; Inamura, T.; Fukui, M. [Dept. of Neurosurgery, Kyushu University Hospital, Fukuoka (Japan); Mitani, M.; Yagi, H. [Dept. of Neurosurgery, Yagi Hospital, Fukuoka (Japan)

2000-03-01

We report a case of cerebral air embolism resulting from accidental air infection during cerebral angiography. A 60-year-old man was accidentally injected with air via the left subclavian artery. Angiography demonstrated air within the basilar artery. The patient showed signs of posterior circulation ischaemia (confusion, blindness, gaze palsy and hemiparesis). However, MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging, showed no abnormality 4 h later. The patient was treated with hyperbaric oxygen within 5 h of the embolism. All symptoms and signs resolved completely within a week. (orig.)

Morphological bubble evolution induced by air diffusion on submerged hydrophobic structures

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Pengyu; Xiang, Yaolei; Xue, Yahui; Lin, Hao; Duan, Huiling

2017-03-01

Bubbles trapped in the cavities always play important roles in the underwater applications of structured hydrophobic surfaces. Air exchange between bubbles and surrounding water has a significant influence on the morphological bubble evolution, which in turn frequently affects the functionalities of the surfaces, such as superhydrophobicity and drag reduction. In this paper, air diffusion induced bubble evolution on submerged hydrophobic micropores under reduced pressures is investigated experimentally and theoretically. The morphological behaviors of collective and single bubbles are observed using confocal microscopy. Four representative evolution phases of bubbles are captured in situ. After depressurization, bubbles will not only grow and coalesce but also shrink and split although the applied pressure remains negative. A diffusion-based model is used to analyze the evolution behavior and the results are consistent with the experimental data. A criterion for bubble growth and shrinkage is also derived along with a phase diagram, revealing that the competition of effective gas partial pressures across the two sides of the diffusion layer dominates the bubble evolution process. Strategies for controlling the bubble evolution behavior are also proposed based on the phase diagram. The current work provides a further understanding of the general behavior of bubble evolution induced by air diffusion and can be employed to better designs of functional microstructured hydrophobic surfaces.

Hospital-acquired infections associated with poor air quality in air-conditioned environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Pinheiro da Silva

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Backgound and Objectives: Individuals living in cities increasingly spend more time indoors in air-conditioned environments. Air conditioner contamination can be caused by the presence of aerosols from the external or internal environment, which may be associated with disease manifestations in patients present in this type of environment. Therefore, the aim of this review was to assess the air quality in air-conditioned hospital environments as a risk factor for hospital-acquired infections – HAI – as the air can be a potential source of infection, as well as assess the exposure of professionals and patients to different pollutants. Material and Methods: A literature review was performed in the LILACS, MEDLINE, SCIELO, SCIENCE DIRECT databases, CAPES thesis database and Ministry of Health – Brazil, including studies published between 1982 and 2008. The literature search was grouped according to the thematic focus, as follows: ventilation, maintenance and cleaning of systems that comprehend the environmental quality standard. Discussion and Conclusion: Outbreaks of hospital-acquired infections associated with Aspergillus, Acinetobacter, Legionella, and other genera such as Clostridium and Nocardia, which were found in air conditioners, were observed, thus indicating the need for air-conditioning quality control in these environments.

Long-term calibration monitoring of Spectralon diffusers BRDF in the air-ultraviolet.

Science.gov (United States)

Georgiev, Georgi T; Butler, James J

2007-11-10

Long-term calibration monitoring of the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of Spectralon diffusers in the air-ultraviolet is presented. Four Spectralon diffusers were monitored in this study. Three of the diffusers, designated as H1, H2, and H3, were used in the prelaunch radiance calibration of the Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet/2 (SBUV/2) satellite instruments on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 14 and 16. A fourth diffuser, designated as the 400 diffuser, was used in the prelaunch calibration of the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) instrument scheduled for initial flight in 2009 on the National Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite System Preparatory Project. The BRDF data of this study were obtained between 1994 and 2005 using the scatterometer located in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Goddard Space Flight Center Diffuser Calibration Laboratory. The diffusers were measured at 13 wavelengths between 230 and 425 nm at the incident and scatter angles used in the prelaunch calibrations of SBUV/2 and OMPS. Spectral features in the BRDF of Spectralon are also discussed. The comparison shows how the air-ultraviolet BRDF of these Spectralon samples changed over time under clean room deployment conditions.

Nitrogen-doped carbonaceous catalysts for gas-diffusion cathodes for alkaline aluminum-air batteries

Science.gov (United States)

Davydova, E. S.; Atamanyuk, I. N.; Ilyukhin, A. S.; Shkolnikov, E. I.; Zhuk, A. Z.

2016-02-01

Cobalt tetramethoxyphenyl porphyrin and polyacrylonitrile - based catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction were synthesized and characterized by means of SEM, TEM, XPS, BET, limited evaporation method, rotating disc and rotating ring-disc electrode methods. Half-cell and Al-air cell tests were carried out to determine the characteristics of gas-diffusion cathodes. Effect of active layer thickness and its composition on the characteristics of the gas-diffusion cathodes was investigated. Power density of 300 mW cm-2 was achieved for alkaline Al-air cell with an air-breathing polyacrylonitrile-based cathode.

Performance of Chilled Beam with Radial Swirl Jet and Diffuse Ceiling Air Supply in Heating Mode

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bertheussen, Bård; Mustakallio, Panu; Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2013-01-01

). The room air temperature was kept at 21 °C. Tracer gas was used to simulate pollution from floor and desk. The experimental conditions comprised: 1) night time without heat sources in the room; the room air conditioning system was used to heat up the room; 2) heat load generated by an occupant (simulated...... by dressed thermal manikin) and a laptop; 3) heating by convectors positioned under the window (convectors used alone and convector used together with CSW supplying isothermal air for ventilation). The heat distribution provided by the systems was not effective compare to the distribution provided......The performance of diffuse ceiling air supply and chilled beam with swirl jet (CSW) in heating mode (winter situation) was studied and compared with regard to the generated indoor environment. An office mock-up with one occupant was simulated in a test room (4.5 x 3.95 x 3.5 m3 (L x W x H...

A novel enhanced diffusion sampler for collecting gaseous pollutants without air agitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Xuelian; Zhuo, Shaojie; Zhong, Qirui; Chen, Yuanchen; Du, Wei; Cheng, Hefa; Wang, Xilong; Zeng, Eddy Y; Xing, Baoshan; Tao, Shu

2018-03-06

A novel enhanced diffusion sampler for collecting gaseous phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) without air agitation is proposed. The diffusion of target compounds into a sampling chamber is facilitated by continuously purging through a closed-loop flow to create a large concentration difference between the ambient air and the air in the sampling chamber. A glass-fiber filter-based prototype was developed. It was demonstrated that the device could collect gaseous PAHs at a much higher rate (1.6 ± 1.4 L/min) than regular passive samplers, while the ambient air is not agitated. The prototype was also tested in both the laboratory and field for characterizing the concentration gradients over a short distance from the soil surface. The sampler has potential to be applied in other similar situations to characterize the concentration profiles of other chemicals.

Numerical Investigation of Laminar Diffusion Flames Established on a Horizontal Flat Plate in a Parallel Air Stream

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. D. Gopalakrishnan

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Numerical investigation of laminar diffusion flames established on a flat plate in a parallel air stream is presented. A numerical model with a multi-step chemical kinetics mechanism, variable thermo-physical properties, multi-component species diffusion and a radiation sub-model is employed for this purpose. Both upward and downward injection of fuel has been considered in a normal gravity environment. The thermal and aerodynamic structure of the flame has been explained with the help of temperature and species contours, net reaction rate of fuel and streamlines. Flame characteristics and stability aspects for several air and fuel velocity combinations have been studied. An important characteristic of a laminar boundary layer diffusion flame with upward injection of fuel is the velocity overshoot that occurs near the flame zone. This is not observed when the fuel is injected in the downward direction. The flame standoff distance is slightly higher for the downward injection of fuel due to increase in displacement thickness of boundary layer. Influence of an obstacle, namely the backward facing step, on the flame characteristics and stability aspects is also investigated. Effects of air and fuel velocities, size and location of the step are studied in detail. Based on the air and fuel velocities, different types of flames are predicted. The use of a backward-facing step as a flame holding mechanism for upward injection of fuel, results in increased stability limits due to the formation of a recirculation zone behind the step. The predicted stability limits match with experimentally observed limits. The step location is seen to play a more important role as compared to the step height in influencing the stability aspects of flames.

Investigation of soot formation and temperature field in laminar diffusion flames of LPG-air mixture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shahad, Haroun A.K.; Mohammed, Yassar K.A. [Babylon Univ., Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Babylon (Israel)

2000-11-01

Soot formation and burnout were studied at atmospheric pressure in co-flowing, axisymmetric buoyant laminar diffusion flames and double flames of liquefied petroleum gases (LPG)-air mixtures. In diffusion flames, two different fuel flow rates were examined. In double flames, three different primary air flow rates were examined. A soot sampling probe and a thermocouple were used to measure the local soot mass concentration and flame temperature, respectively. Flame residence time was predicted using a uniformly accelerated motion model as function of axial distance of the flame. The increase of primary air flow rate was found to suppress the energy transfer from the annular region, at which the soot is produced, to the flame axis. The time required to initiate soot formation at the flame axis becomes longer as the primary air is increased. The trend rate of soot formation was found to be similar along the flame axis in all tested diffusion flames. The increase of primary air by 10% of the stoichiometric air requirement of the fuel results in a 70% reduction in maximum soot concentration. The final exhaust of soot, which is determined by the net effect of soot formation and burnout, is much lower in double flames than that in diffusion flames. (Author)

Singularités de la rhéologie de l'air humide saturé et diffusion moléculaire dans les milieux nuageuxSingularities in the rheology of saturated humid air, and molecular diffusion in cloods

Science.gov (United States)

Bois, Pierre-Antoine

Under realistic assumptions, we propose a thermodynamical formalism providing, for the moist-saturated air (cloudy air), a generalized Fick's law. This Fick's law leads to a double diffusive rheology with Dufour effect. The form taken by the energy equation is slightly different from the classical form used in convection problems. We compare the equations with those of the convection in moist unsaturated air (the Dufour effect and all double diffusive effects disappear in this case). As application we demonstrate some consequences of this diffusion in cloudy convection. To cite this article: P.A. Bois, C. R. Mecanique 330 (2002) 627-632.

Air Distribution in a Room with Ceiling-Mounted Diffusers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter V.; Heby, Thomas; Moeller-Jensen, Bertil

2006-01-01

. The characteristics of the air distribution systems are addressed by analysing the acceptable conditions for the supply flow rate and the temperature difference for the different systems. The paper shows that an air distribution system with ceiling-mounted air terminal units is able to generate comfortable velocity...... with swirling flow generates a flow pattern in the room which is rather uninfluenced by the thermal load. The flow is highly mixed above the occupied zone and the air movement penetrates the occupied zone close to the walls. All systems are tested in the same room with the same heat load consisting of two...... manikins, each sitting at a desk, two pc's and two desk lamps producing a total heat load of 480 W. The design of the air distribution system is in all five cases based on flow elements from the diffuser, a maximum velocity assumption and a critical vertical temperature gradient in the room...

Diffusive flux of PAHs across sediment-water and water-air interfaces at urban superfund sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Minick, D James; Anderson, Kim A

2017-09-01

Superfund sites may be a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the surrounding environment. These sites can also act as PAH sinks from present-day anthropogenic activities, especially in urban locations. Understanding PAH transport across environmental compartments helps to define the relative contributions of these sources and is therefore important for informing remedial and management decisions. In the present study, paired passive samplers were co-deployed at sediment-water and water-air interfaces within the Portland Harbor Superfund Site and the McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site. These sites, located along the Willamette River (Portland, OR, USA), have PAH contamination from both legacy and modern sources. Diffusive flux calculations indicate that the Willamette River acts predominantly as a sink for low molecular weight PAHs from both the sediment and the air. The sediment was also predominantly a source of 4- and 5-ring PAHs to the river, and the river was a source of these same PAHs to the air, indicating that legacy pollution may be contributing to PAH exposure for residents of the Portland urban center. At the remediated McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site, flux measurements highlight locations within the sand and rock sediment cap where contaminant breakthrough is occurring. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2281-2289. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Diffuse plasma treatment of polyamide 66 fabric in atmospheric pressure air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Lee; Peng, Ming-yang; Teng, Yun; Gao, Guozhen

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A cylindrical-electrode nanosecond-pulse diffuse-discharge reactor is presented. • Large-scale non-thermal plasmas were generated steadily in atmospheric air. • Treated PA66 fabric is etched with oxygen-containing group increases. • The hydrophily of treated PA66 fabric improves effectively. • Extending the treatment time is a method to reduce the treatment frequency. - Abstract: The polyamide 66 (PA66) fabrics are hard to be colored or glued in industrial production due to the poor hydrophily. Diffuse plasma is a kind of non-thermal plasma generated at atmospheric pressure in air. This paper proposes that large-scale diffuse plasma generated between wire electrodes can be employed for improving the hydrophily of PA66 fabrics. A repetitive nanosecond-pulse diffuse-discharge reactor using a cylindrical wire electrode configuration is presented, which can generate large-scale non-thermal plasmas steadily at atmospheric pressure without any barrier dielectric. Then the reactor is used to treat PA66 fabrics in different discharge conditions. The hydrophilicity property of modified PA66 is measured by wicking test method. The modified PA66 is also analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to prove the surface changes in physical microstructure and chemical functional groups, respectively. What's more, the effects of treatment time and treatment frequency on surface modification are investigated and discussed.

Analysis and experimental study on formation conditions of large-scale barrier-free diffuse atmospheric pressure air plasmas in repetitive pulse mode

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lee; Liu, Lun; Liu, Yun-Long; Bin, Yu; Ge, Ya-Feng; Lin, Fo-Chang

2014-01-01

Atmospheric air diffuse plasmas have enormous application potential in various fields of science and technology. Without dielectric barrier, generating large-scale air diffuse plasmas is always a challenging issue. This paper discusses and analyses the formation mechanism of cold homogenous plasma. It is proposed that generating stable diffuse atmospheric plasmas in open air should meet the three conditions: high transient power with low average power, excitation in low average E-field with locally high E-field region, and multiple overlapping electron avalanches. Accordingly, an experimental configuration of generating large-scale barrier-free diffuse air plasmas is designed. Based on runaway electron theory, a low duty-ratio, high voltage repetitive nanosecond pulse generator is chosen as a discharge excitation source. Using the wire-electrodes with small curvature radius, the gaps with highly non-uniform E-field are structured. Experimental results show that the volume-scaleable, barrier-free, homogeneous air non-thermal plasmas have been obtained between the gap spacing with the copper-wire electrodes. The area of air cold plasmas has been up to hundreds of square centimeters. The proposed formation conditions of large-scale barrier-free diffuse air plasmas are proved to be reasonable and feasible.

Experimental study of perforated suspended ceilings as diffuse ventilation air inlets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hviid, Christian Anker; Svendsen, Svend

2013-01-01

An experimental study is reported in this paper for a diffuse ceiling ventilation concept. The analyses were carried out with two different porous surfaces mounted in a suspended ceiling: perforated tiles of aluminium and of gypsum. Ventilation air was supplied above the suspended ceiling effecti...... surface which increases the potential and applicability of the concept. Risk of thermal discomfort was not disclosed but the study did show evidence of large fluctuating air movements which could stem from transient behaviour creating sensations of draught to the occupants....

Analytical-numerical method for treatment of turbulent diffusion of particles in the air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arsov, L.J.

1976-01-01

This work deals with the problem of air pollution around a stationary punctual source. For description of air pollution from a punctual source a mathematical model is suggested, and for calculation of effluents concentration an analytical-numerical algorithm is given. In addition to the analitical treatment the mathematical model is far more flexible and complete. Eddy diffusivity is represented by an arbitrary function, and an arbitrary wind velocity profile ahs been proposed. The apsorption of the ground is introduced through a variable apsorption coefficient, and the sedimentation through the mean velocity of deposition. To determine the movement of particles a parabolic equation of diffusion is used. The method has been tested through calculation of effluents concentration for different values of physical parameters

Sustained diffusive alternating current gliding arc discharge in atmospheric pressure air

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhu, Jiajian; Gao, Jinlong; Li, Zhongshan

2014-01-01

Rapid transition from glow discharge to thermal arc has been a common problem in generating stable high-power non-thermal plasmas especially at ambient conditions. A sustained diffusive gliding arc discharge was generated in a large volume in atmospheric pressure air, driven by an alternating...... current (AC) power source. The plasma column extended beyond the water-cooled stainless steel electrodes and was stabilized by matching the flow speed of the turbulent air jet with the rated output power. Comprehensive investigations were performed using high-speed movies measured over the plasma column...

The determination of volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons in air. Sampling rate and efficiency of diffuse samplers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giese, U.; Stenner, H.; Kettrup, A.

1989-05-01

When applicating diffusive sampling-systems to workplace air-monitoring it is necessary to know the behaviour of the diffusive-rate and the efficiency in dependence of concentration, exposition time and the type of pollutant. Especially concerning mixtures of pollutants there are negative influences by competition and mutual displacement possible. Diffusive-rate and discovery for CH/sub 2/Cl/sub 2/ and CHCl/sub 3/ were investigated using two different types of diffuse samplers. For this it was necessary to develop suitable defices for standard gas generation and for the exposition of diffusive-samplers to a standard gas mixture. (orig.).

Advection-diffusion model for the simulation of air pollution distribution from a point source emission

Science.gov (United States)

Ulfah, S.; Awalludin, S. A.; Wahidin

2018-01-01

Advection-diffusion model is one of the mathematical models, which can be used to understand the distribution of air pollutant in the atmosphere. It uses the 2D advection-diffusion model with time-dependent to simulate air pollution distribution in order to find out whether the pollutants are more concentrated at ground level or near the source of emission under particular atmospheric conditions such as stable, unstable, and neutral conditions. Wind profile, eddy diffusivity, and temperature are considered in the model as parameters. The model is solved by using explicit finite difference method, which is then visualized by a computer program developed using Lazarus programming software. The results show that the atmospheric conditions alone influencing the level of concentration of pollutants is not conclusive as the parameters in the model have their own effect on each atmospheric condition.

Preparation of standard mixtures of gas hydrocarbons in air by the diffusion dilution method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, M. R.; Perez, M. M.

1979-01-01

An original diffusion system able to produce continuously gaseous samples is described. This system can generate samples with concentrations of benzene in air from 0.1 to 1 ppm a reproducible way. The diffusion dilution method used Is also studied. The use of this diffusion system has been extended to the preparation of binary mixtures (benzene-toluene). Whit a secondary dilution device is possible preparing these mixtures over a wide range of concentrations (0.11 to 0.04 ppm for benzene and 0.06 to 0.02 for toluene). (Author) 7 refs

Diffuse ceiling ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen

Diffuse ceiling ventilation is an innovative ventilation concept where the suspended ceiling serves as air diffuser to supply fresh air into the room. Compared with conventional ventilation systems, diffuse ceiling ventilation can significantly reduce or even eliminate draught risk due to the low...

DIFFUSE DBD IN ATMOSPHERIC AIR AT DIFFERENT APPLIED PULSE WIDTHS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ekaterina Alexandrovna Shershunova

2015-02-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the realization and the diagnostics of the volume diffuse dielectric barrier discharge in 1-mm air gap when applying high voltage rectangular pulses to the electrodes. The effect of the applied pulse width on the discharge dissipated energy was studied in detail. It was found experimentally, the energy stayed nearly constant with the pulse elongation from 600 ns to 1 ms.

Diffusive flux of methane from warm wetlands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barber, T.R.; Burke, R.A.; Sackett, W.M. (Univ. of South Florida, St. Petersburg (USA))

1988-12-01

Diffusion of methane across the air-water interface from several wetland environments in south Florida was estimated from measured surface water concentrations using an empirically derived gas exchange model. The flux from the Everglades sawgrass marsh system varied widely, ranging from 0.18 + or{minus}0.21 mol CH{sub 4}/sq m/yr for densely vegetated regions to 2.01 + or{minus}0.88 for sparsely vegetated, calcitic mud areas. Despite brackish salinities, a strong methane flux, 1.87 + or{minus}0.63 mol CH{sub 4}/sq m/yr, was estimated for an organic-rich mangrove pond near Florida Bay. The diffusive flux accounted for 23, 36, and 13% of the total amount of CH{sub 4} emitted to the atmosphere from these environments, respectively. The average dissolved methane concentration for an organic-rich forested swamp was the highest of any site at 12.6 microM; however, the calculated diffusive flux from this location, 2.57 + or{minus}1.88 mol CH{sub 4}/sq m/yr, was diminished by an extensive plant canopy that sheltered the air-water interface from the wind. The mean diffusive flux from four freshwater lakes, 0.77 + or{minus}0.73 mol CH{sub 4}/sq m/yr, demonstrated little temperature dependence. The mean diffusive flux for an urbanized, subtropical estuary was 0.06 + or{minus}0.05 mol CH{sub 4}/sq m/yr.

Effect of Soret diffusion on lean hydrogen/air flames at normal and elevated pressure and temperature

KAUST Repository

Zhou, Zhen; Hernandez Perez, Francisco; Shoshin, Yuriy; van Oijen, Jeroen A.; de Goey, Laurentius P.H.

2017-01-01

The influence of Soret diffusion on lean premixed flames propagating in hydrogen/air mixtures is numerically investigated with a detailed chemical and transport models at normal and elevated pressure and temperature. The Soret diffusion influence on the one-dimensional (1D) flame mass burning rate and two-dimensional (2D) flame propagating characteristics is analysed, revealing a strong dependency on flame stretch rate, pressure and temperature. For 1D flames, at normal pressure and temperature, with an increase of Karlovitz number from 0 to 0.4, the mass burning rate is first reduced and then enhanced by Soret diffusion of H2 while it is reduced by Soret diffusion of H. The influence of Soret diffusion of H2 is enhanced by pressure and reduced by temperature. On the contrary, the influence of Soret diffusion of H is reduced by pressure and enhanced by temperature. For 2D flames, at normal pressure and temperature, during the early phase of flame evolution, flames with Soret diffusion display more curved flame cells. Pressure enhances this effect, while temperature reduces it. The influence of Soret diffusion of H2 on the global consumption speed is enhanced at elevated pressure. The influence of Soret diffusion of H on the global consumption speed is enhanced at elevated temperature. The flame evolution is more affected by Soret diffusion in the early phase of propagation than in the long run due to the local enrichment of H2 caused by flame curvature effects. The present study provides new insights into the Soret diffusion effect on the characteristics of lean hydrogen/air flames at conditions that are relevant to practical applications, e.g. gas engines and turbines.

Effect of Soret diffusion on lean hydrogen/air flames at normal and elevated pressure and temperature

KAUST Repository

Zhou, Zhen

2017-04-12

The influence of Soret diffusion on lean premixed flames propagating in hydrogen/air mixtures is numerically investigated with a detailed chemical and transport models at normal and elevated pressure and temperature. The Soret diffusion influence on the one-dimensional (1D) flame mass burning rate and two-dimensional (2D) flame propagating characteristics is analysed, revealing a strong dependency on flame stretch rate, pressure and temperature. For 1D flames, at normal pressure and temperature, with an increase of Karlovitz number from 0 to 0.4, the mass burning rate is first reduced and then enhanced by Soret diffusion of H2 while it is reduced by Soret diffusion of H. The influence of Soret diffusion of H2 is enhanced by pressure and reduced by temperature. On the contrary, the influence of Soret diffusion of H is reduced by pressure and enhanced by temperature. For 2D flames, at normal pressure and temperature, during the early phase of flame evolution, flames with Soret diffusion display more curved flame cells. Pressure enhances this effect, while temperature reduces it. The influence of Soret diffusion of H2 on the global consumption speed is enhanced at elevated pressure. The influence of Soret diffusion of H on the global consumption speed is enhanced at elevated temperature. The flame evolution is more affected by Soret diffusion in the early phase of propagation than in the long run due to the local enrichment of H2 caused by flame curvature effects. The present study provides new insights into the Soret diffusion effect on the characteristics of lean hydrogen/air flames at conditions that are relevant to practical applications, e.g. gas engines and turbines.

The influence of fuel-air swirl intensity on flame structures of syngas swirl-stabilized diffusion flame

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Weiwei; Xiong, Yan; Mu, Kejin; Zhang, Zhedian; Wang, Yue; Xiao, Yunhan

2010-06-01

Flame structures of a syngas swirl-stabilized diffusion flame in a model combustor were measured using the OH-PLIF method under different fuel and air swirl intensity. The flame operated under atmospheric pressure with air and a typical low heating-value syngas with a composition of 28.5% CO, 22.5% H2 and 49% N2 at a thermal power of 34 kW. Results indicate that increasing the air swirl intensity with the same fuel, swirl intensity flame structures showed little difference except a small reduction of flame length; but also, with the same air swirl intensity, fuel swirl intensity showed great influence on flame shape, length and reaction zone distribution. Therefore, compared with air swirl intensity, fuel swirl intensity appeared a key effect on the flame structure for the model combustor. Instantaneous OH-PLIF images showed that three distinct typical structures with an obvious difference of reaction zone distribution were found at low swirl intensity, while a much compacter flame structure with a single, stable and uniform reaction zone distribution was found at large fuel-air swirl intensity. It means that larger swirl intensity leads to efficient, stable combustion of the syngas diffusion flame.

Gas diffusion, non-Darcy air permeability, and computed tomography images of a clay subsoil affected by compaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schjønning, Per; Lamandé, Mathieu; Berisso, Feto Esimo

2013-01-01

Soil productivity and other soil functions are dependent on processes in the untilled subsoil. Undisturbed soil cores were collected at the 0.3- to 0.4-m depth from a heavy clay soil in Finland subjected to a single heavy traffic event by agricultural machinery three decades before sampling....... Untrafficked control plots were used as a reference. Computed tomography (CT) scanning was performed on soil cores at a field-sampled field capacity water content. Gas diffusion and air permeability were measured when the soil cores were drained to −1000 hPa matric potential (air permeability also at −100...... and −300 hPa). The air-filled pore space was measured with an air pycnometer and also calculated from mass balance and CT data. Gas diffusion and air permeability were also measured on a straight model tube and on autoclaved aerated concrete. The compaction treatment had not influenced soil total porosity...

Air quality and passenger comfort in an air-conditioned bus micro-environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xiaoxuan; Lei, Li; Wang, Xingshen; Zhang, Yinghui

2018-04-12

In this study, passenger comfort and the air pollution status of the micro-environmental conditions in an air-conditioned bus were investigated through questionnaires, field measurements, and a numerical simulation. As a subjective analysis, passengers' perceptions of indoor environmental quality and comfort levels were determined from questionnaires. As an objective analysis, a numerical simulation was conducted using a discrete phase model to determine the diffusion and distribution of pollutants, including particulate matter with a diameter air quality and dissatisfactory thermal comfort conditions in Jinan's air-conditioned bus system. To solve these problems, three scenarios (schemes A, B, C) were designed to alter the ventilation parameters. According to the results of an improved simulation of these scenarios, reducing or adding air outputs would shorten the time taken to reach steady-state conditions and weaken the airflow or lower the temperature in the cabin. The airflow pathway was closely related to the layout of the air conditioning. Scheme B lowered the temperature by 0.4 K and reduced the airflow by 0.01 m/s, while scheme C reduced the volume concentration of PM 10 to 150 μg/m 3 . Changing the air supply angle could further improve the airflow and reduce the concentration of PM 10 . With regard to the perception of airflow and thermal comfort, the scheme with an airflow provided by a 60° nozzle was considered better, and the concentration of PM 10 was reduced to 130 μg/m 3 .

Numerical Simulation to Air Pollution Emission Control near an Industrial Zone

OpenAIRE

Oyjinda, Pravitra; Pochai, Nopparat

2017-01-01

A rapid industrial development causes several environment pollution problems. One of the main problems is air pollution, which affects human health and the environment. The consideration of an air pollutant has to focus on a polluted source. An industrial factory is an important reason that releases the air pollutant into the atmosphere. Thus a mathematical model, an atmospheric diffusion model, is used to estimate air quality that can be used to describe the sulfur dioxide dispersion. In thi...

Outdoor-indoor air pollution in urban environment: Challenges and opportunity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dennis Y.C. eLeung

2015-01-01

Full Text Available With the continual improvement in our quality of life, indoor air quality has become an important area of concern in the 21st century. Indoor air quality is affected by many factors including the type and running conditions of indoor pollution sources, ventilation conditions, as well as indoor activities. Studies revealed that the outdoor environment is also an important factor that cannot be neglected for indoor air quality studies. In this review, the indoor and outdoor air pollution relationships obtained from different studies are discussed in order to identify the key factors affecting the indoor air quality. As climate change is recognized as imposing impacts on the environment, how it affects the indoor air quality and the health impacts to the occupants will be evaluated in this paper. The major challenges and opportunities in indoor/outdoor air pollution studies will be highlighted.

Investigations into exhaust air plume diffusion in the atmosphere. Progress report July 1973 - June 1974. P. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vogt, K.J.; Geiss, H.; Horbert, M.; Nordsieck, H.; Polster, G.; Rohloff, F.

1974-09-01

The paper is the first part of the status report on the research project 'Diffusion of pollutants in the atmosphere and environmental hazards'. It investigates the diffusion of exhaust air plumes in tracer experiments, thereby continuing the present investigations of the same issue. (orig./AK) [de

Fractional Diffusion in Gaussian Noisy Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guannan Hu

2015-03-01

Full Text Available We study the fractional diffusion in a Gaussian noisy environment as described by the fractional order stochastic heat equations of the following form: \\(D_t^{(\\alpha} u(t, x=\\textit{B}u+u\\cdot \\dot W^H\\, where \\(D_t^{(\\alpha}\\ is the Caputo fractional derivative of order \\(\\alpha\\in (0,1\\ with respect to the time variable \\(t\\, \\(\\textit{B}\\ is a second order elliptic operator with respect to the space variable \\(x\\in\\mathbb{R}^d\\ and \\(\\dot W^H\\ a time homogeneous fractional Gaussian noise of Hurst parameter \\(H=(H_1, \\cdots, H_d\\. We obtain conditions satisfied by \\(\\alpha\\ and \\(H\\, so that the square integrable solution \\(u\\ exists uniquely.

Diffusion layer characteristics for increasing the performance of activated carbon air cathodes in microbial fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Xiaoyuan; He, Weihua; Yang, Wulin; Liu, Jia; Wang, Qiuying; Liang, Peng; Huang, Xia; Logan, Bruce E.

2016-01-01

The characteristics of several different types of diffusion layers were systematically examined to improve the performance of activated carbon air cathodes used in microbial fuel cells (MFCs). A diffusion layer of carbon black and polytetrafluoroethylene (CB + PTFE) that was pressed onto a stainless steel mesh current collector achieved the highest cathode performance. This cathode also had a high oxygen mass transfer coefficient and high water pressure tolerance (>2 m), and it had the highest current densities in abiotic chronoamperometry tests compared to cathodes with other diffusion layers. In MFC tests, this cathode also produced maximum power densities (1610 ± 90 mW m−2) that were greater than those of cathodes with other diffusion layers, by 19% compared to Gore-Tex (1350 ± 20 mW m−2), 22% for a cloth wipe with PDMS (1320 ± 70 mW m−2), 45% with plain PTFE (1110 ± 20 mW m−2), and 19% higher than those of cathodes made with a Pt catalyst and a PTFE diffusion layer (1350 ± 50 mW m−2). The highly porous diffusion layer structure of the CB + PTFE had a relatively high oxygen mass transfer coefficient (1.07 × 10−3 cm s−1) which enhanced oxygen transport to the catalyst. The addition of CB enhanced cathode performance by increasing the conductivity of the diffusion layer. Oxygen mass transfer coefficient, water pressure tolerance, and the addition of conductive particles were therefore critical features for achieving higher performance AC air cathodes.

RESIDENCE TIMES OF PARTICLES IN DIFFUSIVE PROTOPLANETARY DISK ENVIRONMENTS. I. VERTICAL MOTIONS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciesla, F. J.

2010-01-01

The chemical and physical evolution of primitive materials in protoplanetary disks are determined by the types of environments they are exposed to and their residence times within each environment. Here, a method for calculating representative paths of materials in diffusive protoplanetary disks is developed and applied to understanding how the vertical trajectories that particles take impact their overall evolution. The methods are general enough to be applied to disks with uniform diffusivity, the so-called constant-α cases, and disks with a spatially varying diffusivity, such as expected in 'layered-disks'. The average long-term dynamical evolution of small particles and gaseous molecules is independent of the specific form of the diffusivity in that they spend comparable fractions of their lifetimes at different heights in the disk. However, the paths that individual particles and molecules take depend strongly on the form of the diffusivity leading to a different range of behavior of particles in terms of deviations from the mean. As temperatures, gas densities, chemical abundances, and photon fluxes will vary with height in protoplanetary disks, the different paths taken by primitive materials will lead to differences in their chemical and physical evolution. Examples of differences in gas phase chemistry and photochemistry are explored here. The methods outlined here provide a powerful tool that can be integrated with chemical models to understand the formation and evolution of primitive materials in protoplanetary disks on timescales of 10 5 -10 6 years.

Electronic air cleaners and the indoor environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krafthefer, B.

1986-01-01

The growing awareness over the quality of air in the indoor environment is driving the search for effective control methods for the contaminants of concern. Electronic air cleaners can control such pollutants as dust, pollen, tobacco smoke, radon decay products, and other particulates. This paper presents an examination of the various types of electronic air cleaners and their effects on indoor pollutants. It also examines the mechanism for contaminant removal, the relationship of the efficiency to the characteristics of the contaminant, and what type of contaminants can be controlled with the electronic air cleaner, with particular emphasis placed on the removal of radon decay products. From a study on radon product removal in residences, the electronic air cleaner was found to have an efficiency of up to 70%. Not only was there a reduction in the residential working level, but the fluctuations in the working level were also reduced. With this information, they can better understand how to solve the air treatment problem of the inhabited space. 17 references, 8 figures

Computational Fluid Dynamics and Room Air Movement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter Vilhelm

2004-01-01

on the mass fraction transport equation. The importance of ?false? or numerical diffusion is also addressed in connection with the simple description of a supply opening. The different aspects of boundary conditions in the indoor environment as e.g. the simulation of Air Terminal Devices and the simulation......Nielsen, P.V. Computational Fluid Dynamics and Room Air Movement. Indoor Air, International Journal of Indoor Environment and Health, Vol. 14, Supplement 7, pp. 134-143, 2004. ABSTRACT Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and new developments of CFD in the indoor environment as well as quality...... considerations are important elements in the study of energy consumption, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in buildings. The paper discusses the quality level of Computational Fluid Dynamics and the involved schemes (first, second and third order schemes) by the use of the Smith and Hutton problem...

[Measurement of Chemical Compounds in Indoor and Outdoor Air in Chiba City Using Diffusive Sampling Devices].

Science.gov (United States)

Sakamoto, Hironari; Uchiyama, Shigehisa; Kihara, Akiko; Tsutake, Toyoshige; Bekki, Kanae; Inaba, Yohei; Nakagome, Hideki; Kunugita, Naoki

2015-01-01

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a major concern, because people on average spend the vast majority of their time indoors and they are repeatedly exposed to indoor air pollutants. In this study, to assess indoor air quality in Chiba City, gaseous chemical compounds were surveyed using four types of diffusive sampler. Gaseous chemical compounds such as carbonyls, volatile organic compounds (VOC), acid gases, basic gases, and ozone were measured in indoor and outdoor air of 50 houses throughout Chiba City in winter and summer. Four types of diffusive sampler were used in this study: DSD-BPE/DNPH packed with 2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine and trans-1,2-bis(2-pyridyl)ethylene-coated silica for ozone and carbonyls; VOC-SD packed with Carboxen 564 particles for volatile organic compounds; DSD-TEA packed with triethanolamine-impregnated silica for acid gases; and DSD-NH3 packed with phosphoric acid-impregnated silica for basic gases. Almost all compounds in indoor air were detected at higher concentrations in summer than in winter. However, the nitrogen dioxide concentration in indoor air particularly increased only in winter, which well correlated with the formic acid concentration (correlation coefficient=0.974). The compound with the highest concentrations in indoor air was p-dichlorobenzene, with recorded levels of 13,000 μg m(-3) in summer and 1,100 μg m(-3) in winter in indoor air. p-Dichlorobenzene in summer and nitrogen dioxide in winter are detected at markedly high concentrations. Pollution control and continuous monitoring of IAQ are indispensable for human health.

Diffusion in crowded biological environments: applications of Brownian dynamics

OpenAIRE

Długosz, Maciej; Trylska, Joanna

2011-01-01

Biochemical reactions in living systems occur in complex, heterogeneous media with total concentrations of macromolecules in the range of 50 - 400 mg/ml. Molecular species occupy a significant fraction of the immersing medium, up to 40% of volume. Such complex and volume-occupied environments are generally termed 'crowded' and/or 'confined'. In crowded conditions non-specific interactions between macromolecules may hinder diffusion - a major process determining metabolism, transport, and sign...

Partitioned airs at microscale and nanoscale: thermal diffusivity in ultrahigh porosity solids of nanocellulose

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, Koh; Kobayashi, Yuri; Saito, Tsuguyuki; Isogai, Akira

2016-02-01

High porosity solids, such as plastic foams and aerogels, are thermally insulating. Their insulation performance strongly depends on their pore structure, which dictates the heat transfer process in the material. Understanding such a relationship is essential to realizing highly efficient thermal insulators. Herein, we compare the heat transfer properties of foams and aerogels that have very high porosities (97.3-99.7%) and an identical composition (nanocellulose). The foams feature rather closed, microscale pores formed with a thin film-like solid phase, whereas the aerogels feature nanoscale open pores formed with a nanofibrous network-like solid skeleton. Unlike the aerogel samples, the thermal diffusivity of the foam decreases considerably with a slight increase in the solid fraction. The results indicate that for suppressing the thermal diffusion of air within high porosity solids, creating microscale spaces with distinct partitions is more effective than directly blocking the free path of air molecules at the nanoscale.

Potential contamination of shipboard air samples by diffusive emissions of PCBs and other organic pollutants: implications and solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Lohmann, Rainer; Jaward, Foday M; Durham, Louise; Barber, Jonathan L; Ockenden, Wendy; Jones, Kevin C; Bruhn, Regina; Lakaschus, Soenke; Dachs, Jordi; Booij, Kees

2004-07-15

Air samples were taken onboard the RRS Bransfield on an Atlantic cruise from the United Kingdom to Halley, Antarctica, from October to December 1998, with the aim of establishing PCB oceanic background air concentrations and assessing their latitudinal distribution. Great care was taken to minimize pre- and post-collection contamination of the samples, which was validated through stringent QA/QC procedures. However, there is evidence that onboard contamination of the air samples occurred,following insidious, diffusive emissions on the ship. Other data (for PCBs and other persistent organic pollutants (POPs)) and examples of shipboard contamination are presented. The implications of these findings for past and future studies of global POPs distribution are discussed. Recommendations are made to help critically appraise and minimize the problems of insidious/diffusive shipboard contamination.

Turbulent eddy diffusion models in exposure assessment - Determination of the eddy diffusion coefficient.

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Yuan; Ramachandran, Sandhya; Arnold, Susan; Ramachandran, Gurumurthy

2017-03-01

The use of the turbulent eddy diffusion model and its variants in exposure assessment is limited due to the lack of knowledge regarding the isotropic eddy diffusion coefficient, D T . But some studies have suggested a possible relationship between D T and the air changes per hour (ACH) through a room. The main goal of this study was to accurately estimate D T for a range of ACH values by minimizing the difference between the concentrations measured and predicted by eddy diffusion model. We constructed an experimental chamber with a spatial concentration gradient away from the contaminant source, and conducted 27 3-hr long experiments using toluene and acetone under different air flow conditions (0.43-2.89 ACHs). An eddy diffusion model accounting for chamber boundary, general ventilation, and advection was developed. A mathematical expression for the slope based on the geometrical parameters of the ventilation system was also derived. There is a strong linear relationship between D T and ACH, providing a surrogate parameter for estimating D T in real-life settings. For the first time, a mathematical expression for the relationship between D T and ACH has been derived that also corrects for non-ideal conditions, and the calculated value of the slope between these two parameters is very close to the experimentally determined value. The values of D T obtained from the experiments are generally consistent with values reported in the literature. They are also independent of averaging time of measurements, allowing for comparison of values obtained from different measurement settings. These findings make the use of turbulent eddy diffusion models for exposure assessment in workplace/indoor environments more practical.

The diffusion and deposition of the gaseous and solid alpha radionuclides/aerosols in air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danis, A.; Ciubotariu, M.; Oncescu, M.; Mocsy, I.

1999-01-01

The diffusion and deposition of gaseous and solids alpha radionuclides and aerosols in air are processes which implicate low element amounts and therefore their studies require the using of very accurate and sensitive analysis methods. The alpha track method meets these requirements. The used alpha radionuclides were: Rn-222, as gaseous radionuclide and its solid descendants genetically related as solid radionuclides and the descendants attached to different particles from air as alpha aerosols. All these radionuclides were obtained from a calibrated Ra-226 source. The source was included into an air tight device with a well known volume and used after 40 days when the Ra-226 and its alpha descendants were under radioactive equilibrium. The relative amount and activity of each decay product, at any duration, for any initial mass of Ra-226 parent radionuclide, were calculated using a programme for computation of the U-238 radioactive series gamma accumulation, UURASE, adapted for alpha accumulation as ALFAURASE programme. The radon, Rn-222, as well as the solid alpha radionuclides and aerosols were measured using a new alpha monitoring device with or without paper filter for solid radionuclides and aerosols stopping. The track detectors of CR-39 type were incorporated with these monitoring devices. In order to calibrate the CR-39 detectors, a radon intercomparison programme was established with the participation of the SSNTD group from the Institute of Nuclear Research ATOMKI, Debrecen, Hungary, Institute of Public Health, Cluj-Napoca and SSNTD research group from IFIN-HH. We have used for radon calibration a special experimental device and a Ra-226 source. Using an air tight diffusion and deposition device, coupled with the source device, the concentration of radon and solid alpha radionuclides and aerosols were determined using the alpha track method. The alpha monitoring devices were fixed vertically at different distances from the place of radon penetration into

Indoor air quality in public utility environments-a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Śmiełowska, Monika; Marć, Mariusz; Zabiegała, Bożena

2017-04-01

Indoor air quality has been the object of interest for scientists and specialists from the fields of science such as chemistry, medicine and ventilation system design. This results from a considerable number of potential factors, which may influence the quality of the broadly understood indoor air in a negative way. Poor quality of indoor air in various types of public utility buildings may significantly affect an increase in the incidence of various types of civilisation diseases. This paper presents information about a broad spectrum of chemical compounds that were identified and determined in the indoor environment of various types of public utility rooms such as churches, museums, libraries, temples and hospitals. An analysis of literature data allowed for identification of the most important transport paths of chemical compounds that significantly influence the quality of the indoor environment and thus the comfort of living and the health of persons staying in it.

Characteristics and applications of diffuse discharge of water electrode in air

Science.gov (United States)

Wenzheng, LIU; Tahan, WANG; Xiaozhong, CHEN; Chuanlong, MA

2018-01-01

Plasma water treatment technology, which aims to produce strong oxidizing reactive particles that act on the gas-liquid interface by way of discharging, is used to treat the organic pollutants that do not degrade easily in water. This paper presents a diffuse-discharge plasma water treatment method, which is realized by constructing a conical air gap through an uneven medium layer. The proposed method uses water as one electrode, and a dielectric barrier discharge electrode is constructed by using an uneven dielectric. The electric field distribution in the discharge space will be uneven, wherein the long gap electric field will have a smaller intensity, while the short one will have a larger intensity. A diffuse glow discharge is formed in the cavity. With this type of plasma water treatment equipment, a methyl orange solution with a concentration of 10 mg l-1 was treated, and the removal rate was found to reach 88.96%.

Multiscale diffusion of a molecular probe in a crowded environment: a concept

Science.gov (United States)

Currie, Megan; Thao, Chang; Timerman, Randi; Welty, Robb; Berry, Brenden; Sheets, Erin D.; Heikal, Ahmed A.

2015-08-01

Living cells are crowded with macromolecules and organelles. Yet, it is not fully understood how macromolecular crowding affects the myriad of biochemical reactions, transport and the structural stability of biomolecules that are essential to cellular function and survival. These molecular processes, with or without electrostatic interactions, in living cells are therefore expected to be distinct from those carried out in test tube in dilute solutions where excluded volumes are absent. Thus there is an urgent need to understand the macromolecular crowding effects on cellular and molecular biophysics towards quantitative cell biology. In this report, we investigated how biomimetic crowding affects both the rotational and translation diffusion of a small probe (rhodamine green, RhG). For biomimetic crowding agents, we used Ficoll-70 (synthetic polymer), bovine serum albumin and ovalbumin (proteins) at various concentrations in a buffer at room temperature. As a control, we carried out similar measurements on glycerolenriched buffer as an environment with homogeneous viscosity as a function of glycerol concentration. The corresponding bulk viscosity was measured independently to test the validity of the Stokes-Einstein model of a diffusing species undergoing a random walk. For rotational diffusion (ps-ns time scale), we used time-resolved anisotropy measurements to examine potential binding of RhG as a function of the crowding agents (surface structure and size). For translational diffusion (μs-s time scale), we used fluorescence correlation spectroscopy for single-molecule fluctuation analysis. Our results allow us to examine the diffusion model of a molecular probe in crowded environments as a function of concentration, length scale, homogeneous versus heterogeneous viscosity, size and surface structures. These biomimetic crowding studies, using non-invasive fluorescence spectroscopy methods, represent an important step towards understanding cellular biophysics and

Sustained diffusive alternating current gliding arc discharge in atmospheric pressure air

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jiajian; Gao, Jinlong; Li, Zhongshan; Ehn, Andreas; Aldén, Marcus; Larsson, Anders; Kusano, Yukihiro

2014-12-01

Rapid transition from glow discharge to thermal arc has been a common problem in generating stable high-power non-thermal plasmas especially at ambient conditions. A sustained diffusive gliding arc discharge was generated in a large volume in atmospheric pressure air, driven by an alternating current (AC) power source. The plasma column extended beyond the water-cooled stainless steel electrodes and was stabilized by matching the flow speed of the turbulent air jet with the rated output power. Comprehensive investigations were performed using high-speed movies measured over the plasma column, synchronized with simultaneously recorded current and voltage waveforms. Dynamic details of the novel non-equilibrium discharge are revealed, which is characterized by a sinusoidal current waveform with amplitude stabilized at around 200 mA intermediate between thermal arc and glow discharge, shedding light to the governing mechanism of the sustained spark-suppressed AC gliding arc discharge.

Corrosion of well casings in compressed air energy storage environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Elmore, R.P.; Stottlemyre, J.A.

1980-10-01

The goal of this study was to determine corrosive effects of compressed air energy storage (CAES) environments on several well casing materials to aid in material selections. A literature search on corrosion behavior of well casing material in similar environments revealed that corrosion rates of 0.20 to 0.25 mm/y might be expected. This information was employed in designing the laboratory study. Unstressed electrically isolate samples of various carbon steels were autoclaved at varying humidities, temperatures, and exposure durations to simulate anticipated environments in the well bore during CAES operation. All compressed air tests were run at 12.1 MPa. Temperatures varied from 323/sup 0/K to 573/sup 0/K, and humidity varied from 100% to completely dry air. The effects of salts in the humidified air were also studied. Results indicated that typical well casings of carbon steel as used in oil, gas, and water production wells adequately withstand the anticipated CAES reservoir environment. An acceptable corrosion rate arrived at by these laboratory simulations was between 0.0015 and 0.15 mm/y. Corrosion was caused by metal oxidation that formed a protective scale of iron oxide. Higher temperatures, humidity rates, or salinity content of the humid air increased corrosion. Corrosion also increased on a metal coupon in contact with a sandstone sample, possibly due to crevice corrosion. For each of these factors either singularly or collectively, the increased corrosion rates were still acceptable with the maximum measured at 0.15 mm/y. When coupons were reused in an identical test, the corrosion rates increased beyond the anticipated values that had been determined by extrapolation from one-time runs. Fine cracking of the protective scale probably occurred due to thermal variations, resulting in increased corrosion rates and a greater potential for particulates, which could plug the reservoir.

The effects of mixing air distribution and heat load arrangement on the performance of ceiling radiant panels under cooling mode of operation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mustakallio, Panu; Kosonen, Risto; Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2016-01-01

arrangement and air distribution generated in a room by linear slot diffuser, radial multi-nozzle diffuser and radial swirl induction unit on the cooling power of radiant panels was compared. The impact on the thermal environment was also studied. Measurements were carried out without and with supply air...

An Evaluation of Antifungal Agents for the Treatment of Fungal Contamination in Indoor Air Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Senthaamarai Rogawansamy

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Fungal contamination in indoor environments has been associated with adverse health effects for the inhabitants. Remediation of fungal contamination requires removal of the fungi present and modifying the indoor environment to become less favourable to growth.  This may include treatment of indoor environments with an antifungal agent to prevent future growth. However there are limited published data or advice on chemical agents suitable for indoor fungal remediation. The aim of this study was to assess the relative efficacies of five commercially available cleaning agents with published or anecdotal use for indoor fungal remediation. The five agents included two common multi-purpose industrial disinfectants (Cavicide® and Virkon®, 70% ethanol, vinegar (4.0%-4.2% acetic acid, and a plant-derived compound (tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia oil tested in both a liquid and vapour form. Tea tree oil has recently generated interest for its antimicrobial efficacy in clinical settings, but has not been widely employed for fungal remediation. Each antifungal agent was assessed for fungal growth inhibition using a disc diffusion method against a representative species from two common fungal genera, (Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium chrysogenum, which were isolated from air samples and are commonly found in indoor air. Tea tree oil demonstrated the greatest inhibitory effect on the growth of both fungi, applied in either a liquid or vapour form. Cavicide® and Virkon® demonstrated similar, although less, growth inhibition of both genera. Vinegar (4.0%–4.2% acetic acid was found to only inhibit the growth of P. chrysogenum, while 70% ethanol was found to have no inhibitory effect on the growth of either fungi. There was a notable inhibition in sporulation, distinct from growth inhibition after exposure to tea tree oil, Virkon®, Cavicide® and vinegar. Results demonstrate that common cleaning and antifungal agents differ in their capacity to

An evaluation of antifungal agents for the treatment of fungal contamination in indoor air environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogawansamy, Senthaamarai; Gaskin, Sharyn; Taylor, Michael; Pisaniello, Dino

2015-06-02

Fungal contamination in indoor environments has been associated with adverse health effects for the inhabitants. Remediation of fungal contamination requires removal of the fungi present and modifying the indoor environment to become less favourable to growth.  This may include treatment of indoor environments with an antifungal agent to prevent future growth. However there are limited published data or advice on chemical agents suitable for indoor fungal remediation. The aim of this study was to assess the relative efficacies of five commercially available cleaning agents with published or anecdotal use for indoor fungal remediation. The five agents included two common multi-purpose industrial disinfectants (Cavicide® and Virkon®), 70% ethanol, vinegar (4.0%-4.2% acetic acid), and a plant-derived compound (tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) oil) tested in both a liquid and vapour form. Tea tree oil has recently generated interest for its antimicrobial efficacy in clinical settings, but has not been widely employed for fungal remediation. Each antifungal agent was assessed for fungal growth inhibition using a disc diffusion method against a representative species from two common fungal genera, (Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium chrysogenum), which were isolated from air samples and are commonly found in indoor air. Tea tree oil demonstrated the greatest inhibitory effect on the growth of both fungi, applied in either a liquid or vapour form. Cavicide® and Virkon® demonstrated similar, although less, growth inhibition of both genera. Vinegar (4.0%-4.2% acetic acid) was found to only inhibit the growth of P. chrysogenum, while 70% ethanol was found to have no inhibitory effect on the growth of either fungi. There was a notable inhibition in sporulation, distinct from growth inhibition after exposure to tea tree oil, Virkon®, Cavicide® and vinegar. Results demonstrate that common cleaning and antifungal agents differ in their capacity to inhibit the growth

Diffuse flow environments within basalt- and sediment-based hydrothermal vent ecosystems harbor specialized microbial communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Barbara J; Polson, Shawn W; Zeigler Allen, Lisa; Williamson, Shannon J; Lee, Charles K; Wommack, K Eric; Cary, S Craig

2013-01-01

Hydrothermal vents differ both in surface input and subsurface geochemistry. The effects of these differences on their microbial communities are not clear. Here, we investigated both alpha and beta diversity of diffuse flow-associated microbial communities emanating from vents at a basalt-based hydrothermal system along the East Pacific Rise (EPR) and a sediment-based hydrothermal system, Guaymas Basin. Both Bacteria and Archaea were targeted using high throughput 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing analyses. A unique aspect of this study was the use of a universal set of 16S rRNA gene primers to characterize total and diffuse flow-specific microbial communities from varied deep-sea hydrothermal environments. Both surrounding seawater and diffuse flow water samples contained large numbers of Marine Group I (MGI) Thaumarchaea and Gammaproteobacteria taxa previously observed in deep-sea systems. However, these taxa were geographically distinct and segregated according to type of spreading center. Diffuse flow microbial community profiles were highly differentiated. In particular, EPR dominant diffuse flow taxa were most closely associated with chemolithoautotrophs, and off axis water was dominated by heterotrophic-related taxa, whereas the opposite was true for Guaymas Basin. The diversity and richness of diffuse flow-specific microbial communities were strongly correlated to the relative abundance of Epsilonproteobacteria, proximity to macrofauna, and hydrothermal system type. Archaeal diversity was higher than or equivalent to bacterial diversity in about one third of the samples. Most diffuse flow-specific communities were dominated by OTUs associated with Epsilonproteobacteria, but many of the Guaymas Basin diffuse flow samples were dominated by either OTUs within the Planctomycetes or hyperthermophilic Archaea. This study emphasizes the unique microbial communities associated with geochemically and geographically distinct hydrothermal diffuse flow environments.

Atmospheric turbulence and diffusion research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosker, R.P. Jr.

1993-01-01

The Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Division (well known in the atmospheric dispersion community as the Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Laboratory, ATDL) is one of several field facilities of NOAAs Air Resources Laboratory, headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland. The laboratory conducts research on matters of atmospheric diffusion and turbulent exchange, concerning air quality. ATDD focuses attention on the physics of the lower atmosphere, with special emphasis on the processes contributing to atmospheric transport, dispersion, deposition, and air-surface exchange, and on the development of predictive capabilities using the results of this research. Research is directed toward issues of national and global importance related to the missions of DOE, to DOE's Oak Ridge Field Office, and to NOAA. The program is divided into four major projects: plume transport and diffusion in the planetary boundary layer, complex topography, canopy micrometeorology, and air-surface exchange

Dependence of alpha radionuclide diffusion and deposition on relative air humidity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Danis, A.; Ciubotariu, M.; Oncescu, M.; Mocsy, I.; Tomulescu, V.

2000-01-01

The diffusion and deposition of the gaseous and solid alpha radionuclides/aerosols depend strongly on the relative air humidity. This dependence gets a great significance in the case of radon and their genetically related alpha radionuclides monitoring in the dwelling and working places for radioprotection purposes, particularly in establishing the equilibrium factor. For the gaseous and solid alpha radionuclides genetically related, Rn-222 and its solid alpha descendants including their aerosols obtained by radionuclide attachments to different particles present in air, the vertical gradient of volume concentrations was experimentally determined. The experiments were performed in: an airtight tubular laboratory chamber, a house cellar (Cluj-Napoca) and the entrance gallery of an abandoned mine (Avram Iancu, Bihor), in which the relative humidity was ranging from 65% up to 96%. For the laboratory chamber, these radionuclides were generated by a calibrated Ra-226 source, prepared at the Radionuclide Production Centre, IPNE-HH, Bucharest. The source was included into an air tight device with a well known volume and it was used only after 40 days, when the Ra-226 and its alpha descendants were under radioactive equilibrium. For the diffusion/deposition studies, this source was coupled with the airtight laboratory chamber. In the mine gallery and house cellar, the radon and its descendants were naturally and continuously generated by radium sources in soil and building materials. The alpha volume concentration determinations required the use of a very accurate and sensitive alpha measurement method. These requirements were met by the alpha track method. This method was used by us in the following conditions: the CR-39 plastic track detector (Page, England) for the detection of the alpha particles and the optical microscopy for the study of alpha tracks (Wild stereomicroscope M7S and a Karl Zeiss Jena binocular microscope). The volume concentrations of radon and the

Analysis of diffusion process and influence factors in the air ingress accident of the HTR-PM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yanhua, Zheng, E-mail: zhengyh@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn; Fubing, Chen; Lei, Shi

2014-05-01

Air ingress, one of the beyond design basis accidents for high temperature gas-cooled reactors, receives high attention during the design of the 250 MW pebble-bed modular high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTR-PM), because it may result in severe consequence including the corrosion of the fuel element and graphite reflector. The diffusion process and the set-up time of the stable natural convection after the double-ended guillotine break of the hot-gas duct are studied in the paper. On the basis of the preliminary design of the HTR-PM and its DLOCA analysis results, the diffusion process, as well as the influence of the core temperature distribution and the length of the hot-gas duct, is studied with the DIFFLOW code, which adopts a one-dimension variable cross-section diffusion model with fixed wall temperature. To preliminarily estimate the influence of chemical reaction between oxygen and graphite, which will change the gas component of the mixture, the diffusion processes between the He/N{sub 2}, He/O{sub 2}, He/CO and He/CO{sub 2} are calculated, respectively. Furthermore, the code has been improved and the varying wall temperature can be simulated. The more accurate analysis is carried out with the changing temperature distribution from the DLOCA calculation. The analysis shows that there is enough time to adopt appropriate mitigation measures to stop the air ingress and the severe consequence of fuel element damage and large release of fission product can be avoided.

Human sensory response to acetone/air mixtures.

Science.gov (United States)

Salthammer, T; Schulz, N; Stolte, R; Uhde, E

2016-10-01

The release of organic compounds from building products may influence the perceived air quality in the indoor environment. Consequently, building products are assessed for chemical emissions and for the acceptability of emitted odors. A procedure for odor evaluations in test chambers is described by the standard ISO 16000-28. A panel of eight or more trained subjects directly determines the perceived intensity Π (unit pi) of an air sample via diffusers. For the training of the panelists, a comparative Π-scale is applied. The panelists can use acetone/air mixtures in a concentration range between 20 mg/m(3) (0 pi) and 320 mg/m(3) (15 pi) as reference. However, the training and calibration procedure itself can substantially contribute to the method uncertainty. This concerns the assumed odor threshold of acetone, the variability of panelist responses, and the analytical determination of acetone concentrations in air with online methods as well as the influence of the diffuser geometry and the airflow profile. © 2015 The Authors. Indoor Air published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Developing a passive trap for diffusive atmospheric {sup 14}CO{sub 2} sampling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walker, Jennifer C.; Xu, Xiaomei [Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA (United States); Fahrni, Simon M. [Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA (United States); Institute of Particle Physics, ETH, Zurich (Switzerland); Lupascu, Massimo [Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA (United States); Department of Geography, National University of Singapore (Singapore); Czimczik, Claudia I. [Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA (United States)

2015-10-15

{sup 14}C-CO{sub 2} measurement is an unique tool to quantify source-based emissions of CO{sub 2} for both the urban and natural environments. Acquiring a sample that temporally integrates the atmospheric {sup 14}C-CO{sub 2} signature that allows for precise {sup 14}C analysis is often necessary, but can require complex sampling devices, which can be difficult to deploy and maintain, especially for multiple locations. Here we describe our progress in developing a diffusive atmospheric CO{sub 2} molecular sieve trap, which requires no power to operate. We present results from various cleaning procedures, and rigorously tested for blank and memory effects. Traps were tested in the environment along-side conventional sampling flasks for accuracy. Results show that blank and memory effects can be minimized with thorough cleaning and by avoiding overheating, and that diffusively collected air samples agree well with traditionally canister-sampled air.

Dual gas-diffusion membrane- and mediatorless dihydrogen/air-breathing biofuel cell operating at room temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Hong-qi; So, Keisei; Kitazumi, Yuki; Shirai, Osamu; Nishikawa, Koji; Higuchi, Yoshiki; Kano, Kenji

2016-12-01

A membraneless direct electron transfer (DET)-type dihydrogen (H2)/air-breathing biofuel cell without any mediator was constructed wherein bilirubin oxidase from Myrothecium verrucaria (BOD) and membrane-bound [NiFe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F (MBH) were used as biocatalysts for the cathode and the anode, respectively, and Ketjen black-modified water proof carbon paper (KB/WPCC) was used as an electrode material. The KB/WPCC surface was modified with 2-aminobenzoic acid and p-phenylenediamine, respectively, to face the positively charged electron-accepting site of BOD and the negatively charged electron-donating site of MBH to the electrode surface. A gas-diffusion system was employed for the electrodes to realize high-speed substrate supply. As result, great improvement in the current density of O2 reduction with BOD and H2 reduction with MBH were realized at negatively and postively charged surfaces, respectively. Gas diffusion system also suppressed the oxidative inactivation of MBH at high electrode potentials. Finally, based on the improved bioanode and biocathode, a dual gas-diffusion membrane- and mediatorless H2/air-breathing biofuel cell was constructed. The maximum power density reached 6.1 mW cm-2 (at 0.72 V), and the open circuit voltage was 1.12 V using 1 atm of H2 gas as a fuel at room temperature and under passive and quiescent conditions.

Response to a small external force and fluctuations of a passive particle in a one-dimensional diffusive environment

Science.gov (United States)

Huveneers, François

2018-04-01

We investigate the long-time behavior of a passive particle evolving in a one-dimensional diffusive random environment, with diffusion constant D . We consider two cases: (a) The particle is pulled forward by a small external constant force and (b) there is no systematic bias. Theoretical arguments and numerical simulations provide evidence that the particle is eventually trapped by the environment. This is diagnosed in two ways: The asymptotic speed of the particle scales quadratically with the external force as it goes to zero, and the fluctuations scale diffusively in the unbiased environment, up to possible logarithmic corrections in both cases. Moreover, in the large D limit (homogenized regime), we find an important transient region giving rise to other, finite-size scalings, and we describe the crossover to the true asymptotic behavior.

Influence of drying conditions on the effective diffusivity and activation energy during convective air and vacuum drying of pumpkin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liliana SEREMET (CECLU

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of the work is to investigate the efficiency of convective air and vacuum processing on pumpkin drying kinetics. The pumpkin samples were of two different geometrical shapes (cylinder and cube and were dried in a laboratory scale hot air dryer using some specific parameters (constant air velocity of 1.0 m/s, three different temperatures 50, 60 and 70ºC suited to relative humidity (RH values of 9.8, 6.5, and 5.4% respectively. The vacuum drying was led at constant pressures of 5 kPa and accordance temperatures of 50, 60 and 70ºC. Moisture transfer from pumpkin slices was described by applying Fick’s diffusion model. Temperature dependence of the effective diffusivity was described by the Arrhenius-type equation. Cylindrical samples have a slightly better behaviour compared to cubic samples, due to the disposition of the tissues, and the mass and thermic transfer possibilities. Analysing the results of both drying methods, it was deduced that the most efficient method is convective air drying at 70ºC.

Indoor air in school environment and the impact on children’s health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krajcova, D.; Vondrova, D.; Hirosova, K.; Sevcikova, L.

2014-01-01

More attention is paid to assessing the quality of not only outdoor but also indoor air. Since children spend large part of their time at schools, several studies are aimed at indoor air monitoring in schools. These studies confirmed association between poor quality of indoor environment and the incidence of asthma and other respiratory diseases of children. The most serious indoor air pollutants includes dust particles, inorganic and volatile organic compounds, components of tobacco smoke, mold and dust mites. Providing healthy school environment should be one of the basic methods to protect and support physical and mental health and development of children. (author)

Turbulent Diffusion in Non-Homogeneous Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Diez, M.; Redondo, J. M.; Mahjoub, O. B.; Sekula, E.

2012-04-01

Many experimental studies have been devoted to the understanding of non-homogeneous turbulent dynamics. Activity in this area intensified when the basic Kolmogorov self-similar theory was extended to two-dimensional or quasi 2D turbulent flows such as those appearing in the environment, that seem to control mixing [1,2]. The statistical description and the dynamics of these geophysical flows depend strongly on the distribution of long lived organized (coherent) structures. These flows show a complex topology, but may be subdivided in terms of strongly elliptical domains (high vorticity regions), strong hyperbolic domains (deformation cells with high energy condensations) and the background turbulent field of moderate elliptic and hyperbolic characteristics. It is of fundamental importance to investigate the different influence of these topological diverse regions. Relevant geometrical information of different areas is also given by the maximum fractal dimension, which is related to the energy spectrum of the flow. Using all the available information it is possible to investigate the spatial variability of the horizontal eddy diffusivity K(x,y). This information would be very important when trying to model numerically the behaviour in time of the oil spills [3,4] There is a strong dependence of horizontal eddy diffusivities with the Wave Reynolds number as well as with the wind stress measured as the friction velocity from wind profiles measured at the coastline. Natural sea surface oily slicks of diverse origin (plankton, algae or natural emissions and seeps of oil) form complicated structures in the sea surface due to the effects of both multiscale turbulence and Langmuir circulation. It is then possible to use the topological and scaling analysis to discriminate the different physical sea surface processes. We can relate higher orden moments of the Lagrangian velocity to effective diffusivity in spite of the need to calibrate the different regions determining the

Investigation of creep rupture properties in air and He environments of alloy 617 at 800 °C

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Woo-Gon, E-mail: wgkim@kaeri.re.k [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 989-111 Daedeok-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-353 (Korea, Republic of); Ekaputra, I.M.W.; Park, Jae-Young [Pukyong National University, Busan 608-739 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Min-Hwan; Kim, Yong-Wan [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, 989-111 Daedeok-daero, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-353 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-09-15

Creep rupture properties for Alloy 617 were investigated by a series of creep tests under different applied stresses in air and He environments at 800 °C. The creep rupture time in air and He environments exhibited almost similar life in a short rupture time. However, when the creep rupture time reaches above 3000 h, the creep life in the He environment reduced compared with those of the air environment. The creep strain rate in the He environment was a little faster than that in the air environment above 3000 h. The reduction of creep life in the He environment was due to the difference of various microstructure features such as the carbide depleted zone, oxidation structures, surface cracking, voids below the surface, and voids in the matrix in air and He environments. Alloy 617 followed Norton’s power law and the Monkman–Grant relationship well. As the stress decreased, the creep ductility decreased slightly. The thickness of the outer and internal oxide layers presented the trend of a parabolic increase with an increase in creep rupture time in both the air and He environments. The thickness in the He environment was found to be thicker than in the air environment, although pure helium gas of 99.999% was used in the present investigation. The differences in the oxide-layer thickness caused detrimental effects on the creep resistance, even in a low oxygen-containing He agent.

Investigation of creep rupture properties in air and He environments of alloy 617 at 800 °C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Woo-Gon; Ekaputra, I.M.W.; Park, Jae-Young; Kim, Min-Hwan; Kim, Yong-Wan

2016-01-01

Creep rupture properties for Alloy 617 were investigated by a series of creep tests under different applied stresses in air and He environments at 800 °C. The creep rupture time in air and He environments exhibited almost similar life in a short rupture time. However, when the creep rupture time reaches above 3000 h, the creep life in the He environment reduced compared with those of the air environment. The creep strain rate in the He environment was a little faster than that in the air environment above 3000 h. The reduction of creep life in the He environment was due to the difference of various microstructure features such as the carbide depleted zone, oxidation structures, surface cracking, voids below the surface, and voids in the matrix in air and He environments. Alloy 617 followed Norton’s power law and the Monkman–Grant relationship well. As the stress decreased, the creep ductility decreased slightly. The thickness of the outer and internal oxide layers presented the trend of a parabolic increase with an increase in creep rupture time in both the air and He environments. The thickness in the He environment was found to be thicker than in the air environment, although pure helium gas of 99.999% was used in the present investigation. The differences in the oxide-layer thickness caused detrimental effects on the creep resistance, even in a low oxygen-containing He agent.

Resistance of HEPA filter separator materials to humid air--hydrogen fluoride--fluorine environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, C.W.; Petit, G.S.; Woodfin, S.B.

1977-01-01

The U. S. Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA) is interested in the development of a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter that is resistant to such corrosive reagents as hydrogen fluoride (HF) and fluorine (F 2 ) in air environments of normal relative humidity (about 50% RH). Several types of separator materials are used in the fabrication of commercial filters. The basic types of separator materials are asbestos, Kraft paper, plastic, and aluminum. At the request of the ERDA Division of Operational Safety, the different types of separator materials have been evaluated for their resistance to corrosive attack by HF and F 2 . The separator materials were dynamically tested in the 4-stage multiunit tester located in the Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant laboratories. This is the system previously used in the evaluation of the Herty Foundation filter paper samples. Concurrent with the testing of filter media for its resistance to HF and F 2 , another component of the completed filter, the separator, was tested. All samples were exposed to a constant air flow (50% RH) of 32 liters/min, at 100 0 F, containing 900 ppM HF and 300 ppM F 2 . Exposure periods varied from 2 to 1000 h; however, the longer exposures were made only on the stronger candidates. Test results show the plastic and aluminum separator materials to be superior to the other types in resistance to HF and F 2 . The asbestos separators disintegrated after a relatively short exposure time; the Kraft paper types were the next weakest. The Clear Plastic S was the best performer of the plastics tested

Cooling energy efficiency and classroom air environment of a school building operated by the heat recovery air conditioning unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Yang; Zhao, Fu-Yun; Kuckelkorn, Jens; Liu, Di; Liu, Li-Qun; Pan, Xiao-Chuan

2014-01-01

The recently-built school buildings have adopted novel heat recovery ventilator and air conditioning system. Heat recovery efficiency of the heat recovery facility and energy conservation ratio of the air conditioning unit were analytically modeled, taking the ventilation networks into account. Following that, school classroom displacement ventilation and its thermal stratification and indoor air quality indicated by the CO 2 concentration have been numerically modeled concerning the effects of delivering ventilation flow rate and supplying air temperature. Numerical results indicate that the promotion of mechanical ventilation rate can simultaneously boost the dilution of indoor air pollutants and the non-uniformity of indoor thermal and pollutant distributions. Subsequent energy performance analysis demonstrates that classroom energy demands for ventilation and cooling could be reduced with the promotion of heat recovery efficiency of the ventilation facility, and the energy conservation ratio of the air conditioning unit decreases with the increasing temperatures of supplying air. Fitting correlations of heat recovery ventilation and cooling energy conservation have been presented. - Highlights: • Low energy school buildings and classroom environment. • Heat recovery facility operating with an air conditioning unit. • Displacement ventilation influenced by the heat recovery efficiency. • Energy conservation of cooling and ventilation through heat recovery. • Enhancement of classroom environment with reduction of school building energy

Flow control in s-shaped air intake diffuser of gas turbine using proposed energy promoters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessam Raed A.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an experimental and numerical investigation of the flow control in an air intake S-shaped diffuser with and without energy promoters. The S-shaped diffuser had an area ratio 3.1and turning angle of 45°/45°. The proposed energy promoter was named as stream line sheet energy promoter. Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation was performed through commercial ANSYS-FLUENT 16.2 software. The measurements were made inside annular subsection, 45° from 360° of the complete annular shape of the diffuser, at Reynolds number 5.8×104 and turbulence intensity 4.1%. Results for the bare S-shaped diffuser (without energy promoters showed the flow structures within the S-shaped diffuser were dominated by counter-rotating vortices and boundary layer separation especially in the outer surface. The combination of the adverse pressure gradient at the first bend of outer surface and upstream low momentum wakes caused the boundary layer to separate early. The combinations of proposed energy promoters were installed on the inner and outer surfaces at three installation planes. The use of energy promoters resulting in significantly decreased the outer surface boundary layer separation with consequential improving the static pressure coefficient and reduction of total pressure losses

Comparison between Different Air Distribution Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter V.

The aim of an air conditioning system is to remove excess heat in a room and replace room air with fresh air to obtain a high air quality. It is not sufficient to remove heat and contaminated air, it is also necessary to distribute and control the air movement in the room to create thermal comfort...... in the occupied zone. Most air distribution systems are based on mixing ventilation with ceiling or wall-mounted diffusers or on displacement ventilation with wall-mounted low velocity diffusers. New principles for room air distribution were introduced during the last decades, as the textile terminals mounted...... in the ceiling and radial diffusers with swirling flow also mounted in the ceiling. This paper addresses five air distribution systems in all, namely mixing ventilation from a wallmounted terminal, mixing ventilation from a ceiling-mounted diffuser, mixing ventilation from a ceiling-mounted diffuser...

Danish activities concerning noise in the environment (A)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ingerslev, Fritz

1982-01-01

the country in international collaboration. It is claimed that noise abatement will be diffuse and weak, if it is not based on a national strategy. The discussion of noise in the environment covers: external industrial noise, road traffic noise, and air traffic noise. The principles on which the maximum...

Experimental Study on Branch and Diffuse Type of Streamers in Leader Restrike of Long Air Gap Discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen She; Zeng Rong; Zhuang Chijie; Zhou Xuan; Ding Yujian

2016-01-01

One of the main problems in the Ultra High Voltage (UHV) transmission project is to choose the external insulation distance, which requires a deep understanding of the long air gap discharge mechanism. The leader-streamer propagation is one of most important stages in long air gap discharge. In the conductor-tower lattice configuration, we have measured the voltage, the current on the high voltage side and the electric field in the gap. While the streamer in the leader-streamer system presented a conical or hyperboloid diffuse shape, the clear branch structure streamer in front of the leader was firstly observed by a high speed camera in the experiment. Besides, it is found that the leader velocity, width and injected charge for the branch type streamer are greater than those of a diffuse type. We propose that the phenomenon results from the high humidity, which was 15.5-16.5 g/m 3 in our experiment. (paper)

Preparation of standard mixtures of gas hydrocarbons in air by the diffusion dilution method; Preparacion de mezclas patrones de hidrocarburos gaseosos en aire por el metodo de dilucion por difusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia, M R; Perez, M M

1979-07-01

An original diffusion system able to produce continuously gaseous samples is described. This system can generate samples with concentrations of benzene in air from 0.1 to 1 ppm a reproducible way. The diffusion dilution method used Is also studied. The use of this diffusion system has been extended to the preparation of binary mixtures (benzene-toluene). Whit a secondary dilution device is possible preparing these mixtures over a wide range of concentrations (0.11 to 0.04 ppm for benzene and 0.06 to 0.02 for toluene). (Author) 7 refs.

Role of soot in the transport of chlorine in hydrocarbon-air diffusion flames

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venkatesh, S.; Saito, K.; Stencel, J.M.; Majidi, V.; Owens, M.

1991-01-01

Soot is an inevitable product of incomplete combustion in many practical combustion systems such as automobiles, incinerators and furnaces. Recent studies on chlorinated hydrocarbon combustion have shown that soot and other praticulates (eg. fly ash) play an important role in secondary reactions leading to the formation of chlorine substituted polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In order to attain very high destruction efficiencies the fundamental chemical and physical processes that are associated with combustion, and post-combustion cleanup must be well understood. In order to understand the effect of chlorine on the soot formed in a combustion system, fundamental studies using a coflow laminar hydrocarbon-air diffusion flame have been carried out. Phenomenological studies have revealed the effect of chlorine on the visible structure of the flame. Soot inception activation energies were estimated for methane, ethane and ethylene diffusion flames for the case of with and without chlorine addition. No significant difference in the activation energy was estimated for either case. The effect of chlorine on the soot escape rate of an acetylene diffusion flame was estimated. The soot formed in these diffusion flames was analyzed for chlorine using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) and by laser induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS). REsults from these techniques indicate the presence of chlorine in the soot formed. In this paper a chemical scheme to explain the chlorine found in the soot is proposed based on known theories of soot formation

Air-Sense: indoor environment monitoring evaluation system based on ZigBee network

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yang; Hu, Liang; Yang, Disheng; Liu, Hengchang

2017-08-01

In the modern life, people spend most of their time indoors. However, indoor environmental quality problems have always been affecting people’s social activities. In general, indoor environmental quality is also related to our indoor activities. Since most of the organic irritants and volatile gases are colorless, odorless and too tiny to be seen, because we have been unconsciously overlooked indoor environment quality. Consequently, our body suffer a great health problem. In this work, we propose Air-Sense system which utilizes the platform of ZigBee Network to collect and detect the real-time indoor environment quality. What’s more, Air-Sense system can also provide data analysis, and visualizing the results of the indoor environment to the user.

Cold air plasma to decontaminate inanimate surfaces of the hospital environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Cahill, Orla J; Claro, Tânia; O'Connor, Niall; Cafolla, Anthony A; Stevens, Niall T; Daniels, Stephen; Humphreys, Hilary

2014-03-01

The hospital environment harbors bacteria that may cause health care-associated infections. Microorganisms, such as multiresistant bacteria, can spread around the patient's inanimate environment. Some recently introduced biodecontamination approaches in hospitals have significant limitations due to the toxic nature of the gases and the length of time required for aeration. This study evaluated the in vitro use of cold air plasma as an efficient alternative to traditional methods of biodecontamination of hospital surfaces. Cultures of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli, and Acinetobacter baumannii were applied to different materials similar to those found in the hospital environment. Artificially contaminated sections of marmoleum, mattress, polypropylene, powder-coated mild steel, and stainless steel were then exposed to a cold air pressure plasma single jet for 30 s, 60 s, and 90 s, operating at approximately 25 W and 12 liters/min flow rate. Direct plasma exposure successfully reduced the bacterial load by log 3 for MRSA, log 2.7 for VRE, log 2 for ESBL-producing E. coli, and log 1.7 for A. baumannii. The present report confirms the efficient antibacterial activity of a cold air plasma single-jet plume on nosocomial bacterially contaminated surfaces over a short period of time and highlights its potential for routine biodecontamination in the clinical environment.

Six years of ground–air temperature tracking at Malence (Slovenia): thermal diffusivity from subsurface temperature data

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dědeček, Petr; Rajver, D.; Čermák, Vladimír; Šafanda, Jan; Krešl, Milan

2013-01-01

Roč. 10, č. 2 (2013), 025012/1-025012/9 ISSN 1742-2132 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP210/11/0183; GA MŠk LM2010008 Institutional support: RVO:67985530 Keywords : ground-air temperature coupling * thermal diffusivity * conductive-convective heat transfer Subject RIV: DC - Siesmology, Volcanology, Earth Structure Impact factor: 0.895, year: 2013

Oxygen diffusion through soil covers on sulphidic mine tailings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanful, E.K.

1993-01-01

Engineered soil covers are being evaluated under Canada's Mine Environment Neutral Drainage (MEND) program for their effectiveness in preventing and controlling acid generation in sulfidic mill tailings. A critical parameter for predicting the performance of these covers is the diffusion coefficient of gaseous oxygen in the cover materials. Laboratory experiments conducted to determine the effective diffusion coefficient of a candidate cover material, a glacial till from an active mine site, are described. The diffusion coefficient is determined by fitting a semianalytic solution of the one-dimensional, transient diffusion equation to experimental gaseous oxygen concentration versus time graphs. Effective diffusion coefficients determined at high water saturations (85%--95%) were of the order of 8 x 10 -8 m 2 /s. The diffusion coefficients decreased with increase in water saturation as a result of the low diffusivity of gaseous oxygen in water relative to that in air and the low solubility of oxygen in water. Placement of soil covers in high saturation conditions would ensure that the flux of oxygen into tailings underneath such covers is low, resulting in low acid flux. This is confirmed by combined laboratory, field, and modeling studies

The role of diatom nanostructures in biasing diffusion to improve uptake in a patchy nutrient environment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James G Mitchell

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Diatoms are important single-celled autotrophs that dominate most lit aquatic environments and are distinguished by surficial frustules with intricate designs of unknown function. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We show that some frustule designs constrain diffusion to positively alter nutrient uptake. In nutrient gradients of 4 to 160 times over <5 cm, the screened-chambered morphology of Coscincodiscus sp. biases the nutrient diffusion towards the cell by at least 3.8 times the diffusion to the seawater. In contrast, the open-chambers of Thalassiosira eccentrica produce at least a 1.3 times diffusion advantage to the membrane over Coscincodiscus sp. when nutrients are homogeneous. SIGNIFICANCE: Diffusion constraint explains the success of particular diatom species at given times and the overall success of diatoms. The results help answer the unresolved question of how adjacent microplankton compete. Furthermore, diffusion constraint by supramembrane nanostructures to alter molecular diffusion suggests that microbes compete via supramembrane topology, a competitive mechanism not considered by the standard smooth-surface equations used for nutrient uptake nor in microbial ecology and cell physiology.

Plants Clean Air and Water for Indoor Environments

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

Wolverton Environmental Services Inc., founded by longtime government environmental scientist B.C. "Bill" Wolverton, is an environmental consulting firm that gives customers access to the results of his decades of cutting-edge bioremediation research. Findings about how to use plants to improve indoor air quality have been published in dozens of NASA technical papers and in the book, "How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants That Purify Your Home or Office." The book has now been translated into 12 languages and has been on the shelves of bookstores for nearly 10 years. A companion book, "Growing Clean Water: Nature's Solution to Water Pollution," explains how plants can clean waste water. Other discoveries include that the more air that is allowed to circulate through the roots of the plants, the more effective they are at cleaning polluted air; and that plants play a psychological role in welfare in that people recover from illness faster in the presence of plants. Wolverton Environmental is also working in partnership with Syracuse University, to engineer systems consisting of modular wicking filters tied into duct work and water supplies, essentially tying plant-based filters into heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Also, the company has recently begun to assess the ability of the EcoPlanter to remove formaldehyde from interior environments. Wolverton Environmental is also in talks with designers of the new Stennis Visitor's Center, who are interested in using its designs for indoor air-quality filters

Educational Process Reengineering and Diffusion of Innovation in Formal Learning Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khalid, Md. Saifuddin; Hossain, Mohammad Shahadat; Rongbutsri, Nikorn

2011-01-01

administration and evaluation and assessment. Educational environments are flexible and not governed by standard operating procedures, making technology use lithe. Theory of diffusion of innovations‟ is recommended to be integrated to reason and measure acceptance or rejection of EPR selected technology......In technology mediated learning while relative advantages of technologies is proven, lack of contextualization and process centric change, and lack of user driven change has kept intervention and adoption of educational technologies among individuals and organizations as challenges. Reviewing...... the formal, informal and non-formal learning environments, this study focuses on the formal part. This paper coins the term 'Educational Process Reengineering (EPR) based on the established concept of 'Business Process Reengineering (BPR) for process improvement of teaching learning activities, academic...

Indoor air quality of environments used for physical exercise and sports practice: Systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, Alexandro; Dominski, Fábio Hech

2018-01-15

Systematic reviews have the potential to contribute substantially to environmental health and risk assessment. This study aimed to investigate indoor air quality of environments used for physical exercise and sports practice through a systematic review. The systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines and was recorded in the PROSPERO registry (CRD42016036057). The search was performed using the SciELO, Science Direct, Scopus, LILACS, MEDLINE via PubMed, and SPORTDiscus databases, from their inception through April 2017. The search terms used in the databases were {air pollution" OR "air pollutants" OR "air quality"} AND {"physical exercise" OR "physical activity" OR "sport"}. The results of selected studies were divided into 5 categories for analysis: monitoring of air quality in the environment according to international guidelines, indoor-to-outdoor ratio (I/O), air quality during physical exercise, impact of air quality on health, and interventions to improve indoor air quality. Among 1281 studies screened, 34 satisfied the inclusion criteria. The monitoring of pollutants was conducted in 20 studies. CO and NO 2 were the most investigated pollutants, and guidelines were discussed in most studies. The I/O ratio was investigated in 12 studies, of which 9 showed a higher concentration of some pollutants in indoor rather than outdoor environments. Among the 34 studies selected, only 7 investigated the impact of indoor air pollution on human health. The population in most of these studies consisted of hockey players. Most studies conducted monitoring of pollutants in indoor environments used for physical exercise and sports practice. The earliest studies were conducted in ice skating rinks and the most recent evaluated gymnasiums, fitness centers, and sports centers. The CO, particulate matter, and NO 2 concentrations were the most investigated and have the longest history of investigation. These pollutants were within the limits established by guidelines in most

Urban diffusion problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanna, S.R.

1976-01-01

It is hoped that urban diffusion models of air pollutants can eventually confidently be used to make major decisions, such as in planning the layout of a new industrial park, determining the effects of a new highway on air quality, or estimating the results of a new automobile emissions exhaust system. The urban diffusion model itself should be able to account for point, line, and area sources, and the local aerodynamic effects of street canyons and building wakes. Removal or transformations due to dry or wet deposition and chemical reactions are often important. It would be best if the model included meteorological parameters such as wind speed and temperature as dependent variables, since these parameters vary significantly when air passes from rural surfaces over urban surfaces

Modeling Unidirectional Pedestrian Movement: An Investigation of Diffusion Behavior in the Built Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying Liu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Unidirectional pedestrian movement is a special phenomenon in the evacuation process of large public buildings and urban environments at pedestrian scale. Several macroscopic models for collective behaviors have been built to predict pedestrian flow. However, current models do not explain the diffusion behavior in pedestrian crowd movement, which can be important in representing spatial-temporal crowd density differentiation in the movement process. This study builds a macroscopic model for describing crowd diffusion behavior and evaluating unidirectional pedestrian flow. The proposed model employs discretization of time and walking speed in geometric distribution to calculate downstream pedestrian crowd flow and analyze movement process based on upstream number of pedestrians and average walking speed. The simulated results are calibrated with video observation data in a baseball stadium to verify the model precision. Statistical results have verified that the proposed pedestrian diffusion model could accurately describe pedestrian macromovement behavior within the margin of error.

Electro-scrubbing volatile organic carbons in the air stream with a gas diffusion electrode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang Ji, E-mail: yangji@ecust.edu.cn [School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China); School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Liu Kaichen; Jia Jinping; Cao Limei [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China)

2011-04-15

It is demonstrated that exposing the VOC air streams to the electro-scrubbing reactor with a gas diffusion electrode leads to an efficient removal of organics. The importance order of the influence factors on the electro-scrubbing reactor performance is: conductivity, voltage and air stream flow-rate. The effective conductivity and high voltages generally are beneficial to the removal process and the air flow-rate is not a significant factor compared with the other two, indicating that the reactor might have a consistently satisfying performance within a wide range of gas volumetric load. The mass transfer of both organics and oxygen in the reactor is estimated by mathematical model, and the calculation determines the concentration boundary conditions for the 2-ethoxyethyl acetate removal: if the 2-ethoxyethyl acetate concentration in the inflow air stream holds C{sub G,i} {<=} 0.7198 % , the removal in the electro-scrubbing reactor is electrochemical reaction controlled; if C{sub G,i} > 0.7198 % , the controlling step will be the oxygen mass transfer from the air to the liquid in the electro-scrubbing reactor. The Apparent Current Efficiency of the electro-scrubbing reactor was also determined using COD data, which is significantly higher than some commercial metal oxide electrodes, showing that the reactor is energy efficient and has the promise for the future scale-up.

Diffuse Ceiling Ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Heiselberg, Per; Nielsen, Peter V.

2014-01-01

As a novel air distribution system, diffuse ceiling ventilation combines the suspended acoustic ceiling with ventilation supply. Due to the low-impulse supply from the large ceiling area, the system does not generate draught when supplying cold air. However, heat sources play an important role...

Compressed air noise reductions from using advanced air gun nozzles in research and development environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Prieve, Kurt; Rice, Amanda; Raynor, Peter C

2017-08-01

The aims of this study were to evaluate sound levels produced by compressed air guns in research and development (R&D) environments, replace conventional air gun models with advanced noise-reducing air nozzles, and measure changes in sound levels to assess the effectiveness of the advanced nozzles as engineering controls for noise. Ten different R&D manufacturing areas that used compressed air guns were identified and included in the study. A-weighted sound level and Z-weighted octave band measurements were taken simultaneously using a single instrument. In each area, three sets of measurements, each lasting for 20 sec, were taken 1 m away and perpendicular to the air stream of the conventional air gun while a worker simulated typical air gun work use. Two different advanced noise-reducing air nozzles were then installed. Sound level and octave band data were collected for each of these nozzles using the same methods as for the original air guns. Both of the advanced nozzles provided sound level reductions of about 7 dBA, on average. The highest noise reductions measured were 17.2 dBA for one model and 17.7 dBA for the other. In two areas, the advanced nozzles yielded no sound level reduction, or they produced small increases in sound level. The octave band data showed strong similarities in sound level among all air gun nozzles within the 10-1,000 Hz frequency range. However, the advanced air nozzles generally had lower noise contributions in the 1,000-20,000 Hz range. The observed decreases at these higher frequencies caused the overall sound level reductions that were measured. Installing new advanced noise-reducing air nozzles can provide large sound level reductions in comparison to existing conventional nozzles, which has direct benefit for hearing conservation efforts.

Air quality inside subway metro indoor environment worldwide: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Bin; Hao, Jinliang

2017-10-01

The air quality in the subway metro indoor microenvironment has been of particular public concern. With specific reference to the growing demand of green transportation and sustainable development, subway metro systems have been rapidly developed worldwide in last decades. The number of metro commuters has continuously increased over recent years in metropolitan cities. In some cities, metro system has become the primary public transportation mode. Although commuters typically spend only 30-40min in metros, the air pollutants emitted from various interior components of metro system as well as air pollutants carried by ventilation supply air are significant sources of harmful air pollutants that could lead to unhealthy human exposure. Commuters' exposure to various air pollutants in metro carriages may cause perceivable health risk as reported by many environmental health studies. This review summarizes significant findings in the literature on air quality inside metro indoor environment, including pollutant concentration levels, chemical species, related sources and health risk assessment. More than 160 relevant studies performed across over 20 countries were carefully reviewed. These comprised more than 2000 individual measurement trips. Particulate matters, aromatic hydrocarbons, carbonyls and airborne bacteria have been identified as the primary air pollutants inside metro system. On this basis, future work could focus on investigating the chronic health risks of exposure to various air pollutants other than PM, and/or further developing advanced air purification unit to improve metro in-station air quality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Future of the Brigade Combat Team: Air-Ground Integration and the Operating Environment

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-09

coordinate, and control joint and multinational aircraft during CAS situations in combat and training. The current system which the CAS mission falls...current system , experiences from Vietnam, Operation Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq help to identify future challenges to the operating environment ...multinational partners. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Air Ground Integration, Theater Air Ground System , Theater Air Control System , Army Air Ground System , Joint

Large-eddy simulation of a turbulent piloted methane/air diffusion flame (Sandia flame D)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pitsch, H.; Steiner, H.

2000-01-01

The Lagrangian Flamelet Model is formulated as a combustion model for large-eddy simulations of turbulent jet diffusion flames. The model is applied in a large-eddy simulation of a piloted partially premixed methane/air diffusion flame (Sandia flame D). The results of the simulation are compared to experimental data of the mean and RMS of the axial velocity and the mixture fraction and the unconditional and conditional averages of temperature and various species mass fractions, including CO and NO. All quantities are in good agreement with the experiments. The results indicate in accordance with experimental findings that regions of high strain appear in layer like structures, which are directed inwards and tend to align with the reaction zone, where the turbulence is fully developed. The analysis of the conditional temperature and mass fractions reveals a strong influence of the partial premixing of the fuel. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics

Experimental Determination of Drug Diffusion Coefficients in Unstirred Aqueous Environments by Temporally Resolved Concentration Measurements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Di Cagno, Massimiliano Pio; Clarelli, Fabrizio; Vabenø, Jon

2018-01-01

or the need for dedicated instrumentation. In this work, a simple but reliable method based on time resolved concentration measurements by UV-visible spectroscopy in an unstirred aqueous environment was developed. This method is based on spectroscopic measurement of the variation of the local concentration...... characteristics (i.e. ionic strength and presence of complexing agents) on the diffusivity. The method can be employed in any research laboratory equipped with a standard UV-visible spectrophotometer, and could become a useful and straightforward tool in order to characterize diffusion coefficients...

Research on the Coupling Coordination Relationship between Urbanization and the Air Environment: A Case Study of the Area of Wuhan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Ding

2015-10-01

Full Text Available China’s high-speed socioeconomic development has been characterized by rapid urbanization and a series of ecological environment issues, especially air pollution. This paper proposed a comprehensive indicator system for the evaluation of urbanization and the air environment in Wuhan, a metropolis in central China, and then investigated the relationship between urbanization and the air environment from the perspective of coupling coordination theory. Furthermore, a coupling coordination degree model (CCDM was constructed to estimate the relationship by using panel data collected from 1996–2013. The results showed the following: (1 Spatial urbanization and air environment quality make the greatest contributions to the compound system compared to other first grade indicators, indicating that they are critical factors to consider when the government is making relevant decisions about urban sprawl. (2 The comprehensive level of the air environment initially decreased from 1996–1998 and then increased with fluctuations in Wuhan, with several inflection points, meaning that the variation process of the air environment is unstable and repetitive, and efforts to improve the air environment must persist over a long period of time. Lastly, (3 the degree of coordinated coupling between urbanization and the air environment exhibited an S-shaped curve, indicating that Wuhan changed from having slightly unbalanced development to barely balanced development and then entered into a period of superiorly balanced development, with the air environment lagging. Thus, the ambient urban air quality has been subject to great pressure, and the government should continue to take effective action to improve it.

THE QUALITY OF AIR IN HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENTS CLIMATIZED AND ITS INFLUENCE IN THE OCCURRENCE OF INFECTIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrícia Staciarini Anders

2004-08-01

Full Text Available Climatized environment is defined as the environment where temperature and humidity are controlled.We have made a review of literature, from 1990 to 2001, through data base MEDLINE, LILACS and Ministry ofHealth – Brazil. The aim of this study was to analyze the air quality in climatized environment and the last as a riskfactor for hospital infection – HI. Twenty-three articles where analyzed and gathered by the focused theme;patterns and principles for maintaining the air quality; air quality and isolation of microorganism; air quality andoccurrence of infection. The standard of quality quotes: ventilation, maintenance and cleanness of climatizationsystems. Aspergillus, Legionella, Acinetobacter, Clostridium, Nocardia, among others where found in airconditioned devices and the first three ones being responsable for booms of HI.

Acoustic radiosity for computation of sound fields in diffuse environments

Science.gov (United States)

Muehleisen, Ralph T.; Beamer, C. Walter

2002-05-01

The use of image and ray tracing methods (and variations thereof) for the computation of sound fields in rooms is relatively well developed. In their regime of validity, both methods work well for prediction in rooms with small amounts of diffraction and mostly specular reflection at the walls. While extensions to the method to include diffuse reflections and diffraction have been made, they are limited at best. In the fields of illumination and computer graphics the ray tracing and image methods are joined by another method called luminous radiative transfer or radiosity. In radiosity, an energy balance between surfaces is computed assuming diffuse reflection at the reflective surfaces. Because the interaction between surfaces is constant, much of the computation required for sound field prediction with multiple or moving source and receiver positions can be reduced. In acoustics the radiosity method has had little attention because of the problems of diffraction and specular reflection. The utility of radiosity in acoustics and an approach to a useful development of the method for acoustics will be presented. The method looks especially useful for sound level prediction in industrial and office environments. [Work supported by NSF.

A compartment model of alveolar-capillary oxygen diffusion with ventilation-perfusion gradient and dynamics of air transport through the respiratory tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaworski, Jacek; Redlarski, Grzegorz

2014-08-01

This paper presents a model of alveolar-capillary oxygen diffusion with dynamics of air transport through the respiratory tract. For this purpose electrical model representing the respiratory tract mechanics and differential equations representing oxygen membrane diffusion are combined. Relevant thermodynamic relations describing the mass of oxygen transported into the human body are proposed as the connection between these models, as well as the influence of ventilation-perfusion mismatch on the oxygen diffusion. The model is verified based on simulation results of varying exercise intensities and statistical calculations of the results obtained during various clinical trials. The benefit of the approach proposed is its application in simulation-based research aimed to generate quantitative data of normal and pathological conditions. Based on the model presented, taking into account many essential physiological processes and air transport dynamics, comprehensive and combined studies of the respiratory efficiency can be performed. The impact of physical exercise, precise changes in respiratory tract mechanics and alterations in breathing pattern can be analyzed together with the impact of various changes in alveolar-capillary oxygen diffusion. This may be useful in simulation of effects of many severe medical conditions and increased activity level. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extensive air showers and diffused Cherenkov light detection: The ULTRA experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agnetta, G.; Assis, P.; Biondo, B.

2007-01-01

The Uv Light Transmission and Reflection in the Atmosphere (ULTRA) experiment has been designed to provide quantitative measurements of the backscattered Cherenkov signal associated to the Extensive Air Showers (EAS) at the impact point on the Earth surface. The knowledge of such information will test the possibility to detect the diffused Cherenkov light spot from space within the Ultra high-energy cosmic ray observation. The Cherenkov signal is necessary to give an absolute reference for the track, allowing the measurement of the shower maximum and easing the separation between neutrino and hadronic showers. In this paper we discuss the experimental set-up with detailed information on the detection method; the in situ and laboratory calibrations; the simulation of the expected detector response and finally the preliminary results on the detector performance

Experimental study of diffuse ceiling ventilation in classroom

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hviid, Christian Anker; Terkildsen, Søren

Diffuse ceiling ventilation is a novel air distribution device that combines the suspended acoustic ceiling with ventilation supply. A diffuse ceiling distributes the supply air above the acoustic tiles and has proven performance in laboratory experiments. To study the performance in real conditi...

Advances in energy and environment. Vol. 2: Air quality, water quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Sharkawy, A.L.; Kummler, R.H.

1996-01-01

The 5th conference of energy and environment was held on 3-6 June 1996 in Cairo. The specialists discussed the effects of advances in energy and environment. The applications of solar energy, heat transfer, thermal application, storage and bio-conversion, fuels, energy and development. This second volume covers papers presented on the subjects air pollution, environmental protection, solid and hazardous wastes, water and wastewater treatment. tabs., figs

Wet effluent diffusion denuder technique and determination of volatile organic compounds in air. I. Oxo compounds (alcohols and ketones)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Sklenská, Jana; Pařízek, Petr; Večeřa, Zbyněk

2001-01-01

Roč. 918, č. 1 (2001), s. 153-158 ISSN 0021-9673 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA203/98/0943 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z4031919 Keywords : diffusion denuders * alcohols * air analysis Subject RIV: CB - Analytical Chemistry, Separation Impact factor: 2.793, year: 2001

Development of System Architecture to Investigate the Impact of Integrated Air and Missile Defense in a Distributed Lethality Environment

Science.gov (United States)

2017-12-01

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF INTEGRATED AIR AND MISSILE DEFENSE IN A DISTRIBUTED LETHALITY ENVIRONMENT by Justin K. Davis...TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF INTEGRATED AIR AND MISSILE DEFENSE IN A DISTRIBUTED LETHALITY ENVIRONMENT 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Justin K...ARCHITECTURE TO INVESTIGATE THE IMPACT OF INTEGRATED AIR AND MISSILE DEFENSE IN A DISTRIBUTED LETHALITY ENVIRONMENT Justin K. Davis Lieutenant

Air pollution abatement performances of green infrastructure in open road and built-up street canyon environments - A review

Science.gov (United States)

Abhijith, K. V.; Kumar, Prashant; Gallagher, John; McNabola, Aonghus; Baldauf, Richard; Pilla, Francesco; Broderick, Brian; Di Sabatino, Silvana; Pulvirenti, Beatrice

2017-08-01

Intensifying the proportion of urban green infrastructure has been considered as one of the remedies for air pollution levels in cities, yet the impact of numerous vegetation types deployed in different built environments has to be fully synthesised and quantified. This review examined published literature on neighbourhood air quality modifications by green interventions. Studies were evaluated that discussed personal exposure to local sources of air pollution under the presence of vegetation in open road and built-up street canyon environments. Further, we critically evaluated the available literature to provide a better understanding of the interactions between vegetation and surrounding built-up environments and ascertain means of reducing local air pollution exposure using green infrastructure. The net effects of vegetation in each built-up environment are also summarised and possible recommendations for the future design of green infrastructure are proposed. In a street canyon environment, high-level vegetation canopies (trees) led to a deterioration in air quality, while low-level green infrastructure (hedges) improved air quality conditions. For open road conditions, wide, low porosity and tall vegetation leads to downwind pollutant reductions while gaps and high porosity vegetation could lead to no improvement or even deteriorated air quality. The review considers that generic recommendations can be provided for vegetation barriers in open road conditions. Green walls and roofs on building envelopes can also be used as effective air pollution abatement measures. The critical evaluation of the fundamental concepts and the amalgamation of key technical features of past studies by this review could assist urban planners to design and implement green infrastructures in the built environment.

Determination of 1-octanol-air partition coefficient using gaseous diffusion in the air boundary layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ha, Yeonjeong; Kwon, Jung-Hwan

2010-04-15

Exact determination of the partition coefficient between 1-octanol and air (K(OA)) is very important because it is a key descriptor for describing the thermodynamic partitioning between the air and organic phases. In spite of its importance, the number and quality of experimental K(OA) values for hydrophobic organic chemicals are limited because of experimental difficulties. Thus, to measure K(OA) values, a high-throughput method was developed that used liquid-phase extraction with 1-octanol drop at the tip of a microsyringe needle. The concentration in the headspace surrounding the 1 muL octanol drop was equilibrated with liquid octanol containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The change in concentrations of PAHs in the octanol drop was measured to obtain mass transfer rate constants, and these rate constants were then converted into K(OA) values using a film diffusion model. Thirteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with log K(OA) between 5 and 12 were chosen for the proof of the principle. Experimental determination of log K(OA) was accomplished in 30 h for PAHs with their log K(OA) less than 11. The measured log K(OA) values were very close to those obtained by various experimental and estimation methods in the literature, suggesting that this new method can provide a fast and easy determination of log K(OA) values for many chemicals of environmental interests. In addition, the applicability of the method can be extended to determine Henry's law constant for compounds with low vapor pressure and to estimate gaseous transfer rate of semivolatile compounds for environmental fate modeling.

A comparison of Fick and Maxwell-Stefan diffusion formulations in PEMFC gas diffusion layers

Science.gov (United States)

Lindstrom, Michael; Wetton, Brian

2017-01-01

This paper explores the mathematical formulations of Fick and Maxwell-Stefan diffusion in the context of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell cathode gas diffusion layers. The simple Fick law with a diagonal diffusion matrix is an approximation of Maxwell-Stefan. Formulations of diffusion combined with mass-averaged Darcy flow are considered for three component gases. For this application, the formulations can be compared computationally in a simple, one dimensional setting. Despite the models' seemingly different structure, it is observed that the predictions of the formulations are very similar on the cathode when air is used as oxidant. The two formulations give quite different results when the Nitrogen in the air oxidant is replaced by helium (this is often done as a diagnostic for fuel cells designs). The two formulations also give quite different results for the anode with a dilute Hydrogen stream. These results give direction to when Maxwell-Stefan diffusion, which is more complicated to implement computationally in many codes, should be used in fuel cell simulations.

Nanomaterials for benign indoor environments: Electrochromics for 'smart windows', sensors for air quality, and photo-catalysts for air cleaning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granqvist, C.G.; Azens, A.; Heszler, P.; Kish, L.B.; OEsterlund, L.

2007-01-01

Nanomaterials can be used in a number of technologies in order to accomplish benign indoor environments. This paper takes a unified view on this problem from a solar-energy-based perspective and specifically considers electrochromics for achieving good day-lighting jointly with energy efficiency, sensors aimed at air quality assessment, and photocatalysis for air cleaning. Recent results, mainly from the authors' laboratories, are reported for all of these areas. (author)

Gas Diffusivity-Based Design and Characterization of Greenhouse Growth Substrates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deepagoda Thuduwe Kankanamge Kelum, Chamindu; Møldrup, Per; Tuller, Markus

2013-01-01

combinations thereof, are commonly used as growth media, detailed and comparable physical characterization is key to identify the best performing media. In this study, five potential growth media and two mixtures thereof were characterized based on soil gas diffusivity (Dp/Do, where Dp and Do are gas diffusion...... coefficients in soil air and free air, respectively) and an operationally defined critical window of diffusivity (CWD) representing the interval of air-filled porosity between critical air filled porosity where Dp/Do ≈ 0.02 and interaggregate porosity. The Dp measurements were conducted with 100-cm3 samples...

Nox diffusion-simulation in an urban area in using the vertical diffusion diagram including a surface roughness parameter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kono, Hitoshi; Fujimoto, Akira; Nakano, Hiroshi

1988-03-31

In recent years, in order to attain a total quantity regulation of air pollution and to prepare a local air-control program, a diffusion simulation is often made using a Gaussian plume model. NOx diffusion simulation of the urban area was carried out using a vertical diffusion width by taking a parameter of ground-surface roughness using Smith's correction to the Gaussian model. For the diffusion of car exhaust gas, comparison was made for the estimate and the measurement by jointly using the values of ground-surface roughness and the initial diffusion width. As a result, change in the diffusion width of the car exhaust gas due to the urban buildings was expressed at a necessary practical level by giving the height of the point of calculation, 1 - 3 m in the central part and 30 cm at the peripheral part, and giving the initial diffusion width of roughly half to equal size of initial diffusion width to the average height of the buildings. (2 figs, 8 tabs, 20 refs)

Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant Environmental report for 1990

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Counce-Brown, D. (ed.)

1991-09-01

This two-part report, Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant Site Environmental Report for 1990, is published annually. It reflects the results of a comprehensive, year-round program to monitor the impact of operations at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) on the area's groundwater and surface waters, soil, air quality, vegetation, and wildlife. In addition, an assessment of the effect of PGDP effluents on the resident human population is made. PGDP's overall goal for environmental management is to protect the environment and PGDP's neighbors and to maintain full compliance with all current regulations. The current environmental strategy is to identify any deficiencies and to develop a system to resolve them. The long-range goal of environmental management is to minimize the source of pollutants, to reduce the formation of waste, and to minimize hazardous waste by substitution of materials.

Spirometry, Static Lung Volumes, and Diffusing Capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaz Fragoso, Carlos A; Cain, Hilary C; Casaburi, Richard; Lee, Patty J; Iannone, Lynne; Leo-Summers, Linda S; Van Ness, Peter H

2017-09-01

Spirometric Z-scores from the Global Lung Initiative (GLI) rigorously account for age-related changes in lung function and are thus age-appropriate when establishing spirometric impairments, including a restrictive pattern and air-flow obstruction. However, GLI-defined spirometric impairments have not yet been evaluated regarding associations with static lung volumes (total lung capacity [TLC], functional residual capacity [FRC], and residual volume [RV]) and gas exchange (diffusing capacity). We performed a retrospective review of pulmonary function tests in subjects ≥40 y old (mean age 64.6 y), including pre-bronchodilator measures for: spirometry ( n = 2,586), static lung volumes by helium dilution with inspiratory capacity maneuver ( n = 2,586), and hemoglobin-adjusted single-breath diffusing capacity ( n = 2,508). Using multivariable linear regression, adjusted least-squares means (adj LS Means) were calculated for TLC, FRC, RV, and hemoglobin-adjusted single-breath diffusing capacity. The adj LS Means were expressed with and without height-cubed standardization and stratified by GLI-defined spirometry, including normal ( n = 1,251), restrictive pattern ( n = 663), and air-flow obstruction (mild, [ n = 128]; moderate, [ n = 150]; and severe, [ n = 394]). Relative to normal spirometry, restrictive-pattern had lower adj LS Means for TLC, FRC, RV, and hemoglobin-adjusted single-breath diffusing capacity ( P ≤ .001). Conversely, relative to normal spirometry, mild, moderate, and severe air-flow obstruction had higher adj LS Means for FRC and RV ( P < .001). However, only mild and moderate air-flow obstruction had higher adj LS Means for TLC ( P < .001), while only moderate and severe air-flow obstruction had higher adj LS Means for RV/TLC ( P < .001) and lower adj LS Means for hemoglobin-adjusted single-breath diffusing capacity ( P < .001). Notably, TLC (calculated as FRC + inspiratory capacity) was not increased in severe air-flow obstruction ( P ≥ .11

Diffusion Dominant Solute Transport Modelling in Fractured Media Under Deep Geological Environment - 12211

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwong, S. [National Nuclear Laboratory (United Kingdom); Jivkov, A.P. [Research Centre for Radwaste and Decommissioning and Modelling and Simulation Centre, University of Manchester (United Kingdom)

2012-07-01

Deep geologic disposal of high activity and long-lived radioactive waste is gaining increasing support in many countries, where suitable low permeability geological formation in combination with engineered barriers are used to provide long term waste contaminant and minimise the impacts to the environment and risk to the biosphere. This modelling study examines the solute transport in fractured media under low flow velocities that are relevant to a deep geological environment. In particular, reactive solute transport through fractured media is studied using a 2-D model, that considers advection and diffusion, to explore the coupled effects of kinetic and equilibrium chemical processes. The effects of water velocity in the fracture, matrix porosity and diffusion on solute transport are investigated and discussed. Some illustrative modelled results are presented to demonstrate the use of the model to examine the effects of media degradation on solute transport, under the influences of hydrogeological (diffusion dominant) and microbially mediated chemical processes. The challenges facing the prediction of long term degradation such as cracks evolution, interaction and coalescence are highlighted. The potential of a novel microstructure informed modelling approach to account for these effects is discussed, particularly with respect to investigating multiple phenomena impact on material performance. The GRM code is used to examine the effects of media degradation for a geological waste disposal package, under the combined hydrogeological (diffusion dominant) and chemical effects in low groundwater flow conditions that are typical of deep geological disposal systems. An illustrative reactive transport modelling application demonstrates the use of the code to examine the interplay of kinetic controlled biogeochemical reactive processes with advective and diffusive transport, under the influence of media degradation. The initial model results are encouraging which show the

A constant flow filter air sampler for workplace environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parulian, A.; Rodgers, J.C.; McFarland, A.R.

1996-01-01

A filter air sampler has been developed for sampling radionuclide aerosol particles form the workplace environment. It provides easy filter changing, constant flow sampling, and a visual display to indicate proper operation. An experimental study was conducted to characterize the collection efficiency of the sampler as affected by variations in room air velocity, particle size, sampling flow rate, inlet geometry, and inlet orientation to the free stream. Tests were carried out in a wing tunnel at velocities between 0.3 m s -1 and 2.0 m s -1 , which is a range that covers anticipated velocities in the typical highly ventilated workplace environment of a nuclear facility. Nearly monodisperse aerosols with sizes between 5 and 20 μm aerodynamic diameter were sampled at flow rates between 28.3 and 84.9 L min -1 . Inlet orientations of 0 degree, 90 degree, and 180 degree from the horizontal were selected for evaluation. When the sampler was oriented at 0 degree over various ranges of free stream velocities, sampling flow rates and particle sizes, the transmission efficiency of aerosol was typically greater than 95%. The transmission efficiencies varied form 80% to 106% for 10-μm aerodynamic diameter particles over the previously noted range of free stream velocities and inlet orientations. Uniformity of deposits of 10 μm aerodynamic diameter particles on collection filters was examined for a sampling rate of 57 L min -1 , a sampler orientation of 90 degree into the wind and wind speeds of 0.3-2 m s -1 . The coefficients of variation for the areal density of the deposits ranged from 6.1% to 37.2%. A miniature critical flow venturi with a constant sampling flow rate of 57 L min -1 was developed for application to the new filter air sampler. It was demonstrated that the performance of the new filter air sampler is quite acceptable over a wide range of conditions. 31 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab

Calculation methods for air supply design in industrial facilities. Literature review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hagstroem, K; Siren, K; Zhivov, A M

1999-09-01

The objectives of air distribution systems for warm air heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning are to create the proper thermal environment conditions in the occupied zone (combination of temperature, humidity, and air movement), and to control vapor and air born particle concentration within the target levels set by the process requirements and/or threshold limit values based on health effects, fire and explosion prevention, or other considerations. HVAC systems designs are constrained by existing codes, standards, and guidelines, which specify some minimum requirements for the HVAC system elements, occupant`s and process environmental quality and safety. There is a variety of different methods consulting engineers use to design room air diffusion and to select and size air diffusers, such as assumption of perfect mixing, design methods employing the empirical relations determined through research, such as the air diffusion performance index (ADPI), air jet theory and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes. Air supplied into the room through the various types of outlets (grills, ceiling mounted air diffusers, perforated panels etc.), is distributed by turbulent air jets. In mixing type air distribution systems, these air jets are the primary factor affecting room air motion. Numerous theoretical and experimental studies that developed a solid base for turbulent air jets theory were conducted concurrently in different countries (Germany, Sweden, Russia, U.K., USA) from the 1930`s through the 1980`s. Design methods based on air jet theory allows for the prediction of extreme values of air velocities and air temperatures in the occupied zone of empty spaces. Current air jet theory techniques account for the effects of buoyancy, confinement, jets interaction. For many conditions of jet discharge, it is possible to analyze jet performance and determine: the angle of divergence of the jet boundary; the velocity patterns along heated or chilled the jet axis; the

DIFFUSIVE EXCHANGE OF GASEOUS POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS AND POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS ACROSS THE AIR-WATER INTERFACE OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY. (R825245)

Science.gov (United States)

Dissolved and gas-phase concentrations of nine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and 46 polychlorinated biphenyl congeners were measured at eight sites on the Chesapeake Bay at four different times of the year to estimate net diffusive air-water gas exchange rates. Gaseous PAHs ar...

Human health effects of air pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kampa, Marilena; Castanas, Elias

2008-01-01

Hazardous chemicals escape to the environment by a number of natural and/or anthropogenic activities and may cause adverse effects on human health and the environment. Increased combustion of fossil fuels in the last century is responsible for the progressive change in the atmospheric composition. Air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), ozone (O 3 ), heavy metals, and respirable particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), differ in their chemical composition, reaction properties, emission, time of disintegration and ability to diffuse in long or short distances. Air pollution has both acute and chronic effects on human health, affecting a number of different systems and organs. It ranges from minor upper respiratory irritation to chronic respiratory and heart disease, lung cancer, acute respiratory infections in children and chronic bronchitis in adults, aggravating pre-existing heart and lung disease, or asthmatic attacks. In addition, short- and long-term exposures have also been linked with premature mortality and reduced life expectancy. These effects of air pollutants on human health and their mechanism of action are briefly discussed. - The effect of air pollutants on human health and underlying mechanisms of cellular action are discussed

Behavior of aerosols in a steam-air environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, R.E.; Tobias, M.L.; Longest, A.W.

1985-01-01

The behavior of aerosols assumed to be characteristic of those generated during light water reactor (LWR) accident sequences and released into containment is being studied in the Nuclear Safety Pilot Plant (NSPP) which is located at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The program plan for the NSPP aerosol project provides for the study of the behavior, within containment, of simulated LWR accident aerosols emanating from fuel, reactor core structural materials, and from concrete-molten core materials interactions. The aerodynamic behavior of each of these aerosols was studied individually to establish its characteristics; current experiments involve mixtures of these aerosols to establish their interaction and collective behavior within containment. Tests have been conducted with U 3 O 8 aerosols, Fe 2 O 3 aerosols, and concrete aerosols in an environment of either dry air [relative humidity (RH) less than 20%] or steam-air [relative humidity (RH) approximately 100%] with aerosol mass concentration being the primary experimental variable

Air ion concentrations in various urban outdoor environments

Science.gov (United States)

Ling, Xuan; Jayaratne, Rohan; Morawska, Lidia

2010-06-01

Atmospheric ions are produced by many natural and anthropogenic sources and their concentrations vary widely between different environments. There is very little information on their concentrations in different types of urban environments, how they compare across these environments and their dominant sources. In this study, we measured airborne concentrations of small ions, particles and net particle charge at 32 different outdoor sites in and around a major city in Australia and identified the main ion sources. Sites were classified into seven groups as follows: park, woodland, city centre, residential, freeway, power lines and power substation. Generally, parks were situated away from ion sources and represented the urban background value of about 270 ions cm -3. Median concentrations at all other groups were significantly higher than in the parks. We show that motor vehicles and power transmission systems are two major ion sources in urban areas. Power lines and substations constituted strong unipolar sources, while motor vehicle exhaust constituted strong bipolar sources. The small ion concentration in urban residential areas was about 960 cm -3. At sites where ion sources were co-located with particle sources, ion concentrations were inhibited due to the ion-particle attachment process. These results improved our understanding on air ion distribution and its interaction with particles in the urban outdoor environment.

Inter-comparison of air pollutant concentrations in different indoor environments in Hong Kong

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Shun-Cheng; Guo, Hai; Li, Wai-Ming; Chan, Lo-Yin

Indoor air quality in selected indoor environments in Hong Kong such as homes, offices, schools, shopping malls and restaurants were investigated. Average CO 2 levels and total bacteria counts in air-conditioned classrooms, shopping malls and restaurants were comparatively higher than those measured in occupied offices and homes. Elevated CO 2 levels exceeding 1000 ppm and total bacteria counts resulted from high occupancy combined with inadequate ventilation. Average PM 10 levels were usually higher indoors than outdoors in homes, shopping malls and restaurants. The highest indoor PM 10 levels were observed at investigated restaurants due to the presence of cigarette smoking and extensive use of gas stoves for cooking. The restaurants and shopping malls investigated had higher formaldehyde levels than other indoor environments when building material, smoking and internal renovation work were present. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in both indoor and outdoor environments mainly resulted from vehicle exhaust emissions. It was observed that interior decoration work and the use of industrial solvents in an indoor environment could significantly increase the indoor levels of VOCs.

Air Purification in Closed Environments: An Overview of Spacecraft Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Perry, Jay L.; LeVan, Douglas; Crumbley, Robert (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The primary goal for a collective protection system and a spacecraft environmental control and life support system (ECLSS) are strikingly similar. Essentially both function to provide the occupants of a building or vehicle with a safe, habitable environment. The collective protection system shields military and civilian personnel from short-term exposure to external threats presented by toxic agents and industrial chemicals while an ECLSS sustains astronauts for extended periods within the hostile environment of space. Both have air quality control similarities with various aircraft and 'tight' buildings. This paper reviews basic similarities between air purification system requirements for collective protection and an ECLSS that define surprisingly common technological challenges and solutions. Systems developed for air revitalization on board spacecraft are discussed along with some history on their early development as well as a view of future needs. Emphasis is placed upon two systems implemented by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) onboard the International Space Station (ISS): the trace contaminant control system (TCCS) and the molecular sieve-based carbon dioxide removal assembly (CDRA). Over its history, the NASA has developed and implemented many life support systems for astronauts. As the duration, complexity, and crew size of manned missions increased from minutes or hours for a single astronaut during Project Mercury to days and ultimately months for crews of 3 or more during the Apollo, Skylab, Shuttle, and ISS programs, these systems have become more sophisticated. Systems aboard spacecraft such as the ISS have been designed to provide long-term environmental control and life support. Challenges facing the NASA's efforts include minimizing mass, volume, and power for such systems, while maximizing their safety, reliability, and performance. This paper will highlight similarities and differences among air purification systems

Simulation of Electron and Ion Transport in Methane-Air Counterflow Diffusion Flames

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sangkyu; Bisetti, Fabrizio; Chung, Suk Ho

2010-11-01

The spatial distribution of charged species in a methane-air counterflow diffusion flame is simulated with a detailed ion chemistry. The electric field induced by the distribution of charged species is calculated and compared to that obtained invoking the ambipolar diffusion assumption. The two calculations showed identical profiles for charged species and electric field. The profiles of ion mole fractions show two peaks: one near the maximum temperature and a second peak on the oxidizer side. The major ions near the maximum temperature are electron, C2H3O+ and H3O+. CHO3- and H3O+ contribute to the second peak. These profiles are quite different from those adopting a simplified three-step mechanism based solely on E-, CHO+ and H3O+, which shows only a single peak. Reaction pathway analyses showed that near the flame region, the proton is transferred by the path of CHO+ -> H3O+ -> C2H3O+ -> CHO+ in a circulating manner. In the second peak, CHO3- is produced though the pathway of E- -> O- -> OH- -> CHO3-. The sensitivity of the charged species profiles to transport properties is investigated, and it is found that the variation of charged species profiles near peak temperature is relatively small, while on the oxidizer side, it is quite sensitive to transport properties.

Atmospheric diffusion wind tunnel with automatic measurement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maki, S; Sakai, J; Murata, E

1974-01-01

A wind tunnel which permits estimates of atmospheric diffusion is described. Smoke from power plant smoke stacks, for example, can be simulated and traced to determine the manner of diffusion in the air as well as the grade of dilution. The wind tunnel is also capable of temperature controlled diffusion tests in which temperature distribution inside the wind tunnel is controlled. A minimum wind velocity of 10 cm can be obtained with accuracy within plus or minus 0.05 percent using a controlled direct current motor; diffusion tests are often made at low wind velocity. Fully automatic measurements can be obtained by using a minicomputer so that the operation and reading of the measuring instruments can be remotely controlled from the measuring chamber. (Air Pollut. Abstr.)

Transport and Environment Database System (TRENDS): Maritime Air Pollutant Emission Modelling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Georgakaki, Aliki; Coffey, Robert; Lock, Grahm

2005-01-01

This paper reports the development of the maritime module within the framework of the Transport and Environment Database System (TRENDS) project. A detailed database has been constructed for the calculation of energy consumption and air pollutant emissions. Based on an in-house database...... changes from findings reported in Methodologies for Estimating air pollutant Emissions from Transport (MEET). The database operates on statistical data provided by Eurostat, which describe vessel and freight movements from and towards EU 15 major ports. Data are at port to Maritime Coastal Area (MCA...... with a view to this purpose, are mentioned. Examples of the results obtained by the database are presented. These include detailed air pollutant emission calculations for bulk carriers entering the port of Helsinki, as an example of the database operation, and aggregate results for different types...

Chicago Residents' Perceptions of Air Quality: Objective Pollution, the Built Environment, and Neighborhood Stigma Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

King, Katherine E

2015-09-01

Substantial research documents higher pollution levels in minority neighborhoods, but little research evaluates how residents perceive their own communities' pollution risks. According to "Neighborhood stigma" theory, survey respondents share a cultural bias that minorities cause social dysfunction, leading to over-reports of dysfunction in minority communities. This study investigates perceptions of residential outdoor air quality by linking objective data on built and social environments with multiple measures of pollution and a representative survey of Chicago residents. Consistent with the scholarly narrative, results show air quality is rated worse where minorities and poverty are concentrated, even after extensive adjustment for objective pollution and built environment measures. Perceptions of air pollution may thus be driven by neighborhood socioeconomic position far more than by respondents' ability to perceive pollution. The finding that 63.5% of the sample reported excellent or good air quality helps to explain current challenging in promoting environmental action.

Preterm infant thermal care: differing thermal environments produced by air versus skin servo-control incubators.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, K A; Burr, R

1999-06-01

Incubator thermal environments produced by skin versus air servo-control were compared. Infant abdominal skin and incubator air temperatures were recorded from 18 infants in skin servo-control and 14 infants in air servo-control (26- to 29-week gestational age, 14 +/- 2 days postnatal age) for 24 hours. Differences in incubator and infant temperature, neutral thermal environment (NTE) maintenance, and infant and incubator circadian rhythm were examined using analysis of variance and scatterplots. Skin servo-control resulted in more variable air temperature, yet more stable infant temperature, and more time within the NTE. Circadian rhythm of both infant and incubator temperature differed by control mode and the relationship between incubator and infant temperature rhythms was a function of control mode. The differences between incubator control modes extend beyond temperature stability and maintenance of NTE. Circadian rhythm of incubator and infant temperatures is influenced by incubator control.

Environment and air pollution: health services bequeath to grotesque menace.

Science.gov (United States)

Qureshi, Muhammad Imran; Rasli, Amran Md; Awan, Usama; Ma, Jian; Ali, Ghulam; Faridullah; Alam, Arif; Sajjad, Faiza; Zaman, Khalid

2015-03-01

The objective of the study is to establish the link between air pollution, fossil fuel energy consumption, industrialization, alternative and nuclear energy, combustible renewable and wastes, urbanization, and resulting impact on health services in Malaysia. The study employed two-stage least square regression technique on the time series data from 1975 to 2012 to possibly minimize the problem of endogeniety in the health services model. The results in general show that air pollution and environmental indicators act as a strong contributor to influence Malaysian health services. Urbanization and nuclear energy consumption both significantly increases the life expectancy in Malaysia, while fertility rate decreases along with the increasing urbanization in a country. Fossil fuel energy consumption and industrialization both have an indirect relationship with the infant mortality rate, whereas, carbon dioxide emissions have a direct relationship with the sanitation facility in a country. The results conclude that balancing the air pollution, environment, and health services needs strong policy vistas on the end of the government officials.

[Impact of new trend of ecological environment changes on growth, reproduction and diffusion of Oncomelania hupensis].

Science.gov (United States)

Juan, Xie; Li-Yong, Wen

2016-03-07

Oncomelania hupensis is the only intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum , and the growth, reproduction and distribution of O.hupensis play an important role in schistosomiasis prevalence and transmission. This article reviews the influence of the new trend of ecological environment changes on the growth, reproduction and diffusion of the snails.

Reduced energy reqirement for air conditioning by using air diffusion with air flow from floor to ceiling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bach, H; Dittes, W; Mangelsdorf, R; Detzer, R; Jungbaeck, E; Fitzner, K; Radtke, W; Soethout, F

1982-02-01

The condition of the air in the occupied zone in airconditioned rooms is influenced by the mixing of supply air with room air. When supplying air from the ceiling there is a mixing all over the room, when supplying from the floor or from desks there is a mixing region only in the lower area. Above this their is warm air from which the return air is drawn. For air supply from below the cooling load can be decreased. In combination with the possible enthalpy difference between room air and supply air this decrease of the cooling load influences the necessary air rate. The interdependence of various air conditioning systems and various air temperatures is shown with a computer program. The load factor for various air distribution system at various cooling loads have been measured in a room of (8 x 5)m/sup 2/ x 3m. Experiments in a smaller model room (scale 1:3) showed how the heat was transported from the mixing region to the stratification region. The theoretically gained influence of the supply air jets of the height of the mixing region and on the load rate could be verified by the experiments. For the design of the fresh air rate, experience has been gained by measurements with tracegas (N/sub 2/O) in a third room. In comparing calculations the annual energy consumption has been computed for a building assuming various air conditioning systems and typical operation data. From experience with the existing systems the conclusions have been drawn how air distribution from floor to ceiling can be installed and operated.

A structural regression model for relationship between indoor air quality with dissatisfaction of occupants in education environment

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini, Hamid Reza; Yunos, Mohd Yazid Mohd; Ismail, Sumarni; Yaman, Maheran

2017-12-01

This paper analysis the effects of indoor air elements on the dissatisfaction of occupants in education of environments. Tries to find the equation model for increasing the comprehension about these affects and optimizes satisfaction of occupants about indoor environment. Subsequently, increase performance of students, lecturers and staffs. As the method, a satisfaction questionnaire (SQ) and measuring environment elements (MEE) was conducted, 143 respondents at five classrooms, four staff rooms and five lectures rooms were considered. Temperature, air velocity and humidity (TVH) were used as independent variables and dissatisfaction as dependent variable. The hypothesis was tested for significant relationship between variables, and analysis was applied. Results found that indoor air quality presents direct effects on dissatisfaction of occupants and indirect effects on performance and the highest effects fallowed by temperature. These results may help to optimize the quality of efficiency and effectiveness in education environments.

Air-sea interactions of semi-volatile organic compounds in the tropical environment of Southeast Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Balasubramanian R.

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Major urban and industrial centers increase loadings of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs to proximate sea waters through riverine transport, atmospheric deposition via dry particle deposition, wet deposition, and air-sea gas exchange. In addition to acting as sinks for SVOCs, oceans can act as sources of SVOCs to coastal atmospheres and play important roles in the global biogeochemistry of SVOCs. Particle-sorbed SVOCs can settle to the ocean surface by dry particle deposition, a uni-directional advective transport process from the atmosphere to the water, the removal rate by which is a function of the physical and chemical properties of the aerosols and bound pollutants, meteorological conditions and surface characteristics. In addition, SVOCs are removed from the atmosphere and transported to the waters by precipitation scavenging of atmospheric vapors and particles, which are incorporated into the rain within or below the clouds. After SVOCs are deposited into the bulk seawater, water-column partitioning can affect the distribution of pollutants between the dissolved aqueous and the solid phases and eventually impact the fate of these compounds in oceans. Other than the abovementioned processes, air-sea exchange can make SVOCs diffuse across the air-sea interface; however, the sea surface microlayer (SML, a unique compartment at the air-sea boundary defined operationally as the upper millimeter (1 ∼ 1000 μm of the sea surface, has large storage capacity to delay the transport of SVOCs across the interface. This article reports the dry particle deposition and wet deposition of selected SVOCs based on an extensive set of yearly data collected in Singapore. Singapore, a representative country of Southeast Asia (SEA, is a small but highly developed island with dense industrial parks in the Southwestern part, where the terrestrial sources affect the surrounding coasts. In this study, Singapore’s Southern coastline was chosen during

The structure of horizontal hydrogen-steam diffusion flames

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, C.K.; Guerrero, A.

1997-01-01

This paper summarizes a systematic study on the stability, peak temperature and flame length of various horizontal hydrogen-steam diffusion flames in air. Results from this study are discussed in terms of their impact on hydrogen management in a nuclear containment building after a nuclear reactor accident. They show that, for a certain range of emerging hydrogen-steam compositions, a stable diffusion flame can anchor itself at the break in the primary heat transport system. The length of this flame can be up to 100 times the break diameter. This implies that creation of a stable diffusion flame at the break is a possible outcome of the deliberate ignition mitigation scheme. The high temperature and heat flux from a diffusion flame can threaten nearby equipment. However, due to the presence of steam and turbulent mixing with surrounding air, the peak temperatures of these diffusion flames are much lower than the adiabatic constant pressure combustion temperature of a stoichiometric hydrogen-air mixture. These results suggest that the threat of a diffusion flame anchored at the break may be less severe than conservative analysis would indicate. Furthermore, such a flame can remove hydrogen at the source and minimize the possibility of a global gas explosion. (author)

Diffusion between evolving interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juntunen, Janne; Merikoski, Juha

2010-01-01

Diffusion in an evolving environment is studied by continuous-time Monte Carlo simulations. Diffusion is modeled by continuous-time random walkers on a lattice, in a dynamic environment provided by bubbles between two one-dimensional interfaces driven symmetrically towards each other. For one-dimensional random walkers constrained by the interfaces, the bubble size distribution dominates diffusion. For two-dimensional random walkers, it is also controlled by the topography and dynamics of the interfaces. The results of the one-dimensional case are recovered in the limit where the interfaces are strongly driven. Even with simple hard-core repulsion between the interfaces and the particles, diffusion is found to depend strongly on the details of the dynamical rules of particles close to the interfaces.

Interaction of Cr-Ti-Si coating on VN-3 niobium alloy with air environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazarev, Eh.M.; Kozlov, A.T.; Monakhova, L.A.

1985-01-01

Investigation of heat-resistance, microstructure and phase composition of Cr-Ti-Si coating on VN-3 niobium alloy with air oxidation in the temperature interval of 1200-1600 deg C is conducted. Thermogravimetry, metallography, X-ray diffraction and microprobe analysis methods are used. It is ascertained that the coating is a dense niobium disilicide layer, luriched on the surface with chromium and titanium disilicides and separated and from the protected alloy by a narrow zone of the lowest niobium silicide Nb 5 Si 3 . The coating protective junctions are provided by a selective chromium and titanium disilicides oxidation as well as niobium disilicide oxidation at the temperature of 1600 deg C, and by the rates of niobium and silicon diffusion through Nb 5 SI 3 and NbSi 2 and oxygen diffusion through the amorphous SiO 2

Preferred Air Velocity and Local Cooling Effect of desk fans in warm environments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simone, Angela; Olesen, Bjarne W.

2013-01-01

to compensate for higher environmental temperatures at the expense of no or relatively low energy consumption. When using desk fans, local air movement is generated around the occupant and a certain cooling effect is perceived. The impact of the local air movement generated by different air flow patterns......Common experiences, standards, and laboratory studies show that increased air velocity helps to offset warm sensation due to high environmental temperatures. In warm climate regions the opening of windows and the use of desk or ceiling fans are the most common systems to generate increased airflows......, and the possibility to keep comfortable conditions for the occupants in warm environments were evaluated in studies with human subjects. In an office-like climatic chamber, the effect of higher air velocity was investigated at room temperatures between 26°C to 34°C and at constant absolute humidity of 12.2 g...

Limitations of ambient air quality standards in evaluating indoor environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, J.E.

1992-01-01

Analysis of the kinds of data used for the derivation of ambient air quality standards (AAQSs) for carbon monoxide and ozone shows that these values are based on the toxicology of the materials and thus are suitable for evaluating potential health effects of indoor environments, especially on the very young, the aged, and the infirm. A similar analysis shows that the AAQSs for suspended particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide are strictly empirical and that they should not be used for any but their first, intended purpose. The AAQSs for non-methane hydrocarbons are based on photochemical smog production, not injury of any kind, and have no utility for indoor environment evaluation

Characteristics and transport of organochlorine pesticides in urban environment: air, dust, rain, canopy throughfall, and runoff.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Ye, Youbin; Hu, Dan; Ou, Langbo; Wang, Xuejun

2010-11-01

Characteristics and transport of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in urban multiple environments, including air, dust, rain, canopy throughfall, and runoff water, are explored in this study. Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) dominated in both air and rain water, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) related substances showed a higher affinity to dust. Relatively high concentrations of DDT and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) in air, rain and dust imply that technical DDT in the environment has been degrading, and there may be unknown local or regional emission sources that contain DDTs in the study area. Source identification showed that DDTs in Beijing urban environments with a fresh signature may originate from the atmospheric transport from remote areas. The ratio of α-/γ-HCH in dust, rain, canopy throughfall and runoff were close to 1, indicating the possible use of lindane. OCPs in runoff were transported from various sources including rain, dust, and canopy throughfall. In runoff, DDTs and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were mainly transported from dust, and HCHs were mainly from rain and canopy throughfall.

Numerical analysis of diffuse ceiling ventilation and its integration with a radiant ceiling system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Heiselberg, Per Kvols; Chen, Qingyan

2017-01-01

A novel system combining diffuse ceiling ventilation and radiant ceiling was proposed recently, with the aim of providing energy efficient and comfort environment to office buildings. Designing of such a system is challenging because of complex interactions between the two subsystems and a large ......-uniformity air distribution and further led to the draught problem in the occupied zone. This system was recommended to apply in the small offices instead of large, open spaces....

Behaviors of radon in indoor environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mochizuki, Sadamu; Shimo, Michikuni.

1987-01-01

The source of radon ( 222 Rn) in the atmosphere is radioactive nuclide, uranium ( 238 U), which exists fairly common throughout the earth's crust. Radium ( 226 Ra) descended from uranium produce radon ( 222 Rn) of noble gas by decay. After formation in the ground, radon diffuses into the atmosphere. Without exception radon decay products are heavy metals which soon become attached to natural aerosols. Therefore, radon and its daughters (decay products) appear also in indoor environment, and generally, their concentration levels become higher than that of outdoor air due to build-up effects in the closed indoor environments. With the progress of the study on the influence of radon and its daughers on human health, it has become clear that they act effectively as an exciting cause of lung cancer. So, the study on the risk evaluation of them in room air has become to be very important. Concequently, the behaviors of radon and its daughters in indoor environment, first of all, should be studied in detail for the accurate estimation of the risk caused by them. In this special edition, fundamental characteristics of radon and its daughters, some measuring methods, theoretical considerations and some observational evidences obtained from various circumstances of indoor environment are described inorder to grasp and understand the behaviors of radon and its daughters in the indoor environment. (author)

A source of electrical energy using an air-aluminum element (AAE)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anisin, A.V.; Borisenok, V.A.; Potemkin, G.A. [and others

1996-04-01

An air-aluminium element (AAE) is a chemical current source (CCS) with an aluminium anode and an oxygen gas-diffusion cathode. An AAE may be relegated to intermediate types of CCS, occupying a position between primary and fuel cells. The consumable material is aluminium, and the oxidizer is oxygen in the air coming from the external environment. The electrolyte is an aqueous solution of sodium chloride. Sea water may be used in this capacity. The end product of AAE operation is aluminium hydroxide, which can be regenerated into the initial anode aluminium, and is a non-toxic product.

Construction and application of an intelligent air quality monitoring system for healthcare environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chao-Tung; Liao, Chi-Jui; Liu, Jung-Chun; Den, Walter; Chou, Ying-Chyi; Tsai, Jaw-Ji

2014-02-01

Indoor air quality monitoring in healthcare environment has become a critical part of hospital management and policy. Manual air sampling and analysis are cost-inhibitive and do not provide real-time air quality data and response measures. In this month-long study over 14 sampling locations in a public hospital in Taiwan, we observed a positive correlation between CO(2) concentration and population, total bacteria, and particulate matter concentrations, thus monitoring CO(2) concentration as a general indicator for air quality could be a viable option. Consequently, an intelligent environmental monitoring system consisting of a CO(2)/temperature/humidity sensor, a digital plug, and a ZigBee Router and Coordinator was developed and tested. The system also included a backend server that received and analyzed data, as well as activating ventilation and air purifiers when CO(2) concentration exceeded a pre-set value. Alert messages can also be delivered to offsite users through mobile devices.

A questionnaire survey on sleeping thermal environment and bedroom air conditioning in high-rise residences in Hong Kong

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Z. [Institute of Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Gas Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai (China); Deng, S. [Department of Building Services Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR (China)

2006-07-01

This paper reports on the results of a questionnaire survey on sleeping thermal environment and bedroom air conditioning in high-rise residential buildings in Hong Kong. The survey aimed at investigating the current situation of sleeping thermal environment and bedroom air conditioning, in order to gather relevant background information to develop strategies for bedroom air conditioning in the subtropics. It focused on the use patterns and types of bedroom air conditioning systems used, human factors such as the use of bedding and sleep wear during sleep, preference for indoor air temperature settings in bedrooms, ventilation control at nighttime with room air conditioner (RAC) turned on, etc. The results of the survey showed that most of the respondents would prefer a relatively low indoor air temperature at below 24 {sup o}C. Most of the respondents might however not be satisfied with the indoor air quality (IAQ) in bedrooms in Hong Kong. On the other hand, 68% of the respondents did not use any ventilation control intentionally during their sleep with their RACs turned on. A lack of knowledge of the ventilation control devices provided on window type room air conditioners (WRACs) indicated an urgent need for user education. (author)

A study of atmospheric diffusion from the LANDSAT imagery. [pollution transport over the ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Dejesusparada, N. (Principal Investigator); Viswanadham, Y.; Torsani, J. A.

1981-01-01

LANDSAT multispectral scanner data of the smoke plumes which originated in eastern Cabo Frio, Brazil and crossed over into the Atlantic Ocean, are analyzed to illustrate how high resolution LANDSAT imagery can aid meteorologists in evaluating specific air pollution events. The eleven LANDSAT images selected are for different months and years. The results show that diffusion is governed primarily by water and air temperature differences. With colder water, low level air is very stable and the vertical diffusion is minimal; but water warmer than the air induces vigorous diffusion. The applicability of three empirical methods for determining the horizontal eddy diffusivity coefficient in the Gaussian plume formula was evaluated with the estimated standard deviation of the crosswind distribution of material in the plume from the LANDSAT imagery. The vertical diffusion coefficient in stable conditions is estimated using Weinstock's formulation. These results form a data base for use in the development and validation of meso scale atmospheric diffusion models.

Spatiotemporal influence of temperature, air quality, and urban environment on cause-specific mortality during hazy days.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Hung Chak; Wong, Man Sing; Yang, Lin; Shi, Wenzhong; Yang, Jinxin; Bilal, Muhammad; Chan, Ta-Chien

2018-03-01

Haze is an extreme weather event that can severely increase air pollution exposure, resulting in higher burdens on human health. Few studies have explored the health effects of haze, and none have investigated the spatiotemporal interaction between temperature, air quality and urban environment that may exacerbate the adverse health effects of haze. We investigated the spatiotemporal pattern of haze effects and explored the additional effects of temperature, air pollution and urban environment on the short-term mortality risk during hazy days. We applied a Poisson regression model to daily mortality data from 2007 through 2014, to analyze the short-term mortality risk during haze events in Hong Kong. We evaluated the adverse effect on five types of cause-specific mortality after four types of haze event. We also analyzed the additional effect contributed by the spatial variability of urban environment on each type of cause-specific mortality during a specific haze event. A regular hazy day (lag 0) has higher all-cause mortality risk than a day without haze (odds ratio: 1.029 [1.009, 1.049]). We have also observed high mortality risks associated with mental disorders and diseases of the nervous system during hazy days. In addition, extreme weather and air quality contributed to haze-related mortality, while cold weather and higher ground-level ozone had stronger influences on mortality risk. Areas with a high-density environment, lower vegetation, higher anthropogenic heat, and higher PM 2.5 featured stronger effects of haze on mortality than the others. A combined influence of haze, extreme weather/air quality, and urban environment can result in extremely high mortality due to mental/behavioral disorders or diseases of the nervous system. In conclusion, we developed a data-driven technique to analyze the effects of haze on mortality. Our results target the specific dates and areas with higher mortality during haze events, which can be used for development of

Lead and cadmium in indoor air and the urban environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komarnicki, Guenter J.K.

2005-01-01

The present study was conducted to find potential terrestrial biomonitors for heavy metals in indoor air in an urban environment. TSP, PM 10 , and PM 2.5 were collected in three retirement facilities in the urban area of Vienna. In addition, particulate matter and soil, vegetation, and isopods (Porcellio scaber L.) were collected in the adjacent garden areas. Aerosols were sampled with a low-volume air sampler. The sampled materials were wet ashed and total lead and cadmium contents were determined. Water-soluble heavy metal concentrations were measured in aqueous extracts from air exposed filters, soil, and vegetation. Lead and cadmium were analyzed by graphite furnace AAS. Lead contents in the vegetation were inferred from water-soluble lead in soils. Lead in isopods generally reflected the contents in vegetation. Cadmium in plants probably derived from soil solutions as well as from atmospheric input. Isopods reflected the total cadmium contents in soils. Particulate matter was dominated by PM 2.5 , both with respect to mass concentrations and to heavy metal contents. The indoor aerosol was found to be influenced by human activity, indoor sources, and outdoor particles. Relationships between indoor airborne heavy metals and the contents in vegetation (lead and cadmium: positive) and isopods (lead: negative) were identified to have the potential for biomonitoring indoor air quality. - Urban vegetation and isopods are potential indicators for indoor aerial heavy metals

Diffuse radiation increases global ecosystem-level water-use efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Moffat, A. M.; Reichstein, M.; Cescatti, A.; Knohl, A.; Zaehle, S.

2012-12-01

Current environmental changes lead not only to rising atmospheric CO2 levels and air temperature but also to changes in air pollution and thus the light quality of the solar radiation reaching the land-surface. While rising CO2 levels are thought to enhance photosynthesis and closure of stomata, thus leading to relative water savings, the effect of diffuse radiation on transpiration by plants is less clear. It has been speculated that the stimulation of photosynthesis by increased levels of diffuse light may be counteracted by higher transpiration and consequently water depletion and drought stress. Ultimately, in water co-limited systems, the overall effect of diffuse radiation will depend on the sensitivity of canopy transpiration versus photosynthesis to diffuse light, i.e. whether water-use efficiency changes with relative levels of diffuse light. Our study shows that water-use efficiency increases significantly with higher fractions of diffuse light. It uses the ecosystem-atmosphere gas-exchange observations obtained with the eddy covariance method at 29 flux tower sites. In contrast to previous global studies, the analysis is based directly on measurements of diffuse radiation. Its effect on water-use efficiency was derived by analyzing the multivariate response of carbon and water fluxes to radiation and air humidity using a purely empirical approach based on artificial neural networks. We infer that per unit change of diffuse fraction the water-use efficiency increases up to 40% depending on diffuse fraction levels and ecosystem type. Hence, in regions with increasing diffuse radiation positive effects on primary production are expected even under conditions where water is co-limiting productivity.

Power plant fuel switching and air quality in a tropical, forested environment

Science.gov (United States)

Medeiros, Adan S. S.; Calderaro, Gisele; Guimarães, Patricia C.; Magalhaes, Mateus R.; Morais, Marcos V. B.; Rafee, Sameh A. A.; Ribeiro, Igor O.; Andreoli, Rita V.; Martins, Jorge A.; Martins, Leila D.; Martin, Scot T.; Souza, Rodrigo A. F.

2017-07-01

How a changing energy matrix for electricity production affects air quality is considered for an urban region in a tropical, forested environment. Manaus, the largest city in the central Amazon Basin of Brazil, is in the process of changing its energy matrix for electricity production from fuel oil and diesel to natural gas over an approximately 10-year period, with a minor contribution by hydropower. Three scenarios of urban air quality, specifically afternoon ozone concentrations, were simulated using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-Chem) model. The first scenario used fuel oil and diesel for electricity production, which was the reality in 2008. The second scenario was based on the fuel mix from 2014, the most current year for which data were available. The third scenario considered nearly complete use of natural gas for electricity production, which is the anticipated future, possibly for 2018. For each case, inventories of anthropogenic emissions were based on electricity generation, refinery operations, and transportation. Transportation and refinery operations were held constant across the three scenarios to focus on effects of power plant fuel switching in a tropical context. The simulated NOx and CO emissions for the urban region decrease by 89 and 55 %, respectively, after the complete change in the energy matrix. The results of the simulations indicate that a change to natural gas significantly decreases maximum afternoon ozone concentrations over the population center, reducing ozone by > 70 % for the most polluted days. The sensitivity of ozone concentrations to the fuel switchover is consistent with a NOx-limited regime, as expected for a tropical forest having high emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds, high water vapor concentrations, and abundant solar radiation. There are key differences in a shifting energy matrix in a tropical, forested environment compared to other world environments. Policies favoring the burning of

Power plant fuel switching and air quality in a tropical, forested environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. S. S. Medeiros

2017-07-01

Full Text Available How a changing energy matrix for electricity production affects air quality is considered for an urban region in a tropical, forested environment. Manaus, the largest city in the central Amazon Basin of Brazil, is in the process of changing its energy matrix for electricity production from fuel oil and diesel to natural gas over an approximately 10-year period, with a minor contribution by hydropower. Three scenarios of urban air quality, specifically afternoon ozone concentrations, were simulated using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF-Chem model. The first scenario used fuel oil and diesel for electricity production, which was the reality in 2008. The second scenario was based on the fuel mix from 2014, the most current year for which data were available. The third scenario considered nearly complete use of natural gas for electricity production, which is the anticipated future, possibly for 2018. For each case, inventories of anthropogenic emissions were based on electricity generation, refinery operations, and transportation. Transportation and refinery operations were held constant across the three scenarios to focus on effects of power plant fuel switching in a tropical context. The simulated NOx and CO emissions for the urban region decrease by 89 and 55 %, respectively, after the complete change in the energy matrix. The results of the simulations indicate that a change to natural gas significantly decreases maximum afternoon ozone concentrations over the population center, reducing ozone by > 70 % for the most polluted days. The sensitivity of ozone concentrations to the fuel switchover is consistent with a NOx-limited regime, as expected for a tropical forest having high emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds, high water vapor concentrations, and abundant solar radiation. There are key differences in a shifting energy matrix in a tropical, forested environment compared to other world environments. Policies

Performance of an alpha air monitor in a dusty environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoover, M.D.; Newton, G.J.; Yeh, H.C.; Seiler, F.A.; Boecker, B.B.

1988-01-01

The Eberline Alpha-6 Continuous Air Monitor (CAM) was evaluated for use in detecting alpha radiation from 238 Pu and 239 Pu in the presence of background aerosols of salt dust and radon progeny. The Alpha-6 method uses an embedded, multichannel analyzer and real-time computer to correct for the presence of alpha-emitting radon progeny and to accurately report plutonium air concentration in dust-free environments. However, accumulation of mg/cm 2 salt dust on the sample collection filter was found to be equivalent to an infinitely thick layer. Dust loading raises the limit of detection in proportion to the concentration of airborne salt. Proper detection of 239 Pu is impaired by airborne concentrations of salt greater than 2 mg/m 3 . Alpha spectral analysis at a central monitoring computer is recommended to avoid detection errors at higher salt concentrations. (author)

Comparison of radon diffusion coefficients measured by transient-diffusion and steady-state laboratory methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalwarf, D.R.; Nielson, K.K.; Rich, D.C.; Rogers, V.C.

1982-11-01

A method was developed and used to determine radon diffusion coefficients in compacted soils by transient-diffusion measurements. A relative standard deviation of 12% was observed in repeated measurements with a dry soil by the transient-diffusion method, and a 40% uncertainty was determined for moistures exceeding 50% of saturation. Excellent agreement was also obtained between values of the diffusion coefficient for radon in air, as measured by the transient-diffusion method, and those in the published literature. Good agreement was also obtained with diffusion coefficients measured by a steady-state method on the same soils. The agreement was best at low moistures, averaging less than ten percent difference, but differences of up to a factor of two were observed at high moistures. The comparison of the transient-diffusion and steady-state methods at low moistures provides an excellent verification of the theoretical validity and technical accuracy of these approaches, which are based on completely independent experimental conditions, measurement methods and mathematical interpretations

Microbial air contamination in indoor environment of a university library.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalwasińska, Agnieszka; Burkowska, Aleksandra; Wilk, Iwona

2012-01-01

The present study was aimed at evaluating the number of bacteria and mould fungi in the indoor and outdoor environment of Toruń University Library. The sampling sites were located in the rooms serving the functions typical of libraries (i.e. in the Main Reading Room, Current Periodicals Reading Room, Collections Conservation Laboratory, Old Prints Storeroom, in rooms serving other (non-library) functions (i.e. main hall, cafeteria, and toilet) as well as outside the library building. The analyses reveal that the concentrations of bacterial as well as fungal aerosols estimated with the use of the impaction method ranged between 10(1)-10(3) CFU·m(-3), which corresponds to the concentrations normally observed in areas of this kind. Evaluation of the hygienic condition of the studied areas was based on the criteria for microbiological cleanliness in interiors submitted by the European Commission in 1993. According to this classification, the air was considered to be heavily or moderately contaminated with bacteria, while the air contamination with mould fungi was described as low or moderate. The air in the Old Prints Storeroom was considered the least contaminated with microbial aerosol.

Preliminary results of thermal igniter experiments in H2-air-steam environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lowry, W.

1981-01-01

Thermal igniters (glow plugs), proposed by the Tennessee Valley Authority for intentional ignition of hydrogen in nuclear reactor containment, have been tested for functionability in mixtures of air, hydrogen, and steam. Test environments included 6% to 16% hydrogen concentrations in air, and 8%, 10%, and 12% hydrogen in mixtures with 30% and 40% steam fractions. All were conducted in a 10.6 ft 3 insulated pressure vessel. For all of these tests the glow plug successfully initiated combustion. Dry air/hydrogen tests exhibited a distinct tendency for complete combustion at hydrogen concentrations between 8% and 9%. Steam suppressed both peak pressures and completeness of combustion. No combustion could be initiated at or above a 50% steam fraction. Circulation of the mixture with a fan increased the completeness of combustion. The glow plug showed no evidence of performance degradation throughout the program

Air extraction in gas turbines burning coal-derived gas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Tah-teh; Agrawal, A.K.; Kapat, J.S.

1993-11-01

In the first phase of this contracted research, a comprehensive investigation was performed. Principally, the effort was directed to identify the technical barriers which might exist in integrating the air-blown coal gasification process with a hot gas cleanup scheme and the state-of-the-art, US made, heavy-frame gas turbine. The guiding rule of the integration is to keep the compressor and the expander unchanged if possible. Because of the low-heat content of coal gas and of the need to accommodate air extraction, the combustor and perhaps, the flow region between the compressor exit and the expander inlet might need to be modified. In selecting a compressed air extraction scheme, one must consider how the scheme affects the air supply to the hot section of the turbine and the total pressure loss in the flow region. Air extraction must preserve effective cooling of the hot components, such as the transition pieces. It must also ensure proper air/fuel mixing in the combustor, hence the combustor exit pattern factor. The overall thermal efficiency of the power plant can be increased by minimizing the total pressure loss in the diffusers associated with the air extraction. Therefore, a study of airflow in the pre- and dump-diffusers with and without air extraction would provide information crucial to attaining high-thermal efficiency and to preventing hot spots. The research group at Clemson University suggested using a Griffith diffuser for the prediffuser and extracting air from the diffuser inlet. The present research establishes that the analytically identified problems in the impingement cooling flow are factual. This phase of the contracted research substantiates experimentally the advantage of using the Griffith diffuser with air extraction at the diffuser inlet.

Effects of H2O, CO2, and N2 Air Contaminants on Critical Airside Strain Rates for Extinction of Hydrogen-Air Counterflow Diffusion Flames

Science.gov (United States)

Pellett, G. L.; Wilson, L. G.; Northam, G. B.; Guerra, Rosemary

1989-01-01

Coaxial tubular opposed jet burners (OJB) were used to form dish shaped counterflow diffusion flames (CFDF), centered by opposing laminar jets of H2, N2 and both clean and contaminated air (O2/N2 mixtures) in an argon bath at 1 atm. Jet velocities for flame extinction and restoration limits are shown versus wide ranges of contaminant and O2 concentrations in the air jet, and also input H2 concentration. Blowoff, a sudden breaking of CFDF to a stable ring shape, occurs in highly stretched stagnation flows and is generally believed to measure kinetically limited flame reactivity. Restore, a sudden restoration of central flame, is a relatively new phenomenon which exhibits a H2 dependent hysteresis from Blowoff. For 25 percent O2 air mixtures, mole for mole replacement of 25 percent N2 contaminant by steam increased U(air) or flame strength at Blowoff by about 5 percent. This result is consistent with laminar burning velocity results from analogous substitution of steam for N2 in a premixed stoichiometric H2-O2-N2 (or steam) flame, shown by Koroll and Mulpuru to promote a 10 percent increase in experimental and calculated laminar burning velocity, due to enhanced third body efficiency of water in: H + O2 + M yields HO2 + M. When the OJB results were compared with Liu and MacFarlane's experimental laminar burning velocity of premixed stoichiometric H2 + air + steam, a crossover occurred, i.e., steam enhanced OJB flame strength at extinction relative to laminar burning velocity.

Practical Hydrogen Loading of Air Silica Fibres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Henrik Rokkjær; Jensen, Jesper Bevensee; Jensen, Jesper Bo Damm

2005-01-01

A method for hydrogen-loading air-silica optical fibres has been developed allowing out-diffusion times comparable to standard step-index fibres. Examples of the first grating written in Ge-doped air-silica fibres using a 266nm UV-laser are shown.......A method for hydrogen-loading air-silica optical fibres has been developed allowing out-diffusion times comparable to standard step-index fibres. Examples of the first grating written in Ge-doped air-silica fibres using a 266nm UV-laser are shown....

Diffuse mode and diffuse-to-filamentary transition in a high pressure nanosecond scale corona discharge under high voltage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tardiveau, P; Moreau, N; Bentaleb, S; Postel, C; Pasquiers, S

2009-01-01

The dynamics of a point-to-plane corona discharge induced in high pressure air under nanosecond scale high overvoltage is investigated. The electrical and optical properties of the discharge can be described in space and time with fast and precise current measurements coupled to gated and intensified imaging. Under atmospheric pressure, the discharge exhibits a diffuse pattern like a multielectron avalanche propagating through a direct field ionization mechanism. The diffuse regime can exist since the voltage rise time is much shorter than the characteristic time of the field screening effects, and as long as the local field is higher than the critical ionization field in air. As one of these conditions is not fulfilled, the discharge turns into a multi-channel regime and the diffuse-to-filamentary transition strongly depends on the overvoltage, the point-to-plane gap length and the pressure. When pressure is increased above atmospheric pressure, the diffuse stage and its transition to streamers seem to satisfy similarity rules as the key parameter is the reduced critical ionization field only. However, above 3 bar, neither diffuse avalanche nor streamer filaments are observed but a kind of streamer-leader regime, due to the fact that mechanisms such as photoionization and heat diffusion are not similar to pressure.

Orthogonal design on range hood with air curtain and its effects on kitchen environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaomin; Wang, Xing; Xi, Guang

2014-01-01

Conventional range hoods cannot effectively prevent the oil fumes containing cooking-induced harmful material from escaping into the kitchen Air curtains and guide plates have been used in range hoods to reduce the escape of airborne emissions and heat, thereby improving the kitchen environment and the cook's degree of comfort. In this article, numerical simulations are used to study the effects of the jet velocity of an air curtain, the jet angle of the air curtain, the width of the jet slot, the area of the guide plate, and the exhaust rate of the range hood on the perceived temperature, the perceived concentration of oil fumes, the release temperature of oil fumes, and the concentration of escaped oil fumes in a kitchen. The orthogonal experiment results show that the exhaust rate of the range hood is the main factor influencing the fumes concentration and the temperature distribution in the kitchen. For the range hood examined in the present study, the optimum values of the exhaust rate, the jet velocity of the air curtain, the jet angle of the air curtain, the width of the jet slot, and the area of the guide plate are 10.5 m(3)/min, 1.5 m/s, -5°, 4 mm, and 0.22 m(2), respectively, based on the results of the parametric study. In addition, the velocity field, temperature field, and oil fumes concentration field in the kitchen using the proposed range hood with the air curtain and guide plate are analyzed for those parameters. The study's results provide significant information needed for improving the kitchen environment.

KINEMATIC STUDY OF THE AIR FLOW PRODUCED BY SOME SPRAYERS USED IN “TENDONE” VINEYARDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simone Pascuzzi

2008-09-01

Full Text Available A computerized measuring system to analyse the vector field of the air velocities in a volume surrounding the fan of air assisted sprayers usually used in tendone vineyards was designed and built. The performance of three different sprayers was tested: the first, a traditional air-convection sprayer, the other two, suitably designed for treatments in tendone vineyards. The air flow which exited through the discharge diffusers and moving towards the target sucked air from the surrounding environment that enlarged the flow rate on the target. The available flow was that which reached the vegetative and productive area, placed in a horizontal position respectively at 1.8 m and 2.0 m from the ground plane. The pneumatic sprayer produced an air flow clearly directed towards the top of the vines.

Effects of soft interactions and bound mobility on diffusion in crowded environments: a model of sticky and slippery obstacles

Science.gov (United States)

Stefferson, Michael W.; Norris, Samantha L.; Vernerey, Franck J.; Betterton, Meredith D.; E Hough, Loren

2017-08-01

Crowded environments modify the diffusion of macromolecules, generally slowing their movement and inducing transient anomalous subdiffusion. The presence of obstacles also modifies the kinetics and equilibrium behavior of tracers. While previous theoretical studies of particle diffusion have typically assumed either impenetrable obstacles or binding interactions that immobilize the particle, in many cellular contexts bound particles remain mobile. Examples include membrane proteins or lipids with some entry and diffusion within lipid domains and proteins that can enter into membraneless organelles or compartments such as the nucleolus. Using a lattice model, we studied the diffusive movement of tracer particles which bind to soft obstacles, allowing tracers and obstacles to occupy the same lattice site. For sticky obstacles, bound tracer particles are immobile, while for slippery obstacles, bound tracers can hop without penalty to adjacent obstacles. In both models, binding significantly alters tracer motion. The type and degree of motion while bound is a key determinant of the tracer mobility: slippery obstacles can allow nearly unhindered diffusion, even at high obstacle filling fraction. To mimic compartmentalization in a cell, we examined how obstacle size and a range of bound diffusion coefficients affect tracer dynamics. The behavior of the model is similar in two and three spatial dimensions. Our work has implications for protein movement and interactions within cells.

Assessing indoor air quality of school environments: transplanted lichen Pseudovernia furfuracea as a new tool for biomonitoring and bioaccumulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Protano, Carmela; Owczarek, Malgorzata; Antonucci, Arianna; Guidotti, Maurizio; Vitali, Matteo

2017-07-01

The aim of this research is to evaluate the ability of transplanted lichen Pseudovernia (P). furfuracea to biomonitor and bioaccumulate in urban indoor environments. The elements As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni and Pb and 12 selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were used to assess P. furfuracea as a biomonitoring tool for the indoor air quality of school environments. To achieve this purpose, lichen samples were exposed for 2 months in the outdoor and indoor environments of five school settings located in urban and rural areas. The results demonstrated that transplanted lichen P. furfuracea is a suitable biomonitoring tool for metals and PAHs in indoor settings and can discriminate between different levels of air pollution related to urbanisation and indoor conditions, such as those characterised by school environments. A transplanted lichen biomonitoring strategy is cost-effective, "green", educational for attending children and less "invasive" than traditional air sampling methods. The feasibility of indoor monitoring by P. furfuracea is a relevant finding and could be a key tool to improve air quality monitoring programmes in school scenarios and thus focus on health prevention interventions for children, who are one of the most susceptible groups in the population.

Characteristic analysis of turbulent heat diffusion in a multi-compartment structure; Takukakuka kukan kozo ni okeru ranryunetsu kakusan gensho no kaiseki

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, C; Fukuchi, N [Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan). Faculty of Engineering

1997-10-01

An analysis was made on turbulent heat diffusion in a multi-compartment structure necessary for designing calorific power and environment for functional systems used in marine vessels and off-shore structures. In a multi-compartment structure, the diffusion phenomenon is complex because of movement of air flow in turbulence and buoyancy resulted from non-isothermal condition. The phenomenon is largely affected by space shapes and walls, and the conditions in heat diffusion field is governed also by shapes of opening connecting the compartments. An analysis was made by using the SIMPLE method on turbulent heat diffusion in a multi-compartment space with high Raleigh number in which natural convection is dominant. If the opening is small, the Coanda effect appears, in which air flow passing through the opening rises along the wall, wherein a high-temperature layer is formed near the ceiling, making the heat diffusion inactive. If the opening is large, a jetting flow from the opening and a large circulating flow are created, which cause active advection mixture, making temperature gradient smaller in the upper layer. Heat transfer intensity in an opening on a partition wall decays in proportion with 1/4th power of the opening ratio. 7 refs., 11 figs.

Healthy environment--indoor air quality of Brazilian elementary schools nearby petrochemical industry.

Science.gov (United States)

Godoi, Ricardo H M; Godoi, Ana F L; Gonçalves Junior, Sérgio J; Paralovo, Sarah L; Borillo, Guilherme C; Gonçalves Gregório Barbosa, Cybelli; Arantes, Manoela G; Charello, Renata C; Rosário Filho, Nelson A; Grassi, Marco T; Yamamoto, Carlos I; Potgieter-Vermaak, Sanja; Rotondo, Giuliana G; De Wael, Karolien; van Grieken, Rene

2013-10-01

The mitigation of pollution released to the environment originating from the industrial sector has been the aim of all policy-makers and its importance is evident if the adverse health effects on the world population are considered. Although this concern is controversial, petroleum refinery has been linked to some adverse health effects for people living nearby. Apart from home, school is the most important indoor environment for children and there is increasing concern about the school environment and its impact on health, also in developing countries where the prevalence of pollution is higher. As most of the children spend more than 40% of their time in schools, it is critical to evaluate the pollution level in such environment. In the metropolitan region of Curitiba, South Brazil, five schools nearby industries and highways with high density traffic, were selected to characterize the aerosol and gaseous compounds indoor and outdoor of the classrooms, during 2009-2011. Size segregated aerosol samples were collected for analyses of bulk and single particle elemental profiles. They were analyzed by electron probe X-ray micro-analysis (EPXMA), and by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), to investigate the elemental composition of individual particles and bulk samples. The concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX); NO2; SO2; acetic acid; and formic acid were assessed indoor and outdoor using passive diffusion tubes. BTEX were analyzed by GC-MS and other collected gasses by ion chromatography. Individual exposition of BTEX was assessed by personal passive diffusion tubes. Results are interpreted separately and as a whole with the specific aim of identifying compounds that could affect the health of the scholars. In view of the chemical composition and size distribution of the aerosol particles, local deposition efficiencies in the children's respiratory systems were calculated, revealing the deposition of particles at extrathoracic

Effects of repository environment on diffusion behavior of radionuclides in buffer materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozaki, Tamotsu; Sato, Seichi

2004-03-01

Compacted bentonite is considered as a candidate buffer material in the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste. An important function of the compacted bentonite is to retard the transport of radionuclides from waste forms to the surrounding host rock after degradation of an overpack. Therefore, diffusion behavior of radionuclides in the compacted bentonite has been extensively studied by many researchers for the performance assessments of the geological disposal. However, diffusion mechanism of radionuclides in the bentonite cannot be fully understood, and most experimental data have been obtained at room temperature for the bentonite saturated with low salinity water, which would disagree often with real repository conditions. In this study, therefore, apparent diffusion coefficients were determined at various diffusion temperatures for chloride ions in Na-montmorillonite samples saturated with NaCl solution of high salinity. Activation energies for the apparent diffusion were also obtained from the temperature dependence of the diffusion coefficients at different salinity. As the salinity increased, the apparent diffusion coefficients of chloride ions in montmorillonite were found to increase slightly. On the other hand, the activation energies for the chloride diffusion were found to be almost constant (approximately 12 kJ mol -1 ) and less than that in free water (17.4 kJ mol -1 ). Effects of salinity on diffusion behavior of radionuclides in montmorillonite were discussed from the viewpoints of microstructure of montmorillonite and distribution of ions in the montmorillonite. As a result, the diffusion behavior of sodium ions could be explained by the changes of the predominant diffusion process among pore water diffusion, surface diffusion, and interlayer diffusion that could be caused by the increase of salinity. (author)

Experimental characterization of methane inverse diffusion flame

KAUST Repository

Elbaz, Ayman M.; Roberts, William L.

2014-01-01

This article presents 10-kHz images of OH-PLIF simultaneously with 2-D PIV measurements in an inverse methane diffusion flame. Under a constant fuel flow rate, the central air jet Re was varied, leading to air to fuel velocity ratio, Vr, to vary

Thermomechanical fatigue behavior of SiC/Ti-24Al-11Nb in air and argon environments

Science.gov (United States)

Bartolotta, Paul A.; Verrilli, Michael J.

1992-01-01

A series of tension-tension, load-controlled thermomechanical fatigue (TMF) tests were conducted on a titanium aluminide composite in both laboratory air and a flowing argon environment. Results from these tests show that the environment plays an increasingly important role as applied stress levels are decreased. Differences in damage mechanisms between the two environments were observed which corresponds to observed variations in TMF lives.

Study on the friction of κ-carrageenan hydrogels in air and aqueous environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozbial, Andrew; Li, Lei

2014-03-01

Understanding the friction mechanism of polysaccharide hydrogels, which is the key component of human cartilage that has very low friction coefficient, is critical to develop next generation artificial joint replacement materials. In this study, the friction of the polysaccharide κ-carrageenan hydrogel was investigated to elucidate the effect of external load, cross-linking density, velocity, and environment on friction. Our experimental results show that (1) coefficient of friction (COF) decreases with normal load in air and remains constant in water, (2) increasing cross-linking density concurrently increases friction and is proportional to Young's modulus, (3) COF increases with testing velocity in both air and water, and (4) friction is reduced in aqueous environment due to the lubricating effect of water. The underlying frictional mechanism is discussed on the basis of water transport from bulk to surface and a previously proposed "repulsion-adsorption" model. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chapter 9: Experimental measurements of the diffusion area of neutrons in graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, G.; McCulloch, D.B.

1963-01-01

This report describes measurements of the diffusion area of neutrons in a solid graphite exponential stack, and in a stack containing cylindrical air channels of 4.5 in. diameter, arranged on a square lattice of 8 in. pitch. The resulting diffusion area ratios are compared with the theoretical predictions of a number of authors. The diffusion area ratios deduced from a pair of experiments in which the orientation of the air channels with respect to the source-plane is changed are found to be in agreement with those deduced from experiments in which the stack size is changed but a constant air channel orientation maintained. (author)

Radon progeny distribution in cylindrical diffusion chambers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pressyanov, Dobromir S.

2008-01-01

An algorithm to model the diffusion of radioactive decay chain atoms is presented. Exact mathematical solutions in cylindrical geometry are given. They are used to obtain expressions for the concentrations of 222 Rn progeny atoms in the volume and deposited on the wall surface in cylindrical diffusion chambers. The dependence of volume fractions of 222 Rn progeny and chamber sensitivity on the coefficient of diffusion of 222 Rn progeny atoms in air is modeled.

Diffusive separation of particles by diffusion in swirled turbulent flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arbuzov, V.N.; Shiliaev, M.I.

1984-01-01

An analysis of the dynamics of turbulent flow and diffusive separation of solid particles in a centrifugal air separator (consisting of two flat disks rotating at the same angular velocity) is presented. A closed set of balances for all the components of the tensor of turbulent stresses, extended to the entire flow region, is employed in the numerical analysis of transition and turbulent air flows between the rotating disks. The analytical relationships obtained for the case of the mixed flow for the various components of the average velocity, energy of fluctuations, and turbulence level in the circumferential direction agreed well with the theoretical and experimental distributions of Bakke, et al. (1973). It is shown that at high Reynolds numbers the flow is isotropic, the dependence of the circumferential component of the average velocity obeys a power law, and the generation of the radial component is controlled by the local centrifugal field. The sharpness of particle separation was calculated by the eddy diffusion equation and was found to depend on the geometry and the operating conditions. 8 references

Relationship between Air Pollution and Weather Conditions under Complicated Geographical conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Q.; Jiang, P.; Li, M.

2017-12-01

Air pollution is one of the most serious issues all over the world, especially in megacities with constrained geographical conditions for air pollution diffusion. However, the dynamic mechanism of air pollution diffusion under complicated geographical conditions is still be confused. Researches to explore relationship between air pollution and weather conditions from the perspective of local atmospheric circulations can contribute more to solve such problem. We selected three megacities (Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou) under different geographical condition (mountain-plain transition region, coastal alluvial plain and coastal hilly terrain) to explore the relationship between air pollution and weather conditions. RDA (Redundancy analysis) model was used to analyze how the local atmospheric circulation acts on the air pollutant diffusion. The results show that there was a positive correlation between the concentration of air pollutants and air pressure, while temperature, precipitation and wind speed have negative correlations with the concentration of air pollutants. Furthermore, geographical conditions, such as topographic relief, have significant effects on the direction, path and intensity of local atmospheric circulation. As a consequence, air pollutants diffusion modes in different cities under various geographical conditions are diverse from each other.

Atmospheric diffusion study and its application to nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chino, Masamichi

1990-01-01

The report reviews studies on atmospheric diffusion of radioactive substances released from a smokestack. Smoke containing radioactive substances, or radioactive plume, diffuses into air while being affected by atmospheric turbulent flows in various ways depending on the scale of the plume. The diffusion of a radioactive plume released from a smokestack is discussed first, focusing on the diffusion process in the vicinity of the smokestack, in the atmospheric boundary layer and in the troposphere. Many theoretical studies have been conducted by using the Gaussian plume model, though it is too simple to take into account the topographic effects and unstationary atmospheric conditions. Various numerical calculation models (designed for numerical calculation by a computer) have recently been developed, particularly for the implementation of environmental impact evaluation. Diagnostic and forecast type models are available for atmospheric air flow calculation. Other models available for diffusion analysis include the puff model, segment model, PIC (particle in cell)model, and random walk model. (N.K.)

Oxygen transport in waterlogged soils, Part II. Diffusion coefficients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Obando Moncayo, F.H.

2004-01-01

Several equations are available for Oxygen Transport in Waterlogged Soils and have been used for soils and plants. All of them are some form of first Fick's law as given by dQ = - DA(dc/dx)/dt. This equation illustrates some important aspects of aeration in waterlogged soils; first, D is a property of the medium and the gas, and is affected by temperature T. Likewise, the amount of diffusing substance dQ in dt is a direct function of the cross sectional area A and inversely proportional to the distance x. In fact, increasing the water content of air-dry soil, drastically decreases A and creates a further resistance for the flow of oxygen through water films around root plants, soil micro organisms and soil aggregates. The solid phase is also limiting the cross-section of surface of the free gaseous diffusion and the length and tortuosity of diffusion path in soil. In most of cases, soil gas porosity and tortuosity of soil voids are expressed in the equations of diffusion as a broad 'diffusion coefficient' (apparent coefficient diffusion). The process of soil respiration is complicated, involves many parameters, and is difficult to realistically quantify. With regard to the oxygen supply, it is convenient to distinguish macro and micro models, and hence, the flux of oxygen is assumed to have two steps. The first step is related to oxygen diffusion from the atmosphere and the air-filled porosity. The second step is related to the oxygen diffusion through water-films in and around plant roots, soil micro organisms and aggregates. Because of these models we obtain coefficients of macro or micro diffusion, rates of macro or micro diffusion, etc. In the macro diffusion process oxygen is transferred in the soil profile, mainly from the soil surface to a certain depth of the root zone, while micro diffusion deals with the flux over very short distances. Both processes, macro and micro diffusion are highly influenced by soil water content. Of course, if water is added to

Distribution and air-sea exchange of mercury (Hg) in polluted marine environments

Science.gov (United States)

Bagnato, E.; Sprovieri, M.; Bitetto, M.; Bonsignore, M.; Calabrese, S.; Di Stefano, V.; Oliveri, E.; Parello, F.; Mazzola, S.

2012-04-01

Mercury (Hg) is emitted in the atmosphere by anthropogenic and natural sources, these last accounting for one third of the total emissions. Since the pre-industrial age, the atmospheric deposition of mercury have increased notably, while ocean emissions have doubled owing to the re-emission of anthropogenic mercury. Exchange between the atmosphere and ocean plays an important role in cycling and transport of mercury. We present the preliminary results from a study on the distribution and evasion flux of mercury at the atmosphere/sea interface in the Augusta basin (SE Sicily, southern Italy), a semi-enclosed marine area affected by a high degree of contamination (heavy metals and PHA) due to the oil refineries placed inside its commercial harbor. It seems that the intense industrial activity of the past have lead to an high Hg pollution in the bottom sediments of the basin, whose concentrations are far from the background mercury value found in most of the Sicily Strait sediments. The release of mercury into the harbor seawater and its dispersion by diffusion from sediments to the surface, make the Augusta basin a potential supplier of mercury both to the Mediterranean Sea and the atmosphere. Based on these considerations, mercury concentration and flux at the air-sea interface of the Bay have been estimated using a real-time atomic adsorption spectrometer (LUMEX - RA915+) and an home-made accumulation chamber, respectively. Estimated Total Atmospheric Mercury (TGM) concentrations during the cruise on the bay were in the range of 1-3 ng · m-3, with a mean value of about 1.4 ng · m-3. These data well fit with the background Hgatm concentration values detected on the land (1-2 ng · m-3, this work), and, more in general, with the background atmospheric TGM levels found in the North Hemisphere (1.5-1.7 ng · m-3)a. Besides, our measurements are in the range of those reported for other important polluted marine areas. The mercury evasion flux at the air-sea interface

A numerical study on the effects of exhaust locations on energy consumption and thermal environment in an office room served by displacement ventilation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmed, Ahmed Qasim; Gao, Shian; Kareem, Ali Khaleel

2016-01-01

Highlights: • An advanced CFD program was developed and validated successfully. • The relation between the exhaust positions and heat sources was analysed. • Energy saving, thermal comfort and inhaled air quality were studied for 5 cases. • By combining the exhaust with office lamps, a 25% of energy saving was achieved. - Abstract: In an office room, many factors affect the pattern of airflow, thermal comfort, indoor air quality and energy saving. In this study, the effects of the location of exhaust diffusers where the warm and contaminant air is extracted and their relation to room heat sources on thermal comfort and energy saving were investigated numerically for an office served by a displacement ventilation system. The indoor air quality in the breathing level and the inhaled zone were also evaluated. The contaminants were released from window and door frames in order to simulate the contaminants coming from outside. The amount of energy consumption and the indoor thermal environment for various exhaust locations were investigated numerically using the computational fluid dynamics techniques. The results showed that the thermal indoor environment, thermal comfort, quality of indoor air and energy saving were greatly improved by combining the exhaust outlets with some of the room’s heat sources such as ceiling lamps and external walls. In particular, a 25.0% of energy saving was achieved by combining the exhaust diffuser with room’s ceiling lamps. In addition, locating the exhaust diffuser near the heat sources also reduced the cooling coil load by 13.8%. The risk of a large difference in temperature between the head and foot levels, increased particle concentration in the occupied zone, as well as increased energy consumption was also clearly demonstrated when the exhaust and recirculated air outlet (return opening) were combined in one unit in the occupied boundary area that is located at 2 m away from the occupants. Thus, for the optimum energy

Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant Annual Site Environmental Report for 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-10-01

The purpose of this document is to summarize effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance results and compliance with environmental laws, regulations, and orders at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP). Environmental monitoring at PGDP consists of two major activities: effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance. Effluent monitoring is direct measurement or the collection and analysis of samples of liquid and gaseous discharges to the environment. Environmental surveillance is direct measurement or the collection and analysis of samples of air, water, soil, foodstuff, biota, and other media. Environmental monitoring is performed to characterize and quantify contaminants, assess radiation exposures of members of the public, demonstrate compliance with applicable standards and permit requirements, and detect and assess the effects (if any) on the local environment. Multiple samples are collected throughout the year and are analyzed for radioactivity, chemical content, and various physical attributes

Characterizing Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Thermal Environment and Air Quality in Taipei Metropolitan Area

Science.gov (United States)

Juang, J. Y.; Sun, C. H.; Jiang, J. A.; Wen, T. H.

2017-12-01

The urban heat island effect (UHI) caused by the regional-to-global environmental changes, dramatic urbanization, and shifting in land-use compositions has becoming an important environmental issue in recent years. In the past century, the coverage of urban area in Taipei Basin has dramatically increasing by ten folds. The strengthen of UHI effect significantly enhances the frequency of warm-night effect, and strongly influences the thermal environment of the residents in the Greater Taipei Metropolitan. In addition, the urban expansions due to dramatic increasing in urban populations and traffic loading significantly impacts the air quality and causes health issue in Taipei. In this study, the main objective is to quantify and characterize the temporal and spatial distributions of thermal environmental and air quality in the Greater Taipei Metropolitan Area by using monitoring data from Central Weather Bureau, Environmental Protection Administration. In addition, in this study, we conduct the analysis on the distribution of physiological equivalent temperature in the micro scale in the metropolitan area by using the observation data and quantitative simulation to investigate how the thermal environment is influenced under different conditions. Furthermore, we establish a real-time mobile monitoring system by using wireless sensor network to investigate the correlation between the thermal environment, air quality and other environmental factors, and propose to develop the early warning system for heat stress and air quality in the metropolitan area. The results from this study can be integrated into the management and planning system, and provide sufficient and important background information for the development of smart city in the metropolitan area in the future.

Diffuse Ceiling Ventilation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Yu, Tao; Heiselberg, Per Kvols

cooling capacity, energy saving, low investment cost and low noise level; while the limitations include condensation risk and the limit on the room geometry. Furthermore, the crucial design parameters are summarized and their effects on the system performance are discussed. In addition to the stand...... is not well structured with this system. These become the motivations in developing the design guide. This design guide aims to establish a systematic understanding of diffuse ceiling ventilation and provide assistance in designing of such a system. The guide is targeted at design engineers, architects...... and manufacturers and the users of diffuse ceiling technology. The design guide introduces the principle and key characteristics of room air distribution with diffuse ceiling ventilation. It provides an overview of potential benefit and limitations of this technology. The benefits include high thermal comfort, high...

Random variability in mesoscale wind observations and implications for diffusion models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanna, S.R. [Sigma Research Corp., Concord, MA (United States)

1994-12-31

The investigation reported in this paper grew out of a preliminary analysis of methods by which regional air quality models such as the Regional Oxidant Model account for horizontal transport and diffusion. It was discovered that there is a variety of often inconsistent methods used to parameterize horizontal diffusion at meso- and regional scales, and the time seemed ripe to review and compare and contrast these schemes. This paper provides a brief overview of the major issues that were uncovered and lists a few specific examples of the technical approaches that are used. Subsequent sections cover the basic physics of horizontal diffusion, the characteristics of observed wind fields, and methods of parameterizing horizontal diffusion in air quality models.

Air Pollution Abatement Performances of Green Infrastructure in Different Urban Environments – A Review

Science.gov (United States)

Intensifying the proportion of urban green infrastructure has been considered as one of the remedies for air pollution levels in cities, yet the impact of numerous vegetation types deployed in different built environments has to be fully synthesised and quantified. This review ex...

Thermal environment and air quality in office with personalized ventilation combined with chilled ceiling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lipczynska, Aleksandra; Kaczmarczyk, Jan; Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2015-01-01

The thermal environment and air quality conditions provided with combined system of chilled ceiling and personalized ventilation (PV) were studied in a simulated office room for two occupants. The proposed system was compared with total volume HVAC solutions used today, namely mixing ventilation...... and chilled ceiling combined with mixing ventilation. The objective of the study was to evaluate whether PV can be the only ventilation system in the rooms equipped with chilled ceiling. The room air temperature was 26°C in cases with traditional systems and 28°C when PV was used. PV supplied air...... with the temperature of 25°C. PV improved thermal conditions and was up to nearly 10 times more efficient in delivering clean air at workstations than mixing ventilation systems, which resulted in strong protection of occupants from the cross-infection. In the room space outside workstations no substantial differences...

Indoor air quality of houses located in the urban environment of Agra, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Taneja, Ajay; Saini, Renuka; Masih, Amit

2008-10-01

Increased concern over the adverse health effects of air pollution has highlighted the need for air-pollution measurements, especially in urban areas, where many sources of air pollutants are normally monitored outdoors as part of obligations under the National Air Quality Strategies. Very little is known about air pollution indoors. In fact, the largest exposure to health-damaging indoor pollution probably occurs in the developing world, not in households, schools, and offices of developed countries where most research and control efforts have been focused to date. As a result much of the health impacts from air pollution worldwide seem to occur among the poorest and most vulnerable populations. The authors in their earlier studies have confirmed the importance of ambient air in determining the quality of air indoors. In this study an observation of air quality indoors and outdoors of domestic homes located in an urban environment from October 2004 to December 2005 in Agra, north central India, is performed. The purpose of this study was to characterize the indoor/outdoor (I/O) relationship of airborne pollutants and recognize their probable source in all three seasons, that is, winter, summer, and rainy season. Concentrations of SO(2), NO(2), CO(2), Cl(2), H(2)S, NH(3), RSPM, and PAH were monitored simultaneously and I/O ratios were calculated. In order to investigate the effect of seasonality on indoor and ambient air quality, winter to summer and winter to monsoon average ratios were calculated. It is apparent that there is a general pattern of increasing levels from monsoon to summer to winter, and similarly from outdoor to indoor air. Regressions analysis had been done to further investigate the influence of outdoor air-pollutant concentrations on indoor concentrations. The most probable categories of sources for these pollutants have been identified by using principal-component analysis. Indoor air pollution is a complex function of energy housing and

Scientific research in urban areas air quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allegrini, I.

1998-01-01

The presence of consistent amounts of polluting agents in the urban atmosphere is a fact widely confirmed which poses serious problems to the people responsible for the environment management. It is well known that the majority of the polluting agents are produced by the intense traffic or vehicles which introduces in the atmosphere a large quantity of compounds. The toxic effect of some of these (primary polluters) is direct; others (secondary polluters) are the result of chemical reactions occurring within the atmosphere. Consequently, the management of the atmospheric environment requires the knowledge of a great number of processes, which begin with the emission of the polluting agents, and continue with their diffusion in the air, their transformation, the way they move, and how they are deposited or removed [it

Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant expansion: final environmental statement. Volume 2. Appendices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-09-01

Volume 2 is comprised of appendices: Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant Existing Facilities; Ecology; Civic Involvement; Social Analysis; Population Projections; Toxicity of Air Pollutants to Biota at Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant; and Assessment of Noise Effects of an Add-On to the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant

Air quality and particles: impact on the environment and health. What to prescribe for tomorrow?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaiss, Pierre; POISSON, Nathalie; Poulleau, Jean; Gondcaille, Catherine

2009-09-01

After having recalled that particles in the air are present under the form of liquid or solid matters and are characterized by their size, and that the term aerosol is generally used for a mix of air and particles in suspension, this publication proposes an overview of tools used to characterize particle pollutions, of the different impacts of particles on health, on the way ecosystems react with particle pollutions, on impacts of particles on building environment (outside and inside)

Mass concentrations of BTEX inside air environment of buses in Changsha, China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Xiaokai; Zhang, Guoqiang; Zhang, Quan [College of Civil Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan (China); Chen, Hong [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan (China)

2011-02-15

In order to estimate the mass concentrations of benzene (B), toluene (T), ethylbenzene (E) and xylenes (X) inside air environment of buses and to analyze the influencing factors of the BTEX pollution levels, 22 public buses were investigated in Changsha, China. The interior air was collected through activated charcoal adsorption tubes and then the air samples were analyzed with thermally desorbed gas chromatograph. The mass concentrations ranged from 21.3 to 106.4 {mu}g/m{sup 3} for benzene, from 53.5 to 266.0 {mu}g/m{sup 3} for toluene, from 19.6 to 95.9 {mu}g/m{sup 3} for ethylbenzene and from 46.9 to 234.8 {mu}g/m{sup 3} for xylenes. Their mean values were 68.7, 179.7, 62.5 and 151.8 {mu}g/m{sup 3}, respectively. The rates of buses tested where the interior concentrations exceeded the limit levels of Chinese Indoor Air Quality Standard were 45.5% for toluene and 13.6% for xylenes. The BTEX levels increased when in-car temperature or relative humidity rose, and decreased when car age or travel distance increased. The BTEX concentrations were higher in leather trims buses than in non-leather trims ones, in air-conditioned buses than in non-air-conditioned ones, and in high-grade buses than in low-grade ones. According to the analysis of multiple linear regression equation, car age and in-car temperature were two most important factors influencing the BTEX pollution levels in the cabins of public buses. (author)

Thermal fluid characteristics in diffusion flame formed by coaxial flow configuration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Torii, S. [Kumamoto Univ., Kumamoto (Japan). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

2005-07-01

A numerical and experimental study was performed on the thermal transport phenomena of turbulent jet diffusion flames formed by coaxial flow configuration. Consideration was given to the effect of the flow rates of air and fuel on the flame morphology. It was noted that as the air flow rate increases, the augmentation of flow shear effect exerted on the shear layer form between the flame jet and the air flow induced the fuel-to-air mixture. Thermal diffusion was amplified with an increase in the Reynolds number. As the velocity ratio was increased, the streamwise velocity gradient along the radial axis was intensified, resulting in an amplification of thermal diffusion. Details of the experimental apparatus and method were provided, along with governing equations and numerical methods. It was concluded that the suppression of the flame length and an extension of flame blowoff limit caused an annular jet diffusion flame. An increase in the velocity ratio of air to fuel showed the blue flame. When cold and hot gases are injected along the same direction from the annular channel, the flow pattern and isotherms are affected by the velocity ratio. The streamwise velocity gradient along the r axis was intensified with an increase in N. The trend became larger in the vicinity of the injection nozzle. 15 refs., 9 figs.

Outdoor air pollution, family and neighborhood environment, and asthma in LA FANS children.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilhelm, Michelle; Qian, Lei; Ritz, Beate

2009-03-01

We examined associations between outdoor air pollution and childhood asthma, using measures of SES, neighborhood quality, and social support from the Los Angeles Family and Neighborhood Survey (LA FANS). We linked residential census tracts for 3114 children to government air monitoring stations and estimated average pollutant concentrations for the year before interview. CO and NO(2) levels increased and O(3) levels decreased as neighborhood quality decreased, yet correlations were low. Pollutant levels were not correlated with neighborhood support. Even after adjustment for social environment characteristics, LA FANS children living in high O(3), PM(10), and CO areas appeared to have worse asthma morbidity.

A Study on the Characteristics of Design Variables for IRSS Diffuser

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Yong-Jin; Ko, Dae-Eun

2017-11-01

In modern naval ships, infrared signature suppression systems (IRSS) are installed to decrease the temperature of waste gas generated in propulsion engine and the metallic surface temperature of heated exhaust pipes. Generally, IRSS is composed of eductor, mixing tube, and diffuser. Diffuser serves to reduce the temperature by creating an air film using the pressure difference between internal gas and external air. In this study, design variables were selected by analyzing the diffuser and the characteristics of design variables that affect the performance of diffuser were examined using Taguchi experiment method. For the diffuser performance analysis, a heat flow analysis technique established in previous research was used. The IRSS performance evaluation was carried out based on the average area value of the metal surface temperature and the temperature of the exhaust gas at the outlet of the diffuser, which are variables directly related to the intensity of infrared signature in naval ships. It was verified that the exhaust gas temperature is greatly affected by changes in the diameter of the diffuser outlet, and the metal surface temperature of diffuser is greatly affected by changes in the number of diffuser rings.

Diffusion coefficients of decay products of radon and thoron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raghunath, B.; Kotrappa, P.

1979-01-01

The diffusion coefficients of the decay products of radon and thoron have relevance in the evaluation of inhalation hazards in uranium and thorium processing industries. A recently developed diffusion sampler, based on Mercer's theory of diffusional deposition between the concentric circular plates, has been used for determining the diffusion coefficients of the unattached decay products of radon and thoron (RaA, RaB, RaC and ThB). Experiments were conducted at different ventilation rates (6 and 60 changes/hr) at different relative humidities (10 and 90%) and both in air and argon atmospheres. Diffusion coefficients were found to increase with increasing ventilation rates and were found to decrease at higher relative humidities, the effect being more marked at lower ventilation rates. Both of these effects were less pronounced in argon than in air. Results are discussed in light of the known properties of these decay products. (author)

Comparative hygienic assessment of active ingredients content in the air environment after treatment of cereal spiked crops by combined fungicides.

Science.gov (United States)

Kondratiuk, Mykola; Blagaia, Anna; Pelo, Ihor

2018-01-01

Introduction: The quality of the air environment significantly affects the health of the population. Chemical plant protection products in the spring and summer time may be the main pollutants of the air environment in rural areas. Chemical plant protection products are dangerous substances of anthropogenic origin. If applying pesticides in high concentrations, the risk of poisoning by active ingredients of pesticide preparations in workers directly contacting with it increases. The aim: Comparative hygienic assessment of active ingredients content in the air environment after treatment of cereal spiked crops by combined fungicides was the aim of the work. Materials and methods: Active ingredients of the studied combined fungicides, samples of air, and swabs from workers' skin and stripes from overalls were materials of the research. Methods of full-scale in-field hygienic experiment, gas-liquid chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, as well as statistical and bibliographic methods were used in the research. Results and conclusions: Active ingredients of the studied combined fungicides were not detected in the working zone air and atmospheric air at the levels exceeding the limits of its detection by appropriate chromatography methods. Findings confirmed the air environment safety for agricultural workers and rural population if studied combined fungicides are applied following the hygienically approved suggested application rates and in accordance of good agricultural practice rules. However the possible complex risk for workers after certain studied fungicides application may be higher than acceptable due to the elevated values for dermal effects. The complex risk was higher than acceptable in еру case of aerial spraying of both studied fungicides, meanwhile only one combination of active ingredients revealed possible risk for workers applying fungicides by rod method of cereal spiked crops treatment.

Healthy environment — indoor air quality of Brazilian elementary schools nearby petrochemical industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godoi, Ricardo H.M.; Godoi, Ana F.L.; Gonçalves Junior, Sérgio J.; Paralovo, Sarah L.; Borillo, Guilherme C.; Gonçalves Gregório Barbosa, Cybelli; Arantes, Manoela G.; Charello, Renata C.; Rosário Filho, Nelson A.; Grassi, Marco T.; Yamamoto, Carlos I.; Potgieter-Vermaak, Sanja; Rotondo, Giuliana G.; De Wael, Karolien; Grieken, Rene van

2013-01-01

The mitigation of pollution released to the environment originating from the industrial sector has been the aim of all policy-makers and its importance is evident if the adverse health effects on the world population are considered. Although this concern is controversial, petroleum refinery has been linked to some adverse health effects for people living nearby. Apart from home, school is the most important indoor environment for children and there is increasing concern about the school environment and its impact on health, also in developing countries where the prevalence of pollution is higher. As most of the children spend more than 40% of their time in schools, it is critical to evaluate the pollution level in such environment. In the metropolitan region of Curitiba, South Brazil, five schools nearby industries and highways with high density traffic, were selected to characterize the aerosol and gaseous compounds indoor and outdoor of the classrooms, during 2009–2011. Size segregated aerosol samples were collected for analyses of bulk and single particle elemental profiles. They were analyzed by electron probe X-ray micro-analysis (EPXMA), and by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), to investigate the elemental composition of individual particles and bulk samples. The concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX); NO 2 ; SO 2 ; acetic acid; and formic acid were assessed indoor and outdoor using passive diffusion tubes. BTEX were analyzed by GC–MS and other collected gasses by ion chromatography. Individual exposition of BTEX was assessed by personal passive diffusion tubes. Results are interpreted separately and as a whole with the specific aim of identifying compounds that could affect the health of the scholars. In view of the chemical composition and size distribution of the aerosol particles, local deposition efficiencies in the children's respiratory systems were calculated, revealing the deposition of particles at

Healthy environment — indoor air quality of Brazilian elementary schools nearby petrochemical industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Godoi, Ricardo H.M., E-mail: rhmgodoi@ufpr.br [Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Paran UFPR, Curitiba, PR (Brazil); Godoi, Ana F.L.; Gonçalves Junior, Sérgio J.; Paralovo, Sarah L.; Borillo, Guilherme C.; Gonçalves Gregório Barbosa, Cybelli; Arantes, Manoela G.; Charello, Renata C. [Department of Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Paran UFPR, Curitiba, PR (Brazil); Rosário Filho, Nelson A. [Department of Pediatric, Div. of Allergy and Pneumol, Federal University of Paran Curitiba, PR (Brazil); Grassi, Marco T. [Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR (Brazil); Yamamoto, Carlos I. [Department of Chemistry Engineering, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, PR (Brazil); Potgieter-Vermaak, Sanja [Division of Chemistry and Environmental Science, School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester (United Kingdom); Rotondo, Giuliana G.; De Wael, Karolien; Grieken, Rene van [Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Antwerp (Belgium)

2013-10-01

The mitigation of pollution released to the environment originating from the industrial sector has been the aim of all policy-makers and its importance is evident if the adverse health effects on the world population are considered. Although this concern is controversial, petroleum refinery has been linked to some adverse health effects for people living nearby. Apart from home, school is the most important indoor environment for children and there is increasing concern about the school environment and its impact on health, also in developing countries where the prevalence of pollution is higher. As most of the children spend more than 40% of their time in schools, it is critical to evaluate the pollution level in such environment. In the metropolitan region of Curitiba, South Brazil, five schools nearby industries and highways with high density traffic, were selected to characterize the aerosol and gaseous compounds indoor and outdoor of the classrooms, during 2009–2011. Size segregated aerosol samples were collected for analyses of bulk and single particle elemental profiles. They were analyzed by electron probe X-ray micro-analysis (EPXMA), and by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), to investigate the elemental composition of individual particles and bulk samples. The concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX); NO{sub 2}; SO{sub 2}; acetic acid; and formic acid were assessed indoor and outdoor using passive diffusion tubes. BTEX were analyzed by GC–MS and other collected gasses by ion chromatography. Individual exposition of BTEX was assessed by personal passive diffusion tubes. Results are interpreted separately and as a whole with the specific aim of identifying compounds that could affect the health of the scholars. In view of the chemical composition and size distribution of the aerosol particles, local deposition efficiencies in the children's respiratory systems were calculated, revealing the deposition of

Improved emergency elevated air release for simplified PWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naitoh, T.; Bruce, R.A.; Hirota, K.; Tajiri, Y.

1992-01-01

In developing the application of the simplified PWR in Japan, one of the most important areas is to limit post-accident site boundary whole body dose. In addressing this, the concept of Emergency Passive Air Filtration System (EPAFS) and it's feasibility is developed. The efficiency of charcoal filtering and the atmospheric diffusion effect of an elevated air release are important for dose reduction. The performance of these functions was evaluated by confirmatory testing. The test results confirmed a 99 percent efficiency of charcoal filter and an atmospheric diffusion effect higher than that of a conventional plant. The Emergency Passive Air Filtration System (EPAFS) and the atmospheric diffusion effect of elevated air release contribute to making the calculated post-accident site boundary whole body dose of simplified PWR as low as that of the conventional Japanese PWR plant. (author)

Enhanced diffusion of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in artificial and natural aqueous solutions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mayer, Philipp; Fernqvist, M.M.; Christensen, P.S.

2007-01-01

Uptake of hydrophobic organic compounds into organisms is often limited by the diffusive transport through a thin boundary layer. Therefore, a microscale diffusion technique was applied to determine the diffusive mass transfer of 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons through water, air, surfactant...

Isolation of pathogenic yeasts in the air from hospital environments in the city of Fortaleza, northeast Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rossana A Cordeiro

Full Text Available This paper reports the results of environmental surveillance of yeasts in specific areas of two tertiary local hospitals. From March 2007 to February 2008, samples from the air of two public hospitals were collected on a monthly basis. The samples were collected through passive sedimentation method (day and night exposure of Petri dishes. A total of 240 air samples from 10 hospital environments were analyzed. These environments presented similar contamination levels, from which 80 fungi isolates were isolated: Candida parapsilosis (n = 34, Rhodotorula spp. (19, Trichosporon asahii (11, C. tropicalis (8, C. albicans (4, C. glabrata (1, C. guilliermondii (1, C. krusei (1 and Saccharomyces spp. (1. Regarding the presence of yeasts and climatic conditions, there were 40 strains (50% in semi-critical areas (natural ventilation and critical areas (air conditioned. Considering the presence of microorganisms with pathogenic potential, environmental monitoring is necessary to prevent possible hospital infections.

Investigation of the Indoor Environment in a Passive House Apartment Building Heated by Ventilation Air

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lysholt Hansen, MathiasYoung Bok; Koulani, Chrysanthi Sofia; Peuhkuri, Ruut Hannele

2014-01-01

comfort and the performance of the air heating system and solar shading. Thermal comfort category B according to ISO 7730 was obtained in the building during field measurements, indicating that the air heating system was able to maintain comfort conditions in winter, when the outdoor temperature had been...... building project finished medio 2012. The design challenge was met with a concept of air heating that is individually controlled in every room. It also applies external solar shading. This study used indoor climate measurements and dynamic simulations in one of these apartment buildings to evaluate thermal...... unusual low for a longer period. The dynamic simulations also indicated that air heating during winter can provide a comfortable thermal environment. Dynamic simulations also demonstrated that during summer, apartments with automatic external solar screens had no serious overheating, whereas in apartments...

Channel Model of Molecular Communication via Diffusion in a Vessel-like Environment Considering a Partially Covering Receiver

OpenAIRE

Turan, Meriç; Kuran, Mehmet Sukru; Yilmaz, H. Birkan; Demirkol, Ilker; Tugcu, Tuna

2018-01-01

By considering potential health problems that a fully covering receiver may cause in vessel-like environments, the implementation of a partially covering receiver is needed. To this end, distribution of hitting location of messenger molecules (MM) is analyzed within the context of molecular communication via diffusion with the aim of channel modeling. The distribution of these MMs for a fully covering receiver is analyzed in two parts: angular and radial dimensions. For the angular distributi...

FY1999 Meeting of The Society of Heating, Air-Conditioning and Sanitary Engineering of Japan. Air conditioning systems for various facilities; 1999 nendo gakujutsu koenkai gaiyo. Kakushu shisetsu kucho system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iwamoto, K. [Takenaka Corp., Osaka (Japan)

1999-12-05

B-49 reported the outline of an artificial weather room composed of one inner room and two outer rooms, and its temperature change and temperature profiles during air conditioning. The room is scheduled to be used for evaluation of air conditioning systems, thermal performance evaluation of building materials and study on ventilation efficiency. B-50 reported the seasonal measurement results on thermal environment, and cooling and heating use patterns of living rooms and common spaces of 4 welfare homes for aged persons, and showed that room temperature difference in winter should be considered. Measurement data on facilities with floor heating were required. B-51 reported the experiment and numerical analysis results on thermal environment, draft sensation, condensation and radiation effect of patient bedrooms by using a full-scale 4-bed room model with a specific outlet developed for patient bedroom air conditioning. B-52 reported the outline of an air conditioning system for vegetable factories, and its performance evaluation result during cooling. The effect of blackout curtains and local air conditioning was reported. B-53 reported the comparison study result on air conditioning for animal breeding rooms by full-scale model experiment and numerical analysis. The line outlet + hanging wall + rack back exhaust system was most favorable from the viewpoint of temperature profile and prevention of pollutants from diffusion. (translated by NEDO)

Plasma surface treatment of Cu by nanosecond-pulse diffuse discharges in atmospheric air

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, ZHANG; Jintao, QIU; Fei, KONG; Xingmin, HOU; Zhi, FANG; Yu, YIN; Tao, SHAO

2018-01-01

Nanosecond-pulse diffuse discharges could provide high-density plasma and high-energy electrons at atmospheric pressure. In this paper, the surface treatment of Cu by nanosecond-pulse diffuse discharges is conducted in atmospheric air. Factors influencing the water contact angle (WCA), chemical composition and microhardness, such as the gap spacing and treatment time, are investigated. The results show that after the plasma surface treatment, the WCA considerably decreases from 87° to 42.3°, and the surface energy increases from 20.46 mJ m-2 to 66.28 mJ m-2. Results of energy dispersive x-ray analysis show that the concentration of carbon decreases, but the concentrations of oxygen and nitrogen increase significantly. Moreover, the microhardness increases by approximately 30% after the plasma treatment. The aforementioned changes on the Cu surface indicate the plasma surface treatment enhances the hydrophilicity and microhardness, and it cleans the carbon and achieves oxidization on the Cu surface. Furthermore, by increasing the gap spacing and treatment time, better treatment effects can be obtained. The microhardness in the case of a 2.5 cm gap is higher than that in the case of a 3 cm gap. More oxygen and nitrogen species appear on the Cu surface for the 2.5 cm gap treatment than for the 3 cm gap treatment. The WCA significantly decreases with the treatment time when it is no longer than 90 s, and then it reaches saturation. In addition, more oxygen-containing and nitrogen-containing groups appear after extended plasma treatment time. They contribute to the improvement of the hydrophilicity and oxidation on the Cu surface.

XPS response in the corrosion products analysis for copper exposed at clean air environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mariaca, L.; Morcillo, M.; Feliu Jr, S.; Gonzalez, J.A.

1998-01-01

In this work is presented the obtained response for superficial analysis technique by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS or ESCA), to determine the corrosion products formed during the copper exposure at environment without pollutants (clean air) at 50, 70 and 90 % of relative humidity at 35 Centigrade. One of the copper corrosion products most knew is Cu 2 O. This oxide is formed instantly to be exposed the copper at air. However in function of the exposure time and the relative humidity at it is exposed, the Cu 2 O oxide is transformed at Cu O and Cu(OH) 2 (Author)

Air quality in the Carlsbad cavern

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Yung-Seng; Chen, Tou-Rong; Wasiolek, P.T.

1994-01-01

The air quality in the Carlsbad Cavern has been investigated, but there are no reports on radon progeny and aerosols. The purpose of this experiment was to determine the activity size distribution of radon progeny and the air exchange rate inside the Cavern. Teams from ITRI and New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (NMT) conducted the field study in July 1994. The ITRI graded diffusion battery (GDB) was used to determine the activity size distribution, progeny concentration, equilibrium factor, and unattached fraction of the radon progeny. The design, calibration, and performance of the GDB have been described. For this study, each stage of the GDB contained one stainless steel screen, with the mesh sizes arranged in a series of 30, 50, 145, 200, and 635 mesh from the air inlet to the outlet. A 47-nm type A/E glass fiber filter was used to collect all particles that penetrated the screens. The flow rate was 5 L/min. The average ventilation rate in the cavern is 0.0026 V/hr. Our results showed that the cavern atmosphere may be quite different from other underground environments. The atmosphere in the summer is stable and relatively free of airborne particles, partly due to the extremely slow air exchange rate

Effect of temporary open-air markets on the sound environment and acoustic perception based on the crowd density characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Qi; Sun, Yang; Kang, Jian

2017-12-01

The sound environment and acoustic perception of open-air markets, which are very common in high-density urban open spaces, play important roles in terms of the urban soundscape. Based on objective and subjective measurements of a typical temporary open-air market in Harbin city, China, the effects of the temporary open-air market on the sound environment and acoustic perception were studied, considering different crowd densities. It was observed that a temporary open-air market without zoning increases the sound pressure level and subjective loudness by 2.4dBA and 0.21dBA, respectively, compared to the absence of a temporary market. Different from the sound pressure level and subjective loudness, the relationship between crowd density and the perceived acoustic comfort is parabolic. Regarding the effect of a temporary open-air market with different zones on the sound environment and acoustic perception, when the crowd densities were the same, subjective loudness in the fruit and vegetable sales area was always higher than in the food sales area and the clothing sales area. In terms of acoustic comfort, with an increase in crowd density, acoustic comfort in the fruit and vegetable sales area decreased, and acoustic comfort in the food sales area and the clothing sales area exhibited a parabolic change trend of increase followed by decrease. Overall, acoustic comfort can be effectively improved by better planning temporary open-air markets in high-density urban open spaces. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of air on speed of insulating material deterioration under simulated LOCA environment. [Gamma radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kusama, Yasuo; Yagi, Toshiaki; Ito, Masayuki; Okada, Sohei; Yoshikawa, Masato (Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki, Gunma. Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment)

1982-12-01

To examine the quality approval testing method for the electric cables used for nuclear reactors, various covering insulating materials employed for the cables have been investigated from all angles. The factors which are considered to affect the deterioration of cable materials in a simulated LOCA (loss of coolant accident) environmental test are numerous. This paper reports on the result of investigation on the effect of air on the rate of deterioration of various organic materials usually used as the insulating and covering materials for the cables. Five kinds of polymer sheets (1 mm thick) used for reactor cables were employed as samples. The samples of both standard compounding ratio and the compounding ratio for practical reactor use were tested. As the deterioration prior to LOCA simulation, the thermal deterioration corresponding to 40 years aging (at 121 deg C for 7 days) was given, and subsequently, 50 Mrad gamma -irradiation at 1 Mrad/h was performed in the air. After that, the samples were subject to LOCA simulated environment. Since the results were different according to the kinds of samples, those are described separately for Hypalon, ethylene propylene rubber, cross-linked polyethylene, chloroprene and silicone rubber. The existence of air under LOCA environment accelerated the deterioration of insulation materials except silicone rubber, though its influence differed to the polymers. These materials swelled in the presence of air, and the degree of swelling increased with the temperature, having the close relation to oxidation deterioration. Polyethylene was more susceptible to the effect of air, and silicone rubber was rather stable. The samples of fire-retardant compounding ratio more swelled by water absorption than those of standard compounding ratio.

Radon diffusion studies in some building materials using solid state nuclear track detectors

CERN Document Server

Singh, S; Singh, B; Singh, J

1999-01-01

LR-115 plastic track detector has been used to study radon diffusion through some building materials, viz. cement, soil, marble chips, sand and lime as well as air. Diffusion constant and diffusion length is calculated for all these materials.

Soot measurements by two angle scattering and extinction in an N 2 -diluted ethylene/air counterflow diffusion flame from 2 to 5 atm

KAUST Repository

Amin, Hafiz M.F.

2016-06-27

The soot formed in an N-diluted ethylene/air counterflow diffusion flame at elevated pressure was investigated using two angle light scattering/extinction technique. To provide a well-controlled pressurized environment for the flame, a novel pressure vessel was built with the required optical access. The soot parameters were measured along the centerline of the counterflow flame. These properties included soot volume fraction (f ), primary particle diameter (d ), population averaged radius of gyration (R ) and number density of primary particles (n ). The Rayleigh-Debye-Gans theory for Fractal Aggregates (RDG-FA) was used to retrieve these properties from scattering and extinction measurements. Soot volume fraction was measured via light extinction from 2 to 5atm while maintaining the same global strain rate at all pressures. Scattered light from soot particles was measured at 45° and 135° and primary particle diameter was calculated using scattering/extinction ratio and the radius of gyration was determined from the dissymmetry ratio. Soot volume fraction, primary particle diameter and radius of gyration all increased with pressure while the number density of primary particles decreased with increasing pressure.

Soot measurements by two angle scattering and extinction in an N 2 -diluted ethylene/air counterflow diffusion flame from 2 to 5 atm

KAUST Repository

Amin, Hafiz M.F.; Roberts, William L.

2016-01-01

The soot formed in an N-diluted ethylene/air counterflow diffusion flame at elevated pressure was investigated using two angle light scattering/extinction technique. To provide a well-controlled pressurized environment for the flame, a novel pressure vessel was built with the required optical access. The soot parameters were measured along the centerline of the counterflow flame. These properties included soot volume fraction (f ), primary particle diameter (d ), population averaged radius of gyration (R ) and number density of primary particles (n ). The Rayleigh-Debye-Gans theory for Fractal Aggregates (RDG-FA) was used to retrieve these properties from scattering and extinction measurements. Soot volume fraction was measured via light extinction from 2 to 5atm while maintaining the same global strain rate at all pressures. Scattered light from soot particles was measured at 45° and 135° and primary particle diameter was calculated using scattering/extinction ratio and the radius of gyration was determined from the dissymmetry ratio. Soot volume fraction, primary particle diameter and radius of gyration all increased with pressure while the number density of primary particles decreased with increasing pressure.

Comparison of indoor air distribution and thermal environment for different combinations of radiant heating systems with mechanical ventilation systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wu, Xiaozhou; Fang, Lei; Olesen, Bjarne W.

2018-01-01

A hybrid system with a radiant heating system and a mechanical ventilation system, which is regarded as an advanced heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, has been applied in many modern buildings worldwide. To date, almost no studies focused on comparative analysis of the indoor...... air distribution and the thermal environment for all combinations of radiant heating systems with mechanical ventilation systems. Therefore, in this article, the indoor air distribution and the thermal environment were comparatively analyzed in a room with floor heating (FH) or ceiling heating (CH......) and mixing ventilation (MV) or displacement ventilation (DV) when the supply air temperature ranged from 15.0°C to 19.0°C. The results showed that the temperature effectiveness values were 1.05–1.16 and 0.95–1.02 for MV+ FH and MV+ CH, respectively, and they were 0.78–0.91 and 0.51–0.67 for DV + FH and DV...

Addimer diffusions on Si(100)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Gun Do; Wang, C. Z.; Lu, Z. Y.; Ho, K. M.

1999-01-01

The diffusion pathways along the trough and between the trough and the dimer row on the Si(100) surface are investigated by tight-binding molecular dynamics calculations using the environment dependent tight-binding silicon potential and by ab initio calculations using the Car-Parrinello method. The studies discover new diffusion pathways consisting of rotation of addimer. The calculated energy barrier are in excellent agreement with experiment. The rotational diffusion pathway between the trough and the dimer row is much more energetically favorable than other diffusion pathways by parallel and perpendicular addimer. The new pathway along the trough is nearly same as the energy barrier of the diffusion pathway by dissociation of the addimer

Diffusion of insoluble carbon in zirconium oxides

CERN Document Server

Vykhodets, V B; Koester, U; Kondrat'ev, V V; Kesarev, A G; Hulsen, C; Kurennykh, T E

2011-01-01

The diffusion coefficient of insoluble carbon in zirconium oxides has been obtained for the temperature range of 900-1000A degrees C. There are no published data on the diffusion of insoluble impurities; these data are of current interest for the diffusion theory and nuclear technologies. Tracer atoms 13C have been introduced into oxides by means of ion implantation and the kinetics of their emission from the samples in the process of annealing in air has been analyzed. The measurements have been performed using the methods of nuclear microanalysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The diffusion activation energy is 2.7 eV and the carbon diffusion coefficient is about six orders of magnitude smaller than that for oxygen self-diffusion in the same systems. This result indicates the strong anomaly of the diffusion properties of carbon in oxides. As a result, zirconium oxides cannot be used in some nuclear technologies, in particular, as a material of sources for accelerators of short-lived carbon isotopes.

High surface area carbon for bifunctional air electrodes applied in zinc-air batteries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arai, H [on leave from NTT Laboratories (Japan); Mueller, S; Haas, O [Paul Scherrer Inst. (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland)

1999-08-01

Bifunctional air electrodes with high surface area carbon substrates showed low reduction overpotential, thus are promising for enhancing the energy efficiency and power capability of zinc-air batteries. The improved performance is attributed to lower overpotential due to diffusion of the reaction intermediate, namely the peroxide ion. (author) 1 fig., 2 refs.

Fighting ambient air pollution and its impact on health: from human rights to the right to a clean environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Guillerm, N; Cesari, G

2015-08-01

Clean air is one of the basic requirements of human health and well-being. However, almost nine out of 10 individuals living in urban areas are affected by air pollution. Populations living in Africa, South-East Asia, and in low- and middle-income countries across all regions are the most exposed. Exposure to outdoor air pollution ranks as the ninth leading risk factor for mortality, killing 3.2 million people each year, especially young children, the elderly, persons with lung or cardiovascular disease, those who work or exercise outdoors and low-income populations. In October 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic to humans, calling air pollution 'a major environmental health problem'. Human rights and environmental norms are powerful tools to combat air pollution and its impact on health. The dependence of human rights on environmental quality has been recognised in international texts and by human rights treaty bodies. The growing awareness of the environment has already yielded considerable legislative and regulatory output. However, the implementation of standards remains a pervasive problem. In the fight against violations of norms, citizens have a crucial role to play. We discuss the relevance of a yet to be proclaimed standalone right to a healthy environment.

Turbulent-diffusion vertical transfer coefficient in relationship to the electrical parameters of air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milhau, A.

1971-01-01

The vertical movement of ions in the lower atmosphere is due to two main causes: the atmospheric electrical field and turbulent diffusion. The vertical current is thus the sum of a conduction current and of a diffusion current. In order to resolve the discrepancies between the theories usually adopted (which neglect the diffusion current) and the experimental results, we propose here a theoretical model which takes into account the turbulent diffusion. This model makes it possible, if it is assumed that the conductivity is independent of the altitude in the exchange layer, to calculate the diffusivity from the three basic electrical parameters: electrical field, space charge, conductivity. The diffusivity values thus obtained have been compared to those deduced from thoron determinations made at different levels, and carried out at the same point and at the same time as the measurements of the electrical parameters. When the diffusivity is greater than 0.05 m 2 s -1 (this corresponding to adiabatic or super-adiabatic conditions) the values obtained are practically equal. This theoretical model thus appears to be satisfactory. (author) [fr

Detection of 41Ar diffusion from a TRIGA pool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foss, Scott; Nelson, George

1990-01-01

Argon-41 levels in very low concentrations in the reactor room air can be inferred from the rate of escape from the pool water surface. The rate of Argon-41 diffusion from pool water to room air was determined by the measurement of the activity buildup in containers of air in contact with the pool surface. The Argon-41 concentration in each container was measured by gamma-ray spectrometry with a calibrated GeLi detector. At 100 KW power with the water temperature at 10 deg. Celsius the total release of Argon-41 was determined to be 3.5e10±15% atoms for 80 minutes of operation. The corresponding activity released from the pool was 98.6 microcuries, while the total activity produced in the pool was 4900 microcuries. The diffusion coefficient of Argon-41 from the pool water surface to the air at this temperature was measured to be 3.14e-14 sec-cm 2 . (author)

Air Circulation and Heat Exchange under Reduced Pressures

Science.gov (United States)

Rygalov, Vadim; Wheeler, Raymond; Dixon, Mike; Hillhouse, Len; Fowler, Philip

Low pressure atmospheres were suggested for Space Greenhouses (SG) design to minimize sys-tem construction and re-supply materials, as well as system manufacturing and deployment costs. But rarified atmospheres modify heat exchange mechanisms what finally leads to alter-ations in thermal control for low pressure closed environments. Under low atmospheric pressures (e.g., lower than 25 kPa compare to 101.3 kPa for normal Earth atmosphere), convection is becoming replaced by diffusion and rate of heat exchange reduces significantly. During a period from 2001 to 2009, a series of hypobaric experiments were conducted at Space Life Sciences Lab (SLSLab) NASA's Kennedy Space Center and the Department of Space Studies, University of North Dakota. Findings from these experiments showed: -air circulation rate decreases non-linearly with lowering of total atmospheric pressure; -heat exchange slows down with pressure decrease creating risk of thermal stress (elevated leaf tem-peratures) for plants in closed environments; -low pressure-induced thermal stress could be reduced by either lowering system temperature set point or increasing forced convection rates (circulation fan power) within certain limits; Air circulation is an important constituent of controlled environments and plays crucial role in material and heat exchange. Theoretical schematics and mathematical models are developed from a series of observations. These models can be used to establish optimal control algorithms for low pressure environments, such as a space greenhouse, as well as assist in fundamental design concept developments for these or similar habitable structures.

Normal and anomalous diffusion in fluctuations of dust concentration nearby emission source

Science.gov (United States)

Szczurek, Andrzej; Maciejewska, Monika; Wyłomańska, Agnieszka; Sikora, Grzegorz; Balcerek, Michał; Teuerle, Marek

2018-02-01

Particulate matter (PM) is an important component of air. Nowadays, major attention is payed to fine dust. It has considerable environmental impact, including adverse effect on human health. One of important issues regarding PM is the temporal variation of its concentration. The variation contains information about factors influencing this quantity in time. The work focuses on the character of PM concentration dynamics indoors, in the vicinity of emission source. The objective was to recognize between the homogeneous or heterogeneous dynamics. The goal was achieved by detecting normal and anomalous diffusion in fluctuations of PM concentration. For this purpose we used anomalous diffusion exponent, β which was derived from Mean Square Displacement (MSD) analysis. The information about PM concentration dynamics may be used to design sampling strategy, which serves to attain representative information about PM behavior in time. The data analyzed in this work was collected from single-point PM concentration monitoring in the vicinity of seven emission sources in industrial environment. In majority of cases we observed heterogeneous character of PM concentration dynamics. It confirms the complexity of interactions between the emission sources and indoor environment. This result also votes against simplistic approach to PM concentration measurement indoors, namely their occasional character, short measurement periods and long term averaging.

Field evaluation and health assessment of air cleaners in removing radon decay products in domestic environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Chih-Shan.

1990-01-01

In this study, field evaluations of two types of air cleaners were conducted in three single-family houses. The measurements included radon concentration, particle number concentration, and concentration and size distribution of radon decay products. The influence on the behavior of radon decay products by various indoor particles both with and without the air cleaning systems was investigated. A room model was used to calculate the changes in the aerosol parameters caused by the operation of the air cleaners. Using the James dosimetric models (1989 and 1990), the changes in the hourly bronchial dose rate per Bq m -3 radon for men, women, and children can be estimated for various domestic environments. 94 refs., 60 figs., 28 tabs

Preliminary Study on a Reduced Scaled Model Regarding the Air Diffusion inside a Crew Quarter on Board of the ISS

Science.gov (United States)

Sandu, Mihnea; Nastase, Ilinca; Bode, Florin; Croitoru, CristianaVerona; Tacutu, Laurentiu

2018-02-01

The paper focus on the air quality inside the Crew Quarters on board of the International Space Station. Several issues to improve were recorded by NASA and ESA and most important of them are the following: noise level reduction, CO2 accumulation reduction and dust accumulation reduction. The study in this paper is centred on a reduced scaled model used to provide simulations related to the air diffusion inside the CQ. It is obvious that a new ventilation system is required to achieve the three issues mentioned above, and the solutions obtained by means of numerical simulation need to be validated by experimental approach. First of all we have built a reduced scaled physical model to simulate the flow pattern inside the CQ and the equipment inside the CQ has been reproduced using a geometrical scale ratio. The flow pattern was considered isothermal and incompressible. The similarity criteria used was the Reynolds number to characterize the flow pattern and the length scale was set at value 1/4. Water has been used inside the model to simulate air. Velocity magnitude vectors have been obtained using PIV measurement techniques.

Preliminary Study on a Reduced Scaled Model Regarding the Air Diffusion inside a Crew Quarter on Board of the ISS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandu Mihnea

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The paper focus on the air quality inside the Crew Quarters on board of the International Space Station. Several issues to improve were recorded by NASA and ESA and most important of them are the following: noise level reduction, CO2 accumulation reduction and dust accumulation reduction. The study in this paper is centred on a reduced scaled model used to provide simulations related to the air diffusion inside the CQ. It is obvious that a new ventilation system is required to achieve the three issues mentioned above, and the solutions obtained by means of numerical simulation need to be validated by experimental approach. First of all we have built a reduced scaled physical model to simulate the flow pattern inside the CQ and the equipment inside the CQ has been reproduced using a geometrical scale ratio. The flow pattern was considered isothermal and incompressible. The similarity criteria used was the Reynolds number to characterize the flow pattern and the length scale was set at value 1/4. Water has been used inside the model to simulate air. Velocity magnitude vectors have been obtained using PIV measurement techniques.

Diffuse Ceiling Ventilation and the Influence of Room Height and Heat Load Distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter Vilhelm; Vilsbøll, Rasmus W; Liu, Li

2015-01-01

Diffuse ceiling (inlet) ventilation is an air distribution system that supplies air from the entire ceiling surface, giving a low supply velocity. The flow pattern in the room is controlled by the heat sources. The system generates high mixing flow and the air velocities in the room are expected...... to be not much influenced by the flow rate to the room but dependent on the heat load. Previous studies have shown that diffuse ceiling ventilation has an ability to remove large heat loads without compromising the indoor climate. However, recent experiments indicate that the maximum accepted heat load decreases...... with a large room height and it decreases in connection with certain heat load distributions. Room geometries and heat load distributions that are optimal for diffuse ceiling ventilation are discussed. A simplified design procedure is introduced....

Preliminary assessment of using tree-tissue analysis and passive-diffusion samplers to evaluate trichloroethene contamination of ground water at Site SS-34N, McChord Air Force Base, Washington, 2001

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, S.E.

2002-01-01

Two low-cost innovative sampling procedures for characterizing trichloroethene (TCE) contamination in ground water were evaluated for use at McChord Air Force Base (AFB) by the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force McChord Air Force Base Installation Restoration Program, in 2001. Previous attempts to characterize the source of ground-water contamination in the heterogeneous glacial outwash aquifer at McChord site SS-34N using soil-gas surveys, direct-push exploration, and more than a dozen ground-water monitoring wells have had limited success. The procedures assessed in this study involved analysis of tree-tissue samples to map underlying ground-water contamination and deploying passive-diffusion samplers to measure TCE concentrations in existing monitoring wells. These procedures have been used successfully at other U.S. Department of Defense sites and have resulted in cost avoidance and accelerated site characterization. Despite the presence of TCE in ground water at site SS-34N, TCE was not detected in any of the 20 trees sampled at the site during either early spring or late summer sampling. The reason the tree tissue procedure was not successful at the McChord AFB site SS-34N may have been due to an inability of tree roots to extract moisture from a water table 30 feet below the land surface, or that concentrations of TCE in ground water were not large enough to be detectable in the tree tissue at the sampling point. Passive-diffusion samplers were placed near the top, middle, and bottom of screened intervals in three monitoring wells and TCE was observed in all samplers. Concentrations of TCE from the passive-diffusion samplers were generally similar to concentrations found in samples collected in the same wells using conventional pumping methods. In contrast to conventional pumping methods, the collection of ground-water samples using the passive-diffusion samples did not generate waste purge water that would require hazardous

Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant expansion: final environmental statement. Volume 2. Appendices. [Appendices only

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liverman, James L.

1977-09-01

Volume 2 is comprised of appendices: Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant Existing Facilities; Ecology; Civic Involvement; Social Analysis; Population Projections; Toxicity of Air Pollutants to Biota at Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant; and Assessment of Noise Effects of an Add-On to the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. (LK)

Diffusion zinc plating of structural steels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazakovskaya, Tatiana; Goncharov, Ivan; Tukmakov, Victor; Shapovalov, Vyacheslav

2004-01-01

The report deals with the research on diffusion zinc plating of structural steels when replacing their cyanide cadmium plating. The results of the experiments in the open air, in vacuum, in the inert atmosphere, under various temperatures (300 - 500 deg.C) for different steel brands are presented. It is shown that diffusion zinc plating in argon or nitrogen atmosphere ensures obtaining the qualitative anticorrosion coating with insignificant change of mechanical properties of steels. The process is simple, reliable, ecology pure and cost-effective. (authors)

Performance analysis of a new design of office diffuse ceiling ventilation system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fan, Jianhua; Hviid, Christian Anker; Yang, Honglu

2013-01-01

This paper aims to document and analyse performance of a new design of diffuse ceiling ventilation system in a typical office room. A full scale measurement is carried out in a climate chamber with an office setup at the Technical University of Denmark. Indoor air temperatures, air speeds, wall...... surface temperatures, pressure loss of the ceiling and ventilation effectiveness are measured for an air change rate of 3.5 h-1 and 5.1 h -1 respectively. A computational fluid dynamics model of the office with the diffuse ceiling ventilation system is built and validated by the full scale measurement....... The measurements of pressure loss across the ceiling show a low pressure drop between the plenum and the occupied zone. Ventilation effectiveness is measured to be close to 1 on average under the tested conditions. It is shown that the diffuse ceiling ventilation system is able to remove indoor pollutant...

Development of an Automated Diffusion Scrubber-Conductometry System for Measuring Atmospheric Ammonia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Bok Young; Lee, Chong Keun; Lee, Dong Soo

2011-01-01

A semi-continuous and automated method for quantifying atmospheric ammonia at the parts per billion level has been developed. The instrument consists of a high efficiency diffusion scrubber, an electrolytic on-line anion exchange device, and a conductivity detector. Water soluble gases in sampled air diffuse through the porous membrane and are absorbed in an absorbing solution. Interferences are eliminated by using an anion exchange devises. The electrical conductivity of the solution is measured without chromatographic separation. The collection efficiency was over 99%. Over the 0-200 ppbv concentration range, the calibration was linear with r"2 = 0.99. The lower limit of detection was 0.09 ppbv. A parallel analysis of Seoul air over several days using this method and a diffusion scrubber coupled to an ion chromatography system showed acceptable agreement, r"2 = 0.940 (n = 686). This method can be applied for ambient air monitoring of ammonia

Laboratory measurements of radon diffusion through multilayered cover systems for uranium tailings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielson, K.K.; Rogers, V.C.; Rich, D.C.; Nederhand, F.A.; Sandquist, G.M.; Jensen, C.M.

1981-12-01

Laboratory measurements of radon fluxes and radon concentration profiles were conducted to characterize the effectiveness of multilayer cover systems for uranium tailings. The cover systems utilized soil and clay materials from proposed disposal sites for the Vitro, Durango, Shiprock, Grand Junction and Riverton tailings piles. Measured radon fluxes were in reasonable agreement with values predicted by multilayer diffusion theory. Results obtained by using air-filled porosities in the diffusion calculations were similar to those obtained by using total porosities. Measured diffusion coefficients were a better basis for predicting radon fluxes than were correlations of diffusion coefficient with moisture or with air porosity. Radon concentration profiles were also fitted by equations for multilayer diffusion in the air-filled space. Layer-order effects in the multilayer cover systems were examined and estimated to amount to 10 to 20 percent for the systems tested. Quality control measurements in support of the multilayer diffusion tests indicated that moisture absorption was not a significant problem in radon flux sampling with charcoal canisters, but that the geometry of the sampler was critical. The geometric design of flux-can samplers was also shown to be important. Enhanced radon diffusion along the walls of the test columns was examined and was found to be insignificant except when the columns had been physically disturbed. Additional moisture injected into two test columns decreased the radon flux, as expected, but appeared to migrate into surrounding materials or to be lost by evaporation. Control of moisture content and compaction in the test columns appeared to be the critical item affecting the accuracies of the experiments

The lasting effect of limonene-induced particle formation on air quality in a genuine indoor environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Rösch, Carolin; Wissenbach, Dirk K; von Bergen, Martin; Franck, Ulrich; Wendisch, Manfred; Schlink, Uwe

2015-09-01

Atmospheric ozone-terpene reactions, which form secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles, can affect indoor air quality when outdoor air mixes with indoor air during ventilation. This study, conducted in Leipzig, Germany, focused on limonene-induced particle formation in a genuine indoor environment (24 m(3)). Particle number, limonene and ozone concentrations were monitored during the whole experimental period. After manual ventilation for 30 min, during which indoor ozone levels reached up to 22.7 ppb, limonene was introduced into the room at concentrations of approximately 180 to 250 μg m(-3). We observed strong particle formation and growth within a diameter range of 9 to 50 nm under real-room conditions. Larger particles with diameters above 100 nm were less affected by limonene introduction. The total particle number concentrations (TPNCs) after limonene introduction clearly exceed outdoor values by a factor of 4.5 to 41 reaching maximum concentrations of up to 267,000 particles cm(-3). The formation strength was influenced by background particles, which attenuated the formation of new SOA with increasing concentration, and by ozone levels, an increase of which by 10 ppb will result in a six times higher TPNC. This study emphasizes indoor environments to be preferred locations for particle formation and growth after ventilation events. As a consequence, SOA formation can produce significantly higher amounts of particles than transported by ventilation into the indoor air.

Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant environmental report for 1989

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Turner, J.W. (ed.) (Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (USA))

1990-10-01

This two-part environmental report is published annually. It reflects the results of a comprehensive, year-round program to monitor the impact of operations at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP) on the area's groundwater and surface waters, soil, air quality, vegetation, and wildlife. In addition, an assessment of the effect of PGDP effluents on the resident human population is made. PGDP's overall goal for environmental management is to protect the environment and PGDP's neighbors and to maintain full compliance with all current regulations. The current environmental strategy is to identify any deficiencies and to develop a system to resolve them. The long-range goal of environmental management is to minimize the source of pollutants, to reduce the formation of waste, and to minimize hazardous waste by substitution of materials. 36 refs.

γ-irradiation effect on gas diffusion in polymer films. Part I : Hydrogen diffusion through mylar film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, K.A.; Pushpa, K.K.; Iyer, R.M.

1980-01-01

γ-irradiation of polymers results in further crosslinking in the polymer or breakdown of the polymer or a combination of both these phenomena depending on the type of polymer, the dose as well as the environment in which irradiation is carried out. The gas diffusion through polymer films is expected to vary depending on these changes. With a view to A evaluate the feasibility of effecting selective diffusion of specific gases and also to correlate the change in diffusion rates with the polymer characteristics these studies have been initiated. Hydrogen diffusion through mylar film γ-irradiated under varying conditions upto a dose of approximately 50 Mrads is reported in this paper. The results indicate negligible change in hydrogen diffusion rates on γ-irradiation. However, γ-irradiation induced crosslinking of acrylic acid on Mylar reduced the hydrogen diffusion rate. The hydrogen diffusion studies may also be useful in finding the glass transition temperature of polymer films as is apparent from the gas diffusion curves. (author)

Diffusion Limitation and Hyperoxic Enhancement of Oxygen Consumption in Zooxanthellate Sea Anemones, Zoanthids, and Corals.

Science.gov (United States)

Shick, J M

1990-08-01

Depending on their size and morphology, anthozoan polyps and colonies may be diffusion-limited in their oxygen consumption, even under well-stirred, air-saturated conditions. This is indicated by an enhancement of oxygen consumption under steady-state hyperoxic conditions that simulate the levels of O2 produced photosynthetically by zooxanthellae in the hosts' tissues. Such hyperoxia in the tissues of zooxanthellate species negates the effect of the diffusive boundary layer, and increases the rate of oxygen consumption; thus, in many cases, the rate of respiration measured under normoxia in the dark may not be representative of the rate during the day when the zooxanthellae are photosynthesizing and when the supply of oxygen for respiration is in the tissues themselves, not from the environment. These results have implications in respirometric methodology and in calculating the rate of gross photosynthesis in energetic studies. The activity of cytochrome c oxidase is higher in aposymbiotic than in zooxanthellate specimens of the sea anemone Aiptasia pulchella, and this may indicate a compensation for the relative hypoxia in the tissues of the former, enhancing the delivery of oxygen to the mitochondria from the environment.

Effect of Low Co-flow Air Velocity on Hydrogen-air Non-premixed Turbulent Flame Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noor Mohsin Jasim

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to provide information concerning the effect of low co-flow velocity on the turbulent diffusion flame for a simple type of combustor, a numerical simulated cases of turbulent diffusion hydrogen-air flame are performed. The combustion model used in this investigation is based on chemical equilibrium and kinetics to simplify the complexity of the chemical mechanism. Effects of increased co-flowing air velocity on temperature, velocity components (axial and radial, and reactants have been investigated numerically and examined. Numerical results for temperature are compared with the experimental data. The comparison offers a good agreement. All numerical simulations have been performed using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD commercial code FLUENT. A comparison among the various co-flow air velocities, and their effects on flame behavior and temperature fields are presented.

Experimental study on airflow fluctuation characteristic of an underfloor air supply terminal unit

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Jinping [School of Electric Power, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 (China); State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building Science, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Wu, Yanfang [Design Institute of Guangzhou Metro Corporation, Guangzhou 510010 (China)

2010-11-15

In order to investigate dynamic characteristic of underfloor air supply terminal unit, an IFV900A hot-wire anemometer was used to measure the corresponding velocity field. Turbulence intensity and power spectrum density exponent of air velocity signal were analyzed. The result showed that the outlet velocity distribution of underfloor air supply terminal unit was uniform. With increment of height, the velocity distribution trends to be uniform. Two velocity attenuation regions appear during airflow development. Turbulence intensity changes obviously with height. It is lower than that of mechanical wind. Turbulence intensity goes up with the increment of jetting distance. Power spectrum density exponent trends to the value of natural wind with increase of jetting distance and decrease of wind velocity. The exponent value approaches to the value of typical natural wind for the air velocity is 0.5 m/s under high supply air rate. With airflow diffusion, the fluctuation characteristic of airflow varies obviously with the jetting direction. The fluctuation characteristic of airflow changes to that of natural wind with the increase of height which can improve comfort of indoor environment. (author)

Exploratory study of particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in different environments of Mexico City

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco, Erik; Siegmann, Philip; Siegmann, Hans C.

2004-09-01

Several studies regarding particulate matter in air pollution have been performed in Mexico City, but none have focused on environment exposure to particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAH), which are related to the occurrence of cardiopulmonary diseases and mortality. On this account, this study presents measurements of personal exposure to PPAH in different outdoor and indoor environments, as well as along roadways in Mexico City. The measurements were done with portable sensors based on photoelectric charging and diffusion charging to determine the PPAH concentrations and the joint active surface of all particles, respectively. The use of these two sensors in parallel is a useful tool to qualitatively identify the major sources and to describe the physical and chemical characteristics of the particles. The highest exposures were found in ambient air near traffic sources, mainly at sites with great influence of diesel vehicles, such as urban transfer bus stations. Roadway measurements showed that Mexican PPAH pollution levels are between those in large cities in Europe and USA. For indoor environments such as residences, shopping centers, restaurants and hospitality venues, it was found that secondhand smoke is the major contributor, however badly calibrated pilot stoves, inefficient ventilation and faulty air-conditioning systems can be additional sources of PPAH.

Methodology to determine the appropriate amount of excess air for the operation of a gas turbine in a wet environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lugo-Leyte, R.; Zamora-Mata, J.M.; Torres-Aldaco, A. [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Departamento de Ingenieria de Procesos e Hidraulica, San Rafael Atlixco 186, Col Vicentina 09340, Iztapalapa, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Toledo-Velazquez, M. [Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Escuela Superior de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Seccion de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigacion, Laboratorio de Ingenieria Termica e Hidraulica Aplicada, Unidad Profesional Adolfo Lopez Mateos, Edificio 5, 3er piso SEPI-ESIME, C.P. 07738, Col. Lindavista, Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Salazar-Pereyra, M. [Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Ecatepec, Division de Ingenieria Mecatronica e Industrial, Posgrado en Ciencias en Ingenieria Mecatronica, Av. Tecnologico s/n, Col. Valle de Anahuac, C.P. 55210, Ecatepec de Morelos, Estado de Mexico (Mexico)

2010-02-15

This paper addresses the impact of excess air on turbine inlet temperature, power, and thermal efficiency at different pressure ratios. An explicit relationship is developed to determine the turbine inlet temperature as a function of excess air, pressure ratio and relative humidity. The effect of humidity on the calculation of excess air to achieve a pre-established power output is analyzed and presented. Likewise it is demonstrated that dry air calculations provide a valid upper bound for the performance of a gas turbine under a wet environment. (author)

Enhancement of diffusers BRDF accuracy

Science.gov (United States)

Otter, Gerard; Bazalgette Courrèges-Lacoste, Gregory; van Brug, Hedser; Schaarsberg, Jos Groote; Delwart, Steven; del Bello, Umberto

2017-11-01

This paper reports the result of an ESA study conducted at TNO to investigate properties of various diffusers. Diffusers are widely used in space instruments as part of the on-board absolute calibration. Knowledge of the behaviour of the diffuser is therefore most important. From measurements of launched instruments in-orbit it has been discovered that when a diffuser is used in the vacuum of space the BRDF can change with respect to the one in ambient conditions. This is called the air/vacuum effect and has been simulated in this study by measuring the BRDF in a laboratory in ambient as well as vacuum conditions. Another studied effect is related to the design parameters of the optical system and the scattering properties of the diffuser. The effect is called Spectral Features and is a noise like structure superimposed on the diffuser BRDF. Modern space spectrometers, which have high spectral resolution and/or a small field of view (high spatial resolution) are suffering from this effect. The choice of diffuser can be very critical with respect to the required absolute radiometric calibration of an instrument. Even if the Spectral Features are small it can influence the error budget of the retrieval algorithms for the level 2 products. in this presentation diffuser trade-off results are presented and the Spectral Features model applied to the optical configuration of the MERIS instrument is compared to in-flight measurements of MERIS.

Diffusive-to-ballistic transition of the modulated heat transport in a rarefied air chamber

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. L. Gomez-Heredia

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Modulated heat transfer in air subject to pressures from 760 Torr to 10-4 Torr is experimentally studied by means of a thermal-wave resonant cavity placed in a vacuum chamber. This is done through the analysis of the amplitude and phase delay of the photothermal signal as a function of the cavity length and pressure through of the Knudsen’s number. The viscous, transitional, and free molecular regimes of heat transport are observed for pressures P>1.5 Torr, 25 mTorrdiffusive and ballistic heat transport.

[Air pollutant exposure during pregnancy and fetal and early childhood development. Research protocol of the INMA (Childhood and Environment Project)].

Science.gov (United States)

Esplugues, Ana; Fernández-Patier, Rosalía; Aguilera, Inma; Iñíguez, Carmen; García Dos Santos, Saúl; Aguirre Alfaro, Amelia; Lacasaña, Marina; Estarlich, Marisa; Grimalt, Joan O; Fernández, Marieta; Rebagliato, Marisa; Sala, María; Tardón, Adonina; Torrent, Maties; Martínez, María Dolores; Ribas-Fitó, Núria; Sunyer, Jordi; Ballester, Ferran

2007-01-01

The INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente [Spanish for Environment and Childhood]) project is a cooperative research network. This project aims to study the effects of environment and diet on fetal and early childhood development. This article aims to present the air pollutant exposure protocol during pregnancy and fetal and early childhood development of the INMA project. The information to assess air pollutant exposure during pregnancy is based on outdoor measurement of air pollutants (nitrogen dioxide [NO2], volatile organic compounds [VOC], ozone, particulate matter [PM10, PM2,5 ] and of their composition [polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons]); measurement of indoor and personal exposure (VOC and NO2); urinary measurement of a biological marker of hydrocarbon exposure (1-hydroxypyrene); and data gathered by questionnaires and geographic information systems. These data allow individual air pollutant exposure indexes to be developed, which can then be used to analyze the possible effects of exposure on fetal development and child health. This protocol and the type of study allow an approximation to individual air pollutant exposure to be obtained. Finally, the large number of participants (N = 4,000), as well as their geographic and social diversity, increases the study's potential.

Turbulence structure and CO2 transfer at the air-sea interface and turbulent diffusion in thermally-stratified flows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komori, S.

1996-01-01

in clarifying environmental flow phenomena. This report summarizes research on two turbulence structure and diffusion topics; turbulence structure and the gas transfer mechanism across the air-sea (air-water) interface and the heat and momentum transfer mechanism in thermally stratified flows. The first study shows the relationship between the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) transfer mechanism across a sheared air-water interface and the turbulence structure near the interface. The results revealed that the conventional proportional relationship between CO 2 transfer velocity across the air-sea interface and mean wind speed over the sea surface is incorrect. The second study numerically clarified the significant effects of molecular diffusivity (the Prandtl number) of active heat on heat transfer in stable thermally-stratified Hows. The results obtained from the two studies are described in the next two chapters. Since the results are mainly quoted from a series of previously published and in press works by Komori et al.'s research group (see references), this report might be considered as a summary of those works

A LES-CMC formulation for premixed flames including differential diffusion

Science.gov (United States)

Farrace, Daniele; Chung, Kyoungseoun; Bolla, Michele; Wright, Yuri M.; Boulouchos, Konstantinos; Mastorakos, Epaminondas

2018-05-01

A finite volume large eddy simulation-conditional moment closure (LES-CMC) numerical framework for premixed combustion developed in a previous studyhas been extended to account for differential diffusion. The non-unity Lewis number CMC transport equation has an additional convective term in sample space proportional to the conditional diffusion of the progress variable, that in turn accounts for diffusion normal to the flame front and curvature-induced effects. Planar laminar simulations are first performed using a spatially homogeneous non-unity Lewis number CMC formulation and validated against physical-space fully resolved reference solutions. The same CMC formulation is subsequently used to numerically investigate the effects of curvature for laminar flames having different effective Lewis numbers: a lean methane-air flame with Leeff = 0.99 and a lean hydrogen-air flame with Leeff = 0.33. Results suggest that curvature does not affect the conditional heat release if the effective Lewis number tends to unity, so that curvature-induced transport may be neglected. Finally, the effect of turbulence on the flame structure is qualitatively analysed using LES-CMC simulations with and without differential diffusion for a turbulent premixed bluff body methane-air flame exhibiting local extinction behaviour. Overall, both the unity and the non-unity computations predict the characteristic M-shaped flame observed experimentally, although some minor differences are identified. The findings suggest that for the high Karlovitz number (from 1 to 10) flame considered, turbulent mixing within the flame weakens the differential transport contribution by reducing the conditional scalar dissipation rate and accordingly the conditional diffusion of the progress variable.

Hollow Fiber Membrane Dehumidification Device for Air Conditioning System.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Baiwang; Peng, Na; Liang, Canzeng; Yong, Wai Fen; Chung, Tai-Shung

2015-11-16

In order to provide a comfortable living and working environment indoors in tropical countries, the outdoor air often needs to be cooled and dehumidified before it enters the rooms. Membrane separation is an emerging technology for air dehumidification and it is based on the solution diffusion mechanism. Water molecules are preferentially permeating through the membranes due to its smaller kinetic diameter and higher condensability than the other gases. Compared to other dehumidification technologies such as direct cooling or desiccation, there is no phase transition involved in membrane dehumidification, neither the contact between the fresh air stream and the desiccants. Hence, membrane dehumidification would not only require less energy consumption but also avoid cross-contamination problems. A pilot scale air dehumidification system is built in this study which comprises nine pieces of one-inch PAN/PDMS hollow fiber membrane modules. A 150 h long-term test shows that the membrane modules has good water vapor transport properties by using a low vacuum force of only 0.78 bar absolute pressure at the lumen side. The water vapor concentration of the feed humid air decreases dramatically from a range of 18-22 g/m³ to a range of 13.5-18.3 g/m³. Most importantly, the total energy saving is up to 26.2% compared with the conventional air conditioning process.

Hollow Fiber Membrane Dehumidification Device for Air Conditioning System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baiwang Zhao

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In order to provide a comfortable living and working environment indoors in tropical countries, the outdoor air often needs to be cooled and dehumidified before it enters the rooms. Membrane separation is an emerging technology for air dehumidification and it is based on the solution diffusion mechanism. Water molecules are preferentially permeating through the membranes due to its smaller kinetic diameter and higher condensability than the other gases. Compared to other dehumidification technologies such as direct cooling or desiccation, there is no phase transition involved in membrane dehumidification, neither the contact between the fresh air stream and the desiccants. Hence, membrane dehumidification would not only require less energy consumption but also avoid cross-contamination problems. A pilot scale air dehumidification system is built in this study which comprises nine pieces of one-inch PAN/PDMS hollow fiber membrane modules. A 150 h long-term test shows that the membrane modules has good water vapor transport properties by using a low vacuum force of only 0.78 bar absolute pressure at the lumen side. The water vapor concentration of the feed humid air decreases dramatically from a range of 18–22 g/m3 to a range of 13.5–18.3 g/m3. Most importantly, the total energy saving is up to 26.2% compared with the conventional air conditioning process.

Development of an Automated Diffusion Scrubber-Conductometry System for Measuring Atmospheric Ammonia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Bok Young; Lee, Chong Keun; Lee, Dong Soo [Yonsei University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2011-06-15

A semi-continuous and automated method for quantifying atmospheric ammonia at the parts per billion level has been developed. The instrument consists of a high efficiency diffusion scrubber, an electrolytic on-line anion exchange device, and a conductivity detector. Water soluble gases in sampled air diffuse through the porous membrane and are absorbed in an absorbing solution. Interferences are eliminated by using an anion exchange devises. The electrical conductivity of the solution is measured without chromatographic separation. The collection efficiency was over 99%. Over the 0-200 ppbv concentration range, the calibration was linear with r{sup 2} = 0.99. The lower limit of detection was 0.09 ppbv. A parallel analysis of Seoul air over several days using this method and a diffusion scrubber coupled to an ion chromatography system showed acceptable agreement, r{sup 2} = 0.940 (n = 686). This method can be applied for ambient air monitoring of ammonia.

Study of containment air cooler capacity in steam air environment during accident conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kansal, M.; Mohan, N.; Bhawal, R.N.; Bajaj, S.S.

2002-01-01

Full text: The air coolers are provided for controlling the temperature in the reactor building during normal operation. These air coolers also serve as the main heat sink for the removal of energy from high enthalpy air-steam mixture expected in reactor building under accident conditions. A subroutine COOLER has been developed to estimate the heat removal rate of the air coolers at high temperature and steam conditions. The subroutine COOLER has been attached with the code PACSR (post accident containment system response) used for containment pressure temperature calculation. The subroutine was validated using design parameters at normal operating condition. A study was done to estimate the heat removal rate for some postulated accident conditions. The study reveals that, under accident conditions, the heat removal rate of air coolers increases several times compared with normal operating conditions

Friction and wear behaviour of 18 polymers in contact with steel in environments of air and water

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mens, J.W.M.; de Gee, A.W.J.

1991-01-01

18 polymers were characterized with respect to their friction and wear behaviour in contact with steel in environments of air and water. These were six unfilled materials, i.e. polyamide 66 (PA 66), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyethyleneterephthalate (PETP), polyetheretherketone (PEEK),

Numerical modeling on air quality in an urban environment with changes of the aspect ratio and wind direction.

Science.gov (United States)

Yassin, Mohamed F

2013-06-01

Due to heavy traffic emissions within an urban environment, air quality during the last decade becomes worse year by year and hazard to public health. In the present work, numerical modeling of flow and dispersion of gaseous emissions from vehicle exhaust in a street canyon were investigated under changes of the aspect ratio and wind direction. The three-dimensional flow and dispersion of gaseous pollutants were modeled using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model which was numerically solved using Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations. The diffusion flow field in the atmospheric boundary layer within the street canyon was studied for different aspect ratios (W/H=1/2, 3/4, and 1) and wind directions (θ=90°, 112.5°, 135°, and 157.5°). The numerical models were validated against wind tunnel results to optimize the turbulence model. The numerical results agreed well with the wind tunnel results. The simulation demonstrated that the minimum concentration at the human respiration height within the street canyon was on the windward side for aspect ratios W/H=1/2 and 1 and wind directions θ=112.5°, 135°, and 157.5°. The pollutant concentration level decreases as the wind direction and aspect ratio increase. The wind velocity and turbulence intensity increase as the aspect ratio and wind direction increase.

Morphometric partitioning of the respiratory surface area and diffusion capacity of the gills and swim bladder in juvenile Amazonian air-breathing fish, Arapaima gigas.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Marisa Narciso; da Cruz, André Luis; da Costa, Oscar Tadeu Ferreira; Perry, Steven Franklin

2012-09-01

The gills and the respiratory swim bladders of juvenile specimens (mean body mass 100g) of the basal teleost Arapaima gigas (Cuvier 1829) were evaluated using stereological methods in vertical sections. The surface areas, harmonic mean barrier thicknesses and morphometric diffusing capacities for oxygen and carbon dioxide were estimated. The average respiratory surface area of the swim bladder (2173 cm² kg⁻¹) exceeded that of the gills (780 cm² kg⁻¹) by a factor of 2.79. Due to the extremely thin air-blood barrier in the swim bladder (harmonic mean 0.22 μm) and the much thicker water-blood barrier of the gills (9.61 μm), the morphometric diffusing capacity for oxygen and carbon dioxide was 88 times greater in the swim bladder than in the gills. These data clearly indicate the importance of the swim bladder, even in juvenile A. gigas that still engage in aquatic respiration. Because of the much greater diffusion constant of CO₂ than O₂ in water, the gills also remain important for CO₂ release. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of molecular metabolites in expired air of healthy man in condition of long-term isolation in hermetical confined environment

Science.gov (United States)

Tsarkov, Dmitriy; Mardanov, Robert; Markin, Andrey; Moukhamedieva, Lana

Investigation of intermediary metabolites, produced in cells, in expired air of healthy man is directed on determination of molecular markers which are reflecting normal physiological pro-cesses in an organism, as well as on determination and validation of biomarkers for objective screening and non-invasive prenosological diagnostics of disorders in metabolic processes caused by negative effect of live environment. Investigation of influence of long-term isolation in her-metical confined environment on composition of healthy human expired air was made during experiment with 105 days isolation in condition of controlled environment and standard food ra-tion. Expired air samples were analyzed on gas chromatograph associated with the quadrupole mass spectrometer. The investigation results show that at rest hydroxy ketones, mostly 1-hydroxy-prorapanone-2 (acetol), aldehydes (decenal, benzaldehyde), acetophenone, phenol and fatty acids were determined. After physical performance (oxidative stress) the content of ke-tones (heptanone-2, heptanone-3), phenol, determined aldehydes (decenal, octadecenal) and acetol in expired air of volunteers decreased. It can be concerned with prevailing of alternative -methylglyoxalic metabolic pathway and caused by oxidative stress. Analysis of expired air samples taken on 30, 60 and 90 day of isolation showed that in conditions of long-term iso-lation concentration of heptanone-2, heptanone-3, 2,3-butadione, acetol, furanones, aldehydes (decenal, benzaldehyde) and acetophenone is increasing while concentration of phenol and fatty acids is decreasing as compared to samples taken before isolation. It was shown that dynamics of concentration of saturated hydrocarbons in expired air can be informative marker for estima-tion of organism response to oxidative stress, while the level of acetol can be used as indicator of man's training status, validity of exercise load and as a marker of hypoxic state.

Guidelines on Thermal Comfort of Air Conditioned Indoor Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Miura, Toyohiko

The thermal comfort of air conditioned indoor environment for workers depended, of course, on metabolic rate of work, race, sex, age, clothing, climate of the district and state of acclimatization. The attention of the author was directed to the seasonal variation and the sexual difference of comfortable temperature and a survey through a year was conducted on the thermal comfort, and health conditions of workers engaged in light work in a precision machine factory, in some office workers. Besides, a series of experiments were conducted for purpose of determinning the optimum temperature of cooling in summer time in relation to the outdoor temperature. It seemed that many of workers at present would prefer somewhat higher temperature than those before the World War II. Forty years ago the average homes and offices were not so well heated as today, and clothing worn on the average was considerably heavier.

Radionuclide Air Emissions Report for the Hanford Site Calendar Year 1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ROKKAN, D.J.

2000-01-01

This report documents radionuclide air emissions from the US. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site in 1999 and the resulting effective dose equivalent to the maximally exposed individual (MEI) member of the public. The report has been prepared in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Title 40, Protection of the Environment, Part 61. National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, Subpart H, ''National Emission Standards for Emissions of Radionuclides Other than Radon from Department of Energy Facilities'', and with the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Chapter 246-247. Radiation Protection-Air Emissions. The federal regulations in Subpart H of 40 CFR 61 require the measurement and reporting of radionuclides emitted from US. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities and the resulting offsite dose from those emissions. A standard of 10 mrem/yr effective dose equivalent (EDE) is imposed on them. The EDE to the MEI due to routine emissions in 1999 from Hanford Site point sources was 0.029 mrem (2.9 E-04 mSv), which is less than 0.3 percent of the federal standard. WAC 246-247 requires the reporting of radionuclide emissions from all Hanford Site sources, during routine as well as nonroutine operations. The state has adopted the 40 CFR 61 standard of 10 mrem/yr EDE into their regulations. The state further requires that the EDE to the MEI be calculated not only from point source emissions but also from diffuse and fugitive sources of emissions. The EDE from diffuse and fugitive emissions at the Hanford Site in 1999 was 0.039 mrem (3.9 E-04 mSv) EDE. The total dose from point sources and from diffuse and fugitive sources of radionuclide emissions during all operating conditions in 1999 was 0.068 mrem (6.8 E-04 mSv) EDE, which is less than 0.7 percent of the state standard

Potential for improvement in estimation of solar diffuse irradiance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muneer, T.; Munawwar, S.

2006-01-01

Most of the meteorological stations around the world measure global irradiation and provide information on weather elements. Diffuse radiation measurement, however, is unavailable for many of those sites. This accentuates the need to estimate it whereupon it can be used for the simulation of solar applications. This paper explores the role of synoptic information, e.g. sunshine fraction, cloud cover and air mass on the basic k-k t relationship for nine sites across the globe. The influence on the k-k t regressions is studied qualitatively, and the inclusion of these parameters is suggested based on that. Thus, it is recommended to use the complementary data usually provided with the database apart from the global irradiation in order to estimate the diffuse irradiation more accurately. It was found by analysing each synoptic parameter individually that while the sunshine fraction showed a strong bearing, it was followed closely by cloud cover. Air mass, on the other hand, was found to be a weak parameter for general estimation of diffuse radiation. It was concluded that air mass if coupled with other synoptic parameters might improve the estimation accuracy, but it does not show much promise on its own when used with the global irradiation

FY1999 Meeting of The Society of Heating, Air-Conditioning and Sanitary Engineering of Japan. Air flow analysis II; 1999 nendo gakujutsu koenkai gaiyo. Kiryu kaiseki 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-12-05

B-4 reported the result on particle size distribution experiment and numerical calculation with FEM and {kappa}- {epsilon} model using a welding simulation equipment for generation and removal of welding fume in a narrow site. Discussion was held on the position of an exhaust hood. B-5 reported the study results on indoor air flow conditions derived from a movable nozzle air conditioning system by model experiment and numerical analysis. Disagreement of both results between the experiment and calculation in the case of two diffusing nozzles attached at 30 degrees toward the inside was improved by shortening a sampling time for calculation. B-6 reported the study results on some parameters such as wind velocity, flow rate and inlet position, and the energy saving effect of an air curtain (wall outlet, floor inlet) to control air conditioning areas for a part of large spaces by numerical analysis of air flow. Discussion was held on calculation of 2-D flow and layered flow. B-7 is the 5th research report on measurement of air flow conditions such as measurement of large space environment by video camera and balloon. Study on the camera for automatic measurement, and the identification technique of balloon positions was reported. (translated by NEDO)

Oxygen and nitrogen diffusion in coal-molecular sieve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stefanescu, Doina Maria

1996-01-01

Recently, the air separation process based on selective adsorption of carbon-molecular sieves has been developed strongly. The separation is based on the system kinematics and depends on the oxygen diffusion in adsorber micropores. The oxygen is preferentially adsorbed and in given conditions it is possible to obtain nitrogen of high purity. Recent theoretical and experimental studies concerning the production of nitrogen by PSA process have shown that the obtained performances can not be described by a constant diffusion model. The paper present the 'dual' model assumed for O 2 and N 2 diffusion through molecular sieve as well as the experimental data obtained in the adsorption study on carbon material produced at ICIS to determine the diffusivity values in micropores

Seasonal Variations of Isotope Ratios and CO2 Concentrations in Firn Air

OpenAIRE

Weiler, Karin; Schwander, Jakob; Leuenberger, Markus; Blunier, Thomas; Mulvaney, Robert; Anderson, Philip S.; Salmon, Rhian; Sturges, William T.

2009-01-01

A first year-round firn air sampling carried out at the British Antarctic station Halley in 2003 shows isotope and CO2 changes owing to diffusive mixing driven by seasonal variations of surface temperature, and gas composition of the atmosphere. Seasonal firn temperatures are well reproduced from the atmospheric temperature history. Based on these profiles thermal diffusion is forced with thermal diffusion factors αT with respect to air. Application of the available literature data for αT (15...

Oxygen enriched air using membrane for palm oil wastewater treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramlah Mohd Tajuddin

2002-11-01

Full Text Available A research aimed to explore new method of aeration using oxygen enriched air performance on BOD reduction of palm oil wastewater was conducted. The oxygen enriched air was obtained from an Oxygen Enriched System (OES developed using asymmetric polysulfone hollow fiber membrane with composition consisting of PSF: 22%, DMAc: 31.8%, THF: 31.8%, EtOH: 14.4%. Palm oil wastewater samples were taken from facultative pond effluent. These samples were tested for its initial biochemical oxygen demand (BOD, total suspended solids (TSS, pH, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO, suspended solids (SS, and total dissolved solids (TDS before being subjected to two modes of aeration system, that is diffused air and oxygen enriched air. These water quality concentrations were tested for every 20 minutes for two-hour period during the aeration process. Results of BOD, TSS, pH, conductivity, DO, SS and TDS concentrations against time of samples from the two modes of aeration were then compared. It was found that DO concentration achieved in oxygen enriched air aeration was better than aeration using diffused air system. Aeration using OES improve the DO concentration in the wastewater and thus improve the BOD reduction and also influence other physical characteristics of wastewater. This phenomenon indicates the advantage of using air with higher oxygen concentration for wastewater aeration instead of diffused air system.

Air distribution and ventilation effectiveness in an occupied room heated by warm air

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krajcik, Michal; Simone, Angela; Olesen, Bjarne W.

2012-01-01

and at different simulated outside conditions, internal heat gains and air change rates. Floor heating was also simulated and compared with the warm air heating system. Vertical air temperature profiles, air velocity profiles and equivalent temperatures were derived in order to describe the thermal environment...... floor heating system was simulated, the cooler ventilation air introduced to the room mixed well and created uniform conditions with a ventilation effectiveness of about 1.......Air distribution, ventilation effectiveness and thermal environment were experimentally studied in a simulated room in a low-energy building heated and ventilated by warm air supplied by a mixing ventilation system. Measurements were performed for various positions of the air terminal devices...

N-nitroso compounds in the air environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fine, D.H.; Edwards, G.S.; Krull, I.S.; Wolf, M.H.

1979-01-01

The measurement and chemistry of N-nitroso compounds, most of which are known carcinogens, in the air are discussed. Methods for the analysis of N-nitroso compounds in the ambient air usually employ a nitrosamine-specific detector, coupled to a gas chromatograph or a high-pressure liquid chromatograph, with structural confirmation by high-resolution mass spectroscopy and extensive artifact experiments required. Airborne N-nitrosamines have been detected at significant trace levels near leather tanneries, rocket fuel plants, tire factories, tobacco smoke, amine factories, cooking vapors and in the ambient air. Nitrosation of amines has been demonstrated with nitrogen oxides, certain C-nitro compounds and nitrous acid, and tertiary amines, tertiary amine oxides and primary amines have been nitrosated

Impact of heat load location and strength on air flow pattern with a passive chilled beam system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kosonen, Risto [Halton Oy, Niittyvillankuja 4, 01510 Vantaa (Finland); Saarinen, Pekka; Koskela, Hannu [Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Lemminkaisenkatu 14-18 B, 20520 Turku (Finland); Hole, Alex [Arup, Rob Leslie-Carter, Level 10, 201 Kent Street, Sydney, NSW 2000 (Australia)

2010-01-15

A passive chilled beam is a source of natural convection, creating a flow of cold air directly into the occupied zone. Experiments were conducted in a mock-up of an office room to study the air velocities in the occupied spaces. In addition, velocity profiles are registered when underneath heat loads exist and the cool and warm air flows interact. Experimental laboratory study revealed that in the case of the underneath heat gains, even no upward plume was generated and the dummy only acted as a flow obstacle, having a significant effect on the velocity profile. Furthermore, in an actual occupied office environment, the thermal plumes and the supply air diffuser mixed effectively the whole air volume. The maximum air velocity measured was still below 0.25 m/s with the extremely high heat gain of 164 W/m{sup 2}. The results demonstrate that analysis methods were the interaction of convection flow and jet are not taken into account could not accurately describe air movement and draught risk in the occupied room space. (author)

Gene-environment interactions linking air pollution and inflammation in Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Pei-Chen; Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole; Lill, Christina M; Bertram, Lars; Sinsheimer, Janet S; Hansen, Johnni; Ritz, Beate

2016-11-01

Both air pollution exposure and systemic inflammation have been linked to Parkinson's disease (PD). In the PASIDA study, 408 incident cases of PD diagnosed in 2006-2009 and their 495 population controls were interviewed and provided DNA samples. Markers of long term traffic related air pollution measures were derived from geographic information systems (GIS)-based modeling. Furthermore, we genotyped functional polymorphisms in genes encoding proinflammatory cytokines, namely rs1800629 in TNFα (tumor necrosis factor alpha) and rs16944 in IL1B (interleukin-1β). In logistic regression models, long-term exposure to NO 2 increased PD risk overall (odds ratio (OR)=1.06 per 2.94μg/m 3 increase, 95% CI=1.00-1.13). The OR for PD in individuals with high NO 2 exposure (≧75th percentile) and the AA genotype of IL1B rs16944 was 3.10 (95% CI=1.14-8.38) compared with individuals with lower NO 2 exposure (<75th percentile) and the GG genotype. The interaction term was nominally significant on the multiplicative scale (p=0.01). We did not find significant gene-environment interactions with TNF rs1800629. Our finds may provide suggestive evidence that a combination of traffic-related air pollution and genetic variation in the proinflammatory cytokine gene IL1B contribute to risk of developing PD. However, as statistical evidence was only modest in this large sample we cannot rule out that these results represent a chance finding, and additional replication efforts are warranted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experimental Investigation of Diffuser Hub Injection to Improve Centrifugal Compressor Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Skoch, Gary J.

2004-01-01

Results from a series of experiments to investigate whether centrifugal compressor stability could be improved by injecting air through the diffuser hub surface are reported. The research was conducted in a 4:1 pressure ratio centrifugal compressor configured with a vane-island diffuser. Injector nozzles were located just upstream of the leading edge of the diffuser vanes. Nozzle orientations were set to produce injected streams angled at 8, 0 and +8 degrees relative to the vane mean camber line. Several injection flow rates were tested using both an external air supply and recirculation from the diffuser exit. Compressor flow range did not improve at any injection flow rate that was tested. Compressor flow range did improve slightly at zero injection due to the flow resistance created by injector openings on the hub surface. Leading edge loading and semi-vaneless space diffusion showed trends similar to those reported earlier from shroud surface experiments that did improve compressor flow range. Opposite trends are seen for hub injection cases where compressor flow range decreased. The hub injection data further explain the range improvement provided by shroud-side injection and suggest that different hub-side techniques may produce range improvement in centrifugal compressors.

Oligo-cyclic damage and behaviour of a 304 L austenitic stainless steel according to environment (vacuum, air, PWR primary water) at 300 C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Baglion, L.

2011-01-01

Nowadays, for nuclear power plants licensing or operating life extensions, various safety authorities require the consideration of the primary water environment effect on the fatigue life of Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) components. Thus, this work focused on the study of low cycle fatigue damage kinetics and mechanisms, of a type 304L austenitic stainless steel. Several parameters effects such as temperature, strain rate or strain amplitude were investigated in air as in PWR water. Thanks to targeted in-vacuum tests, the intrinsic influence of these parameters and environments on the fatigue behaviour of the material was studied. It appears that compared with vacuum, air is already an active environment which is responsible for a strong decrease in fatigue lifetime of this steel, especially at 300 C and low strain amplitude. The PWR water coolant environment is more active than air and leads to increased damage kinetics, without any modifications of the initiation sites or propagation modes. Moreover, the decreased fatigue life in PWR water is essentially attributed to an enhancement of both initiation and micropropagation of 'short cracks'. Finally, the deleterious influence of low strain rates on the 304L austenitic stainless steel fatigue lifetime was observed in PWR water environment, in air and also in vacuum without any environmental effects. This intrinsic strain rate effect is attributed to the occurrence of the Dynamic Strain Aging phenomenon which is responsible for a change in deformation modes and for an enhancement of cracks initiation. (author)

Diffusion coefficients for unattached decay products of thoron - dependence on ventilation and relative humidity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotrappa, P.; Bhanti, D.P.; Raghunath, B.

1976-01-01

The results of a study of the diffusivity of unattached decay products of thoron with respect to air changes using a recently developed diffusion sampler are reported. The dependence of diffusivity of radon/thoron decay products on relative humidity has also been investigated by measurement of diffusion coefficients in an atmosphere where relative humidities varied from 5 to 90%. Results are shown tabulated. (U.K.)

Laser scattering in a hanging drop vapor diffusion apparatus for protein crystal growth in a microgravity environment

Science.gov (United States)

Casay, G. A.; Wilson, W. W.

1992-01-01

One type of hardware used to grow protein crystals in the microgravity environment aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle is a hanging drop vapor diffusion apparatus (HDVDA). In order to optimize crystal growth conditions, dynamic control of the HDVDA is desirable. A critical component in the dynamically controlled system is a detector for protein nucleation. We have constructed a laser scattering detector for the HDVDA capable of detecting the nucleation stage. The detector was successfully tested for several scatterers differing in size using dynamic light scattering techniques. In addition, the ability to detect protein nucleation using the HDVDA was demonstrated for lysozyme.

Mixing ventilation guide on mixing air distribution design

CERN Document Server

Kandzia, Claudia; Kosonen, Risto; Krikor Melikov, Arsen; Nielsen, Peter Vilhelm

2013-01-01

In this guidebook most of the known and used in practice methods for achieving mixing air distribution are discussed. Mixing ventilation has been applied to many different spaces providing fresh air and thermal comfort to the occupants. Today, a design engineer can choose from large selection of air diffusers and exhaust openings.

Molecular investigation of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from the patients, personnel, air and environment of an ICU in a hospital in Tehran.

Science.gov (United States)

Mirzaii, Mehdi; Emaneini, Mohammad; Jabalameli, Fereshteh; Halimi, Shahnaz; Taherikalani, Morovat

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the patients, staff, air and environments of an ICU in a hospital in Tehran. During this study, 37 S. aureus isolates were collected and analyzed via the spa typing method. Of the 37 S. aureus isolates, 35 (94%) were methicillin resistant (MRSA), 28 (76%) were identified as SCCmec types III or IIIA, four (10%) were identified as SCCmec types I or IA and three (8%) were identified a SCCmec type IV. All of the MRSA isolates were resistant to oxacillin and contained mecA. The isolates were all spa typed and found to comprise 11 spa types, including t7688, t7689, and t7789, which have not previously been reported. The spa type t7688 was isolated from the hands of two ICU personnel. The spa type t7689 was observed among five isolates from the air and the environment. The spa type t7789 was observed among three isolates from the patients, ventilators and the air. The majority of the isolates (43%) belonged to spa types t030 and t037. Our results revealed that MRSA strains that were isolated from the air, the environment of the ICU and the patients who were colonized or infected with MRSA often exhibited the same spa and SCCmec types. These results also reveal that the isolates from the patients and environment were usually indistinguishable. Copyright © 2014 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization and health risk assessment of VOCs in occupational environments in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Colman Lerner, J. E.; Sanchez, E. Y.; Sambeth, J. E.; Porta, A. A.

2012-08-01

To detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air in small enterprises in La Plata city and surrounding areas, sampling was conducted using passive diffusion monitors (3M-3500) and analysis of the samples were performed byCG-FID. Analytic methodology was optimized for 23 VOCs (n-alkanes, cycloalkanes, aromatic and chlorinated compounds, ketones and terpenes compounds) by determining the recovery factor and detection limit for each analyte. Different recovery values were obtained by desorbing with a mixture of dichloromethane: methanol (50:50), with a standard deviation lower than 5%. Enterprise analyzed included chemical analysis laboratories, sewing workrooms, electromechanical repair and car painting centers, take away food shops, and a photocopy center. The highest levels of VOCs were found to be in electromechanical repair and car painting centers (hexane, BTEX, CHCl3, CCl4) followed by chemical analysis laboratories and sewing workrooms. Cancer and noncancer risks were assessed using conventional approaches (HQ and LCR, US EPA) using the benzene, trichloroethylene, chloroform for cancer risk, and toluene, xylene and n-hexane, for noncancer risks as markers. The results showed different LCR for benzene and trichloroethylene between the different indoor environments analyzed (electromechanical repair and car painting center ≫ others) and chloroform (laboratory > others), but comparing with the results obtained by other research, are in similar order of magnitude for equivalents activities. Similar finding were founded for HQ. Comparing these results with the worker protection legislation the electromechanical repair and car painting center and chemical analysis laboratories are close to the limits advised by OSHA and ACGIH. These facts show the importance of the use of abatement technologies for the complete reduction of VOCs levels, to mitigate their impact in the worker's health and their venting to the atmosphere.

Calculation and analysis of the mobility and diffusion coefficient of thermal electrons in methane/air premixed flames

KAUST Repository

Bisetti, Fabrizio

2012-12-01

Simulations of ion and electron transport in flames routinely adopt plasma fluid models, which require transport coefficients to compute the mass flux of charged species. In this work, the mobility and diffusion coefficient of thermal electrons in atmospheric premixed methane/air flames are calculated and analyzed. The electron mobility is highest in the unburnt region, decreasing more than threefold across the flame due to mixture composition effects related to the presence of water vapor. Mobility is found to be largely independent of equivalence ratio and approximately equal to 0.4m 2V -1s -1 in the reaction zone and burnt region. The methodology and results presented enable accurate and computationally inexpensive calculations of transport properties of thermal electrons for use in numerical simulations of charged species transport in flames. © 2012 The Combustion Institute.

Environment and air pollution like gun and bullet for low-income countries: war for better health and wealth.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Xiang; Azam, Muhammad; Islam, Talat; Zaman, Khalid

2016-02-01

The objective of the study is to examine the impact of environmental indicators and air pollution on "health" and "wealth" for the low-income countries. The study used a number of promising variables including arable land, fossil fuel energy consumption, population density, and carbon dioxide emissions that simultaneously affect the health (i.e., health expenditures per capita) and wealth (i.e., GDP per capita) of the low-income countries. The general representation for low-income countries has shown by aggregate data that consist of 39 observations from the period of 1975-2013. The study decomposes the data set from different econometric tests for managing robust inferences. The study uses temporal forecasting for the health and wealth model by a vector error correction model (VECM) and an innovation accounting technique. The results show that environment and air pollution is the menace for low-income countries' health and wealth. Among environmental indicators, arable land has the largest variance to affect health and wealth for the next 10-year period, while air pollution exerts the least contribution to change health and wealth of low-income countries. These results indicate the prevalence of war situation, where environment and air pollution become visible like "gun" and "bullet" for low-income countries. There are required sound and effective macroeconomic policies to combat with the environmental evils that affect the health and wealth of the low-income countries.

Environmental monitoring of tritium in air with passive diffusion samplers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, M.J.; Workman, W.J.G.

1992-01-01

This paper reports on a field trail in which outdoor air was sampled with an active reference sampler and several passive HTO-in-air samplers simultaneously carried out at Chalk River Laboratories. Both passive and active samplers were changed on an approximately monthly schedule from 1990 September 2 to 1991 April 18. Average temperatures for the sampling intervals ranged from -8.06 degrees C to +15.5 degrees C and HTO-in-air concentrations measured by the active sampler were typically 10 Bq/m 3 . A total of 1290 passive HTO-in-air sampler measurements were made during the seven sampling intervals. The passive samplers used for the field trial were prepared with either tritium-free water or a solution of 50% tritium-free water and 50% ethylene glycol. As expected, the samplers prepared with the water-glycol solution performed more consistently than the samplers prepared with water only. Good agreement between passive and active sampler measurements was observed throughout the field trial

Carrying capacity in a heterogeneous environment with habitat connectivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bo; Kula, Alex; Mack, Keenan M L; Zhai, Lu; Ryce, Arrix L; Ni, Wei-Ming; DeAngelis, Donald L; Van Dyken, J David

2017-09-01

A large body of theory predicts that populations diffusing in heterogeneous environments reach higher total size than if non-diffusing, and, paradoxically, higher size than in a corresponding homogeneous environment. However, this theory and its assumptions have not been rigorously tested. Here, we extended previous theory to include exploitable resources, proving qualitatively novel results, which we tested experimentally using spatially diffusing laboratory populations of yeast. Consistent with previous theory, we predicted and experimentally observed that spatial diffusion increased total equilibrium population abundance in heterogeneous environments, with the effect size depending on the relationship between r and K. Refuting previous theory, however, we discovered that homogeneously distributed resources support higher total carrying capacity than heterogeneously distributed resources, even with species diffusion. Our results provide rigorous experimental tests of new and old theory, demonstrating how the traditional notion of carrying capacity is ambiguous for populations diffusing in spatially heterogeneous environments. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

A High-Fidelity Batch Simulation Environment for Integrated Batch and Piloted Air Combat Simulation Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Goodrich, Kenneth H.; McManus, John W.; Chappell, Alan R.

1992-01-01

A batch air combat simulation environment known as the Tactical Maneuvering Simulator (TMS) is presented. The TMS serves as a tool for developing and evaluating tactical maneuvering logics. The environment can also be used to evaluate the tactical implications of perturbations to aircraft performance or supporting systems. The TMS is capable of simulating air combat between any number of engagement participants, with practical limits imposed by computer memory and processing power. Aircraft are modeled using equations of motion, control laws, aerodynamics and propulsive characteristics equivalent to those used in high-fidelity piloted simulation. Databases representative of a modern high-performance aircraft with and without thrust-vectoring capability are included. To simplify the task of developing and implementing maneuvering logics in the TMS, an outer-loop control system known as the Tactical Autopilot (TA) is implemented in the aircraft simulation model. The TA converts guidance commands issued by computerized maneuvering logics in the form of desired angle-of-attack and wind axis-bank angle into inputs to the inner-loop control augmentation system of the aircraft. This report describes the capabilities and operation of the TMS.

Field Testing of an Unvented Roof with Fibrous Insulation, Tiles, and Vapor Diffusion Venting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ueno, K. [Building Science Corporation, Westford, MA (United States); Lstiburek, J. W. [Building Science Corporation, Westford, MA (United States)

2016-02-01

This research is a test implementation of an unvented tile roof assembly in a hot-humid climate (Orlando, FL; Zone 2A), insulated with air permeable insulation (netted and blown fiberglass). Given the localized moisture accumulation and failures seen in previous unvented roof field work, it was theorized that a 'diffusion vent' (water vapor open, but air barrier 'closed') at the highest points in the roof assembly might allow for the wintertime release of moisture, to safe levels. The 'diffusion vent' is an open slot at the ridge and hips, covered with a water-resistant but vapor open (500+ perm) air barrier membrane. As a control comparison, one portion of the roof was constructed as a typical unvented roof (self-adhered membrane at ridge). The data collected to date indicate that the diffusion vent roof shows greater moisture safety than the conventional, unvented roof design.

Radiation energy devaluation in diffusion combusting flows of natural gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makhanlall, Deodat; Munda, Josiah L.; Jiang, Peixue

2013-01-01

Abstract: CFD (Computational fluid dynamics) is used to evaluate the thermodynamic second-law effects of thermal radiation in turbulent diffusion natural gas flames. Radiative heat transfer processes in gas and at solid walls are identified as important causes of energy devaluation in the combusting flows. The thermodynamic role of thermal radiation cannot be neglected when compared to that of heat conduction and convection, mass diffusion, chemical reactions, and viscous dissipation. An energy devaluation number is also defined, with which the optimum fuel–air equivalence for combusting flows can be determined. The optimum fuel–air equivalence ratio for a natural gas flame is determined to be 0.7. The CFD model is validated against experimental measurements. - Highlights: • Thermodynamic effects of thermal radiation in combusting flows analyzed. • General equation for second-law analyses of combusting flows extended. • Optimum fuel–air equivalence ratio determined for natural gas flame

Environment control system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sammarone, D.G.

1978-01-01

Disclosed is a system for controlling the environment of an enclosed area in nuclear reactor installations. The system permits the changing of the environment from nitrogen to air, or from air to nitrogen, without the release of any radioactivity or process gas to the outside atmosphere

Imperiling urban environment through varying air pollution rein in measures and mass transit policies - a case study of Lahore

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aziz, A.

2015-01-01

Gargantuan expansion of big cities has increased motor vehicular tremendously. Lahore, a primitive green city is now gripped with swelling motor vehicular air pollution. Mass public transport, a back bone of city transportation network, due to erroneous running significantly contributes toward motor vehicular air pollution. Policy initiatives of the Government to curb motor vehicular air pollution are merely focused upon reduction of air pollution at source by the use of technology and clean fuel programmes. The policies for introduction of mass transit remained imprecise which lead to rise in transportation demand and increase in surfeit emission; Half-baked policies normally stem out to get political popularity which imperils urban environment. The paper highlights inconsistent policy measures and unsound air pollution control strategies adopted in big cities of Pakistan. Furthermore it gives guidance for sustainable mass transit policy measures. (author)

Release to the environment and diffusion of radioiodine in the environment, 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murata, Toshifumi

1979-01-01

1. Radioactivity of iodine nuclides accumulated in nuclear facilities. Radioactive iodine nuclides which are produced in nuclear plants consist mainly of short lived 131 I- 135 I, while 129 I with long half life is being produced in a small amount. The radioactivity of iodine in a power reactor of 1,000 MWe which burns uranium fuel amounts to about 6 x 10 8 C sub(i). In the case of fuel which is handled in a reprocessing plant of spent fuel, almost all radioactive iodine remaining in the fuel is 129 I (half life: 1.7 x 10 7 years) because of cooling period of more than 6 months which is imposed by the plant. 2. Release of radioactive iodine during normal operating conditions. In an event of fuel failure in light water cooled reactors, a part of radioactive iodine is dissolved in water and very small amount is released as gaseous iodine to the environment through the ventillation system. The actual amount of radioactive iodine which was released from various types of nuclear reactors in the world between 1970 to 1974 is recorded as much lower than to the presently regulated value in all cases. 3. Behavior of radioactive iodine during postulated accident. The amount of radioactive iodine which will be released from reactor core to the containment vessel varies with conditions to be assumed. In the event of a severe accidental condition such as fuel melt down or oxidation, 25% of radioactive iodine in the fuel are assumed to be released. The iodine released to the containment vessel is mostly removed by planting out to the wall of the containment or washed out by core spray, while the remaining part in air is to be removed by a filter unit which is installed in the emergency gas treatment system. (author)

Data link air traffic control and flight deck environments: Experiment in flight crew performance

Science.gov (United States)

Lozito, Sandy; Mcgann, Alison; Corker, Kevin

1993-01-01

This report describes an experiment undertaken in a full mission simulation environment to investigate the performance impact of, and human/system response to, data-linked Air Traffic Control (ATC) and automated flight deck operations. Subjects were twenty pilots (ten crews) from a major United States air carrier. Crews flew the Advanced Concepts Flight Simulator (ACFS), a generic 'glass cockpit' simulator at NASA Ames. The method of data link used was similar to the data link implementation plans for a next-generation aircraft, and included the capability to review ATC messages and directly enter ATC clearance information into the aircraft systems. Each crew flew experimental scenarios, in which data reflecting communication timing, errors and clarifications, and procedures were collected. Results for errors and clarifications revealed an interaction between communication modality (voice v. data link) and communication type (air/ground v. intracrew). Results also revealed that voice crews initiated ATC contact significantly more than data link crews. It was also found that data link crews performed significantly more extraneous activities during the communication task than voice crews. Descriptive data from the use of the review menu indicate the pilot-not-flying accessing the review menu most often, and also suggest diffulty in accessing the target message within the review menu structure. The overall impact of communication modality upon air/ground communication and crew procedures is discussed.

Liftoff and blowoff of a diffusion flame between parallel streams of fuel and air

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fernandez-Tarrazo, Eduardo [I.N.T.A. Area de Propulsion-Edificio R02, Ctra. Ajalvir, km 4, 28850 Torrejon de Ardoz, Madrid (Spain); Vera, Marcos [Area de Mecanica de Fluidos, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganes (Spain); Linan, Amable [Departamento de Motopropulsion y Termofluidodinamica, Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Pza. Cardenal Cisneros 3, 28040 Madrid (Spain)

2006-01-01

A numerical analysis is presented to describe the liftoff and blowoff of a diffusion flame in the mixing layer between two parallel streams of fuel (mainly methane diluted with nitrogen) and air emerging from porous walls. The analysis, which takes into account the effects of thermal expansion, assumes a one-step overall Arrhenius reaction, where the activation energy E is allowed to vary to reproduce the variations of the planar flame propagation velocity with the equivalence ratio. First, we describe the steady flame-front structure when stabilized close to the porous wall (attached flame regime). Then, we analyze the case where the flame front is located far away from the porous wall, at a distance x{sub f}' such that, upstream of the flame front, the mixing layer has a self-similar structure (lifted flame regime). For steady lifted flames, the results, given here in the case when the fuel and air streams are injected with the same velocity, relate U{sub f}'/S{sub L}, the front velocity (relative to the upstream flow) measured with the planar stoichiometric flame velocity, with the Damkohler number D{sub m}=({delta}{sub m}/{delta}{sub L}){sup 2}, based on the thickness, {delta}{sub m}, of the nonreacting mixing layer at the flame-front position and the laminar flame thickness, {delta}{sub L}. For large values of D{sub m}, the results, presented here for a wide range of dilutions of the fuel stream, provide values of the front propagation velocity that are in good agreement with previous experimental results, yielding well-defined conditions for blowoff. The calculated flame-front velocity can also be used to describe the transient flame-front dynamics after ignition by an external energy source.

Augmenting the Structures in a Swirling Flame via Diffusive Injection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan Lewis

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Small scale experimentation using particle image velocimetry investigated the effect of the diffusive injection of methane, air, and carbon dioxide on the coherent structures in a swirling flame. The interaction between the high momentum flow region (HMFR and central recirculation zone (CRZ of the flame is a potential cause of combustion induced vortex breakdown (CIVB and occurs when the HMFR squeezes the CRZ, resulting in upstream propagation. The diffusive introduction of methane or carbon dioxide through a central injector increased the size and velocity of the CRZ relative to the HMFR whilst maintaining flame stability, reducing the likelihood of CIVB occurring. The diffusive injection of air had an opposing effect, reducing the size and velocity of the CRZ prior to eradicating it completely. This would also prevent combustion induced vortex breakdown CIVB occurring as a CRZ is fundamental to the process; however, without recirculation it would create an inherently unstable flame.

Cooling Effectiveness Measurements for Air Film Cooling of Thermal Barrier Coated Surfaces in a Burner Rig Environment Using Phosphor Thermometry

Science.gov (United States)

Eldridge, Jeffrey I.; Shyam, Vikram; Wroblewski, Adam C.; Zhu, Dongming; Cuy, Michael D.; Wolfe, Douglas E.

2016-01-01

While the effects of thermal barrier coating (TBC) thermal protection and air film cooling effectiveness are usually studied separately, their contributions to combined cooling effectiveness are interdependent and are not simply additive. Therefore, combined cooling effectiveness must be measured to achieve an optimum balance between TBC thermal protection and air film cooling. In this investigation, surface temperature mapping was performed using recently developed Cr-doped GdAlO3 phosphor thermometry. Measurements were performed in the NASA GRC Mach 0.3 burner rig on a TBC-coated plate using a scaled up cooling hole geometry where both the mainstream hot gas temperature and the blowing ratio were varied. Procedures for surface temperature and cooling effectiveness mapping of the air film-cooled TBC-coated surface are described. Applications are also shown for an engine component in both the burner rig test environment as well as an engine afterburner environment. The effects of thermal background radiation and flame chemiluminescence on the measurements are investigated, and advantages of this method over infrared thermography as well as the limitations of this method for studying air film cooling are discussed.

Effect of duration of exposure to polluted air environment on lung function in subjects exposed to crude oil spill into sea water.

Science.gov (United States)

Meo, Sultan Ayoub; Al-Drees, Abdul Majeed; Rasheed, Shahzad; Meo, Imran Mu; Khan, Muhammad Mujahid; Al-Saadi, Muslim M; Alkandari, Jasem Ramadan

2009-01-01

Oil spill in sea water represents a huge environmental disaster for marine life and humans in the vicinity. The aim was to investigate the effect of duration of exposure to polluted air environment on lung function in subjects exposed to crude oil spill into sea water. The present study was conducted under the supervision of Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the period July 2003 - December 2004. This was a comparative study of spirometry in 31 apparently healthy, non smoking, male workers, exposed to crude oil spill environment during the oil cleaning operation. The exposed group was matched with similar number of male, non smoking control subjects. Pulmonary function test was performed by using an electronic spirometer. Subjects exposed to polluted air for periods longer than 15 days showed a significant reduction in Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in First Second (FEV1), Forced Expiratory Flow in 25-25% (FEF25-75%) and Maximal Voluntary Ventilation (MVV). Air environment polluted due to crude oil spill into sea water caused impaired lung function and this impairment was associated with dose response effect of duration of exposure to air polluted by crude oil spill into sea water.

Air-sea Exchange of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Organochlorine Pesticides (OCPs) and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in the Mediterranean Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Lammel, G. P.; Heil, A.; Kukucka, P.; Meixner, F. X.; Mulder, M. D.; Prybilova, P.; Prokes, R.; Rusina, T. S.; Song, G. Z.; Vrana, B.

2015-12-01

The marine atmospheric environment is a receptor for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) which are advected from sources on land, primary, such as biomass burning by-products (PAHs, dioxins), and secondary, such as volatilization from contaminated soils (PCBs, pesticides). Primary sources do not exist in the marine environment, except for PAHs (ship engines) but following previous atmospheric deposition, the sea surface may turn to a secondary source by reversal of diffusive air-sea mass exchange. No monitoring is in place. We studied the vertical fluxes of a wide range of primary and secondary emitted POPs based on measurements in air and surface seawater at a remote coastal site in the eastern Mediterranean (2012). To this end, silicon rubbers were used as passive water samplers, vertical concentration gradients were determined in air and fluxes were quantified based on Eddy covariance. Diffusive air-sea exchange fluxes of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and semivolatile PAHs were found close to phase equilibrium, except one PAH, retene, a wood burning tracer, was found seasonally net-volatilisational. Some PCBs, p,p'-DDE, penta- and hexachlorobenzene (PeCB, HCB) were mostly net-depositional, while PBDEs were net-volatilizational. Fluxes determined at a a remote coastal site ranged -33 - +2.4 µg m-2 d-1 for PAHs and -4.0 - +0.3 µg m-2 d-1for halogenated compounds ( 0 means net-volatilization). It is concluded that nowadays in open seas more pollutants are undergoing reversal of the direction of air-sea exchange. Recgional fire activity records in combination with box model simulations suggest that deposition of retene during summer is followed by a reversal of air-sea exchange. The seawater surface as secondary source of pollution should be assessed based on flux measurements across seasons and over longer time periods.

Long-term performance of activated carbon air cathodes with different diffusion layer porosities in microbial fuel cells

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Fang

2011-08-01

Activated carbon (AC) air-cathodes are inexpensive and useful alternatives to Pt-catalyzed electrodes in microbial fuel cells (MFCs), but information is needed on their long-term stability for oxygen reduction. AC cathodes were constructed with diffusion layers (DLs) with two different porosities (30% and 70%) to evaluate the effects of increased oxygen transfer on power. The 70% DL cathode initially produced a maximum power density of 1214±123mW/m 2 (cathode projected surface area; 35±4W/m 3 based on liquid volume), but it decreased by 40% after 1 year to 734±18mW/m 2. The 30% DL cathode initially produced less power than the 70% DL cathode, but it only decreased by 22% after 1 year (from 1014±2mW/m 2 to 789±68mW/m 2). Electrochemical tests were used to examine the reasons for the degraded performance. Diffusion resistance in the cathode was found to be the primary component of the internal resistance, and it increased over time. Replacing the cathode after 1 year completely restored the original power densities. These results suggest that the degradation in cathode performance was due to clogging of the AC micropores. These findings show that AC is a cost-effective material for oxygen reduction that can still produce ~750mW/m 2 after 1 year. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Analysis of a finite-difference and a Galerkin technique applied to the simulation of advection and diffusion of air pollutants from a line source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Runca, E.; Melli, P.; Sardei, F.

1985-01-01

A finite-difference scheme and a Galerkin scheme are compared with respect to a very accurate solution describing time-dependent advection and diffusion of air pollutants from a line source in an atmosphere vertically stratified and limited by an inversion layer. The accurate solution was achieved by applying the finite-difference scheme on a very refined grid with a very small time step. The grid size and time step were defined according to stability and accuracy criteria discussed in the text. It is found that for the problem considered the two methods can be considered equally accurate. However, the Galerkin method gives a better approximation in the vicinity of the source. This was assumed to be partly due to the different way the source term is taken into account in the two methods. Improvement of the accuracy of the finite-difference scheme was achieved by approximating, at every step, the contribution of the source term by a Gaussian puff moving and diffusing with the velocity and diffusivity of the source location, instead of utilizing a stepwise function for the numerical approximation of the delta function representing the source term

Non-Gaussian diffusion in static disordered media

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Liang; Yi, Ming

2018-04-01

Non-Gaussian diffusion is commonly considered as a result of fluctuating diffusivity, which is correlated in time or in space or both. In this work, we investigate the non-Gaussian diffusion in static disordered media via a quenched trap model, where the diffusivity is spatially correlated. Several unique effects due to quenched disorder are reported. We analytically estimate the diffusion coefficient Ddis and its fluctuation over samples of finite size. We show a mechanism of population splitting in the non-Gaussian diffusion. It results in a sharp peak in the distribution of displacement P (x ,t ) around x =0 , that has frequently been observed in experiments. We examine the fidelity of the coarse-grained diffusion map, which is reconstructed from particle trajectories. Finally, we propose a procedure to estimate the correlation length in static disordered environments, where the information stored in the sample-to-sample fluctuation has been utilized.

Turbulent transport across an interface between dry and humid air in a stratified environment

Science.gov (United States)

Gallana, Luca; de Santi, Francesca; di Savino, Silvio; Iovieno, Michele; Ricchiardone, Renzo; Tordella, Daniela

2014-11-01

The transport of energy and water vapor across a thin layer which separates two decaying isotropic turbulent flows with different kinetic energy and humidity is considered. The interface is placed in a shearless stratified environment in temporal decay. This system reproduces a few aspects of small scale turbulent transport across a dry air/moist air interface in an atmospheric like context. In our incompressible DNS at Reλ = 250 , Boussinesq's approximation is used for momentum and energy transport while the vapor is modeled as a passive scalar (Kumar, Schumacher & Shaw 2014). We investigated different stratification levels with an initial Fr between 0.8 and 8 in presence of a kinetic energy ratio equal to 7. As the buoyancy term becomes of the same order of the inertial ones, a spatial redistribution of kinetic energy, dissipation and vapor concentration is observed. This eventually leads to the onset of a well of kinetic energy in the low energy side of the mixing layer which blocks the entrainment of dry air. Results are discussed and compared with laboratory and numerical experiments. A posteriori estimates of the eventual compression/expansion of fluid particles inside the interfacial mixing layer are given (Nance & Durran 1994).

Separation of γ-ray, electron and proton induced air showers applied to diffuse emission studies with H.E.S.S

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Edwards, Tanya

2017-01-18

A fundamental issue in ground-based gamma-ray astronomy is the identification of γ-ray events among the overwhelming background of air showers induced by charged cosmic rays. Reconstruction techniques exist to distinguish most of the background of hadrons but an irreducible background of electrons and gamma-like protons still remain. I present here a new technique making use of high-altitude Cherenkov light emitted by the charged primary particle and air shower development properties. This method provides a way to distinguish between electrons and gamma rays on a statistical basis. In addition to this, the remaining proton background can also be identified. The technique was developed, tested and applied to studies using the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) located in Namibia. The analysis method is especially important in the detection of diffuse signals and eliminates the necessity of a background region in the field of view. The technique was applied to three scientific studies. The latitude profile of the Galactic diffuse γ-ray emission was analysed. A width of σ=0.25±0.05 (0.20±0.06 ) for energies of 380 to 900 GeV(1 to 6 TeV) was determined. The cosmic electron spectrum was measured between 0.38 and 14 TeV and a broken power law was fit to the data. The spectrum steepens from Γ=3.08±0.06 to Γ=3.72±0.12 at a break in energy of 1.11±0.04 TeV. In addition, upper limits on the maximum γ-ray contamination from the Isotropic γ-Ray Background was placed at 4 x 10{sup -3}(5 x 10{sup -3}) MeVcm{sup -2}s{sup -1}sr{sup -1} for energies of 1 to 6 TeV(380 to 900 GeV).

Feasibility of a Networked Air Traffic Infrastructure Validation Environment for Advanced NextGen Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

McCormack, Michael J.; Gibson, Alec K.; Dennis, Noah E.; Underwood, Matthew C.; Miller,Lana B.; Ballin, Mark G.

2013-01-01

Abstract-Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) applications reliant upon aircraft data links such as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) offer a sweeping modernization of the National Airspace System (NAS), but the aviation stakeholder community has not yet established a positive business case for equipage and message content standards remain in flux. It is necessary to transition promising Air Traffic Management (ATM) Concepts of Operations (ConOps) from simulation environments to full-scale flight tests in order to validate user benefits and solidify message standards. However, flight tests are prohibitively expensive and message standards for Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) systems cannot support many advanced ConOps. It is therefore proposed to simulate future aircraft surveillance and communications equipage and employ an existing commercial data link to exchange data during dedicated flight tests. This capability, referred to as the Networked Air Traffic Infrastructure Validation Environment (NATIVE), would emulate aircraft data links such as ADS-B using in-flight Internet and easily-installed test equipment. By utilizing low-cost equipment that is easy to install and certify for testing, advanced ATM ConOps can be validated, message content standards can be solidified, and new standards can be established through full-scale flight trials without necessary or expensive equipage or extensive flight test preparation. This paper presents results of a feasibility study of the NATIVE concept. To determine requirements, six NATIVE design configurations were developed for two NASA ConOps that rely on ADS-B. The performance characteristics of three existing in-flight Internet services were investigated to determine whether performance is adequate to support the concept. Next, a study of requisite hardware and software was conducted to examine whether and how the NATIVE concept might be realized. Finally, to determine a business case

Atmospheric diffusion of large clouds

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crawford, T. V. [Univ. of California, Lawrence Radiation Lab., Livermore, California (United States)

1967-07-01

Clouds of pollutants travel within a coordinate system that is fixed to the earth's surface, and they diffuse and grow within a coordinate system fixed to the cloud's center. This paper discusses an approach to predicting the cloud's properties, within the latter coordinate system, on space scales of a few hundred meters to a few hundred kilometers and for time periods of a few days. A numerical cloud diffusion model is presented which starts with a cloud placed arbitrarily within the troposphere. Similarity theories of atmospheric turbulence are used to predict the horizontal diffusivity as a function of initial cloud size, turbulent atmospheric dissipation, and time. Vertical diffusivity is input as a function of time and height. Therefore, diurnal variations of turbulent diffusion in the boundary layer and effects of temperature inversions, etc. can be modeled. Nondiffusive cloud depletion mechanisms, such as dry deposition, washout, and radioactive decay, are also a part of this numerical model. An effluent cloud, produced by a reactor run at the Nuclear Rocket Development Station, Nevada, is discussed in this paper. Measurements on this cloud, for a period of two days, are compared to calculations with the above numerical cloud diffusion model. In general, there is agreement. within a factor of two, for airborne concentrations, cloud horizontal area, surface air concentrations, and dry deposition as airborne concentration decreased by seven orders of magnitude during the two-day period. (author)

Real-time threat evaluation in a ground based air defence environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JN Roux

2008-06-01

Full Text Available In a military environment a ground based air defence operator is required to evaluate the tactical situation in real-time and protect Defended Assets (DAs on the ground against aerial threats by assigning available Weapon Systems (WSs to engage enemy aircraft. Since this aerial environment requires rapid operational planning and decision making in stress situations, the associated responsibilities are typically divided between a number of operators and computerized systems that aid these operators during the decision making processes. One such a Decision Support System (DSS, a threat evaluation and weapon assignment system, assigns threat values to aircraft (with respect to DAs in real-time and uses these values to propose possible engagements of observed enemy aircraft by anti-aircraft WSs. In this paper a design of the threat evaluation part of such a DSS is put forward. The design follows the structured approach suggested in [Roux JN & van Vuuren JH, 2007, Threat evaluation and weapon assignment decision support: A review of the state of the art, ORiON, 23(2, pp. 151-187], phasing in a suite of increasingly complex qualitative and quantitative model components as more (reliable data become available.

Dermal uptake directly from air under transient conditions: advances in modeling and comparisons with experimental results for human subjects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morrison, G C; Weschler, Charles J.; Bekö, Gabriel

2016-01-01

transfer of SVOCs to sinks like clothing or clean air. We test the model by simulating di-ethyl phthalate (DEP) and di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP) exposures of six bare-skinned (Weschler et al. 2015, Environ. Health Perspect., 123, 928) and one clothed participant (Morrison et al. 2016, J. Expo. Sci. Environ...... coefficients, and diffusion coefficients, could account for overpredictions. Simulations that include transfer of skin oil to clothing improve model predictions. A dynamic model that includes SSL is more sensitive to changes that impact external mass transfer such as putting on and removing clothes and bathing....

Diffusion of graphite. The effect of cylindrical canals; Longueur de diffusion du graphite effet des canaux cylindriques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carle, R; Clouet d' Orval, C; Martelly, J; Mazancourt, T de; Sagot, M; Lattes, R; Teste du Bailler, A [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Dir. Industrielle, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires; Robert, C [Ecole Normale Superieure, 75 - Paris (France)

1957-07-01

laplacien 1/L{sup 2} - l'effet des canaux qui modifie de fa n anisotrope l'equation de diffusion macroscopique et se caracterise par deux aires de diffusion principales (ou deux laplaciens principaux) valables respectivement pour la diffusion dans la direction des canaux et dans une direction perpendiculaire. Pour les determiner, deux experiences sont necessaires, dans lesquelles les derivees secondes du flux par rapport aux coordonnees d'espace soient tres differentes. Elles font l'objet des deux premieres parties. 1re Partie: Diffusion le long de l'axe d'un flux issu de la pile source et limite radialement par un ecran quasi cylindrique de barres de cadmium. Cet ecran, ou Cage de Faraday a pour but d'assigner au flux thermique propage le meme rayon d'extrapolation a zero que celui de la pile source. La determination de L (graphite plein) a ete faite dans les memes conditions. Deux voies ont ete employees pour l'interpretation des mesures. L'influence des cornieres portant les detecteurs est discutee. 2. Partie: Diffusion radiale dans le graphite entourant la pile cylindrique 'longue'. Elle est bien decrite par une somme de fonctions de Bessel. 3. Partie: Resultats (valables pour d = 1,61 t = 17 deg. C). Pour le graphite sans cavite L = 52,7 {+-} 0,4 cm. L'effet des canaux sur l'aire de diffusion et son anisotropie sont en excellent accord avec la theorie de Behrens: L(parallele) = 64,6 cm et L(perpendiculaire) = 62,2 cm. Appendice: Theorie de la cage de Faraday. (auteur)

The distribution and seasonal variations of diffuse fraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anane-Fenin, K.

1989-06-01

A moving average approach is used to develop linear and polynomial regression models for the diffuse fraction averaged over 10, 15, 20 and 30 days. The correlations do not appear to be influenced by climate conditions or altitude. It is noted that the correlations vary with season. The time-dependent variations of the diffuse fraction correlations are examined by studying the residual differences between the measured diffuse fraction and those calculated from the over-all best-fit correlation. The residuals exhibit no pronounced pattern leading to the conclusion that the observed seasonal variation is caused by air mass and water vapour and that atmospheric turbidity plays little or no part. (author). 14 refs, 9 figs, 8 tabs

Contamination and UV ageing of diffuser targets used in satellite inflight and ground reference test site calibrations

Science.gov (United States)

Vaskuri, Anna; Greenwell, Claire; Hessey, Isabel; Tompkins, Jordan; Woolliams, Emma

2018-02-01

Diffuser reflectance targets are key components in in-orbit calibrations and for verifying ground reference test sites. In this work, Spectralon, Diffusil, and Heraeus diffusers were exposed to exhaust gases and ultraviolet (UV) radiation in the ambient air conditions and their degradations were monitored by measuring changes in spectral reflectances. Spectralon is a state-of-the-art diffuser made of polytetrafluoroethylene, and Diffusil and Heraeus diffusers are made of fused silica with gas bubbles inside. Based on the contamination tests, Spectralon degrades faster than fused silica diffusers. For the samples exposed to contamination for 20 minutes, the 250 nm - 400 nm total diffuse spectral reflectance of Spectralon degraded 3-5 times more when exposed to petrol-like emission and 16-23 times more when exposed to diesel-like emission, compared with Diffusil. When the reflectance changes of Spectralon were compared with those of Heraeus, Spectralon degraded 3-4 times more when exposed to petrol-like emission for 20 minutes and 5-7 times more when exposed to diesel-like emission for 7.5 minutes. When the samples contaminated were exposed to UV radiation in the ambient air, their reflectance gradually restored back to the original level. In conclusion, fused silica diffusers are more resistant to hydrocarbon contaminants present in ground reference test sites, and thus more stable under UV radiation in the air.

Diffusion of gases into the lung: How physics can help to understand ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the human lung, the gas transfer between air and blood is achieved in terminal units that are called `acini'. Whereas convection is still the predominant transport phenomenon at the acinus entrance, most of the acinar surface is in fact accessed by diffusion. The transition between convection and diffusion, and thus the ...

Enhanced nitrogen removal in single-chamber microbial fuel cells with increased gas diffusion areas

KAUST Repository

Yan, Hengjing

2012-11-23

Single-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) with nitrifiers pre-enriched at the air cathodes have previously been demonstrated as a passive strategy for integrating nitrogen removal into current-generating bioelectrochemical systems. To further define system design parameters for this strategy, we investigated in this study the effects of oxygen diffusion area and COD/N ratio in continuous-flow reactors. Doubling the gas diffusion area by adding an additional air cathode or a diffusion cloth significantly increased the ammonia and COD removal rates (by up to 115% and 39%), ammonia removal efficiency (by up to 134%), the cell voltage and cathode potentials, and the power densities (by a factor of approximately 2). When the COD/N ratio was lowered from 13 to 3, we found up to 244% higher ammonia removal rate but at least 19% lower ammonia removal efficiency. An increase of COD removal rate by up to 27% was also found when the COD/N ratio was lowered from 11 to 3. The Coulombic efficiency was not affected by the additional air cathode, but decreased by an average of 11% with the addition of a diffusion cloth. Ammonia removal by assimilation was also estimated to understand the ammonia removal mechanism in these systems. These results showed that the doubling of gas diffusion area enhanced N and COD removal rates without compromising electrochemical performance. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A computational study of radiation and gravity effect on temperature and soot formation in a methane air co-flow diffusion flame

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhowal, Arup Jyoti, E-mail: arupjyoti.bhowal@heritageit.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Heritage Institute of Technology, Chowbaga Road, Anandapur, Kolkata-700 107, West Bengal (India); Mandal, Bijan Kumar, E-mail: bkm375@yahoo.co.in [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, Howrah – 711103, West Bengal (India)

2016-07-12

An effort has been made for a quantitative assessment of the soot formed under steady state in a methane air co flow diffusion flame by a numerical simulation at normal gravity and at lower gravity levels of 0.5 G, 0.1 G and 0.0001 G (microgravity). The peak temperature at microgravity is reduced by about 50 K than that at normal gravity level. There is an augmentation of soot formation at lower gravity levels. Peak value at microgravity multiplies by a factor of ∼7 of that at normal gravity. However, if radiation is not considered, soot formation is found to be much more.

Methodology for setup and data processing of mobile air quality measurements to assess the spatial variability of concentrations in urban environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Poppel, Martine; Peters, Jan; Bleux, Nico

2013-01-01

A case study is presented to illustrate a methodology for mobile monitoring in urban environments. A dataset of UFP, PM 2.5 and BC concentrations was collected. We showed that repeated mobile measurements could give insight in spatial variability of pollutants at different micro-environments in a city. Streets of contrasting traffic intensity showed increased concentrations by a factor 2–3 for UFP and BC and by 2.5 . The first quartile (P25) of the mobile measurements at an urban background zone seems to be good estimate of the urban background concentration. The local component of the pollutant concentrations was determined by background correction. The use of background correction reduced the number of runs needed to obtain representative results. The results presented, are a first attempt to establish a methodology for setup and data processing of mobile air quality measurements to assess the spatial variability of concentrations in urban environments. -- Highlights: ► Mobile measurements are used to assess the variability of air pollutants in urban environments. ► PM 2.5 , BC and UFP concentrations are presented for zones with different traffic characteristics. ► A methodology for background correction based on the mobile measurements is presented. ► The background concentration is estimated as the 25th percentile of the urban background data. ► The minimum numbers of runs for a representative estimate is reduced after background correction. -- This paper shows that the spatial variability of air pollutants in an urban environment can be assessed by a mobile monitoring methodology including background correction

Indoor Environment Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daisey, J.M.

1993-06-01

This paper reports progress during the year 1992 in the Indoor Environment Program in the Energy and Environment Division of Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. Studies in the following areas are reported: energy performance and ventilation in buildings; physical and chemical characterization of indoor air pollutants; indoor radon; indoor air quality; exposure to indoor air pollutants and risk analysis. Pollutants of particular interest include: radon; volatile, semi-volatile and particulate organic compounds; and combustion emissions including environmental tobacco smoke, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides

Air Traffic Complexity Measurement Environment (ACME): Software User's Guide

Science.gov (United States)

1996-01-01

A user's guide for the Air Traffic Complexity Measurement Environment (ACME) software is presented. The ACME consists of two major components, a complexity analysis tool and user interface. The Complexity Analysis Tool (CAT) analyzes complexity off-line, producing data files which may be examined interactively via the Complexity Data Analysis Tool (CDAT). The Complexity Analysis Tool is composed of three independently executing processes that communicate via PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine) and Unix sockets. The Runtime Data Management and Control process (RUNDMC) extracts flight plan and track information from a SAR input file, and sends the information to GARP (Generate Aircraft Routes Process) and CAT (Complexity Analysis Task). GARP in turn generates aircraft trajectories, which are utilized by CAT to calculate sector complexity. CAT writes flight plan, track and complexity data to an output file, which can be examined interactively. The Complexity Data Analysis Tool (CDAT) provides an interactive graphic environment for examining the complexity data produced by the Complexity Analysis Tool (CAT). CDAT can also play back track data extracted from System Analysis Recording (SAR) tapes. The CDAT user interface consists of a primary window, a controls window, and miscellaneous pop-ups. Aircraft track and position data is displayed in the main viewing area of the primary window. The controls window contains miscellaneous control and display items. Complexity data is displayed in pop-up windows. CDAT plays back sector complexity and aircraft track and position data as a function of time. Controls are provided to start and stop playback, adjust the playback rate, and reposition the display to a specified time.

Diffusion of energy-saving innovations in industry and the built environment: Dutch studies as inputs for a more integrated analytical framework

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dieperink, C.; Brand, I.; Vermeulen, W.

2004-01-01

The need to improve eco-efficiency is indisputable, and the way forward is through widespread application of environmental innovations. Yet research into the dissemination of such innovations in the Netherlands has been limited in scope. Most studies tend to focus on the feasibility of a particular technology. Few try to explain how technology spreads throughout society. The explanatory factors discerned in these studies are often not related to each other. In this contribution the authors try to integrate different partial explanations for the diffusion of energy-saving technologies in industry and the built environment into one conceptual framework. This integration is based on a secondary analysis of relatively well-elaborated studies dealing with the diffusion of heat pumps, combined heat and power and condensing boilers in industry and the built environment. Core of the framework is the decision-making process of the potentially adapting actor. Characteristics of the actor and the networks in which the actor participates (government, market, society) could have impact on this decision-making process. Technological and economic characteristics of the innovation and more general context factors are also relevant as factors that influence the considerations made in the decision-making process. This conceptual framework can be used both in more elaborate research projects and in brainstorming projects to improve policymaking

A Passive Diffusion Sampler for HT- and HTO-in-Air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surette, R.A.; Nunes, J.C.

2005-01-01

Fusion research and tritium removal facilities potentially handle large inventories of tritium gas (HT). If any HT is released into the workplace, a fraction may be converted to tritiated water vapour (HTO). A convenient method to determine the activity concentration of each species is necessary to assess the potential hazard since the radiological hazard of HTO is more than 10 4 that due to HT. Passive samplers for measuring tritiated water vapour (HTO) have been shown to be suitable for use indoors and outdoors. These simple samplers consist of a standard 20-mL liquid scintillation vial with a diffusion orifice that determines the sampling rate.The total tritium samplers described herein are passive or diffusion samplers that contain a small amount of AECL-proprietary wet-proofed catalyst fixed to the underside of the sampling heads to allow conversion of the HT to HTO that is subsequently collected in the sink, (HTO), in the bottom of the sampler. After an appropriate sampling time, liquid scintillation cocktail is added to the vial and the activity collected determined by liquid scintillation analysis. When used in conjunction with the conventional HTO passive sampler the difference between the total and HTO samplers can be used to determine the HT fraction ((HT+HTO) - HTO HT). The sampling rates for the modified diffusion sampler were measured to be 4.6 and 8.1 L/d for HTO and HT, respectively. For a fifteen-minute sampling period, passive samplers can be used to measure tritium activity concentrations from 37 kBq/m 3 to 115 MBq/m 3

Analysis of the crush environment for lightweight air-transportable accident-resistant containers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClure, J.D.; Hartman, W.F.

1981-12-01

This report describes the longitudinal dynamic crush environment for a Lightweight Air-Transportable Accident-Resistant Container (LAARC, now called PAT-2) that can be used to transport small quantities of radioactive material. The analysis of the crush environment involves evaluation of the forces imposed upon the LAARC package during the crash of a large, heavily loaded, cargo aircraft. To perform the analysis, a cargo load column was defined which consisted of a longitudinal prism of cargo of cross-sectional area equal to the projected area of the radioactive-material package and length equal to the longitudinal extent of the cargo compartment in a commercial cargo jet aircraft. To bound the problem, two analyses of the cargo load column were performed, a static stability analysis and a dynamic analysis. The results of these analyses can be applied to other packaging designs and suggest that the physical limits or magnitude of the longitudinal crush forces, which are controlled in part by the yield strength of the cargo and the package size, are much smaller than previously estimated

Experimental Investigation of Radio-Turbulence Induced Diffusion -- Final Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Spitz, H. B.; Usman, S.

2005-07-07

The outcome of this research project suggests that the transport of radon in water is significantly greater than that predicted solely by molecular diffusion. The original study was related to the long term storage of {sup 226}Ra-bearing sand at the DOE Fernald site and determining whether a barrier of water covering the sand would be effective in reducing the emanation of {sup 222}Rn from the sand. Initial observations before this study found the transport of radon in water to be greater than that predicted solely by molecular diffusion. Fick's law on diffusion was used to model the transport of radon in water including the impact associated with radioactive decay. Initial measurements suggested that the deposition of energy in water associated with the radioactive decay process influences diffusion and enhances transport of radon. A multi-region, one-dimensional, steady-state transport model was used to analyze the movement of radon through a sequential column of air, water and air. An effective diffusion coefficient was determined by varying the thickness of the water column and measuring the time for transport of {sup 222}Rn through of the water barrier. A one-region, one-dimensional transient diffusion equation was developed to investigate the build up of radon at the end of the water column to the time when a steady-state, equilibrium condition was achieved. This build up with time is characteristic of the transport rate of radon in water and established the basis for estimating the effective diffusion coefficient for {sup 222}Rn in water. Several experiments were conducted using different types and physical arrangements of water barriers to examine how radon transport is influenced by the water barrier. Results of our measurements confirm our theoretical analyses which suggest that convective forces other than pure molecular diffusion impact the transport of {sup 222}Rn through the water barrier. An effective diffusion coefficient is defined that

Gender, airborne chemical monitoring, and physical work environment are related to indoor air symptoms among nonindustrial workers in the Klang Valley, Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Syazwan, Aizat Ismail; Hafizan, Juahir; Baharudin, Mohd Rafee; Azman, Ahmad Zaid Fattah; Izwyn, Zulkapri; Zulfadhli, Ismail; Syahidatussyakirah, Katis

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship of airborne chemicals and the physical work environment risk element on the indoor air symptoms of nonindustrial workers. A cross-sectional study consisting of 200 office workers. A random selection of 200 buildings was analyzed for exposure and indoor air symptoms based on a pilot study in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. A set of modified published questionnaires by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), Malaysia and a previous study (MM040NA questionnaire) pertaining to indoor air symptoms was used in the evaluation process of the indoor air symptoms. Statistical analyses involving logistic regression and linear regression were used to determine the relationship between exposure and indoor air symptoms for use in the development of an indoor risk matrix. The results indicate that some indoor air pollutants (carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, total volatile organic compound, and dust) are related to indoor air symptoms of men and women. Temperature and relative humidity showed a positive association with complaints related to the perceived indoor environmental condition (drafts and inconsistency of temperature). Men predominantly reported general symptoms when stratification of gender involved exposure to formaldehyde. Women reported high levels of complaints related to mucosal and general symptoms from exposure to the dust level indoors. Exposure to pollutants (total volatile organic compounds, carbon monoxide, and formaldehyde) and physical stressors (air temperature and relative humidity) influence reported symptoms of office workers. These parameters should be focused upon and graded as one of the important elements in the grading procedure when qualitatively evaluating the indoor environment.

Lévy flight with absorption: A model for diffusing diffusivity with long tails

Science.gov (United States)

Jain, Rohit; Sebastian, K. L.

2017-03-01

We consider diffusion of a particle in rearranging environment, so that the diffusivity of the particle is a stochastic function of time. In our previous model of "diffusing diffusivity" [Jain and Sebastian, J. Phys. Chem. B 120, 3988 (2016), 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b01527], it was shown that the mean square displacement of particle remains Fickian, i.e., ∝T at all times, but the probability distribution of particle displacement is not Gaussian at all times. It is exponential at short times and crosses over to become Gaussian only in a large time limit in the case where the distribution of D in that model has a steady state limit which is exponential, i.e., πe(D ) ˜e-D /D0 . In the present study, we model the diffusivity of a particle as a Lévy flight process so that D has a power-law tailed distribution, viz., πe(D ) ˜D-1 -α with 0 <α <1 . We find that in the short time limit, the width of displacement distribution is proportional to √{T }, implying that the diffusion is Fickian. But for long times, the width is proportional to T1 /2 α which is a characteristic of anomalous diffusion. The distribution function for the displacement of the particle is found to be a symmetric stable distribution with a stability index 2 α which preserves its shape at all times.

Facilitated diffusion in a crowded environment: from kinetics to stochastics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meroz, Yasmine; Klafter, Joseph; Eliazar, Iddo

2009-01-01

Facilitated diffusion is a fundamental search process used to describe the problem of a searcher protein finding a specific target site over a very large DNA strand. In recent years macromolecular crowding has been recognized to affect this search process. In this paper, we bridge between two different modelling methodologies of facilitated diffusion: the physics-oriented kinetic approach, which yields the reaction rate of the search process, and the probability-oriented stochastic approach, which yields the probability distribution of the search duration. We translate the former approach to the latter, ascertaining that the two approaches yield coinciding results, both with and without macromolecular crowding. We further show that the stochastic approach markedly generalizes the kinetic approach by accommodating a vast array of search mechanisms, including mechanisms having no reaction rates, and thus being beyond the realm of the kinetic approach.

Deliberate ignition of hydrogen-air-steam mixtures in condensing steam environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanchat, T.K.; Stamps, D.W.

1997-05-01

Large scale experiments were performed to determine the effectiveness of thermal glow plug igniters to burn hydrogen in a condensing steam environment due to the presence of water sprays. The experiments were designed to determine if a detonation or accelerated flame could occur in a hydrogen-air-steam mixture which was initially nonflammable due to steam dilution but was rendered flammable by rapid steam condensation due to water sprays. Eleven Hydrogen Igniter Tests were conducted in the test vessel. The vessel was instrumented with pressure transducers, thermocouple rakes, gas grab sample bottles, hydrogen microsensors, and cameras. The vessel contained two prototypic engineered systems: (1) a deliberate hydrogen ignition system and (2) a water spray system. Experiments were conducted under conditions scaled to be nearly prototypic of those expected in Advanced Light Water Reactors (such as the Combustion Engineering (CE) System 80+), with prototypic spray drop diameter, spray mass flux, steam condensation rates, hydrogen injection flow rates, and using the actual proposed plant igniters. The lack of any significant pressure increase during the majority of the burn and condensation events signified that localized, benign hydrogen deflagration(s) occurred with no significant pressure load on the containment vessel. Igniter location did not appear to be a factor in the open geometry. Initially stratified tests with a stoichiometric mixture in the top showed that the water spray effectively mixes the initially stratified atmosphere prior to the deflagration event. All tests demonstrated that thermal glow plugs ignite hydrogen-air-steam mixtures under conditions with water sprays near the flammability limits previously determined for hydrogen-air-steam mixtures under quiescent conditions. This report describes these experiments, gives experimental results, and provides interpretation of the results. 12 refs., 127 figs., 16 tabs

Diffusion bonding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, R.C.

1976-01-01

A method is described for joining beryllium to beryllium by diffusion bonding. At least one surface portion of at least two beryllium pieces is coated with nickel. A coated surface portion is positioned in a contiguous relationship with another surface portion and subjected to an environment having an atmosphere at a pressure lower than ambient pressure. A force is applied on the beryllium pieces for causing the contiguous surface portions to abut against each other. The contiguous surface portions are heated to a maximum temperature less than the melting temperature of the beryllium, and the applied force is decreased while increasing the temperature after attaining a temperature substantially above room temperature. A portion of the applied force is maintained at a temperature corresponding to about maximum temperature for a duration sufficient to effect the diffusion bond between the contiguous surface portions

EVALUATING THE DIFFUSION OF FUEL-CELL CARS IN THE CHINA MARKETS

OpenAIRE

RITS, Vincent; KYPREOS, Socrates; WOKAUN, Alexander

2004-01-01

Air pollution is a major problem in many of China's cities, with SO2, NOx and PM emissions exceeding World Health Organisation's air quality standards. The environmental (dis-) performance of Chinese vehicles contributes largely to this problem. The fuel-cell system represents a technology that could eliminate much of the local air-pollution problem. However, the chances of fuel-cell cars during the next decades are still highly questioned. In this research, the diffusion of fuel-cell cars...

The Performance of Diffuse Ceiling Inlet and other Room Air Distribution Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter V.; Jakubowska, Ewa

2009-01-01

The paper analyses different room air distribution systems, and describes a design chart which can be used for the evaluation of variables as air quality, air velocity and temperature gradient as a function of flow rate and temperature difference in the supply system. The design chart can also be...

Thickness engineering of atomic layer deposited Al2O3 films to suppress interfacial reaction and diffusion of Ni/Au gate metal in AlGaN/GaN HEMTs up to 600 °C in air

Science.gov (United States)

Suria, Ateeq J.; Yalamarthy, Ananth Saran; Heuser, Thomas A.; Bruefach, Alexandra; Chapin, Caitlin A.; So, Hongyun; Senesky, Debbie G.

2017-06-01

In this paper, we describe the use of 50 nm atomic layer deposited (ALD) Al2O3 to suppress the interfacial reaction and inter-diffusion between the gate metal and semiconductor interface, to extend the operation limit up to 600 °C in air. Suppression of diffusion is verified through Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) depth profiling and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and is further supported with electrical characterization. An ALD Al2O3 thin film (10 nm and 50 nm), which functions as a dielectric layer, was inserted between the gate metal (Ni/Au) and heterostructure-based semiconductor material (AlGaN/GaN) to form a metal-insulator-semiconductor high electron mobility transistor (MIS-HEMT). This extended the 50 nm ALD Al2O3 MIS-HEMT (50-MIS) current-voltage (Ids-Vds) and gate leakage (Ig,leakage) characteristics up to 600 °C. Both, the 10 nm ALD Al2O3 MIS-HEMT (10-MIS) and HEMT, failed above 350 °C, as evidenced by a sudden increase of approximately 50 times and 5.3 × 106 times in Ig,leakage, respectively. AES on the HEMT revealed the formation of a Ni-Au alloy and Ni present in the active region. Additionally, XRD showed existence of metal gallides in the HEMT. The 50-MIS enables the operation of AlGaN/GaN based electronics in oxidizing high-temperature environments, by suppressing interfacial reaction and inter-diffusion of the gate metal with the semiconductor.

In-air and pressurized water reactor environment fatigue experiments of 316 stainless steel to study the effect of environment on cyclic hardening

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mohanty, Subhasish, E-mail: smohanty@anl.gov; Soppet, William K., E-mail: soppet@anl.gov; Majumdar, Saurindranath, E-mail: majumdar@anl.gov; Natesan, Krishnamurti, E-mail: natesan@anl.gov

2016-05-15

Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), under the sponsorship of Department of Energy's Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program, is trying to develop a mechanistic approach for more accurate life estimation of LWR components. In this context, ANL has conducted many fatigue experiments under different test and environment conditions on type 316 stainless steel (316 SS) material which is widely used in the US reactors. Contrary to the conventional S ∼ N curve based empirical fatigue life estimation approach, the aim of the present DOE sponsored work is to develop an understanding of the material ageing issues more mechanistically (e.g. time dependent hardening and softening) under different test and environmental conditions. Better mechanistic understanding will help develop computer-based advanced modeling tools to better extrapolate stress-strain evolution of reactor components under multi-axial stress states and hence help predict their fatigue life more accurately. Mechanics-based modeling of fatigue such as by using finite element (FE) tools requires the time/cycle dependent material hardening properties. Presently such time-dependent material hardening properties are hardly available in fatigue modeling literature even under in-air conditions. Getting those material properties under PWR environment, are even harder. Through this work we made preliminary attempt to generate time/cycle dependent stress-strain data both under in-air and PWR water conditions for further study such as for possible development of material models and constitutive relations for FE model implementation. Although, there are open-ended possibility to further improve the discussed test methods and related material estimation techniques we anticipate that the data presented in this paper will help the metal fatigue research community particularly, the researchers who are dealing with mechanistic modeling of metal fatigue such as using FE tools. In this paper the fatigue

Development of a versatile, easy and rapid atmospheric monitor for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes determination in air.

Science.gov (United States)

Esteve-Turrillas, Francesc A; Ly-Verdú, Saray; Pastor, Agustín; de la Guardia, Miguel

2009-11-27

A new procedure for the passive sampling in air of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene isomers (BTEX) is proposed. A low-density polyethylene layflat tube filled with a mixture of solid phases provided a high versatility tool for the sampling of volatile compounds from air. Several solid phases were assayed in order to increase the BTEX absorption in the sampler and a mixture of florisil and activated carbon provided the best results. Direct head-space-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-GC-MS) measurement of the whole deployed sampler was employed for a fast determination of BTEX. Absorption isotherms were used to develop simple mathematical models for the estimation of BTEX time-weighted average concentrations in air. The proposed samplers were used to determine BTEX in indoor air environments and results were compared with those found using two reference methodologies: triolein-containing semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) and diffusive Radiello samplers. In short, the developed sampling system and analytical strategy provides a versatile, easy and rapid atmospheric monitor (VERAM).

Microfluidic liquid-air dual-gradient chip for synergic effect bio-evaluation of air pollutant.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xian-Jun; Hu, Shan-Wen; Xu, Bi-Yi; Zhao, Ge; Li, Xiang; Xie, Fu-Wei; Xu, Jing-Juan; Chen, Hong-Yuan

2018-05-15

In this paper, a novel prototype liquid-air dual gradient chip is introduced, which has paved the way for effective synergic effect bio-evaluation of air pollutant. The chip is composed of an array of the agarose liquid-air interfaces, top air gradient layer and bottom liquid gradient layer. The novel agarose liquid-air interface allows for non-biased exposure of cells to all the substances in the air and diffusive interactions with the liquid phase; while the dual liquid-air gradient provides powerful screening abilities, which well reduced errors, saved time and cost from repeated experiment. Coupling the two functions, the chip subsequently facilitates synergic effect evaluation of both liquid and air factors on cells. Here cigarette smoke was taken as the model air pollutant, and its strong synergic effects with inflammatory level of A549 lung cancer cells on their fate were successfully quantified for the first time. These results well testified that the proposed dual-gradient chip is powerful and indispensable for bio-evaluation of air pollutant. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Full Scale Measurements and CFD Simulations of Diffuse Ceiling Inlet for Ventilation and Cooling of Densely Occupied Rooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikeska, Tomás; Fan, Jianhua

2015-01-01

Spaces with high occupant densities result in high heat gains and need for relatively high air change rate.By means of traditional mechanical ventilation diffusers it becomes a challenge to supply large amountsof fresh air into the space without creating a local discomfort for occupants. One...... comfort numerically. Results of our investigations have shown that diffuse ceiling inlet is a suitable solution for the spaceswith high density occupancy. The results have shown that transient calculations using Large Eddy Simulation models can predict well temperatures and velocity magnitude of air flow...

Modeling 2D and 3D diffusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Saxton, Michael J

2007-01-01

Modeling obstructed diffusion is essential to the understanding of diffusion-mediated processes in the crowded cellular environment. Simple Monte Carlo techniques for modeling obstructed random walks are explained and related to Brownian dynamics and more complicated Monte Carlo methods. Random number generation is reviewed in the context of random walk simulations. Programming techniques and event-driven algorithms are discussed as ways to speed simulations.

Image processing analysis of vortex dynamics of lobed jets from three-dimensional diffusers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nastase, Ilinca; Meslem, Amina; El Hassan, Mouhammad

2011-01-01

The passive control of jet flows with the aim to enhance mixing and entrainment is of wide practical interest. Our purpose here is to develop new air diffusers for heating ventilating air conditioning systems by using lobed geometry nozzles, in order to ameliorate the users' thermal comfort. Two turbulent six-lobed air jets, issued from a lobed tubular nozzle and an innovative hemispherical lobed nozzle, were studied experimentally. It was shown that the proposed innovative concept of a lobed jet, which can be easily integrated in air diffusion devices, is very efficient regarding induction capability. A vortical dynamics analysis for the two jets is performed using a new method of image processing, namely dynamic mode decomposition. A validation of this method is also proposed suggesting that the dynamical mode decomposition (DMD) image processing method succeeds in capturing the most dominant frequencies of the flow dynamics, which in our case are related to the quite special dynamics of the Kelvin–Helmholtz vortices.

Assessment of the radiological status of the French environment between June 2011 and December 2014

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renaud, Philippe; Bruno, Valerie; Caldeira Ideias, Pedro; Calmon, Philippe; Claval, David; Couvez, Celine; D'Amico, Donato; Debayle, Christophe; Leprieur, Fabrice; Masson, Olivier; Pierrard, Olivier; Pourcelot, Laurent; Roussel-Debet, Sylvie; Renaud, Philippe; Saey, Lionel; Tournieux, Damien; Delabbaye, Pascale; Manificat, Guillaume

2016-01-01

This huge report first proposes a presentation of the radiological control of the environment in France: its objectives, its various tools (for the control of the atmosphere, of waters, of soils), its sampling plan and its measurement results, and the national network for measurements of radioactivity of the environment (RNM) with its members, agreements and information system. The second part addresses the French radiological background noise, i.e. the natural sources of radiation and exposure (telluric and cosmogenic radionuclides), exposure doses (from the air, by ingestion by food and smoking, by radon inhalation), and the persistence of old radioactive fallouts and associated exposures. The third part presents data related to different French nuclear sites: operated electronuclear plants (releases, plan of control of the environment, influence of these sites on their environment and associated public exposures), to electronuclear plants being currently dismantled, to industrial sites, to research centres, to nuclear naval bases, and to ancient mining sites. A synthesis of dose assessment is finally proposed. The next part describes radioactivity and resulting exposures of people (radionuclides, radiations, activity measurement expressed in Becquerel, radioactive period, exposure modes, dose expressed in Sievert, and aspects related to radiation protection). The last part presents various sources of information on the control of radioactivity and data diffusion: internet sites and public information supports, information diffusion based on international treaties and conventions

Magnetic diffuse scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cable, J.W.

1987-01-01

The diffuse scattering of neutrons from magnetic materials provides unique and important information regarding the spatial correlations of the atoms and the spins. Such measurements have been extensively applied to magnetically ordered systems, such as the ferromagnetic binary alloys, for which the observed correlations describe the magnetic moment fluctuations associated with local environment effects. With the advent of polarization analysis, these techniques are increasingly being applied to study disordered paramagnetic systems such as the spin-glasses and the diluted magnetic semiconductors. The spin-pair correlations obtained are essential in understanding the exchange interactions of such systems. In this paper, we describe recent neutron diffuse scattering results on the atom-pair and spin-pair correlations in some of these disordered magnetic systems. 56 refs

Investigations on Chlorophytum comosum ability to remove toluene from air in a closed environment

Science.gov (United States)

Bulteau, G.; Lakel, A.

Plants play a major role in bioregenerative systems for air and water supplies. They may also contribute to the removal of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from the air in a closed environment, based on the ability to absorb toxic compounds and to detoxify them. The aim of our work was to study the capabilities of Chlorophytum comosum for toluene removal and to identify the main parts of the plants which are responsible for the elimination. A 1-m3 sealed chamber was designed and built in 8-mm window glass assembled with UV-polymerized glue. It was equipped with one internal fan for air mixing. The other materials (low-emitting and low-adsorptive) were aluminium and PTFE. A cooling system was also used to regulate humidity content which was monitored continuously as well as temperature and carbon dioxide concentration. Experiments were carried out in this chamber with Chlorophytum comosum plants exposed to an initial concentration of 11.5x103 μg toluene m-3. Pollutant concentration was measured every five minutes during several days. Toluene removal was studied in various configurations (potting media, hydroponic conditions{ldots}) in order to document the level of contribution of each component (leaves, roots, microorganisms and soil) of the potted plants. Results show that 54 % of toluene was removed in 72 h with the whole potted plant. A large participation of the soil in the purification process was noticed whereas foliage seemed to have little effect at the light intensity used in the experiments. Moreover, the tests realized with both natural and sterilized soils suggest that soil bacteria (in potting media) play a significant role in the removal process showing that soil and its microorganisms may have complementary roles in the elimination phenomena. Detoxifying function of potted plants could find current applications in improving air quality, in particular indoor air from domestic buildings.

Neuroinflammation, hyperphosphorylated tau, diffuse amyloid plaques, and down-regulation of the cellular prion protein in air pollution exposed children and young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Calderón-Garcidueñas, Lilian; Kavanaugh, Michael; Block, Michelle; D'Angiulli, Amedeo; Delgado-Chávez, Ricardo; Torres-Jardón, Ricardo; González-Maciel, Angelica; Reynoso-Robles, Rafael; Osnaya, Norma; Villarreal-Calderon, Rodolfo; Guo, Ruixin; Hua, Zhaowei; Zhu, Hongtu; Perry, George; Diaz, Philippe

2012-01-01

Air pollution exposures have been linked to neuroinflammation and neuropathology. Autopsy samples of the frontal cortex from control (n = 8) and pollution-exposed (n = 35) children and young adults were analyzed by RT-PCR (n = 43) and microarray analysis (n = 12) for gene expression changes in oxidative stress, DNA damage signaling, NFκB signaling, inflammation, and neurodegeneration pathways. The effect of apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype on the presence of protein aggregates associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology was also explored. Exposed urbanites displayed differential (>2-fold) regulation of 134 genes. Forty percent exhibited tau hyperphosphorylation with pre-tangle material and 51% had amyloid-β (Aβ) diffuse plaques compared with 0% in controls. APOE4 carriers had greater hyperphosphorylated tau and diffuse Aβ plaques versus E3 carriers (Q = 7.82, p = 0.005). Upregulated gene network clusters included IL1, NFκB, TNF, IFN, and TLRs. A 15-fold frontal down-regulation of the prion-related protein (PrP(C)) was seen in highly exposed subjects. The down-regulation of the PrP(C) is critical given its important roles for neuroprotection, neurodegeneration, and mood disorder states. Elevation of indices of neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, down-regulation of the PrP(C) and AD-associated pathology are present in young megacity residents. The inducible regulation of gene expression suggests they are evolving different mechanisms in an attempt to cope with the constant state of inflammation and oxidative stress related to their environmental exposures. Together, these data support a role for air pollution in CNS damage and its impact upon the developing brain and the potential etiology of AD and mood disorders.

Radionuclide Air Emissions Report for the Hanford Site Calendar Year 1999

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

ROKKAN, D.J.

2000-06-01

This report documents radionuclide air emissions from the US. Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site in 1999 and the resulting effective dose equivalent to the maximally exposed individual (MEI) member of the public. The report has been prepared in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). Title 40, Protection of the Environment, Part 61. National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, Subpart H, ''National Emission Standards for Emissions of Radionuclides Other than Radon from Department of Energy Facilities'', and with the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Chapter 246-247. Radiation Protection-Air Emissions. The federal regulations in Subpart H of 40 CFR 61 require the measurement and reporting of radionuclides emitted from US. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities and the resulting offsite dose from those emissions. A standard of 10 mrem/yr effective dose equivalent (EDE) is imposed on them. The EDE to the MEI due to routine emissions in 1999 from Hanford Site point sources was 0.029 mrem (2.9 E-04 mSv), which is less than 0.3 percent of the federal standard. WAC 246-247 requires the reporting of radionuclide emissions from all Hanford Site sources, during routine as well as nonroutine operations. The state has adopted the 40 CFR 61 standard of 10 mrem/yr EDE into their regulations. The state further requires that the EDE to the MEI be calculated not only from point source emissions but also from diffuse and fugitive sources of emissions. The EDE from diffuse and fugitive emissions at the Hanford Site in 1999 was 0.039 mrem (3.9 E-04 mSv) EDE. The total dose from point sources and from diffuse and fugitive sources of radionuclide emissions during all operating conditions in 1999 was 0.068 mrem (6.8 E-04 mSv) EDE, which is less than 0.7 percent of the state standard.

Gender, airborne chemical monitoring, and physical work environment are related to indoor air symptoms among nonindustrial workers in the Klang Valley, Malaysia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syazwan AI

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Aizat Ismail Syazwan,1 Juahir Hafizan,2 Mohd Rafee Baharudin,1 Ahmad Zaid Fattah Azman,1 Zulkapri Izwyn,3 Ismail Zulfadhli,4 Katis Syahidatussyakirah11Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia; 2Department of Environmental Science/Environmental Forensics Research Center (ENFORCE, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, 3Department of Biosciences and Health Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia; 4Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor, MalaysiaObjectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship of airborne chemicals and the physical work environment risk element on the indoor air symptoms of nonindustrial workers.Design: A cross-sectional study consisting of 200 office workers. A random selection of 200 buildings was analyzed for exposure and indoor air symptoms based on a pilot study in the Klang Valley, Malaysia.Methods: A set of modified published questionnaires by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH, Malaysia and a previous study (MM040NA questionnaire pertaining to indoor air symptoms was used in the evaluation process of the indoor air symptoms. Statistical analyses involving logistic regression and linear regression were used to determine the relationship between exposure and indoor air symptoms for use in the development of an indoor risk matrix.Results: The results indicate that some indoor air pollutants (carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, total volatile organic compound, and dust are related to indoor air symptoms of men and women. Temperature and relative humidity showed a positive association with complaints related to the perceived indoor environmental condition (drafts and inconsistency of temperature. Men predominantly reported general symptoms when stratification of gender involved exposure to formaldehyde. Women reported high levels of complaints related to mucosal and general symptoms from exposure to the dust

High temperature corrosion studies on friction welded low alloy steel and stainless steel in air and molten salt environment at 650 oC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arivazhagan, N.; Narayanan, S.; Singh, Surendra; Prakash, Satya; Reddy, G.M.

2012-01-01

Highlights: → Thermogravimetric analysis on friction welded AISI 304 with AISI 4140 exposed in air and molten salt environment. → Comparative study on friction welded AISI 4140 with AISI 304 exposed in air, Na 2 SO 4 -60%V 2 O 5 and NaCl-50%Na 2 SO 4 at 650 o C. → SEM/EDAX, XRD analysis on corroded dissimilar AISI 304 and AISI 4140 materials. -- Abstract: The investigation on high-temperature corrosion resistance of the weldments is necessary for prolonged service lifetime of the components used in corrosive environments. This paper reports on the performance of friction welded low alloy steel AISI 4140 and stainless steel AISI 304 in air as well as molten salt environment of Na 2 SO 4 -60%V 2 O 5 and NaCl-50%Na 2 SO 4 at 650 o C. This paper reports several studies carried out for characterizing the weldments corrosion behavior. Initially thermogravimetric technique was used to establish the kinetics of corrosion. For analyzing the corrosion products, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive analysis and electron probe micro analysis techniques were used. From the results of the experiments, it is observed that the weldments suffered accelerated corrosion in NaCl-Na 2 SO 4 environment and showed spalling/sputtering of the oxide scale. Furthermore, corrosion resistance of weld interface was found to be lower than that of parent metals in molten salt environment. Weight gain kinetics in air oxidation studies reveals a steady-state parabolic rate law while the kinetics with salt deposits displays multi-stage growth rates. Moreover NaCl is the main corrosive species in high temperature corrosion, involving mixtures of NaCl and Na 2 SO 4 which is responsible for formation of internal attack.

CAD/CAM–designed 3D-printed electroanalytical cell for the evaluation of nanostructured gas-diffusion electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chervin, Christopher N; Parker, Joseph F; Nelson, Eric S; Rolison, Debra R; Long, Jeffrey W

2016-01-01

The ability to effectively screen and validate gas-diffusion electrodes is critical to the development of next-generation metal–air batteries and regenerative fuel cells. The limiting electrode in a classic two-terminal device such as a battery or fuel cell is difficult to discern without an internal reference electrode, but the flooded electrolyte characteristic of three-electrode electroanalytical cells negates the prime function of an air electrode—a void volume freely accessible to gases. The nanostructured catalysts that drive the energy-conversion reactions (e.g., oxygen reduction and evolution in the air electrode of metal–air batteries) are best evaluated in the electrode structure as-used in the practical device. We have designed, 3D-printed, and characterized an air-breathing, thermodynamically referenced electroanalytical cell that allows us to mimic the Janus arrangement of the gas-diffusion electrode in a metal–air cell: one face freely exposed to gases, the other wetted by electrolyte. (paper)

CAD/CAM-designed 3D-printed electroanalytical cell for the evaluation of nanostructured gas-diffusion electrodes

Science.gov (United States)

Chervin, Christopher N.; Parker, Joseph F.; Nelson, Eric S.; Rolison, Debra R.; Long, Jeffrey W.

2016-04-01

The ability to effectively screen and validate gas-diffusion electrodes is critical to the development of next-generation metal-air batteries and regenerative fuel cells. The limiting electrode in a classic two-terminal device such as a battery or fuel cell is difficult to discern without an internal reference electrode, but the flooded electrolyte characteristic of three-electrode electroanalytical cells negates the prime function of an air electrode—a void volume freely accessible to gases. The nanostructured catalysts that drive the energy-conversion reactions (e.g., oxygen reduction and evolution in the air electrode of metal-air batteries) are best evaluated in the electrode structure as-used in the practical device. We have designed, 3D-printed, and characterized an air-breathing, thermodynamically referenced electroanalytical cell that allows us to mimic the Janus arrangement of the gas-diffusion electrode in a metal-air cell: one face freely exposed to gases, the other wetted by electrolyte.

The Effect of Temperature and Air Velocity on Drying Kinetics of Pistachio Nuts during Roasting by using Hot Air Flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Dini

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction Pistachio nut is one of the most delicious and nutritious nuts in the world and it is being used as a saltedand roasted product or as an ingredient in snacks, ice cream, desserts, etc. The purpose of roasting is to promote flavour and texture changes in nuts that ultimately increase the overall palatability of the product.Roasting involves a number of physico-chemical changes, including heat exchange, chemical reactions and drying. Knowledge of desorption kinetics is essential to predict the behavior of the material during roasting process and to design roaster equipment.The main aim of this research was to evaluate suitable models for predicting moisture ratio, the effect of air temperature and velocity on the drying kinetics of pistachio nuts and obtain the effective diffusivity coefficient and activation energy in the drying process during the roasting of pistachio nuts. Materials and Methods Dried Ahmadaghaei pistachio nuts were supplied from Kashefan Kavir company (Doraj co. in Rafsanjan. Pistachio nuts were soaked in 17% salt solution for 8 minute and roasting was investigated at air temperatures of 120,130, 145, 160 and 170 °C and air velocities of 0.6, 0.88, 1.3, 1.72 and 2 ms-1. Five semi-theoretical and two empirical kinetic models were fitted to drying experimental data using nonlinear regression analysis techniques in the Curve Expert 2.2 computer program. Results and Discussion Tow-way ANOVA indicated that temperature and hot air velocity significantly affected the drying process during roasting of shelled pistachio nuts. The higher roasting temperatures and air velocities resulted in the higher drying rates. During first 10 min of roasting at constant air velocity of 1.3 ms-1, 64.5%, 70.3%, 77.1%, 83.5%, 89.7% of the moisture were removed at roasting air temperatures of 120 °C, 130 °C, 145 °C, 160 °C, 170 °C, respectively. The high regression coefficients (R2>0.996 and low reduced chi-square (χ2, mean relative

Air pollutant penetration through airflow leaks into buildings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, De-Ling [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2002-01-01

The penetration of ambient air pollutants into the indoor environment is of concern owing to several factors: (1) epidemiological studies have shown a strong association between ambient fine particulate pollution and elevated risk of human mortality; (2) people spend most of their time in indoor environments; and (3) most information about air pollutant concentration is only available from ambient routine monitoring networks. A good understanding of ambient air pollutant transport from source to receptor requires knowledge about pollutant penetration across building envelopes. Therefore, it is essential to gain insight into particle penetration in infiltrating air and the factors that affect it in order to assess human exposure more accurately, and to further prevent adverse human health effects from ambient particulate pollution. In this dissertation, the understanding of air pollutant infiltration across leaks in the building envelope was advanced by performing modeling predictions as well as experimental investigations. The modeling analyses quantified the extent of airborne particle and reactive gas (e.g., ozone) penetration through building cracks and wall cavities using engineering analysis that incorporates existing information on building leakage characteristics, knowledge of pollutant transport processes, as well as pollutant-surface interactions. Particle penetration is primarily governed by particle diameter and by the smallest dimension of the building cracks. Particles of 0.1-1 μm are predicted to have the highest penetration efficiency, nearly unity for crack heights of 0.25 mm or higher, assuming a pressure differential of 4 Pa or greater and a flow path length of 3 cm or less. Supermicron and ultrafine particles (less than 0.1 μm) are readily deposited on crack surfaces by means of gravitational settling and Brownian diffusion, respectively. The fraction of ozone penetration through building leaks could vary widely, depending significantly on its

Heat Diffusion in Gases, Including Effects of Chemical Reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, C. Frederick

1960-01-01

The diffusion of heat through gases is treated where the coefficients of thermal conductivity and diffusivity are functions of temperature. The diffusivity is taken proportional to the integral of thermal conductivity, where the gas is ideal, and is considered constant over the temperature interval in which a chemical reaction occurs. The heat diffusion equation is then solved numerically for a semi-infinite gas medium with constant initial and boundary conditions. These solutions are in a dimensionless form applicable to gases in general, and they are used, along with measured shock velocity and heat flux through a shock reflecting surface, to evaluate the integral of thermal conductivity for air up to 5000 degrees Kelvin. This integral has the properties of a heat flux potential and replaces temperature as the dependent variable for problems of heat diffusion in media with variable coefficients. Examples are given in which the heat flux at the stagnation region of blunt hypersonic bodies is expressed in terms of this potential.

Dense-gas dispersion advection-diffusion model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ermak, D.L.

1992-07-01

A dense-gas version of the ADPIC particle-in-cell, advection- diffusion model was developed to simulate the atmospheric dispersion of denser-than-air releases. In developing the model, it was assumed that the dense-gas effects could be described in terms of the vertically-averaged thermodynamic properties and the local height of the cloud. The dense-gas effects were treated as a perturbation to the ambient thermodynamic properties (density and temperature), ground level heat flux, turbulence level (diffusivity), and windfield (gravity flow) within the local region of the dense-gas cloud. These perturbations were calculated from conservation of energy and conservation of momentum principles along with the ideal gas law equation of state for a mixture of gases. ADPIC, which is generally run in conjunction with a mass-conserving wind flow model to provide the advection field, contains all the dense-gas modifications within it. This feature provides the versatility of coupling the new dense-gas ADPIC with alternative wind flow models. The new dense-gas ADPIC has been used to simulate the atmospheric dispersion of ground-level, colder-than-ambient, denser-than-air releases and has compared favorably with the results of field-scale experiments

Use of bioindicators to evaluate air quality and genotoxic compounds in an urban environment in Southern Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Käffer, Márcia Isabel; Lemos, Andréa T.; Apel, Miriam Anders; Rocha, Jocelita Vaz; Martins, Suzana Maria de Azevedo

2012-01-01

Biological indicators are widely used to monitor genotic compounds and air quality in urban environments. Parmotrema tinctorum and Teloschistes exilis have been used to verify the presence of pollutants and analyze morphophysiological alterations in the thallus of species caused by their action. Species were exposed for seven months, in an urban area, in southern Brazil. Mutagenicity and cytotoxicity of PM10 organic extracts were assessed in the Salmonella/microsome assay at two stations. High concentrations of S, Pb, Cr, Zn and Hg were registered in the last period of exposure and more significant morphophysiological damages were verified in the lichens. Generally a higher mutagenic activity is observed in organic extracts of airborne particulate matter during the first months and in the third period of exposure of lichens. In addition, nitro compounds was detected through nitro-sensitive strains. Lichens and mutagenic biomarkers enabled the evaluation of air quality and the presence of environmentally-aggressive compounds. - Highlights: ► Biological indicators are widely used to monitor genotic compounds and air quality in urban environments. ► High concentrations of S and metals were registered in the last period of exposure. ► More significant morphophysiological damages were verified in the lichens in the last period of exposure. ► The results reveals that a set of factors contributed to the morphophysiological alterations of lichens. - Bioindicators are valuable monitors of genotoxic compounds and atmospheric pollution.

Individually Controlled Indoor Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2004-01-01

The thermal environment and inhaled air quality in buildings to which occupants are exposed has an effect on their health, comfort, performance and productivity. Heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) of buildings today is designed to provide a uniform environment. However, large...... individual differences in physiological and psychological response, clothing insulation, activity, preference for air temperature and movement, etc., exist between people. Environmental conditions acceptable for most of the occupants in buildings may be achieved by providing each occupant...

AIR for Javascript Developers Pocket Guide

CERN Document Server

Chambers, Mike; Hoyt, Kevin; Georgita, Dragos

2009-01-01

This book is the official guide to Adobe ® AIR[TM], written by members of the AIR team. With Adobe AIR, web developers can use technologies like HTML and JavaScript to build and deploy web applications to the desktop. Packed with examples, this book explains how AIR works and features recipes for performing common runtime tasks. Part of the Adobe Developer Library, this concise pocket guide explains: What Adobe AIR is, and the problems this runtime aims to solveHow to set up your development environmentThe HTML and JavaScript environments within AIRHow to create your first AIR application

Mathematical Modeling of Air Flowfield at Urban Environment: the Case of Road Network at the Historical Centre of Kifissia's Municipality

Science.gov (United States)

Papakonstantinou, K.; Belias, C.

2008-09-01

The present paper refers to the numerical analysis of air flowfield at urban environments and the conducting thermal comfort after the evaluation of the examined space using CFD methods, taking into account bioclimatic principles at the architectural design. More specially, the paper draws attention to the physical procedures governing air movement at an urban environment (a road network) at Kifissia (a Municipality of north Athens), trying to form them in such way that will lead to the thermal comfort of the area's users. The study presents a mathematical model, implemented in a general computer code that can provide detailed information on velocity, prevailing in three-dimensional spaces of any geometrical complexity. Turbulent flow is simulated and buoyancy effects are taken into account. This simulation procedure is intended to contribute to the effort towards designing urban environments, using thermal comfort criteria at the bioclimatic design. A computer model of this kind will provide the architects or the environmental engineers with powerful and economical means of evaluating alternative spaces' designs.

Study of aerosol diffusion behaviors in dismantling nuclear facilities. Contract research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimada, Taro; Tachibana, Mitsuo; Yanagihara, Satoshi

2001-09-01

To evaluate aerosol diffusion behaviors under dismantling of nuclear facilities, plasma arc cuttings were conducted in the enclosure. The flow of air and high temperature gas in the enclosure were visualized, and the temperature distributions in the enclosure and the number density and size distribution of aerosol and the temperature in air of outlet flow were measured in the experiments. As a result, it was confirmed that ascending high temperature gas flow produced by the plasma arc is corresponded with aerosol diffusion behavior during cutting. It was also confirmed that after completing the cuttings the aerosol tends to fall due to decreasing of flow velocity of high temperature gas and the aerosol which reaches near the floor is resuspended by relatively high velocity exhaust flow. (author)

Radon diffusion chamber

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pretzsch, G.; Boerner, E.; Lehmann, R.; Sarenio, O.

1986-01-01

The invention relates to the detection of radioactive gases emitting alpha particles like radon, thoron and their alpha-decaying daughters by means of a diffusion chamber with a passive detector, preferably with a solid state track detector. In the chamber above and towards the detector there is a single metallized electret with negative polarity. The distance between electret and detector corresponds to the range of the alpha particles of radon daughters in air at the most. The electret collects the positively charged daughters and functions as surface source. The electret increases the sensitivity by the factor 4

Incorporating wind availability into land use regression modelling of air quality in mountainous high-density urban environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Yuan; Lau, Kevin Ka-Lun; Ng, Edward

2017-08-01

Urban air quality serves as an important function of the quality of urban life. Land use regression (LUR) modelling of air quality is essential for conducting health impacts assessment but more challenging in mountainous high-density urban scenario due to the complexities of the urban environment. In this study, a total of 21 LUR models are developed for seven kinds of air pollutants (gaseous air pollutants CO, NO 2 , NO x , O 3 , SO 2 and particulate air pollutants PM 2.5 , PM 10 ) with reference to three different time periods (summertime, wintertime and annual average of 5-year long-term hourly monitoring data from local air quality monitoring network) in Hong Kong. Under the mountainous high-density urban scenario, we improved the traditional LUR modelling method by incorporating wind availability information into LUR modelling based on surface geomorphometrical analysis. As a result, 269 independent variables were examined to develop the LUR models by using the "ADDRESS" independent variable selection method and stepwise multiple linear regression (MLR). Cross validation has been performed for each resultant model. The results show that wind-related variables are included in most of the resultant models as statistically significant independent variables. Compared with the traditional method, a maximum increase of 20% was achieved in the prediction performance of annual averaged NO 2 concentration level by incorporating wind-related variables into LUR model development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Combined Influence of Air Pollution and Home Learning Environment on Early Cognitive Skills in Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lanair A. Lett

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Cognitive skills are one component of school readiness that reflect a child’s neurodevelopment and are influenced by environmental and social factors. Most studies assess the impact of these factors individually, without taking into consideration the complex interactions of multiple factors. The objective of this study was to examine the joint association of markers of environmental pollution and of social factors on early cognitive skills in an urban cohort of children. For this, we chose isophorone in ambient air as a marker of industrial air pollution. Low quality home learning environments was chosen as a marker of the social factors contributing to cognitive development. Using a subpopulation from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (N = 4050, isophorone exposure was assigned using the 2002 National Air Toxics Assessment. Home learning environment was assessed with a modified version of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME Inventory, and standardized math assessment scores were used as a measure of early cognitive skills. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the effect of both exposures on math scores. After adjustment for confounders, children living in areas with ambient isophorone in the upper quintile of exposure (>0.49 ng/m3 had math scores that were 1.63 points lower than their less exposed peers [95% CI: −2.91, −0.34], and children with lower HOME scores (at or below 9 out of 12 had math scores that were 1.20 points lower than children with better HOME scores [95% CI: −2.30, −0.10]. In adjusted models accounting for identified confounders and both exposures of interest, both high isophorone exposure and low HOME score remained independently associated with math scores [−1.48, 95% CI: −2.79, −0.18; −1.05, 95% CI: −2.15, 0.05, respectively]. There was no statistical evidence of interaction between the two exposures, although children with both higher isophorone

The Combined Influence of Air Pollution and Home Learning Environment on Early Cognitive Skills in Children.

Science.gov (United States)

Lett, Lanair A; Stingone, Jeanette A; Claudio, Luz

2017-10-26

Cognitive skills are one component of school readiness that reflect a child's neurodevelopment and are influenced by environmental and social factors. Most studies assess the impact of these factors individually, without taking into consideration the complex interactions of multiple factors. The objective of this study was to examine the joint association of markers of environmental pollution and of social factors on early cognitive skills in an urban cohort of children. For this, we chose isophorone in ambient air as a marker of industrial air pollution. Low quality home learning environments was chosen as a marker of the social factors contributing to cognitive development. Using a subpopulation from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (N = 4050), isophorone exposure was assigned using the 2002 National Air Toxics Assessment. Home learning environment was assessed with a modified version of the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) Inventory, and standardized math assessment scores were used as a measure of early cognitive skills. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the effect of both exposures on math scores. After adjustment for confounders, children living in areas with ambient isophorone in the upper quintile of exposure (>0.49 ng/m³) had math scores that were 1.63 points lower than their less exposed peers [95% CI: -2.91, -0.34], and children with lower HOME scores (at or below 9 out of 12) had math scores that were 1.20 points lower than children with better HOME scores [95% CI: -2.30, -0.10]. In adjusted models accounting for identified confounders and both exposures of interest, both high isophorone exposure and low HOME score remained independently associated with math scores [-1.48, 95% CI: -2.79, -0.18; -1.05, 95% CI: -2.15, 0.05, respectively]. There was no statistical evidence of interaction between the two exposures, although children with both higher isophorone exposure and a low HOME score had a

Development of PIV for Microgravity Diffusion Flames

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, Paul S.; Wernet, Mark P.; Yanis, William; Urban, David L.; Sunderland, Peter B.

2003-01-01

Results are presented from the application of Particle Image Velocimetry(PIV) to the overfire region of a laminar gas jet diffusion flame in normal gravity. A methane flame burning in air at 0.98 bar was considered. The apparatus demonstrated here is packaged in a drop rig designed for use in the 2.2 second drop tower.

Use of local convective and radiant cooling at warm environment: effect on thermal comfort and perceived air quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melikov, Arsen Krikor; Duszyk, Marcin; Krejcirikova, Barbora

2012-01-01

The effect of four local cooling devices (convective, radiant and combined) on thermal comfort and perceived air quality reported by 24 subjects at 28 ˚C and 50% RH was studied. The devices studied were: (1) desk cooling fan, (2) personalized ventilation providing clean air, (3) two radiant panels...... and (4) two radiant panels with one panel equipped with small fans. A reference condition without cooling was tested as well. The response of the subjects to the exposed conditions was collected by computerized questionnaires. The cooling devices significantly (pthermal comfort...... compared to without cooling. The acceptability of the thermal environment was similar for all cooling devices. The acceptability of air movement and PAQ increased when the local cooling methods were used. The best results were achieved with personalized ventilation and cooling fan. The improvement in PAQ...

Studies on air ingress for pebble bed reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, R.L.; Oh, C.H.; Merrill, B.J.; Petti, D.A.

2002-01-01

A loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) has been considered a critical event for helium-cooled pebbled bed reactors. Following helium depressurization, it is anticipated that unless countermeasures are taken air will enter the core through the break and then by molecular diffusion and ultimately by natural convection leading to oxidation of the in-core graphite structure and graphite pebbles. Thus, without any mitigating features a LOCA will lead to an air ingress event. The INEEL is studying such an event with two well-respected light water reactor transient response codes: RELAP5/ATHENA and MELCOR. To study the degree of graphite oxidation occurring due to an air ingress event, a MELCOR model of a reference pebble bed design was constructed. A modified version of MELCOR developed at INEEL, which includes graphite oxidation capabilities, and molecular diffusion of air into helium was used for these calculations. Results show that the lower reflector graphite consumes all of the oxygen before reaching the core. The results also show a long time delay between the time that the depressurization phase of the accident is over and the time that natural circulation air through the core occurs. (author)

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis associated with massive free air mimicking perforated diffuse peritonitis

OpenAIRE

Sakurai, Yoichi; Hikichi, Masahiro; Isogaki, Jun; Furuta, Shinpei; Sunagawa, Risaburo; Inaba, Kazuki; Komori, Yoshiyuki; Uyama, Ichiro

2008-01-01

While pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) is a rare disease entity associated with a wide variety of gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal disorders, PCI associated with massive intra- and retroperitoneal free air is extremely uncommon, and is difficult to diagnose differentially from perforated peritonitis. We present two cases of PCI associated with massive peritoneal free air and/or retroperitoneal air that mimicked perforated peritonitis. These cases highlight the clinical import...

Humidification and perceived indoor air quality in the office environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Reinikainen, L M; Aunela-Tapola, L; Jaakkola, J J

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of humidification on the odour, acceptability, and stuffiness of indoor air. METHODS: In a six period cross over trial at the Pasila Office Center, Helsinki, the air of two wings of the building in turn were ventilated with air of 30%-40% humidity. A third wing served as a non-humidified control area. The quality of indoor air was assessed weekly by a panel containing 18 to 23 members. The intraindividual differences in the ratings for odour, stuffiness, and acceptability between humidified and non-humidified wings were used to assess the effect of humidification. The roles of sex, current smoking, and age as potential effect modifiers were assessed by comparing the mean intraindividual differences in ratings between the groups. RESULTS: Humidified air was found to be more odorous and stuffy (paired t test P = 0.0001) and less acceptable than the non-humidified air (McNemar's test P humidification decreases the perceived air quality. This effect is strongest in women and young subjects. PMID:9196454

Matrix-specific distribution and diastereomeric profiles of hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) in a multimedia environment: Air, soil, sludge, sediment, and fish.

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Hyeyeong; Son, Min-Hui; Seo, Sung-Hee; Chang, Yoon-Seok

2017-07-01

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) contamination and its diastereomeric profile were investigated in a multi-media environment along a river at the local scale in air, soil, sludge, sediment, and fish samples. The spatial distribution of HBCD in each matrix showed a different result. The highest concentrations of HBCD in air and soil were detected near a general industrial complex; in the sediment and sludge samples, they were detected in the down-stream region (i.e., urban area). Each matrix showed the specific distribution patterns of HBCD diastereomers, suggesting continuous inputs of contaminants, different physicochemical properties, or isomerizations. The particle phases in air, sludge, and fish matrices were dominated by α-HBCD, owing to HBCD's various isomerization processes and different degradation rate in the environment, and metabolic capabilities of the fish; in contrast, the sediment and soil matrices were dominated by γ-HBCD because of the major composition of the technical mixtures and the strong adsorption onto solid particles. Based on these results, the prevalent and matrix-specific distribution of HBCD diastereomers suggested that more careful consideration should be given to the characteristics of the matrices and their effects on the potential influence of HBCD at the diastereomeric level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of Radioactive Substance Contamination Diffusion Preventive Equipment for a Hot cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choo, Yong Sun; Kim, Do Sik; Baik, Seung Je; Yoo, Byung Ok; Kim, Ki Ha; Lee, Eun Pyo; Ahn, Sang Bok; Ryu, Woo Seok

2009-01-01

The hot cell of irradiated materials examination facility (IMEF), which has been operating since 1996, is generally contaminated by the radioactive nuclides of irradiated nuclear fuels and structural steels like Cs-137, Co-60, Co-134 and Ru-106. Especially Cs-137 is a main contaminated radioactive isotope which is easily moved here and there due to air flow in the hot cell, water-soluble, extremely toxic, and has a half-life of 30.23 years. To repair or fix the abnormal function of test apparatus installed in the hot cell, the maintenance door, so called a rear door and located at an intervention area, is opened to enter the hot cell inside. In a moment of opening the maintenance door, dirty air diffusion from the hot cell to an intervention area could be occurred in spite of increasing the rpm of exhaust fan to maintain much low under pressure, but an adjacent area to a maintenance door, i.e. intervention area, is very severely contaminated due to the unpredictable air flow. In this paper, the development of the radioactive substance contamination diffusion preventive equipment for a hot cell is studied to prevent dirty and toxic gaseous radioactive nuclides diffusion from a hot cell and installed at an intervention area of IMEF

Fungal contamination in hospital environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Perdelli, F; Cristina, M L; Sartini, M; Spagnolo, A M; Dallera, M; Ottria, G; Lombardi, R; Grimaldi, M; Orlando, P

2006-01-01

To assess the degree of fungal contamination in hospital environments and to evaluate the ability of air conditioning systems to reduce such contamination. We monitored airborne microbial concentrations in various environments in 10 hospitals equipped with air conditioning. Sampling was performed with a portable Surface Air System impactor with replicate organism detection and counting plates containing a fungus-selective medium. The total fungal concentration was determined 72-120 hours after sampling. The genera most involved in infection were identified by macroscopic and microscopic observation. The mean concentration of airborne fungi in the set of environments examined was 19 +/- 19 colony-forming units (cfu) per cubic meter. Analysis of the fungal concentration in the different types of environments revealed different levels of contamination: the lowest mean values (12 +/- 14 cfu/m(3)) were recorded in operating theaters, and the highest (45 +/- 37 cfu/m(3)) were recorded in kitchens. Analyses revealed statistically significant differences between median values for the various environments. The fungal genus most commonly encountered was Penicillium, which, in kitchens, displayed the highest mean airborne concentration (8 +/- 2.4 cfu/m(3)). The percentage (35%) of Aspergillus documented in the wards was higher than that in any of the other environments monitored. The fungal concentrations recorded in the present study are comparable to those recorded in other studies conducted in hospital environments and are considerably lower than those seen in other indoor environments that are not air conditioned. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of air-handling systems in reducing fungal contamination.

RADIONUCLIDE AIR EMISSIONS REPORT FOR THE HANFORD SITE CY2003

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

ROKKAN, D.J.

2004-01-01

This report documents radionuclide air emissions from the US Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford Site in 2003 and the resulting effective dose equivalent (EDE) to the maximally exposed individual (MEI) member of the public. The report has been prepared in accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 40, Protection of the Environment, Part 61, National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, Subpart H, ''National Emission Standards for Emissions of Radionuclides Other than Radon from Department of Energy Facilities''; Washington Administrative Code (WAC) Chapter 246-247, ''Radiation Protection-Air Emissions''; 10 CFR 830.120, Quality Assurance; DOE Order 414.1B, Quality Assurance; NQA-1, Quality Assurance Requirements for Nuclear Facility Application; EPA QA/R-2, EPA Requirements for Quality Management Plans; and EPA QA/R-5, Requirements for Quality Assurance Project Plans. The federal regulations in Subpart H of 40 CFR 61 require the measurement and reporting of radionuclides emitted from DOE facilities and the resulting public dose from those emissions. A standard of 10 mrem/yr EDE is not to be exceeded. The EDE to the MEI due to routine and nonroutine emissions in 2003 from Hanford Site point sources was 0.022 mrem (0.00022 mSv), or 0.22 percent of the federal standard. The portions of the Hanford Site MEI dose attributable to individual point sources as listed in Section 2.0 are appropriate for use in demonstrating the compliance of abated stack emissions with applicable terms of the Hanford Site Air Operating Permit and of Notices of Construction. The state has adopted the 40 CFR 61 standard of 10 mrem/yr EDE into their regulations, yet further requires that the EDE to the MEI be calculated not only from point source emissions but also from diffuse and fugitive sources of emissions. WAC 246-247 also requires the reporting of radionuclide emissions from all Hanford Site sources during routine as well as nonroutine operations. The EDE from

Indoor air humidity, air quality, and health - An overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolkoff, Peder

2018-04-01

There is a long-standing dispute about indoor air humidity and perceived indoor air quality (IAQ) and associated health effects. Complaints about sensory irritation in eyes and upper airways are generally among top-two symptoms together with the perception "dry air" in office environments. This calls for an integrated analysis of indoor air humidity and eye and airway health effects. This overview has reviewed the literature about the effects of extended exposure to low humidity on perceived IAQ, sensory irritation symptoms in eyes and airways, work performance, sleep quality, virus survival, and voice disruption. Elevation of the indoor air humidity may positively impact perceived IAQ, eye symptomatology, and possibly work performance in the office environment; however, mice inhalation studies do not show exacerbation of sensory irritation in the airways by low humidity. Elevated humidified indoor air appears to reduce nasal symptoms in patients suffering from obstructive apnea syndrome, while no clear improvement on voice production has been identified, except for those with vocal fatigue. Both low and high RH, and perhaps even better absolute humidity (water vapor), favors transmission and survival of influenza virus in many studies, but the relationship between temperature, humidity, and the virus and aerosol dynamics is complex, which in the end depends on the individual virus type and its physical/chemical properties. Dry and humid air perception continues to be reported in offices and in residential areas, despite the IAQ parameter "dry air" (or "wet/humid air") is semantically misleading, because a sensory organ for humidity is non-existing in humans. This IAQ parameter appears to reflect different perceptions among other odor, dustiness, and possibly exacerbated by desiccation effect of low air humidity. It is salient to distinguish between indoor air humidity (relative or absolute) near the breathing and ocular zone and phenomena caused by moisture

Satellite-Surface Perspectives of Air Quality and Aerosol-Cloud Effects on the Environment: An Overview of 7-SEAS BASELInE

Science.gov (United States)

Tsay, Si-Chee; Maring, Hal B.; Lin, Neng-Huei; Buntoung, Sumaman; Chantara, Somporn; Chuang, Hsiao-Chi; Gabriel, Philip M.; Goodloe, Colby S.; Holben, Brent N.; Hsiao, Ta-Chih;

Appropriating the Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meyer, Jan-Henrik

2011-01-01

Environmental policy has become an important area of European Union (EU) policy making, even though it had not originally been foreseen in the Treaty of Rome. Its emergence in the early 1970s can be understood as a result of a transfer of the novel policy idea of the environment to the European...... of the environment as a political concept emerging in the context of international organizations at the time. Secondly, an analysis of the first Environmental Action Programme of 1973 will be used to show how the EC conceptualized the environment, including the definition of problems and potential remedies. Thirdly...... level. This paper thus inquires into the emergence of a European environmental policy from a diffusion of ideas perspective. Rather than focusing on multi-level policy making it seeks to trace the diffusion of environmental ideas from the level of international organizations to the European Communities...

Fungal pollution of indoor environments and its management.

Science.gov (United States)

Haleem Khan, A A; Mohan Karuppayil, S

2012-10-01

Indoor environments play important roles in human health. The health hazards posed by polluted indoor environments include allergy, infections and toxicity. Life style changes have resulted in a shift from open air environments to air tight, energy efficient, environments, in which people spend a substantial portion of their time. Most indoor air pollution comes from the hazardous non biological agents and biological agents. Fungi are ubiquitous in distribution and are a serious threat to public health in indoor environments. In this communication, we have reviewed the current status on biotic indoor air pollution, role of fungi as biological contaminants and their impact on human health.

Indoor air quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Trine Susanne; Recevska, Ieva

 The objective of the 35th specific agreement is to provide support to the EEA activities in Environment and Health (E&H) on the topic of indoor air quality. The specific objectives have been to provide an overview of indoor air related projects in EU and indoor air related policies as well...... as idenfiying "good practices" to reduce health impact of indoor air exposure and suggest areas for future improvements....

Pressure Characteristics of a Diffuser in a Ram RDE Propulsive Device

Science.gov (United States)

2017-07-21

remain intact through the diffuser to the intake with minimal dissipation, while the sharper pressure peak of the higher area ratios tend to be...tend to remain intact through the diffuser to the intake with minimal dissipation, while the sharper pressure peak of the higher area ratios tend to...decelerates the flow with minimal losses to a low supersonic condition. The air is then processed through a normal shock resulting in subsonic flow

Advanced air distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melikov, Arsen Krikor

2011-01-01

The aim of total volume air distribution (TVAD) involves achieving uniform temperature and velocity in the occupied zone and environment designed for an average occupant. The supply of large amounts of clean and cool air are needed to maintain temperature and pollution concentration at acceptable...... levels in the entire space, leading to increased energy consumption and the use of large and costly HVAC and duct systems. The performance of desk installed PV combined with background TVAD used for room temperature control has been studied in an office building located in a hot and humid climate....... Ventilation in hospitals is essential to decrease the risk of airborne cross-infection. At present, mixing air distribution at a minimum of 12 ach is used in infection wards. Advanced air distribution has the potential to aid in achieving healthy, comfortable and productive indoor environments at levels...

Air pollution engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Maduna, Karolina; Tomašić, Vesna

2017-11-01

Air pollution is an environmental and a social problem which leads to a multitude of adverse effects on human health and standard of human life, state of the ecosystems and global change of climate. Air pollutants are emitted from natural, but mostly from anthropogenic sources and may be transported over long distances. Some air pollutants are extremely stable in the atmosphere and may accumulate in the environment and in the food chain, affecting human beings, animals and natural biodiversity. Obviously, air pollution is a complex problem that poses multiple challenges in terms of management and abatements of the pollutants emission. Effective approach to the problems of air pollution requires a good understanding of the sources that cause it, knowledge of air quality status and future trends as well as its impact on humans and ecosystems. This chapter deals with the complexities of the air pollution and presents an overview of different technical processes and equipment for air pollution control, as well as basic principles of their work. The problems of air protection as well as protection of other ecosystems can be solved only by the coordinated endeavors of various scientific and engineering disciplines, such as chemistry, physics, biology, medicine, chemical engineering and social sciences. The most important engineering contribution is mostly focused on development, design and operation of equipment for the abatement of harmful emissions into environment.

Advanced house air-barrier systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, R.K. [Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

1996-08-01

Air barrier systems used in modern Canadian airtight homes were discussed. The Advanced Houses Program sets its airtightness requirements at 1.5 air changes per hour at 50 Pascals pressure difference (ACH{sub 5}0). In recent tests of 10 houses, it was suggested that a better airtightness level was attainable with average airtightness of about 1.0 ACH{sub 5}0. Six of the homes tested did not use the traditional polyethylene approach. Two of the houses used the airtight drywall approach, one used a foam system, and three used exterior air barriers. The advantages and disadvantages of each system was described, including cost effectiveness, cost reduction, performance and installation advantages. The confusion between an air barrier and a vapour diffusion retarder was explained. Exterior air barriers showed the greatest potential for meeting airtightness requirements at reasonable cost. 5 refs., 3 tabs.

Progress of air-breathing cathode in microbial fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zejie; Mahadevan, Gurumurthy Dummi; Wu, Yicheng; Zhao, Feng

2017-07-01

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an emerging technology to produce green energy and vanquish the effects of environmental contaminants. Cathodic reactions are vital for high electrical power density generated from MFCs. Recently tremendous attentions were paid towards developing high performance air-breathing cathodes. A typical air-breathing cathode comprises of electrode substrate, catalyst layer, and air-diffusion layer. Prior researches demonstrated that each component influenced the performance of air-breathing cathode MFCs. This review summarized the progress in development of the individual component and elaborated main factors to the performance of air-breathing cathode.

Protection of air in premises and environment against beryllium aerosols

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bitkolov, N.Z.; Vishnevsky, E.P.; Krupkin, A.V. [Research Inst. of Industrial and Marine Medicine, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)

1998-01-01

First and foremost, the danger of beryllium aerosols concerns a possibility of their inhalation. The situation is aggravated with high biological activity of the beryllium in a human lung. The small allowable beryllium aerosols` concentration in air poses a rather complex and expensive problem of the pollution prevention and clearing up of air. The delivery and transportation of beryllium aerosols from sites of their formation are defined by the circuit of ventilation, that forms aerodynamics of air flows in premises, and aerodynamic links between premises. The causes of aerosols release in air of premises from hoods, isolated and hermetically sealed vessels can be vibrations, as well as pulses of temperature and pressure. Furthermore, it is possible the redispersion of aerosols from dirty surfaces. The effective protection of air against beryllium aerosols at industrial plants is provided by a complex of hygienic measures: from individual means of breath protection up to collective means of the prevention of air pollution. (J.P.N.)

Effect of bio-cover equipped with a novel passive air diffusion system on methane emission reduciton from landfill

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lu, W.J.; Mou, Zishen

2011-01-01

Based on the aerothermodynamic principles, a kind of breathing bio-cover system was designed to enhance oxygen (O2) supply efficiency and methane (CH4) oxidation capacity. The research showed that O2 concentration (v/v) considerably increased throughout whole profiles of the microcosm (1m) equipped...... with passive air diffusion system (MPADS). When the simulated landfill gas SLFG flow was 771 and 1028 gm−3 d−1, the O2 concentration in MPADS increased gradually and tended to be stable at the atmospheric level after 10 days. The CH4 oxidation rate was 100% when the SLFG flow rate was no more than 1285 gm−3 d......−1, which also was confirmed by the mass balance calculations. The breathing bio-cover system with in situ self-oxygen supply can address the problem of O2 insufficient in conventional landfill bio-cover. The proposed system presents high potential for improving CH4 emission reduction in landfills....

Study on diffusion behavior of nuclide in buffer material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Satoru

2002-05-01

Bentonite is a promising candidate of buffer material for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLW). Mass transport in bentonite is mainly controlled by diffusion process because of extremely low-permeability. Geological environments, e.g. salinity of ground water and temperature can strongly influence on migration behavior in bentonite, and therefore diffusivity and diffusion mechanism have been investigated experimentally and theoretically. In chapter 1, the author summarizes how the diffusivity in the buffer material has been treated in the safety assessment. In chapter 2, results of diffusion experiments as a function of salinity and temperature have been shown. In chapter 3, relationship between diffusivity and pore structure of bentonite has been investigated theoretically. In chapter 4, sorption structure of strontium on smectite has been studied by using molecular dynamics simulation. In chapter 5, vibrational property of pore water has been investigated. Diffusivity in bentonite has been discussed based on rock capacity factor, microstructure and interaction between diffusant and bentonite. (author)

AirPEx. Air Pollution Exposure Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Freijer, J.I.; Bloemen, H.J.Th.; De Loos, S.; Marra, M.; Rombout, P.J.A.; Steentjes, G.M.; Van Veen, M.P.

1997-12-01

Analysis of inhalatory exposure to air pollution is an important area of investigation when assessing the risks of air pollution for human health. Inhalatory exposure research focuses on the exposure of humans to air pollutants and the entry of these pollutants into the human respiratory tract. The principal grounds for studying the inhalatory exposure of humans to air pollutants are formed by the need for realistic exposure/dose estimates to evaluate the health effects of these pollutants. The AirPEx (Air Pollution Exposure) model, developed to assess the time- and space-dependence of inhalatory exposure of humans to air pollution, has been implemented for use as a Windows 3.1 computer program. The program is suited to estimating various exposure and dose quantities for individuals, as well as for populations and subpopulations. This report describes the fundamentals of the AirPEx model and provides a user manual for the computer program. Several examples included in the report illustrate the possibilities of the AirPEx model in exposure assessment. The model will be used at the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment as a tool in analysing the current exposure of the Dutch population to air pollutants. 57 refs.

Estimation of grain boundary diffusivity in near-α titanium polycrystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brockman, Robert A.; Pilchak, Adam L.; John Porter, W.; John, Reji

2011-01-01

The role of enhanced grain boundary diffusivity in high-temperature diffusion of interstitial elements through metals is widely recognized but poorly characterized in most materials. This paper summarizes an effort to estimate grain boundary diffusivity of oxygen in a near-α titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-2Mo-0.1Si, by explicitly incorporating microstructure obtained from electron backscatter diffraction into an analytical model. Attention is focused on near-surface diffusion behavior contributing to the rapid ingress of oxygen and possible crack initiation in high-temperature environments.

How well do different tracers constrain the firn diffusivity profile?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. M. Trudinger

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Firn air transport models are used to interpret measurements of the composition of air in firn and bubbles trapped in ice in order to reconstruct past atmospheric composition. The diffusivity profile in the firn is usually calibrated by comparing modelled and measured concentrations for tracers with known atmospheric history. However, in most cases this is an under-determined inverse problem, often with multiple solutions giving an adequate fit to the data (this is known as equifinality. Here we describe a method to estimate the firn diffusivity profile that allows multiple solutions to be identified, in order to quantify the uncertainty in diffusivity due to equifinality. We then look at how well different combinations of tracers constrain the firn diffusivity profile. Tracers with rapid atmospheric variations like CH₃CCl₃, HFCs and ¹⁴CO₂ are most useful for constraining molecular diffusivity, while &delta:¹⁵N₂ is useful for constraining parameters related to convective mixing near the surface. When errors in the observations are small and Gaussian, three carefully selected tracers are able to constrain the molecular diffusivity profile well with minimal equifinality. However, with realistic data errors or additional processes to constrain, there is benefit to including as many tracers as possible to reduce the uncertainties. We calculate CO₂ age distributions and their spectral widths with uncertainties for five firn sites (NEEM, DE08-2, DSSW20K, South Pole 1995 and South Pole 2001 with quite different characteristics and tracers available for calibration. We recommend moving away from the use of a firn model with one calibrated parameter set to infer atmospheric histories, and instead suggest using multiple parameter sets, preferably with multiple representations of uncertain processes, to assist in quantification of the uncertainties.

REDUCTION OF NO FORMATION BY THERMAL EFFECT OF A TURBULNENT DIFFUSION FLAME H2/AIR MODELED BY THE CONCEPT OF LAMINAR FLAMELET

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HADEF AMAR

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Highly exothermic reactions are responsible for the formation of harmful polluting chemical species to humans and the biosphere. In this context, nitrogen oxides (NOx are pollutants that are the subject of special attention on the part of regulators. In this work we studied the impact of a co-flow swirl on the internal structure of a turbulent diffusion flame H2-N2/Air and its role in reducing the formation of NO, which is modeled by the concept of laminar flamelet, while the flow field is modeled by the standard model k-ε, with a correction term for round jets.The results show good agreement with data from the experimental data.

40 CFR 89.325 - Engine intake air temperature measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Engine intake air temperature measurement. 89.325 Section 89.325 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Test Equipment Provisions § 89.325 Engine intake air temperature measurement. (a) Engine intake air...

Experimental study of diffuse ceiling ventilation coupled with a thermally activated building construction in an office room

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Heiselberg, Per Kvols; Pomianowski, Michal Zbigniew

2015-01-01

the opposite effect on energy performance when TABS is activated in heating or cooling mode. Finally, the air temperature distribution in the plenum and the surface temperature distribution of the diffuse ceiling point out that the air does not perfectly mix in the plenum, the air is not evenly distributed...

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF AN INVERSE PROBLEM ORIGINATED IN PHENOMENON OF POLLUTION AIR URBAN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aníbal Coronel

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the calibration study of a two - dimensional mathematical model for the problem of urban air pollution. It is mainly assumed that air pollution is afected by wind convection, diffusion and chemical reactions of pollutants. Consequently, a convection-diffusion-reaction equation is obtained as a direct problem. In the inverse problem, the determination of the diffusion is analyzed, assuming that one has an observation of the pollutants in a nite time. To solve it numerically the nite volume method is used, the least squares function is considered as cost function and the gradient is calculated with the sensitivity method.

Oxygen diffusion in zircon

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, E. B.; Cherniak, D. J.

1997-05-01

Oxygen diffusion in natural, non-metamict zircon was characterized under both dry and water-present conditions at temperatures ranging from 765°C to 1500°C. Dry experiments were performed at atmospheric pressure by encapsulating polished zircon samples with a fine powder of 18O-enriched quartz and annealing the sealed capsules in air. Hydrothermal runs were conducted in cold-seal pressure vessels (7-70 MPa) or a piston cylinder apparatus (400-1000 MPa) on zircon samples encapsulated with both 18O-enriched quartz and 18O water. Diffusive-uptake profiles of 18O were measured in all samples with a particle accelerator, using the 18O(p, α) 15N reaction. For dry experimental conditions at 1100-1500°C, the resulting oxygen diffusivities (24 in all) are well described by: D dry (m 2/s) = 1.33 × 10 -4exp(-53920/T) There is no suggestion of diffusive anisotropy. Under wet conditions at 925°C, oxygen diffusion shows little or no dependence upon P H 2O in the range 7-1000 MPa, and is insensitive to total pressure as well. The results of 27 wet experiments at 767-1160°C and 7-1000 MPa can be described a single Arrhenius relationship: D wet (m 2/s) = 5.5 × 10 -12exp(-25280/T) The insensitivity of oxygen diffusion to P H 2O means that applications to geologic problems can be pursued knowing only whether the system of interest was 'wet' (i.e., P H 2O > 7MPa ) or 'dry'. Under dry conditions (presumably rare in the crust), zircons are extremely retentive of their oxygen isotopic signatures, to the extent that δ 18O would be perturbed at the center of a 200 μm zircon only during an extraordinarily hot and protracted event (e.g., 65 Ma at 900°C). Under wet conditions, δ 18O may or may not be retained in the central regions of individual crystals, cores or overgrowth rims, depending upon the specific thermal history of the system.

Enhanced Oxygen Diffusion Within the Internal Oxidation Zone of Alloy 617 in Controlled Impurity Helium Environments from 1023 K to 1123 K (750 °C to 850 °C)

Science.gov (United States)

Gulsoy, Gokce; Was, Gary S.

2015-04-01

Alloy 617 was exposed to He-CO-CO2 environments with of either 9 or 1320 at temperatures from 1023 K to 1123 K (750 °C to 850 °C) to determine the oxygen diffusion coefficients within the internal oxidation zone of the alloy. The oxygen diffusion coefficients determined based on both intergranular and transgranular oxidation rates were several orders of magnitude greater than those reported in pure nickel and in nickel-based binary alloys, indicating that the rapid internal aluminum oxidation of Alloy 617 was primarily due to enhanced oxygen diffusion along the incoherent Al2O3-alloy interfaces. The range of activation energy values determined for oxygen diffusion associated with the intergranular aluminum oxidation was from 149.6 to 154.7 kJ/mol, and that associated with the transgranular aluminum oxidation was from 244.7 to 283.5 kJ/mol.

The diffuse interstitial lung disease - with emphasis in the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bustillo P, Jose G; Pacheco, Pedro M; Matiz, Carlos; Ojeda, Paulina; Carrillo B, Jorge A.

2003-01-01

The term diffuse interstitial lung disease, it refers to those diseases that commit the interstice basically, the space between the membrane basal epithelial and endothelial, although the damage can also commit the outlying air spaces and the vessels; the supplement is centered in the diffuse interstitial lung illness of unknown cause; well-known as idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, making emphasis in the more frequents, the pulmonary fibrosis idiopathic or cryptogenic fibrosant alveolitis

40 CFR 52.1436 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.1436 Section 52.1436 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Significant deterioration of air quality. The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act...

Inertial effects in diffusion-limited reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorsaz, N; Foffi, G; De Michele, C; Piazza, F

2010-01-01

Diffusion-limited reactions are commonly found in biochemical processes such as enzyme catalysis, colloid and protein aggregation and binding between different macromolecules in cells. Usually, such reactions are modeled within the Smoluchowski framework by considering purely diffusive boundary problems. However, inertial effects are not always negligible in real biological or physical media on typical observation time frames. This is all the more so for non-bulk phenomena involving physical boundaries, that introduce additional time and space constraints. In this paper, we present and test a novel numerical scheme, based on event-driven Brownian dynamics, that allows us to explore a wide range of velocity relaxation times, from the purely diffusive case to the underdamped regime. We show that our algorithm perfectly reproduces the solution of the Fokker-Planck problem with absorbing boundary conditions in all the regimes considered and is thus a good tool for studying diffusion-guided reactions in complex biological environments.

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis associated with massive free air mimicking perforated diffuse peritonitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakurai, Yoichi; Hikichi, Masahiro; Isogaki, Jun; Furuta, Shinpei; Sunagawa, Risaburo; Inaba, Kazuki; Komori, Yoshiyuki; Uyama, Ichiro

2008-11-21

While pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) is a rare disease entity associated with a wide variety of gastrointestinal and non-gastrointestinal disorders, PCI associated with massive intra- and retroperitoneal free air is extremely uncommon, and is difficult to diagnose differentially from perforated peritonitis. We present two cases of PCI associated with massive peritoneal free air and/or retroperitoneal air that mimicked perforated peritonitis. These cases highlight the clinical importance of PCI that mimics perforated peritonitis, which requires emergency surgery. Preoperative imaging modalities and diagnostic laparoscopy are useful to make an accurate diagnosis.

Using genetic data to estimate diffusion rates in heterogeneous landscapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Roques, L; Walker, E; Franck, P; Soubeyrand, S; Klein, E K

2016-08-01

Having a precise knowledge of the dispersal ability of a population in a heterogeneous environment is of critical importance in agroecology and conservation biology as it can provide management tools to limit the effects of pests or to increase the survival of endangered species. In this paper, we propose a mechanistic-statistical method to estimate space-dependent diffusion parameters of spatially-explicit models based on stochastic differential equations, using genetic data. Dividing the total population into subpopulations corresponding to different habitat patches with known allele frequencies, the expected proportions of individuals from each subpopulation at each position is computed by solving a system of reaction-diffusion equations. Modelling the capture and genotyping of the individuals with a statistical approach, we derive a numerically tractable formula for the likelihood function associated with the diffusion parameters. In a simulated environment made of three types of regions, each associated with a different diffusion coefficient, we successfully estimate the diffusion parameters with a maximum-likelihood approach. Although higher genetic differentiation among subpopulations leads to more accurate estimations, once a certain level of differentiation has been reached, the finite size of the genotyped population becomes the limiting factor for accurate estimation.

40 CFR 240.205 - Air quality.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Air quality. 240.205 Section 240.205 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES GUIDELINES FOR THE THERMAL PROCESSING OF SOLID WASTES Requirements and Recommended Procedures § 240.205 Air quality. ...

Self diffusion of sodium ion in sodium chloride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haridasan, T.M.; Lawrence, N.

1985-09-01

The problem of cation self diffusion in NaCl for a single vacancy mechanism is attempted using a reaction coordinate approach employing the phonons in the system. The vacancy is given an active role by estimating the displacements of its nearest neighbour Cl - ions in the environment of the vacancy through the lattice Green's functions and the t matrix formalism. The jump frequency, the isotope effect and diffusion coefficients estimated by this approach agree well with the experimentally deduced values. These results support the experimental conclusion of about 30% of vacancy pairs in the cation diffusion in NaCl. (author)

Integrated Solution in an Office Room with Diffuse Ceiling Ventilation and Thermally Activated Building Constructions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Chen; Heiselberg, Per Kvols; Pomianowski, Michal Zbigniew

2015-01-01

-scale experiments in a climate chamber. The experimental results indicate that diffuse ceiling can significantly improve thermal comfort in the occupied zone, by reducing draught risk and vertical temperature gradient. The linear function between pressure drop and air change rate points out that the air flow...

40 CFR 52.884 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.884 Section 52.884 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of section 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act, as amended...

Healthy Buildings and Air Distribution in Rooms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Peter V.

Healthy buildings are to a great extent a question of indoor air quality. The processes involved in air quality can be looked upon as a number of links in a chain. Typical links will be emission from building materials, convection and diffusion in the room, local airflow around a person, personal...... exposure and at last the effect of the air quality on the occupant. The best results will obviously be obtained by using building materials with low emission. However, there will always exist some emission and the ventilation will consequently be an important link....

Compressive Creep Behavior of NEXTEL(TradeMark) 720/Alumina Ceramic Matrix Composite at 1200 Degrees C in Air and in Steam Environment

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Szymczak, Neil R

2006-01-01

...) 720/Alumina ceramic matrix composite at 1200 deg. C in air and 100% steam environments. The effects of creep loading history on the tensile and compressive material behavior will also be examined...

Diffuse and fugitive emission dose assessment on the Hanford Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, W.E.; Schmidt, J.W.; Gleckler, B.P.; Rhoads, K.

1995-01-01

On February 3, 1993, the US Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (RL), received a Compliance Order and Information Request from the Director of the Air and Toxics Division of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 10. The Compliance Order requires RL to (1) evaluate all radionuclide emission points at the Hanford Site to determine which are subject to continuous emission measurement requirements in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 61, Subpart H, and (2) continuously measure radionuclide emissions in accordance with 40 CFR 61.93. The Information Request requires RL to provide a written Compliance Plan to meet the requirements of the Compliance Order. The RL Compliance Plan included as one of its milestones the requirement to develop a Federal Facility Compliance Agreement (FFCA). An FFCA was negotiated between RL and the EPA, Region 10, and was entered into on February 7, 1994. One of the milestones was to provide EPA, Region 10, with a copy of the Federal Clean Air Act Title V operating air permit application and Air Emission Inventory (AEI) concurrent with its submission to the Washington State Department of Ecology. The AEI will include an assessment of the diffuse and fugitive emissions from the Hanford Site. This assessment does not identify any diffuse or fugitive emission source that would cause an effective dose equivalent greater than 0.1 mrem/yr

Integration of plume and puff diffusion models/application of CFD

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Akira

The clinical symptoms of patients and other evidences of a gas poisoning accident inside an industrial building strongly suggested an abrupt influx of engine exhaust from a construction vehicle which was operating outside in the open air. But the obviously high level of gas concentration could not be well explained by any conventional steady-state gas diffusion models. The author used an unsteady-state continuous Puff Model to simulate the time-wise changes in air stream with the pollutant gas being continuously emitted, and successfully reproduced the observed phenomena. The author demonstrates that this diffusion formula can be solved analytically by the use of error function as long as the change in wind velocity is stepwise, and clarifies the accurate differences between the unsteady- and steady-states and their convergence profiles. Also, the relationship between the Puff and Plume Models is discussed. The case study included a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis to estimate the steady-state air stream and the gas concentration pattern in the affected area. It is well known that clear definition of the boundary conditions is key to successful CFD analysis. The author describes a two-step use of CFD: the first step to define the boundary conditions and the second to determine the steady-state air stream and the gas concentration pattern.

Air Quality Management Process Cycle

Science.gov (United States)

Air quality management are activities a regulatory authority undertakes to protect human health and the environment from the harmful effects of air pollution. The process of managing air quality can be illustrated as a cycle of inter-related elements.

A comparative study of creep rupture behaviour of modified 316L(N) base metal and 316L(N)/16-8-2 weldment in air and liquid sodium environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishra, M.P.; Mathew, M.D.; Mannan, S.L.; Rodriguez, P.; Borgstedt, H.U.

1997-01-01

Creep rupture behaviour of modified type 316L(N) stainless steel base metal and weldments prepared with 16-8-2 filler wire has been investigated in air and flowing sodium environments at 823 K. No adverse environmental effects have been noticed due to sodium on the creep rupture behaviour of these weldments for tests up to 10 000 h. Rupture lives of the weldment were higher in the sodium environment than those in air. Rupture lives of the weldments were found to be lower than those of the base metal by a factor of two to five in both air and sodium environments. Minimum creep rates were essentially the same for the weldment as well as for the base metal in both the environments, whereas rupture strain was usually lower for the weldment than that of the base metal. The reduction in area of the weldment specimens increased with increase in stress. Failures in the specimens of weldments were in the weld metal region. Microstructural studies carried out on failed weldment specimens after the creep rupture tests revealed extensive cavitation in the weld metal region in air tested specimens predominantly at the austerite/δ-ferrite interphase. However, no cavitation was observed in specimens tested in sodium. (author)

Controlled environment laboratory for the energy certification of refrigeration and air conditioning systems; Laboratorio de ambiente controlado para la certificacion energetica de sistemas de refrigeracion y aire acondicionado

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ambriz, Juan Jose; Romero Paredes, Hernando; Dorantes, Ruben [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)

1999-07-01

In this paper the general characteristics of the Controlled Environment Laboratory (CELAB) are described and some of the possible tests that could be performed in this device to evaluate the energy efficiency in air conditioning systems, domestic refrigeration and industrial refrigeration, as well as tests to evaluate the hydrothermal comfort in national populations, are presented. [Spanish] En este trabajo se describen las caracteristicas generales del Laboratorio de Ambiente Controlado (LAB), y se presentan algunas de las posibles pruebas que podran ser desarrolladas en este dispositivo para evaluar la eficiencia energetica en sistemas de aire acondicionado, refrigeracion domestica y refrigeracion industrial, asi como para pruebas para evaluar el confort hidrotermico en poblaciones nacionales.

Air Conditioner/Dehumidifier

Science.gov (United States)

1986-01-01

An ordinary air conditioner in a very humid environment must overcool the room air, then reheat it. Mr. Dinh, a former STAC associate, devised a heat pipe based humidifier under a NASA Contract. The system used heat pipes to precool the air; the air conditioner's cooling coil removes heat and humidity, then the heat pipes restore the overcooled air to a comfortable temperature. The heat pipes use no energy, and typical savings are from 15-20%. The Dinh Company also manufactures a "Z" coil, a retrofit cooling coil which may be installed on an existing heater/air conditioner. It will also provide free hot water. The company has also developed a photovoltaic air conditioner and solar powered water pump.

Alkali-resistant glass fiber reinforced high strength concrete in simulated aggressive environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwan, W.H.; Cheah, C.B.; Ramli, M.; Chang, K.Y.

2018-01-01

The durability of the alkali-resistant (AR) glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) in three simulated aggresive environments, namely tropical climate, cyclic air and seawater and seawater immersion was investigated. Durability examinations include chloride diffusion, gas permeability, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy examination (SEM). The fiber content is in the range of 0.6 % to 2.4 %. Results reveal that the specimen containing highest AR glass fiber content suffered severe strength loss in seawater environment and relatively milder strength loss under cyclic conditions. The permeability property was found to be more inferior with the increase in the fiber content of the concrete. This suggests that the AR glass fiber is not suitable for use as the fiber reinforcement in concrete is exposed to seawater. However, in both the tropical climate and cyclic wetting and drying, the incorporation of AR glass fiber prevents a drastic increase in permeability. [es

Writing in turbulent air.

Science.gov (United States)

Bominaar, Jeroen; Pashtrapanska, Mira; Elenbaas, Thijs; Dam, Nico; ter Meulen, Hans; van de Water, Willem

2008-04-01

We describe a scheme of molecular tagging velocimetry in air in which nitric oxide (NO) molecules are created out of O2 and N2 molecules in the focus of a strong laser beam. The NO molecules are visualized a while later by laser-induced fluorescence. The precision of the molecular tagging velocimetry of gas flows is affected by the gradual blurring of the written patterns through molecular diffusion. In the case of turbulent flows, molecular diffusion poses a fundamental limit on the resolution of the smallest scales in the flow. We study the diffusion of written patterns in detail for our tagging scheme which, at short (micros) delay times is slightly anomalous due to local heating by absorption of laser radiation. We show that our experiments agree with a simple convection-diffusion model that allows us to estimate the temperature rise upon writing. Molecular tagging can be a highly nonlinear process, which affects the art of writing. We find that our tagging scheme is (only) quadratic in the intensity of the writing laser.

Analysis of flame shapes in turbulent hydrogen jet flames with coaxial air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, Hee Jang

2009-01-01

This paper addresses the characteristics of flame shapes and flame length in three types of coaxial air flames realizable by varying coaxial air and/or fuel velocity. Forcing coaxial air into turbulent jet flames induces substantial changes in flame shapes and NOx emissions through the complex flow interferences that exist within the mixing region. Mixing enhancement driven by coaxial air results in flame volume decrease, and such a diminished flame volume finally reduces NOx emissions significantly by decreasing NOx formation zone where a fuel/air mixture burns. It is found that mixing in the vicinity of high temperature zone mainly results from the increase of diffusive flux than the convective flux, and that the increase of mass diffusion is amplified as coaxial air is increased. Besides, it is reaffirmed that nonequilibrium chemistry including HO 2 /H 2 O 2 should be taken into account for NOx prediction and scaling analysis by comparing turbulent combustion models. In addition, it is found that coaxial air can break down the self-similarity law of flames by changing mixing mechanism, and that EINOx scaling parameters based on the self-similarity law of simple jet flames may not be eligible in coaxial air flames

Creep effects in diffusion bonding of oxygen-free copper

CERN Document Server

Moilanen, Antti

Diffusion is the transport of atoms or particles through the surrounding material. Various microstructural changes in metals are based on the diffusion phenomena. In solid metals the diffusion is closely related to crystallographic defects. In single-component metals the dominant mechanism of diffusion is the vacancy mechanism. Diffusion bonding is a direct technological application of diffusion. It is an advanced solidstate joining process in which the surfaces of two components are brought to contact with each other and heated under a pressing load in a controlled environment. During the process, the contact surfaces are bonded by atomic diffusion across the interface and as a result, one solid piece is formed. The condition of high temperature and low applied stress combined with relatively long process duration enables the creep effects to take place in bonded metals. Furthermore, creep causes unwanted permanent deformations in the bonded components. Some authors suggest that there could be a threshold fo...

40 CFR 52.382 - Significant deterioration of air quality.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Significant deterioration of air quality. 52.382 Section 52.382 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... deterioration of air quality. (a) The requirements of sections 160 through 165 of the Clean Air Act are not met...

Evaluation of the vibration attenuation properties of an air-inflated cushion with two different heavy machinery seats in multi-axis vibration environments including jolts.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Xiaoxu; Eger, Tammy R; Dickey, James P

2017-03-01

Seats and cushions can attenuate whole-body vibration (WBV) exposures and minimize health risks for heavy machine operators. We successfully developed neural network (NN) algorithms to identify the vibration attenuation properties for four different seating conditions (seat/cushion combinations), and implemented each of the NN models to predict the equivalent daily exposure A(8) values for various vehicles in the forestry and mining environments. We also evaluated the performance of the new prototype No-Jolt™ air-inflated cushion and the original cushion of each seat with jolt exposures. We observed that the air cushion significantly improved the vibration attenuation properties of the seat that initially had good performance, but not for the seat that had relatively poor vibration attenuation properties. In addition, operator's anthropometrics and sex influenced the performance of the air-inflated cushion when the vibration environment included jolt exposures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pesticides and the Environment

Science.gov (United States)

; Environment Human Health Animal Health Safe Use Practices Food Safety Environment Air Water Soil Wildlife Home Page Pesticides and the Environment Related Topics: What Happens to Pesticides Released into the Environment? Pesticide Storage Pesticide Disposal Pesticide Products Integrated Pest Management (IPM) How Safe

Fractional Diffusion Equations and Anomalous Diffusion

Science.gov (United States)

Evangelista, Luiz Roberto; Kaminski Lenzi, Ervin

2018-01-01

Preface; 1. Mathematical preliminaries; 2. A survey of the fractional calculus; 3. From normal to anomalous diffusion; 4. Fractional diffusion equations: elementary applications; 5. Fractional diffusion equations: surface effects; 6. Fractional nonlinear diffusion equation; 7. Anomalous diffusion: anisotropic case; 8. Fractional Schrödinger equations; 9. Anomalous diffusion and impedance spectroscopy; 10. The Poisson–Nernst–Planck anomalous (PNPA) models; References; Index.

Quantifying air pollution attenuation within urban parks: An experimental approach in Shanghai, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin Shan; Shen Zhemin; Zhou Pisheng; Zou Xiaodong; Che Shengquan; Wang Wenhua

2011-01-01

Parks with various types of vegetations played an important role in ameliorating air quality in urban areas. However, the attenuation effect of urban vegetation on levels of air pollution was rarely been experimentally estimated. This study, using seasonal monitoring data of total suspended particles (TSP), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) from six parks in Pudong District, Shanghai, China, demonstrated vegetations in parks can remove large amount of airborne pollutants. In addition, crown volume coverage (CVC) was introduced to characterize vegetation conditions in parks and a mixed-effects model indicated that CVC and the pollution diffusion distance were key predictors influencing pollutants removal rate. Therefore, it could be estimated by regression analysis that in summer, urban vegetations in Pudong District could contribute to 9.1% of TSP removal, 5.3% of SO 2 and 2.6% of NO 2 . The results could be considered for a better park planning and improving air quality. - Highlights: → We examined markedly air pollution decline in urban vegetation patches by field experiments. → Crown volume coverage (CVC) served to characterize vegetation condition among different species. → CVC and pollutants diffusion distance were key predictors affecting air pollution attenuation within parks. - Crown volume coverage (CVC) and pollutants diffusion distance had been proved as key predictors influencing attenuation effect on levels of air pollutants in urban parks.

Quantifying air pollution attenuation within urban parks: An experimental approach in Shanghai, China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yin Shan [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd, Shanghai 200240 (China); Institute of Urban and Regional Development, University of California, 316 Wurster Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Shen Zhemin [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd, Shanghai 200240 (China); Zhou Pisheng [School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd, Shanghai 200240 (China); Zou Xiaodong [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd, Shanghai 200240 (China); Che Shengquan [School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd, Shanghai 200240 (China); Wang Wenhua, E-mail: whwang@sjtu.edu.cn [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd, Shanghai 200240 (China)

2011-08-15

Parks with various types of vegetations played an important role in ameliorating air quality in urban areas. However, the attenuation effect of urban vegetation on levels of air pollution was rarely been experimentally estimated. This study, using seasonal monitoring data of total suspended particles (TSP), sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) and nitrogen dioxide (NO{sub 2}) from six parks in Pudong District, Shanghai, China, demonstrated vegetations in parks can remove large amount of airborne pollutants. In addition, crown volume coverage (CVC) was introduced to characterize vegetation conditions in parks and a mixed-effects model indicated that CVC and the pollution diffusion distance were key predictors influencing pollutants removal rate. Therefore, it could be estimated by regression analysis that in summer, urban vegetations in Pudong District could contribute to 9.1% of TSP removal, 5.3% of SO{sub 2} and 2.6% of NO{sub 2}. The results could be considered for a better park planning and improving air quality. - Highlights: > We examined markedly air pollution decline in urban vegetation patches by field experiments. > Crown volume coverage (CVC) served to characterize vegetation condition among different species. > CVC and pollutants diffusion distance were key predictors affecting air pollution attenuation within parks. - Crown volume coverage (CVC) and pollutants diffusion distance had been proved as key predictors influencing attenuation effect on levels of air pollutants in urban parks.

Design of an ionization diffusion chamber detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugiarto, S.

1976-01-01

Prototype of an Ionization Diffusion Chamber detector has been made. It is a silindrical glass, 20 cm in diameter, 13,5 cm in height, air gas filled, operated at room pressure and room temperature at the top of this instrument while for the box temperature dry ice (CO 2 solid) temperature is used. This detector is ready for seeing alpha and beta particle tracks. (author)

Scientific production on indoor air quality of environments used for physical exercise and sports practice: Bibliometric analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, Alexandro; Dominski, Fábio Hech; Coimbra, Danilo Reis

2017-07-01

In order to minimize adverse health effects and increase the benefits of physical activity, it is important to systematize indoor air quality study in environments used for physical exercise and sports. To investigate and analyze the scientific production related to indoor air quality of environments used for physical exercise and sports practice through a bibliometric analysis. The databases Scielo, Science Direct, Scopus, Lilacs, Medline via Pubmed, and SportDiscus were searched from their inception to March 2016. Bibliometric analysis was performed for authors, institutions, countries, and collaborative networks, in relation to publication year, theme, citation network, funding agency, and analysis of titles and keywords of publications. Country, area, and impact factor of the journals were analyzed. Of 1281 studies screened, 34 satisfied the inclusion criteria. The first publication occurred in 1975. An increase in publications was observed in the last 15 years. Most of the studies were performed by researchers in the USA, followed by Portugal and Italy. Seventeen different scientific journals have published studies on the subject, and most are in the area of Environmental Sciences. It was noted that the categories of author keywords associated with "Pollutants," "Sport Environment," and "Physical Exercise" were the most commonly used in most studies. A total of 68% of the studies had at least one funding agency, and 81% of studies published in the last decade had funding. Our results demonstrate that there is recent exponential growth, driven in the last decade by researchers in environmental science from European institutions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A simplified boron diffusion for preparing the silicon single crystal p-n junction as an educational device

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shiota, Koki, E-mail: a14510@sr.kagawa-nct.ac.jp; Kai, Kazuho; Nagaoka, Shiro, E-mail: nagaoka@es.kagawa-nct.ac.jp [National Institute of Technology, Kagawa College, Kagawa, Mitoyo, Takuma, Koda 551 (Japan); Tsuji, Takuto [National Institute of Technology, Suzuka College, Mie, Suzuka, Shiroko (Japan); Wakahara, Akihiro [Toyohashi University of Technology, Aichi, Toyohashi, Tenpaku, Hibarigaoka 1-1 (Japan); Rusop, Mohamad [University Technology Mara, Selangor, Shah Alam, 40450 (Malaysia)

2016-07-06

The educational method which is including designing, making, and evaluating actual semiconductor devices with learning the theory is one of the best way to obtain the fundamental understanding of the device physics and to cultivate the ability to make unique ideas using the knowledge in the semiconductor device. In this paper, the simplified Boron thermal diffusion process using Sol-Gel material under normal air environment was proposed based on simple hypothesis and the feasibility of the reproducibility and reliability were investigated to simplify the diffusion process for making the educational devices, such as p-n junction, bipolar and pMOS devices. As the result, this method was successfully achieved making p+ region on the surface of the n-type silicon substrates with good reproducibility. And good rectification property of the p-n junctions was obtained successfully. This result indicates that there is a possibility to apply on the process making pMOS or bipolar transistors. It suggests that there is a variety of the possibility of the applications in the educational field to foster an imagination of new devices.

New sensitive micro-measurements of dynamic surface tension and diffusion coefficients: Validated and tested for the adsorption of 1-Octanol at a microscopic air-water interface and its dissolution into water.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinoshita, Koji; Parra, Elisa; Needham, David

2017-02-15

Currently available dynamic surface tension (DST) measurement methods, such as Wilhelmy plate, droplet- or bubble-based methods, still have various experimental limitations such as the large size of the interface, convection in the solution, or a certain "dead time" at initial measurement. These limitations create inconsistencies for the kinetic analysis of surfactant adsorption/desorption, especially significant for ionic surfactants. Here, the "micropipette interfacial area-expansion method" was introduced and validated as a new DST measurement having a high enough sensitivity to detect diffusion controlled molecular adsorption at the air-water interfaces. To validate the new technique, the diffusion coefficient of 1-Octanol in water was investigated with existing models: the Ward Tordai model for the long time adsorption regime (1-100s), and the Langmuir and Frumkin adsorption isotherm models for surface excess concentration. We found that the measured diffusion coefficient of 1-Octanol, 7.2±0.8×10 -6 cm 2 /s, showed excellent agreement with the result from an alternative method, "single microdroplet catching method", to measure the diffusion coefficient from diffusion-controlled microdroplet dissolution, 7.3±0.1×10 -6 cm 2 /s. These new techniques for determining adsorption and diffusion coefficients can apply for a range of surface active molecules, especially the less-characterized ionic surfactants, and biological compounds such as lipids, peptides, and proteins. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polluted air--outdoors and indoors.

Science.gov (United States)

Myers, I; Maynard, R L

2005-09-01

Many air pollutants which are considered important in ambient (outdoor) air are also found, sometimes at higher levels, in indoor air. With demanding standards having been set for many of these pollutants, both in the workplace and ambient air, consideration of the problems posed by indoor pollution is gaining pace. Studies on exposure to pollutants found in the indoor domestic environment are increasing and are contributing to an already significant compilation of datasets. Improvement in monitoring techniques has helped this process. Documented reports of fatalities from carbon monoxide poisonings are still worrying. However, studies on health effects of non-fatal, long term, low dose, indoor exposure to carbon monoxide and other pollutants, are still inconclusive and too infrequently documented. Of particular concern are the levels of air pollutants found in the domestic indoor environment in developing countries, despite simple interventions such as vented stoves having shown their value. Exposure to biomass smoke is still a level that would be considered unacceptable on health grounds in developed countries. As in the occupational environment, steps need to be taken to control the risks from exposure to the harmful constituents of indoor air in the home. However, the difficulty regarding regulation of the domestic indoor environment is its inherent privacy. Monitoring levels of pollutants in the home and ensuring regulations are adhered to, would likely prove difficult, especially when individual behaviour patterns and activities have the greatest influence on pollutant levels in indoor air. To this end, the Department of Health is developing guidance on indoor air pollution to encourage the reduction of pollutant levels in indoor domestic air. The importance of the effects of domestic indoor air on health and its contribution to the health of the worker are increasingly appreciated. Occupational physicians, by training and interest, are well placed to extend

Impacts of cooking system on indoor air environment: a case study on a Bangladeshi village

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azad, A.K.; Afroze, S.; Azam, M.

2005-01-01

Energy is needed to meet the subsistence requirement as well as to meet the demand for economic growth and development. As like many other third world countries still more than half of the total consumed energy comes from the traditional fuels in Bangladesh. This is causing rapid deforestation and consequently a change in the eco-systems leading to erosion and change in the climatic pattern. Extreme use of raw (low quality) biomass traditional cook stoves causes significant impacts on indoor air environment and as well on human health. In the study, an assessment of the cooking energy usage pattern, its potential impacts on indoor air environment and human health in a village named Deyara in Khulna district has been performed. The socio-economic status of the villagers and cooking energy usage pattern were evaluated by a questionnaire survey. In the study village Deyara, about 74% of the total households rely on biomass fuel, where the mostly used biomass is trees and its residues (46%), next the crop wastes (39%) and lastly the cow dung (15%). Emissions of different types of air pollutants and greenhouse gases from the burning of biomass cooking fuels the study village are estimated. In the study area the estimated annual emission of CO/sub 2/ is 45.5 tons which about 94% of the total emission, where CO is 4.5%, PM is 1 % and about 0.5% emission is of SO/sub x/, NO/sub x/, N/sub 2/O. In the study area the concentrations of air pollutants in the kitchen environment were estimated using an indoor air quality model. The model results show that the concentration around the household areas is not at tolerable level and due to only 1 hour biomass burning this concentration is 323 mg/m/sup 3/ for CO, 50.6 mg/m/sup 3/ for PM, 15 mg/m/sup 3/ for NO/sub 2/ and 9.6 mg/m/sup 3/ for SO/sub 2/. Not only this, from the combustion of biomass cooking fuels this concentrations of different carcinogens are also at high levels. For 1 hour burning of biomass fuel this concentration is

The straightforward numerical treatment of the time dependent advection in air pollution problems and its verification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hinrichsen, K

1982-01-01

A very simple Lagrangian finite difference scheme has been developed to calculate the time dependent advection of air pollutants. It is mass conserving and avoids numerical pseudo-diffusion. No condition of numerical stability is required. The Eulerian grid used for the diffusion part of the pollutant transport equation remains unchanged. There are no restrictions on temporally and spatially variable emission rates, production and destruction processes, wind velocity, diffusion coefficients, roughness parameters or inversion heights. The only exception is that the wind field should not be too far from being homogeneous in the horizontal direction (test of D. W. Pepper and P. E. Long, 1978, J. appl. Met. 17, 228-233). Steady state solutions are nearly identical with corresponding analytical solutions. The propagation of a pollutant cloud is simulated more realistically as compared with the advection treatment of E. Runca and F. Sardei (1975, Atmospheric Environment 9, 69-80) and M. Dunst (1980, Z. Met. 30, 47-59). The course of a diffusion experiment is modelled to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method. Because of its simplicity, the method is especially suited for use in license processes, for control, and for calculating health risks in relation to industrial and power plant accidents with the goal of organizing efficient protection or evacuation.

Double diffusivity model under stochastic forcing

Science.gov (United States)

Chattopadhyay, Amit K.; Aifantis, Elias C.

2017-05-01

account all boundary layer fluctuations. Our stochastic-ILG diffusion calculation confirms rapprochement between theory and experiment, thereby benchmarking a new generation of gradient-based continuum models that conform closer to real-life fluctuating environments.