Analysis of the use of transformable elements in intelligent tunnel ventilation systems

All main and auxiliary equipment in the tunnel with an intelligent ventilation system are designed to ensure the safety. These systems “talk” and “listen” to each other, make decisions to switch on/off certain system(s) or part(s) thereof and duly inform the tunnel operator, who is authorized to the centralized control of all systems of necessity. The present article uses the numerical models to assess the efficiency of the transformable elements ensuring safe operation of the tunnels. The idea of their use is based on an artificial increase of the tunnel aerodynamic resistance by means of a flexible element, which will hamper the dissemination of combustion products, but not the movement of people through the tunnel and will help isolate clean and polluted air masses. Such resistance will be used to swiftly divide the tunnel carriageway into smaller sections what will help extinguish the fire as early as at its initial stage, prolong the evacuation time and save lives during the strong uncontrollable fires. As for the compact transformable element, it can be used in both, the operating and the planned tunnels, as it in practice does not reduce the volume of valuable underground space.

INCREASING THE COMFORTABILITY OF THE VEHICLE DURING ACCELERATION BY IMPROVING THE DESIGN AND CONTROL METHODS OF THE MOTOR-TRANSMISSION UNIT

The derivative of acceleration with respect to time is used to evaluate and ensure driving comfort during acceleration and deceleration. Frequent and rapid changes in acceleration means frequent and rapid deformation, which can lead to the destruction of the load. The article proposes to minimize the amount of acceleration due to the rational choice of transmission ratios in intermediate gears and the law of changing the engine torque. The use of continuously variable transmissions allows you to solve the problem by choosing a rational law for changing the gear ratio of the transmission. The method of selection at the stage of car design of the maximum effective engine power and transmission ratio in top gear is proposed, taking into account the improved formula for calculating the aerodynamic resistance to motion. The required laws of change in the efficiency of the torque and engine power have been determined. The use of a continuously variable transmission allows the engine to operate at a constant high-speed mode and provides control over the acceleration of the car by changing the fuel supply. It is determined that the engine power expended on the movement with the adjustment of the acceleration of the car will be less than with unregulated acceleration if the exponent at the speed of the car, obtained experimentally, is less than one. Keywords: car; comfort; continuously variable transmission; motor-transmission unit; power; overclocking; aerodynamic resistance; gear ratio

Global cooling induced by biophysical effects of bioenergy crop cultivation

Bioenergy crop with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) is a key negative emission technology to meet carbon neutrality. However, the biophysical effects of widespread bioenergy crop cultivation on temperature remain unclear. Here, using a coupled atmosphere-land model with an explicit representation of lignocellulosic bioenergy crops, we find that after 50 years of large-scale bioenergy crop cultivation following plausible scenarios, global air temperature decreases by 0.03~0.08 °C, with strong regional contrasts and interannual variability. Over the cultivated regions, woody crops induce stronger cooling effects than herbaceous crops due to larger evapotranspiration rates and smaller aerodynamic resistance. At the continental scale, air temperature changes are not linearly proportional to the cultivation area. Sensitivity tests show that the temperature change is robust for eucalypt but more uncertain for switchgrass among different cultivation maps. Our study calls for new metrics to take the biophysical effects into account when assessing the climate mitigation capacity of BECCS.

Development of a laboratory nozzle chamber installation for the humidification of buildings

The nozzle chamber, in which water is sprayed into the air stream using mechanical nozzles, is the main unit for these processes in central air conditioning systems (AHUs). The types of nozzles used do not have a sufficiently high effect of interfacial surface forming due to increased metal usage and the broad total dimensions of certain chambers, i.e., they do not have intensive heat and mass transfer. The authors performed testing of the apparatus in the direct iso-enthalpic air cooling mode to improve the performance of the nozzle chamber. Thus, the experiments conducted confirm the relatively high efficiency of FET operation at small values of irrigation coefficient B ≥ 1.0. The area highlighted is characterised by the unstable operation of other nozzle types. Therefore, FET nozzles can be operated at irrigation factor values B = 0.1…1.0. Experiments have shown that this equation is applicable for practical calculations, with a relative error of ±6.7%. The aerodynamic resistance of the spray chamber nozzle chambers is also according to the data not exceeding 160 Pa.

The effect of air flow on an aerodynamic device for a pantograph

Objective: To evaluate the infl uence of the parameters of current collectors of high-speed and very high-speed trains on the value of aerodynamic resistance. To study the effect of airfl ow on a pantograph aerodynamic device using SolidWorks software. Methods: A comparison of the obtained values of aerodynamic air resistance with those that were produced earlier is carried out. Results: By means of aerodynamic device, it is possible to reduce the speed of the air fl ow effecting the pantograph, to reduce the values of aerodynamic resistance and energy consumption, to extend the service life of current collectors. Practical importance: The proposed design can improve the current collection, which will reduce the load on the overhead line and the pantograph slide, and reduce the energy consumption of electric rolling stock.

Temperature regime of painted parts in awning-type drying chambers at low ambient temperatures

The paper considers the problem of colouring large-sized objects, such as modules of sea and river vessels at low ambient temperatures. The temperature distribution depends on the thermal resistance of the walls of the drying chamber, the main characteristics of the heater fan, the dimensions of the chamber and the painted module, the gaps between the walls. The calculation should take into account the aerodynamic resistance of the drying chamber with the part placed in it, the influence of free convection, heat loss and the peculiarities of air distribution inside the shelter. The paper presents the results of a study of the influence of the size of the drying chamber, the size of the painted module, ambient temperatures and air coming from the heater, fan parameters, methods of placing the fan and exhaust ventilation on the range of air temperature changes in the tent. The methods of numerical modelling and experimental studies were used in the study. Based on the results obtained, a calculation method is proposed that allows determining the decrease in temperature inside the chamber relative to the temperature of the air coming from the heater. To automate the calculations, a program has been developed to determine the parameters of the air after heating with a fan heater.

Application of physical theory of cavity in the construction of double skin facades

The article deals with the issue of double skin transparent facades as a new technological-operational system of transparent exterior walls. Especially of high-rise buildings, which with its operating modes ingeniously uses a renewable source of solar energy to reduce the energy needs of the building. The basic precondition for the correct function of the double skin facade is its functional aerodynamics in any climatic conditions of the outdoor climate. In the critical state of windlessness, the aerodynamic quantification of a double skin facade is the total aerodynamic resistance of the cavity, which consists of the aerodynamic frictional resistances along the length of the air flow line and local aerodynamic resistances of the cavity. The article analyses the functional aerodynamics on two frequented types of double skin facades with a narrow type and corridor type cavity. At the end it confronts functional aerodynamics with the results of their temperature, aerodynamic and energy regime obtained from in-situ experiments.

Modelling plant transpiration and leaf climate using CFD

Research into vertical farms or plant factories is steadily increasing over the years, as the demand for sustainable food production and a shift to more environmental friendly food production is occurring. Modelling plant climate in these confined spaces is therefore essential to guarantee optimal growing conditions. Modelling of plant climate has already been done in greenhouses, but at length scales much bigger than individual leaves. In this study, one single plant will be modelled, using computational fluid dynamics and by incorporating additional source terms in the relevant transport equations. Plants are modelled using the big leaf approach, where a plant is modelled as one artificial leaf. Water vapour flux in plants is controlled by two resistances in series, the aerodynamic resistance, which is a function of the boundary layer around the leaves and the stomatal resistance, which is the resistance against water vapour transport in leaves. Two different plants are studied, impatiens pot plant and basil plants. Values of stomatal resistance for these crops are obtained from literature or were measured. Evapotranspiration was compared with the Penman-Monteith equation.