Browsing by Subject "Energy modeling"

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    Modeling of transport processes for the reduction of energy use in commercial buildings
    (2013-12) Clark, Jordan Douglas; Novoselac, Atila
    Buildings are responsible for over a third of the energy consumption in the United States annually. This energy consumption contributes to some of the most pressing problems facing our society. Modeling of buildings and their systems is an integral part of most strategies for reduction of energy use in buildings. Modeling allows for informed building designs, optimization of systems, and greater market acceptance of new energy-saving technologies. This work addresses two particular modeling applications concerned with reduction of energy usage in buildings: convective heat transfer modeling in perimeter zones, and liquid desiccant dehumidification modeling. The first objective of this work is concerned with modeling convective transport in buildings and creation of inputs for energy modeling programs and passive pollutant removal calculations. This is accomplished through four investigations. In the first investigation, the influence of floor diffusers on convection heat transfer at perimeter zone windows in commercial buildings is measured. In the second, the impact of blinds on convection under a variety of circumstances is quantified. In the third, movement of air jets issuing from floor diffusers is predicted, and the effect of buoyancy on convective heat transfer at perimeter zone surfaces is analyzed. In the fourth investigation, convective mass transfer at indoor surfaces is investigated. Full scale experiments were conducted in support of these four investigations and semi-empirical correlations vii consistent with theory are given to predict jet movement and convective transport under a variety of circumstances. The second objective of this dissertation is concerned with modeling and analysis of liquid desiccant dehumidification systems and is pursued through three additional investigations. The first is concerned with modeling small-scale transport within the channels of a liquid desiccant absorber and regenerator. Physical and empirical models are developed which agree well with laboratory data. During the second investigation, a dynamic model of a liquid desiccant dehumidification system is developed and integrated into a full-building energy simulation. This is used to assess the potential applicability of the system in supermarkets in various climates. The models developed are used to optimize the system and develop a procedure to size components in the final investigation.
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    Obstacle or opportunity : exploring energy education opportunities in a low-income community
    (2012-05) Beltran, Marco Andreas; Rai, Varun; Zarnikau, Jay
    This thesis examines an effort to increase energy conservation in low-income housing communities through an educational program. The Saving Green Program offered at Foundation Communities in Austin, Texas attempts to educate residents about their energy usage and ways to reduce it. Activities include a class, an in-home energy visit, and energy feedback reports. We take several approaches in analyzing the program’s impact. First, we conduct a descriptive characterization of participants with regards to income, household makeup, and electricity usage. We then interviewed program participants in order to assess impact and participant reaction. Finally, we conduct two quantitative analyses to measure effectiveness. These include a comparison between groups of participants and non-participants, and a comparison of participants’ electricity usage after the program against their own usage before the program. Our descriptive assessment shows that most in our sample are either single seniors or households with multiple children. Their electricity usage varies however nearly half of load usually goes to cooling and their usage appears to be uncorrelated with income. Load patterns are dictated more by apartment size than anything else. Interviews show that participants readily absorbed and disseminated information regarding plug loads, but had poor understanding of the importance of cooling load. Finally, our quantitative analysis shows, in accordance with the interviews, that participants did not exhibit any systematic change in electricity consumption in summer, however there is some evidence that winter load decreased after the program.