scholarly journals Information Processing and Assessment for Improved Computational Energy Modelling

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-49
Author(s):  
Zuhair A Nasar

This study explores how designer interacts with the computational model. This research intends to demystify how “design knowledge” is obtained, used and processed in the age of computation. The paper shows how the computational modelling tools associated with performance-based parametric design help support design decisions during the initial design phases. Building Energy Performance (BEP) is chosen as the main context to develop a set of criteria for the iterative development, testing, evaluation, and validation of a prototype model. Therefore, as a practical work, the research explores a series of new energy simulation modelling techniques based on parametric design and multi optimization-based design. Specifically, it aims to explore, develop, and test new approaches in parametric modelling that can support energy simulation, using multi optimization, where designers can easily state the design parameters and use them in energy-performance-based design. The exploratory research approach is the main theme of this research. However, during the development of the research it was found that there is a need to blend this research design with the descriptive research approach. One of the key contributions of this study will be the development of a more direct link and useful methods for the translation of information into data inputs to support computational thinking and modelling processes.

Author(s):  
Oluwole K. Bowoto ◽  
Omonigho P. Emenuvwe ◽  
Meysam N. Azadani

AbstractThis study proposes a design model for conserving and utilizing energy affordably and intermittently considering the wind rush experienced in the patronage of renewable energy sources for cheaper generation of electricity and the solar energy potential especially in continents of Africa and Asia. Essentially, the global quest for sustainable development across every sector is on the rise; hence, the need for a sustainable method of extracting energy cheaply with less wastage and pollution is on the priority list. This research, integrates and formulates different ideologies, factors and variables that have been adopted in previous research studies to create an efficient system. Some of the aforementioned researches includes pumped hydro gravity storage system, Compressed air gravity storage system, suspended weight in abandoned mine shaft, dynamic modelling of gravity energy storage coupled with a PV energy plant and deep ocean gravity energy storage. As an alternative and a modification to these systems, this research is proposing a Combined solar and gravity energy storage system. The design synthesis and computational modelling of the proposed system model were investigated using a constant height and but varying mass. Efficiencies reaching up to 62% was achieved using the chosen design experimental parameters adopted in this work. However, this efficiency can be tremendously improved upon if the design parameters are modified putting certain key factors which are highlighted in the limitation aspect of this research into consideration. Also, it was observed that for a test load of 50 × 103 mA running for 10 h (3600 s), the proposed system will only need to provide a torque of 3.27Nm and a height range of 66.1 × 104 m when a mass of 10 kg is lifted to give out power of 48 kwh. Since gravity storage requires intermittent actions and structured motions, mathematical models were used to analyse the system performance characteristics amongst other important parameters using tools like MATLAB Simscape modelling toolbox, Microsoft excel and Sysml Model software.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Farideh Haghighi ◽  
Zahra Talebpour ◽  
Amir Sanati-Nezhad

AbstractFlow distributor located at the beginning of the micromachined pillar array column (PAC) has significant roles in uniform distribution of flow through separation channels and thus separation efficiency. Chip manufacturing artifacts, contaminated solvents, and complex matrix of samples may contribute to clogging of the microfabricated channels, affect the distribution of the sample, and alter the performance of both natural and engineered systems. An even fluid distribution must be achieved cross-sectionally through careful design of flow distributors and minimizing the sensitivity to clogging in order to reach satisfactory separation efficiency. Given the difficulty to investigate experimentally a high number of clogging conditions and geometries, this work exploits a computational fluid dynamic model to investigate the effect of various design parameters on the performance of flow distributors in equally spreading the flow along the separation channels in the presence of different degrees of clogging. An array of radially elongated hexagonal pillars was selected for the separation channel (column). The design parameters include channel width, distributor width, aspect ratio of the pillars, and number of contact zone rows. The performance of known flow distributors, including bifurcating (BF), radially interconnected (RI), and recently introduced mixed-mode (MMI) in addition to two new distributors designed in this work (MMII and MMIII) were investigated in terms of mean elution time, volumetric variance, asymmetry factors, and pressure drop between the inlet and the monitor line for each design. The results show that except for pressure drop, the channel width and aspect ratio of the pillars has no significant influence on flow distribution pattern in non-clogged distributors. However, the behavior of flow distributors in response to clogging was found to be dependent on width of the channels. Also increasing the distributor width and number of contact zone rows after the first splitting stage showed no improvement in the ability to alleviate the clogging. MMI distributor with the channel width of 3 µm, aspect ratio of the pillars equal to 20, number of exits of 8, and number of contact zones of 3 exhibited the highest stability and minimum sensitivity to different degrees of clogging.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7670
Author(s):  
Doris A. Chi ◽  
Edwin González M. ◽  
Renato Valdivia ◽  
Eduardo Gutiérrez J.

This work implements parametric tools to optimize the environmental design of urban adaptive shadings through multiobjective evolutionary algorithms that look for solutions of dynamic (time-changing) structures used in open public spaces. The proposal is located in Malecon Cancun Tajamar in the southeast part of Mexico, and the main objective is to enhance the thermal comfort of users as well as to become part of the social dynamics of the place reinforcing identity through appropriation. The proposed workflow includes four steps: (1) geometric modelling by parametric modelling tools; (2) simulation of environmental parameters by using BPS tools; (3) shape optimization by using an evolutionary algorithm; and (4) environmental verification of the results. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) was used to assess the outdoor thermal comfort derived from the dynamic shadings. The results showed a significant improvement in the thermal comfort with absolute UTCI differences of 3.9, 7.4, and 3.1 °C at 8, 12, and 16 h, respectively, during the summer; and absolute differences of 1.4, 3.5, and 2 °C at 8, 12, and 16 h, respectively, during the winter. The proposed workflow can help to guide the early design process of dynamic shadings by finding optimal solutions that enhance outdoor thermal comfort.


Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 94
Author(s):  
Tara L. Cavalline ◽  
Jorge Gallegos ◽  
Reid W. Castrodale ◽  
Charles Freeman ◽  
Jerry Liner ◽  
...  

Due to their porous nature, lightweight aggregates have been shown to exhibit thermal properties that are advantageous when used in building materials such as lightweight concrete, grout, mortar, and concrete masonry units. Limited data exist on the thermal properties of materials that incorporate lightweight aggregate where the pore system has not been altered, and very few studies have been performed to quantify the building energy performance of structures constructed using lightweight building materials in commonly utilized structural and building envelope components. In this study, several lightweight concrete and masonry building materials were tested to determine the thermal properties of the bulk materials, providing more accurate inputs to building energy simulation than have previously been used. These properties were used in EnergyPlus building energy simulation models for several types of commercial structures for which materials containing lightweight aggregates are an alternative commonly considered for economic and aesthetic reasons. In a simple model, use of sand lightweight concrete resulted in prediction of 15–17% heating energy savings and 10% cooling energy savings, while use of all lightweight concrete resulted in prediction of approximately 35–40% heating energy savings and 30% cooling energy savings. In more complex EnergyPlus reference models, results indicated superior thermal performance of lightweight aggregate building materials in 48 of 50 building energy simulations. Predicted energy savings for the five models ranged from 0.2% to 6.4%.


2013 ◽  
Vol 791-793 ◽  
pp. 799-802
Author(s):  
Ya Ping Wang ◽  
H.R. Shi ◽  
L. Gao ◽  
Z. Wang ◽  
X.Y. Jia ◽  
...  

With the increasing of the aging of population all over the world, and With the inconvenience coming from diseases and damage, there will be more and more people using the wheelchair as a tool for transport. When it cant be short of the wheelchair in the daily life, the addition of the function will bring the elevation of the quality of life for the unfortunate. Staring with this purpose, the research designs a pickup with planetary bevel gear for the wheelchair. After determining the basic function of the wheelchair aids, the study determines the design parameters by using the knowledge of parametric design and completes the model for the system with Pro/E, on the other hand, it completes key components optimization analysis which is based on genetic algorithm optimization.


Author(s):  
Myung-Jin Choi ◽  
Min-Geun Kim ◽  
Seonho Cho

We developed a shape-design optimization method for the thermo-elastoplasticity problems that are applicable to the welding or thermal deformation of hull structures. The point is to determine the shape-design parameters such that the deformed shape after welding fits very well to a desired design. The geometric parameters of curved surfaces are selected as the design parameters. The shell finite elements, forward finite difference sensitivity, modified method of feasible direction algorithm and a programming language ANSYS Parametric Design Language in the established code ANSYS are employed in the shape optimization. The objective function is the weighted summation of differences between the deformed and the target geometries. The proposed method is effective even though new design variables are added to the design space during the optimization process since the multiple steps of design optimization are used during the whole optimization process. To obtain the better optimal design, the weights are determined for the next design optimization, based on the previous optimal results. Numerical examples demonstrate that the localized severe deviations from the target design are effectively prevented in the optimal design.


Author(s):  
Obaidur Rahman Mohammed ◽  
D. V. Suresh ◽  
Hamid M. Lankarani

Abstract The increase in public transportation in the last decade has resulted in a larger pedestrian population and hence a larger number of pedestrian collisions. In the past, car-pedestrian accident prevention had been a challenge for automotive and transport safety members. Recent reports in car-pedestrian accidents have influenced many improvements to prioritize pedestrian protection for automotive industries. The number of pedestrian fatalities in U.S has raised in last decade proportionally, Car manufacturers, and transport investigation teams are implementing new product designs and adding new development methods to reduce the risk of pedestrian collisions. In this study, adult headform and upper legform is tested with a finite element vehicle model to examine the simulation results and injury behavior during impact. All finite element simulation tests are produced under Euro-NCAP Committee regulations. Finite element models are configured as per the regulation’s and testing criteria. Both upper legform impactor and adult headform finite simulation results are tested with assessing criteria limits. Finite simulation tests are carried on the LS-DYNA – Code platform. This comparative study between sedan and pickup finite vehicle models gives an injury risk prediction of pedestrian safety and assesses design parameters of automotive industries.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Renas K.M. Sherko ◽  
Yusuf Arayici ◽  
Mike Kagioglou

A significant amount of energy is consumed by buildings due to ineffective design decisions with little consideration for energy efficiency. Yet, performance parameters should be considered during the early design phase, which is vital for improved energy performance and lower CO2 emissions. BIM, as a new way of working methodology, can help for performance-based design. However, it is still infancy in architectural practice about how BIM can be used to develop energy efficient design. Thus, the aim is to propose a strategic framework to guide architects about how to do performance-based design considering the local values and energy performance parameters. The research adopts a multi case study approach to gain qualitative and quantitative insights into the building energy performance considering the building design parameters. The outcome is a new design approach and protocol to assist designers to successfully use BIM for design optimization, PV technology use in design, rules-based design and performance assessment scheme reflecting local values.


Author(s):  
Von-Wun Soo ◽  
Tse-Ching Wang

A framework IPD (Iterative Parametric Design) is proposed to assist the iterative parametric mechanical design process. To effectively find a set of satisfiable values for the design parameters the key is to find good heuristics to adjust or tune the parametric values resulting from previous design iterations. We propose that heuristics can come from two aspects by both qualitative and quantitative reasoning. Qualitative reasoning, based on confluences, provides global control over the feasible directions of variable adjustments, while quantitative reasoning, based on the dependency network and perturbation analysis, can be used to propose actual quantity of local variable adjustments. We used the design of a helical compression spring as an example to illustrate the performance of IPD system. We show that IPD can often find a solution faster than those without guidance of qualitative and quantitative reasoning.


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