Search results for "CONSTRUCTION"
showing 10 items of 2670 documents
Retrofitting existing buildings by means of innovative envelope components: low-impacting new assemblies
2020
Current policies addressing the energy efficiency of buildings aimed at the control of their overall primary energy demand, require not only that the edifice envelope has to be properly designed to optimize its thermal performances, but also that the eco-friendly properties of the involved building materials have to be properly taken into account, in order of assessing all the associated environmental costs. In fact, the design of envelope structures that are able to realize proper levels of thermal insulation and, in the same time, to employ materials characterized by low environmental impacts, are believed as the most effective strategies to be adopted in the aim of addressing the above-m…
Indoor lighting quality: Effects of different wall colours
2016
This paper reports the results of measurements performed in a test room to investigate the impact of using different wall colours and light scenes on indoor lighting quality. Eye level spectral irradiances were measured for a user located inside the room and seated at a desk. These measurements allow the use of the Irradiance Toolbox, which makes it possible to calculate equivalent illuminances for the photopigments in the human eye. Moreover, the CIECAM02 colour appearance model was used to investigate the variations in hue and chroma values of the different wall colours when changing the light scene. The results demonstrate that there are significant variations in eye level spectral irra…
The interaction between intermittent renewable energy and the electricity, heating and transport sectors
2012
In a global perspective, it is essential that the world transfers from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources in order to minimise climate change effects. As a part of such transition energy savings are also important, as they can decrease production costs effectively. The nature of such a change is that it has to be implemented on a local level. Energy saving technologies are placed with the demand decrease and renewable energy is typically distributed where the resources are. In some parts of the world, energy savings have resulted in a stabilisation of the energy demands, however in the world as such, demands are still increasing in buildings, transport and industry. Although the deman…
Study of Influence of the LED Technologies on Visual and Subjective/Individual Aspects
2018
The general aim of this paper is that to further deepen and elaborate the results obtained in a previous study of the authors, in which the relationship between the characteristics of five different types of LED lamps and the humans non-image-forming reactions were investigated, by conducting a more detailed statistical analysis and by highlighting the neurological aspects.
Does the 5-strand-graft have superior biomechanical behaviour than 4-strand-graft during acl reconstruction?
2019
Purpose. This study aimed to compare the biomechanical proprieties of 4 and 5-strand- grafts. Methods. For the present study, fresh-frozen bovine common digital extensor tendons were used. Tendon grafts were prepared and sized to have a length of almost 27 cm and a cylinder 4 strand diameter of 8 mm. In half of all samples (Group A, n=12,), the graft was formed by 2 bundles duplicated around a metallic rod creating a 4-strand-tendon construct. In the other half of samples (Group B, n= 12,) 5-strand-tendon construct was created duplicating a single tendon around the rod, and tripling the other one. The grafts were preconditioned at 50 N for 10 min, followed by 1,000 cyclic loading between 50…
Techno-economic analysis of integrated processes for the treatment and valorisation of neutral coal mine effluents
2020
Abstract The disposal of highly-concentrated neutral coal mine effluents into the environment constitutes a severe threat to the natural ecosystem. This work proposes and compares five novel treatment chains to purify the effluent and recover raw materials. The chains present different combinations of pre-treatment and concentration technologies. In all cases, the solution sent to the concentration step is concentrated up to saturation to recover water and sodium chloride. Concerning the technical performances, the treatment chains are compared in terms of total energy demand and salt recovery. Furthermore, the economic feasibility assessment is performed via a novel global parameter, i.e. …
Combined membrane and thermal desalination processes for the treatment of ion exchange resins spent brine
2019
Abstract The disposal of industrial wastewater effluents represents a critical environmental issue. This work focuses on the treatment of the spent brine produced by the regeneration of ion exchange resins employed for water softening. For the first time, a comprehensive techno-economic assessment and an analysis of the energy requirements of the treatment chain are carried out, via the simulation of ad hoc implemented models. The chain is composed of nanofiltration, double-stage crystallization and multi-effect distillation. The valuable product is the brine produced by the multi-effect distillation, which can be re-used for the regeneration. Therefore, the treatment chain’s economic feasi…
Reverse electrodialysis with NH4HCO3-water systems for heat-to-power conversion
2017
Abstract A Reverse ElectroDialysis Heat Engine (REDHE) system operating with “thermolytic” ammonium hydrogen-carbonate (NH4HCO3) aqueous solutions as working fluids is studied. The engine is constituted by (i) a RED unit to produce electric power by mixing the solutions at different salinity and (ii) a thermally-driven regeneration unit including a stripping and an absorption column to restore the initial salinity gradient thus closing the cycle. In the present work only the RED unit and the stripping column are taken into account. In particular, a simplified integrated process model for the whole cycle was developed: it consists of (i) a lumped parameter model for the RED unit validated wi…
Critical Raw Materials and Supply Chain Disruption in the Energy Transition
2022
The energy transition towards efficient energy production, transport, and use, renewable energy (RE) technologies and innovative energy management brings benefits to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and achieving climate targets. The transition requires resources, minerals, metals, and materials for RE technologies themselves, for example, solar photovoltaics (PV), hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) as well as innovative supporting technologies for variable RE, for example, energy storage systems (ESSs). This requirement of resources and materials occurs over the whole supply chain of the technologies, from the extraction of resources, the manufacture of technology, and the deployme…
Life Cycle Energy Consumption and Air Emissions Comparison of Alternative and Conventional Bus Fleets in Vietnam
2022
The study (a) assesses the life cycle energy consumption and air emissions impacts of battery electric buses (e-buses) and conventional buses operated in Vietnam, and (b) compares them with those of hydrogen buses. The results indicate that e-buses and hydrogen buses are preferred options compared to conventional buses in terms of energy consumption, GHG emissions and other air quality impacts over their whole life cycle. Life cycle energy consumption of diesel buses is triple that of e-buses, and is significantly higher than that of hydrogen buses. Replacing conventional buses with e-buses can reduce energy consumption by 50%. For GHG emissions and air quality impacts, the adoption of elec…