Effects of solar radiation and wind speed on metabolic heat production by two mammals with contrasting coat colours.

1995 ◽  
Vol 198 (7) ◽  
pp. 1499-1507 ◽  
Author(s):  
G E Walsberg ◽  
B O Wolf

We report the first empirical data describing the interactive effects of simultaneous changes in irradiance and convection on energy expenditure by live mammals. Whole-animal rates of solar heat gain and convective heat loss were measured for representatives of two ground squirrel species, Spermophilus lateralis and Spermophilus saturatus, that contrast in coloration. Radiative heat gain was quantified as the decrease in metabolic heat production caused by the animal's exposure to simulated solar radiation. Changes in convective heat loss were quantified as the variation in metabolic heat production caused by changes in wind speed. For both species, exposure to 780 W m-2 of simulated solar radiation significantly reduced metabolic heat production at all wind speeds measured. Reductions were greatest at lower wind speeds, reaching 42% in S. lateralis and 29% in S. saturatus. Solar heat gain, expressed per unit body surface area, did not differ significantly between the two species. This heat gain equalled 14-21% of the radiant energy intercepted by S. lateralis and 18-22% of that intercepted by S. saturatus. Body resistance, an index of animal insulation, declined by only 10% in S. saturatus and 13% in S. lateralis as wind speed increased from 0.5 to 4.0 ms-1. These data demonstrate that solar heat gain can be essentially constant, despite marked differences in animal coloration, and that variable exposure to wind and sunlight can have important consequences for both thermoregulatory stress experienced by animals and their patterns of energy allocation.

2000 ◽  
Vol 203 (4) ◽  
pp. 803-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.O. Wolf ◽  
K.M. Wooden ◽  
G.E. Walsberg

The energy budgets of small endotherms are profoundly affected by characteristics of the physical environment such as wind speed, air temperature and solar radiation. Among these, solar radiation represents a potentially very large heat load to small animals and may have an important influence on their thermoregulatory metabolism and heat balance. In this investigation, we examined the interactive effects of wind speed and irradiance on body temperature, thermoregulatory metabolism and heat balance in the white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii). We measured changes in metabolic heat production by exposing birds to different wind speeds (0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 m s(−1)) and irradiance combinations (<3 W m(−2) and 936+/−11 W m(−2); mean +/− s.d.) at an air temperature of 10 degrees C. Body temperature was not affected by wind speed, but was significantly higher in animals not exposed to simulated solar radiation compared with those exposed at most wind speeds. In the absence of solar radiation, metabolic heat production was strongly affected by wind speed and increased by 30 % from 122 to 159 W m(−2) as wind speed increased from 0.25 to 2.0 m s(−1). Metabolic heat production was even more strongly influenced by wind speed in the presence of simulated solar radiation and increased by 51% from 94 to 142 W m(−2) as wind speed increased from 0.25 to 2. 0 m s(−1). Solar heat gain was negatively correlated with wind speed and declined from 28 to 12 W m(−2) as wind speed increased from 0.25 to 2.0 m s(−1) and, at its maximum, equaled 11% of the radiation intercepted by the animal. The overall thermal impact of the various wind speed and irradiance combinations on the animal's heat balance was examined for each treatment. Under cold conditions, with no solar radiation present, an increase in wind speed from 0.25 to 2.0 m s(−1) was equivalent to a decrease in chamber air temperature of 12.7 degrees C. With simulated solar radiation present, a similar increase in wind speed was equivalent to a decrease in chamber air temperature of 16 degrees C. Overall, shifting environmental conditions from a wind speed of 0.25 m s(−1) and irradiance of 936 W m(−2) to a wind speed of 2.0 m s(−1) with no short-wave radiation present was equivalent to decreasing chamber air temperature by approximately 20 degrees C. The sensitivity to changes in the convective environment, combined with the complex effects of changes in irradiance levels revealed by re-analyzing data published previously, significantly complicates the task of estimating the heat balance of animals in nature.


2000 ◽  
Vol 203 (5) ◽  
pp. 879-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.M. Wooden ◽  
G.E. Walsberg

To understand better how complex interactions between environmental variables affect the energy balance of small diurnal animals, we studied the effects of the absence and presence of 950 W m(−)(2) simulated solar radiation combined with wind speeds ranging from 0. 25 to 1.00 m s(−)(1) on the metabolic rate and body temperature of the round-tailed ground squirrel Spermophilus tereticaudus. As wind speed increased from 0.25 to 1.00 m s(−)(1), metabolic heat production increased by 0.94 W in the absence of solar radiation and by 0.98 W in the presence of 950 W m(−)(2) simulated solar radiation. Exposure to simulated solar radiation reduced metabolic heat production by 0.68 W at a wind speed of 0.25 m s(−)(1), by 0.64 W at 0.50 m s(−)(1) and by 0.64 W at 1.00 m s(−)(1). Body temperature was significantly affected by environmental conditions, ranging from 32. 5 degrees C at a wind speed of 1.0 m s(−)(1) and no irradiance to 35. 6 degrees C at a wind speed of 0.50 m s(−)(1) with 950 W m(−)(2)short-wave irradiance. In addition, several unusual findings resulted from this study. The coat of S. tereticaudus is very sparse, and the observed heat transfer of 5.68+/−0.37 W m(−)(2) degrees C(−)(1) (mean +/− s.e.m., N=11) is much higher than expected from either allometric equations or comparative studies with other rodents of similar mass. Solar heat gain was remarkably low, equalling only 10 % of intercepted radiation and suggesting a remarkably high regional thermal resistance at the tissue level. Animals remained normally active and alert at body temperatures as low as 32.5 degrees C. These findings suggest a unique combination of adaptations that allow S. tereticaudus to exploit a harsh desert environment.


1999 ◽  
Vol 202 (11) ◽  
pp. 1523-1533 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.P. Roberts ◽  
J.F. Harrison

Thermoregulation of the thorax allows honeybees (Apis mellifera) to maintain the flight muscle temperatures necessary to meet the power requirements for flight and to remain active outside the hive across a wide range of air temperatures (Ta). To determine the heat-exchange pathways through which flying honeybees achieve thermal stability, we measured body temperatures and rates of carbon dioxide production and water vapor loss between Ta values of 21 and 45 degrees C for honeybees flying in a respirometry chamber. Body temperatures were not significantly affected by continuous flight duration in the respirometer, indicating that flying bees were at thermal equilibrium. Thorax temperatures (Tth) during flight were relatively stable, with a slope of Tth on Ta of 0.39. Metabolic heat production, calculated from rates of carbon dioxide production, decreased linearly by 43 % as Ta rose from 21 to 45 degrees C. Evaporative heat loss increased nonlinearly by over sevenfold, with evaporation rising rapidly at Ta values above 33 degrees C. At Ta values above 43 degrees C, head temperature dropped below Ta by approximately 1–2 degrees C, indicating that substantial evaporation from the head was occurring at very high Ta values. The water flux of flying honeybees was positive at Ta values below 31 degrees C, but increasingly negative at higher Ta values. At all Ta values, flying honeybees experienced a net radiative heat loss. Since the honeybees were in thermal equilibrium, convective heat loss was calculated as the amount of heat necessary to balance metabolic heat gain against evaporative and radiative heat loss. Convective heat loss decreased strongly as Ta rose because of the decrease in the elevation of body temperature above Ta rather than the variation in the convection coefficient. In conclusion, variation in metabolic heat production is the dominant mechanism of maintaining thermal stability during flight between Ta values of 21 and 33 degrees C, but variations in metabolic heat production and evaporative heat loss are equally important to the prevention of overheating during flight at Ta values between 33 and 45 degrees C.


The parameters of solar radiation affecting man in Antarctica are considered, using data from two coastal stations and from the South Pole. Observations of solar radiation and its effects on clothing and skin temperatures of men standing on snow at Scott Base are reported. From measurements of the spectral reflectance of the outer garments and the regional thermal insulation of the clothing made subsequently, the solar heat gain at the clothing surface and its effect on heat transmission through the clothing and on heat loss to the environment were calculated. The effective surface area of the clothed body surface exposed to direct and reflected solar radiation, and the effective surface areas concerned in low temperature radiation exchange and convective heat loss, are considered. An attempt was made to determine these areas by direct measurement. The results were used to calculate values for the solar heat gain by the whole body and the cooling power of the environment under Antarctic conditions, the combined effects of which are expressed in terms of a temperature increment to be added to the ambient air temperature.


2021 ◽  
Vol 881 (1) ◽  
pp. 012048
Author(s):  
Abdul Hakim Abdul Majid ◽  
Azhar Ghazali

Abstract One of the most efficient methods to optimize thermal performance in a building is the practical design of the façade. The double skin façade‘(DSF) is a crucial decision for handling the interaction between outdoor and indoor spaces. It also offers some spatial diversity in the design process. Recently, a lot of focus has been paid to it instead of the more traditionally glazed curtain wall. This is because of its potential to reduce energy effectively, achieve thermal comfort in the building, and save costs. The indoor spaces near to the glazed facades will become warm due to high incidence solar radiation on the East-West facades in Malaysia’s tropical environment. In the tropics, one of the solar heat gain reduction approaches is the use of double skin-facade (DSF). One of the fundamental components of the double-skin facade is the blinds. Blinds located in the cavity of the double-skinned facade and buffer the building from solar heat gain or perform the role of a pre-heater for ventilation air. In general, the temperature of the blinds is high, which is helpful in the cold period but problematic in the hot period. To minimize the cooling loads of the building, technological innovations for the shading system are considered. Plants can dissipate absorbed solar radiation into resistant and latent heat. Plants turn radiation into the latent heat. This paper aims to study the effectiveness of a double skin façade and explore improved innovative design for a double-skin façade design integrated with vertical green on research building to optimize thermal performance. This paper will collect data of the thermal performance of double skin façade, precedent study and run simulation analysis to achieve the aim of the paper.


1989 ◽  
Vol 142 (1) ◽  
pp. 387-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
GLENN E. WALSBERG ◽  
CATHERINE A. SCHMIDT

Physical theory predicts that animals with fur or feather coats can adjust solar heat gain independently of surface coloration or environmental factors by altering coat structure or hair optical properties. This hypothesis is tested by examining seasonal changes in the solar heat load transferred to the skin by the pelage of a desert-dwelling mammal, the rock squirrel (Spermophilus variegatus). Although coat colour remains constant, solar heat gain at low wind speeds is about 20% greater in winter coats than in summer coats. This change is in an apparently adaptive direction and is predicted to have a major effect on the animal's heat balance in nature. The determinants of these alterations in solar heat gain are explored using an empirically validated biophysical model and are found to result from changes in hair optics and coat structure. These results suggest the existence of a previously unknown mode of long-term thermoregulation that allows adjustment of solar heat gain without affecting the animal's external appearance.


Author(s):  
Daryl M G Hurrie ◽  
Emily Hildebrand ◽  
Scott M Arnould ◽  
Jeremy Plett ◽  
Daniel Bellan ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Victims of severe hypothermia require external rewarming, as self-rewarming through shivering heat production is either minimal or absent. The US Military commonly uses forced-air warming in field hospitals, but these systems require significant power (600–800 W) and are not portable. This study compared the rewarming effectiveness of an electric resistive heating pad system (requiring 80 W) to forced-air rewarming on cold subjects in whom shivering was pharmacologically inhibited. Materials and Methods Shivering was inhibited by intravenous meperidine (1.5 mg/kg), administered during the last 10 min of cold-water immersion. Subjects then exited from the cold water, were dried and lay on a rescue bag for 120 min in one of the following conditions: spontaneous rewarming only (rescue bag closed); electric resistive heating pads (EHP) wrapped from the anterior to posterior torso (rescue bag closed); or, forced-air warming (FAW) over the anterior surface of the body (rescue bag left open and cotton blanket draped over warming blanket). Supplemental meperidine (to a maximum cumulative dose of 3.3 mg/kg) was administered as required during rewarming to suppress shivering. Results Six healthy subjects (3 m, 3 f) were cooled on three different occasions, each in 8°C water to an average nadir core temperature of 34.4 ± 0.6°C (including afterdrop). There were no significant differences between core rewarming rates (spontaneous; 0.6 ± 0.3, FAW; 0.7 ± 0.2, RHP; 0.6 ± 0.2°C/h) or post-cooling afterdrop (spontaneous; 1.9 ± 0.4, FAW; 1.9 ± 0.3, RHP; 1.6 ± 0.2°C) in any of the 3 conditions. There were also no significant differences between metabolic heat production (S; 74 ± 20, FAW; 66 ± 12, RHP; 63 ± 9 W). Total heat gain was greater with FAW (36 W gain) than EHP (13 W gain) and spontaneous (13 W loss) warming (p < 0.005). Conclusions Total heat gain was greater in FAW than both EHP, and spontaneous rewarming conditions, however, there were no observed differences found in rewarming rates, post-cooling afterdrop or metabolic heat production. The electric heat pad system provided similar rewarming performance to a forced-air warming system commonly used in US military field hospitals for hypothermic patients. A battery-powered version of this system would not only relieve pressure on the field hospital power supply but could also potentially allow extending use to locations closer to the field of operations and during transport. Such a system could be studied in larger groups in prospective trials on colder patients.


2014 ◽  
Vol 899 ◽  
pp. 77-82
Author(s):  
Roman Rabenseifer

Occasionally, there are suggestions from professional public to use the total solar energy transmittance coefficient, g (solar factor), to describe not only transparent, but also opaque structures, particularly with regard to overheating of the under-roof spaces. The standard EN 410:1998 (Glass in building - Determination of luminous and solar characteristics of glazing) introduces the g-value as the sum of primary solar heat gain, g1, due to the transparency of the glazing and the secondary solar heat gain, g2, due to the absorption of solar radiation and its conversion into heat conduction and radiation over the total incident solar heat flux, φe. Nevertheless the value of g1 may have zero or nearly zero value, e.g. in case of non-transparent glass. In addition to it, the standard ISO 15099:2003 (Thermal performance of windows, doors and shading devices - Detailed calculations) introduces equation for calculation of the frame g-value (actually the frame total solar energy transmittance), where window frames are clearly opaque components. What is then the difference between glass and "standard" opaque wall or roof? Why is in the latter case always introduced zero and in the first one some value different from zero? Won't it be practical, especially in time of large existing opportunities of computer use, to implement the use of g-values also in case of ordinary opaque structures and express their resistance to the absorption and conversion of solar radiation and thus overheating the adjacent interior spaces? This paper attempts, using EN ISO 13786 (Thermal performance of building components - Dynamic thermal characteristics - Calculation methods) and computer-aided models of transient heat transfer, to explain why the suggestion of using of the g-value in case of opaque components is not entirely correct and, why priority should be given to the dynamic thermal characteristics specified in this standard.


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