Encouraging the installation of rollover protective structures in New York State: the design of a social marketing intervention.

PubMed

Sorensen, Julie A; May, John; Ostby-Malling, Ronne; Lehmen, Tom; Strand, John; Stenlund, Hans; Weinehall, Lars; Einehall, Lars W; Emmelin, Maria

2008-11-01

Increasing the percentage of rollover protective structure (ROPS) equipped tractors has been the focus of many agricultural safety campaigns. Traditionally efforts have attempted to persuade farmers through education or community awareness interventions. These efforts have lead to marginal change. In response, a social marketing approach was tested as a means for increasing interest in ROPS retrofitting in New York. An initial phone survey was conducted with a random sample of New York farmers to identify a potential target population. Following target selection, in-depth interviews were conducted to isolate barriers and motivators to retrofitting. This information was used to develop message prototypes which were tested in small focus group discussions. Selected and revised messages, as well as various other incentives developed in response to feedback from interviews, were then tested in a prospective, quasi-randomized controlled trial. Small crop and livestock farms were selected as the intervention target since they represent 86% of New York farms with none or only one ROPS protected tractor. Barriers to retrofitting which were identified in interviews were: 1) constant exposures normalize risk, 2) risk is modeled by significant others and 3) safety in general and retrofitting in particular requires too much time and money. The piloting of ROPS incentives led to a marked increase in ROPS sales in New York. Social Marketing provides a promising framework for the design of agricultural injury prevention programs. The potential implications for other health initiatives seeking to promote behaviour change are also discussed.

IO:I, a near-infrared camera for the Liverpool Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnsley, Robert M.; Jermak, Helen E.; Steele, Iain A.; Smith, Robert J.; Bates, Stuart D.; Mottram, Chris J.

2016-01-01

IO:I is a new instrument that has recently been commissioned for the Liverpool Telescope, extending current imaging capabilities beyond the optical and into the near-infrared. Cost has been minimized by the use of a previously decommissioned instrument's cryostat as the base for a prototype and retrofitting it with Teledyne's 1.7-μm cutoff Hawaii-2RG HgCdTe detector, SIDECAR ASIC controller, and JADE2 interface card. The mechanical, electronic, and cryogenic aspects of the cryostat retrofitting process will be reviewed together with a description of the software/hardware setup. This is followed by a discussion of the results derived from characterization tests, including measurements of read noise, conversion gain, full well depth, and linearity. The paper closes with a brief overview of the autonomous data reduction process and the presentation of results from photometric testing conducted on on-sky, pipeline processed data.

a Continuous Health Monitoring Guided Wave Fmd System for Retrofit to Existing Offshore Oilrigs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mijarez, R.; Solis, L.; Martinez, F.

2010-02-01

An automatic health monitoring guided wave flood member detection (FMD) system, for retrofit to existing offshore oilrigs is presented. The system employs a microcontroller piezoelectric (PZT) based transmitter and a receiver instrumentation package composed of a PZT 40 kHz ultrasound transducer and a digital signal processor (DSP) module connected to a PC via USB for monitoring purposes. The transmitter and receiver were attached, non-intrusively, to the external wall of a steel tube; 1 m×27 cm×2 mm. Experiments performed in the laboratory have successfully identified automatically flooded tubes.

Retrofitted green roofs and walls and improvements in thermal comfort

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feitosa, Renato Castiglia; Wilkinson, Sara

2017-06-01

Increased urbanization has led to a worsening in the quality of life for many people living in large cities in respect of the urban heat island effect and increases of indoor temperatures in housing and other buildings. A solution may be to retrofit existing environments to their former conditions, with a combination of green infrastructures applied to existing walls and rooftops. Retrofitted green roofs may attenuate housing temperature. However, with tall buildings, facade areas are much larger compared to rooftop areas, the role of green walls in mitigating extreme temperatures is more pronounced. Thus, the combination of green roofs and green walls is expected to promote a better thermal performance in the building envelope. For this purpose, a modular vegetated system is adopted for covering both walls and rooftops. Rather than temperature itself, the heat index, which comprises the combined effect of temperature and relative humidity is used in the evaluation of thermal comfort in small scale experiments performed in Sydney - Australia, where identical timber framed structures prototypes (vegetated and non-vegetated) are compared. The results have shown a different understanding of thermal comfort improvement regarding heat index rather than temperature itself. The combination of green roof and walls has a valid role to play in heat index attenuation.

Experimental Evaluation of a Device Prototype Based on Shape Memory Alloys for the Retrofit of Historical Buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardone, Donatello; Sofia, Salvatore

2012-12-01

Metallic tie-rods are currently used in many historical buildings for absorbing the out-of-plane horizontal forces of arches, vaults and roof trusses, despite they exhibit several limitations under service and seismic conditions. In this paper, a post-tensioned system based on the superelastic properties of Ni-Ti shape memory alloys is proposed for improving the structural performances of traditional metallic tie-rods. First, the thermal behavior under service conditions is investigated based on the results of numerical and experimental studies. Subsequently, the seismic performances under strong earthquakes are verified trough a number of shaking table tests on a 1:4-scale timber roof truss model. The outcomes of these studies fully confirm the achievement of the design objectives of the proposed prototype device.

One Year of Data of Scimpi Borehole Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Insua, T. L.; Moran, K.; Kulin, I.; Farrington, S.; Newman, J. B.; Riedel, M.; Scherwath, M.; Heesemann, M.; Pirenne, B.; Iturrino, G. J.; Masterson, W.; Furman, C.

2014-12-01

The Simple Cabled Instrument for Measuring Parameters In-Situ (SCIMPI) is a new subseafloor observatory designed to study dynamic processes in the subseabed using a simple and low-cost approach compared to a Circulation Obviation Retrofit Kit (CORK). SCIMPI was successfully installed at the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Site U1416 during IODP Expedition 341S in May 2013. SCIMPI is designed to measure pore pressure, temperature and electrical resistivity over time in a borehole. The first SCIMPI prototype comprises nine modules joined in a single array by flexible cables. Multiple floats keep the system taut against a sinker bar weight located on SCIMPI and resting on the bottom of the borehole. All the modules record temperature and electrical resistivity, and three are also equipped with pressure sensors. Currently, SCIMPI operates as an autonomous instrument with a data logger that is recovered using an ROV. The second recovery of the SCIMPI data logger took place during the Ocean Networks Canada maintenance cruise, Wiring the Abyss 2014, on May 25th, 2014. The pressure sensor data show a stable trend in which tidal effects are observed in through the one year deployment. The temperature measurements in all the modules became stable over time with smaller variations over the last several months. The only temperature sensor differing from this trend is the shallowest, located at 8 meters below seafloor. This module shows a sudden spike of ~20°C that on April 5th, 2014, an event that was repeated several times from April 25th until recovery of modules. The electrical resistivity sensors show variations over time that could be related to gas hydrate dynamics at the Site. Interpretation of these data is speculative at this time but borehole-sealing processes as well as the formation of gas hydrate are potential processes influencing the recordings. SCIMPI will soon be connected to Ocean Networks Canada's NEPTUNE observatory at Clayoquot Slope node to provide real-time data from this subseafloor observatory.

Solar energy for process heat: Design/cost studies of four industrial retrofit applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

French, R. L.; Bartera, R. E.

1978-01-01

Five specific California plants with potentially attractive solar applications were identified in a process heat survey. These five plants were visited, process requirements evaluated, and conceptual solar system designs were generated. Four DOE (ERDA) sponsored solar energy system demonstration projects were also reviewed and compared to the design/cost cases included in this report. In four of the five cases investigated, retrofit installations providing significant amounts of thermal energy were found to be feasible. The fifth was rejected because of the condition of the building involved, but the process (soap making) appears to be an attractive potential solar application. Costs, however, tend to be high. Several potential areas for cost reduction were identified including larger collector modules and higher duty cycles.

Prototype Solid State Induction Modulator for SLAC NLC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cassel, R. L.; DeLamare, J. E.; Nguyen, M. N.; Pappas, G. C.; Cook, E.

2002-08-01

The Next Linear Collider accelerator proposal at SLAC requires a high efficiency, highly reliable, and low cost pulsed power modulator to drive the X band klystrons. The present NLC envisions a solid-state induction modulator design to drive up to 8 klystrons to 500kV for 3muS at 120 PPS with one modulator (>1,000 megawatt pulse, 500kW average). A prototype modulator is presently under construction, which well power 4 each 5045 SLAC klystron to greater than 380 kV for 3muS (>600 megawatt pulse, >300 kW Ave.). The modulator will be capable of driving the 8 each X band klystrons when they become available. The paper covers the design, construction, fabrication and preliminary testing of the prototype modulator.

External Peltier Cooler For Low-Noise Amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soper, Terry A.

1990-01-01

Inexpensive Peltier-effect cooling module made of few commercially available parts used to reduce thermal noise in microwave amplifier. Retrofitted to almost any microwave low-noise amplifier or receiver preamplifier used in communication, telemetry, or radar. Includes copper or aluminum cold plate held tightly against unit to be cooled by strap-type worm-gear clamps.

An Investigation of Interval Management Displays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swieringa, Kurt A.; Wilson, Sara R.; Shay, Rick

2015-01-01

NASA's first Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) was created to transition the most mature ATM technologies from the laboratory to the National Airspace System. One selected technology is Interval Management (IM), which uses onboard aircraft automation to compute speeds that help the flight crew achieve and maintain precise spacing behind a preceding aircraft. Since ATD-1 focuses on a near-term environment, the ATD-1 flight demonstration prototype requires radio voice communication to issue an IM clearance. Retrofit IM displays will enable pilots to both enter information into the IM avionics and monitor IM operation. These displays could consist of an interface to enter data from an IM clearance and also an auxiliary display that presents critical information in the primary field-of-view. A human-in-the-loop experiment was conducted to examine usability and acceptability of retrofit IM displays, which flight crews found acceptable. Results also indicate the need for salient alerting when new speeds are generated and the desire to have a primary field of view display available that can display text and graphic trend indicators.

High Efficiency, Low Emission Refrigeration System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fricke, Brian A.; Sharma, Vishaldeep

Supermarket refrigeration systems account for approximately 50% of supermarket energy use, placing this class of equipment among the highest energy consumers in the commercial building domain. In addition, the commonly used refrigeration system in supermarket applications is the multiplex direct expansion (DX) system, which is prone to refrigerant leaks due to its long lengths of refrigerant piping. This leakage reduces the efficiency of the system and increases the impact of the system on the environment. The high Global Warming Potential (GWP) of the hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants commonly used in these systems, coupled with the large refrigerant charge and the highmore » refrigerant leakage rates leads to significant direct emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Methods for reducing refrigerant leakage and energy consumption are available, but underutilized. Further work needs to be done to reduce costs of advanced system designs to improve market utilization. In addition, refrigeration system retrofits that result in reduced energy consumption are needed since the majority of applications address retrofits rather than new stores. The retrofit market is also of most concern since it involves large-volume refrigerant systems with high leak rates. Finally, alternative refrigerants for new and retrofit applications are needed to reduce emissions and reduce the impact on the environment. The objective of this Collaborative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Hill Phoenix is to develop a supermarket refrigeration system that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and has 25 to 30 percent lower energy consumption than existing systems. The outcomes of this project will include the design of a low emission, high efficiency commercial refrigeration system suitable for use in current U.S. supermarkets. In addition, a prototype low emission, high efficiency supermarket refrigeration system will be produced for laboratory and field testing. Laboratory and field testing will demonstrate the high energy efficiency and low environmental impact of the refrigeration system developed in this project.« less

Prototype Development and Evaluation of Self-Cleaning Concentrated Solar Power Collectors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mazumder, Malay K.; Horenstein, Mark N.; Joglekar, Nitin R.

The feasibility of integrating and retrofitting transparent electrodynamic screens (EDS) on the front surfaces of solar collectors was established as a means to provide active self-cleaning properties for parabolic trough and heliostat reflectors, solar panels, and Fresnel lenses. Prototype EDS-integrated solar collectors, including second-surface glass mirrors, metallized Acrylic-film mirrors, and dielectric mirrors, were produced and tested in environmental test chambers for removing the dust layer deposited on the front surface of the mirrors. The evaluation of the prototype EDS-integrated mirrors was conducted using dust and environmental conditions that simulate the field conditions of the Mojave Desert. Test results showed thatmore » the specular reflectivity of the mirrors could be maintained at over 90% over a wide range of dust loadings ranging from 0 to 10 g/m 2, with particle diameter varying from 1 to 50 μm. The measurement of specular reflectivity (SR) was performed using a D&S Reflectometer at wavelength 660 nm. A non-contact reflectometer was designed and constructed for rapid measurement of specular reflectivity at the same wavelength. The use of this new noncontact instrument allowed us to measure SR before and after EDS activation. Several EDS prototypes were constructed and evaluated with different electrode configurations, electrode materials, and encapsulating dielectric materials.« less

Deep Residential Retrofits in East Tennessee

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boudreaux, Philip R; Hendrick, Timothy P; Christian, Jeffrey E

2012-04-01

Executive Summary Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is furthering residential energy retrofit research in the mixed-humid climate of East Tennessee by selecting 10 homes and guiding the homeowners in the energy retrofit process. The homeowners pay for the retrofits, and ORNL advises which retrofits to complete and collects post-retrofit data. This effort is in accordance with the Department of Energy s Building America program research goal of demonstrating market-ready energy retrofit packages that reduce home energy use by 30 50%. Through this research, ORNL researchers hope to understand why homeowners decide to partake in energy retrofits, the payback of homemore » energy retrofits, and which retrofit packages most economically reduce energy use. Homeowner interviews help the researchers understand the homeowners experience. Information gathered during the interviews will aid in extending market penetration of home energy retrofits by helping researchers and the retrofit industry understand what drives homeowners in making positive decisions regarding these retrofits. This report summarizes the selection process, the pre-retrofit condition, the recommended retrofits, the actual cost of the retrofits (when available), and an estimated energy savings of the retrofit package using EnergyGauge . Of the 10 households selected to participate in the study, only five completed the recommended retrofits, three completed at least one but no more than three of the recommended retrofits, and two households did not complete any of the recommended retrofits. In the case of the two homes that did none of the recommended work, the pre-retrofit condition of the homes and the recommended retrofits are reported. The five homes that completed the recommended retrofits are monitored for energy consumption of the whole house, appliances, space conditioning equipment, water heater, and most of the other circuits with miscellaneous electric loads (MELs) and lighting. Thermal comfort is also monitored, with temperature and humidity measured in all conditioned zones, attics, crawlspaces, and unconditioned basements. In some homes, heat flux transducers are installed on the basement walls to help determine the insulating qualities of the technologies and practices. EnergyGauge is used to estimate the pre-retrofit and post-retrofit home energy rating system (HERS) index and reduction in energy consumption and energy bill. In a follow-up report, data from the installed sensors will be presented and analyzed as well as a comparison of the post-retrofit energy consumption of the home to the EnergyGauge model of the post-retrofit home. Table ES1 shows the retrofits that were completed at the eight households where some or all of the recommended retrofits were completed. Home aliases are used to keep the homeowners anonymous. Some key findings of this study thus far are listed as follows. Some homeowners (50%) are not willing to spend the money to reach 30 50% energy savings. Quality of retrofit work is significantly variable among contractors which impact the potential energy savings of the retrofit. Challenges exist in defining house volume and floor area. Of the five homes that completed all the recommended retrofits, energy bill savings was not the main driver for energy retrofits. In no case were the retrofits cost neutral given a 15 year loan at 7% interest for the retrofit costs.« less

Assessing Information Needs for a Personal Multiple Sclerosis Application.

PubMed

Tonheim, Aleksander Nygård; Babic, Ankica

2018-01-01

This paper presents a prototype of a mobile application for patient self-management within the field of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Five study subjects provided information needs by suggesting functionalities and evaluating three existing MS applications. Prominent functionalities were to collect data about symptoms, physical activities, mood and goals in a form of a mobile diary. Collected data would be visually presented in a graph to support self-management and motivation. A low-fidelity prototype relies in first hand on four selected modules, two Diary modules, one Visualisation module and a Physical activity module. A high-fidelity prototype is being implemented and will be further evaluated by the experts.

Engineering evaluation of a sodium hydroxide thermal energy storage module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perdue, D. G.; Gordon, L. H.

1980-01-01

An engineering evaluation of thermal energy storage prototypes was performed in order to assess the development status of latent heat storage media. The testing and the evaluation of a prototype sodium hydroxide module is described. This module stored off-peak electrical energy as heat for later conversion to domestic hot water needs.

Advances in the Lightweight Air-Liquid Composite Heat Exchanger Development for Space Exploration Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shin, E. Eugene; Johnston, J. Chris; Haas, Daniel

2011-01-01

An advanced, lightweight composite modular Air/Liquid (A/L) Heat Exchanger (HX) Prototype for potential space exploration thermal management applications was successfully designed, manufactured, and tested. This full-scale Prototype consisting of 19 modules, based on recommendations from its predecessor Engineering Development unit (EDU) but with improved thermal characteristics and manufacturability, was 11.2 % lighter than the EDU and achieves potentially a 42.7% weight reduction from the existing state-of-the-art metallic HX demonstrator. However, its higher pressure drop (0.58 psid vs. 0.16 psid of the metal HX) has to be mitigated by foam material optimizations and design modifications including a more systematic air channel design. Scalability of the Prototype design was validated experimentally by comparing manufacturability and performance between the 2-module coupon and the 19-module Prototype. The Prototype utilized the thermally conductive open-cell carbon foam material but with lower density and adopted a novel high-efficiency cooling system with significantly increased heat transfer contact surface areas, improved fabricability and manufacturability compared to the EDU. Even though the Prototype was required to meet both the thermal and the structural specifications, accomplishing the thermal requirement was a higher priority goal for this first version. Overall, the Prototype outperformed both the EDU and the corresponding metal HX, particularly in terms of specific heat transfer, but achieved 93.4% of the target. The next generation Prototype to achieve the specification target, 3,450W would need 24 core modules based on the simple scaling factor. The scale-up Prototype will weigh about 14.7 Kg vs. 21.6 Kg for the metal counterpart. The advancement of this lightweight composite HX development from the original feasibility test coupons to EDU to Prototype is discussed in this paper.

Development of Prototype Outcomes-Based Training Modules for Aesthetic Dentistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andres, Maricar Joy T.; Borabo, Milagros L.

2015-01-01

The objective of the study is to know the essential components of Aesthetic Dentistry that will be a basis for prototype Outcomes-based training modules. Using a 5-point Likert scale, the researcher-made questionnaire assessed the different elements of Aesthetic Dentistry which are needed in the designing of the training module, the manner of…

Effect of External Post-tensioning in Retrofitting of RC Beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manisekar, R.

2018-05-01

There are large number of existing concrete bridges in distressed condition in India and other countries, and they need retrofitting solutions. External post-tensioning is a prime technique for bridge retrofitting. It is being applied for retrofitting of bridges in India and other countries. Although the technique is becoming popular in retrofitting, various issues regarding performance of post-retrofitting behaviour need to be studied in detail. RC beam specimens of rectangular section were distressed by means of cracks to a certain limit, and were retrofitted by external post-tensioning. Retrofitted specimens were tested to fail to study the post-retrofitting behaviour. Retrofitting has increased the ultimate load carrying capacity by 81% with reference to the control beam, and recovered the deflection. This paper intends to report the results of the experimental investigations, and conclusions.

Hybrid neuro-fuzzy approach for automatic vehicle license plate recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hsi-Chieh; Jong, Chung-Shi

1998-03-01

Most currently available vehicle identification systems use techniques such as R.F., microwave, or infrared to help identifying the vehicle. Transponders are usually installed in the vehicle in order to transmit the corresponding information to the sensory system. It is considered expensive to install a transponder in each vehicle and the malfunction of the transponder will result in the failure of the vehicle identification system. In this study, novel hybrid approach is proposed for automatic vehicle license plate recognition. A system prototype is built which can be used independently or cooperating with current vehicle identification system in identifying a vehicle. The prototype consists of four major modules including the module for license plate region identification, the module for character extraction from the license plate, the module for character recognition, and the module for the SimNet neuro-fuzzy system. To test the performance of the proposed system, three hundred and eighty vehicle image samples are taken by a digital camera. The license plate recognition success rate of the prototype is approximately 91% while the character recognition success rate of the prototype is approximately 97%.

Development of engineering prototype of Life Support Module (LSM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The development of an engineering prototype of a life support system is discussed. The module consists of an electrocardiogram, a defibrillator, a resuscitator, and an aspirator, as well as body temperature and blood pressure measuring instruments. A drug kit is included.

Building America Case Study: Control Retrofits for Multifamily Domestic Hot Water Recirculation Systems, Brooklyn, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Domestic hot water (DHW) heating is the second largest energy end use in U.S. buildings, exceeded only by space conditioning. Recirculation systems consisting of a pump and piping loop(s) are commonly used in multifamily buildings to reduce wait time for hot water at faucets; however, constant pumping increases energy consumption by exposing supply and return line piping to continuous heat loss, even during periods when there is no demand for hot water. In this study, ARIES installed and tested two types of recirculation controls in a pair of buildings in order to evaluate their energy savings potential. Demand control, temperaturemore » modulation controls, and the simultaneous operation of both were compared to the baseline case of constant recirculation. Additionally, interactive effects between DHW control fuel reductions and space conditioning (heating and cooling) were estimated in order to make more realistic predictions of the payback and financial viability of retrofitting DHW systems with these controls. Results showed that DHW fuel consumption reduced by 7 percent after implementing the demand control technique, 2 percent after implementing temperature modulation, and 15 percent after implementing demand control and temperature modulation techniques simultaneously; recirculation pump runtime was reduced to 14 minutes or less per day. With space heating and cooling interactions included, the estimated annual cost savings were 8 percent, 1 percent, and 14 percent for the respective control techniques. Possible complications in the installation, commissioning and operation of the controls were identified and solutions offered.« less

Building America Case Study: Control Retrofits for Multifamily Domestic Hot Water Recirculation Systems, Brooklyn, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Dentz; E. Ansanelli, H. Henderson, Jr.; K. Varshney

Domestic hot water (DHW) heating is the second largest energy end use in U.S. buildings, exceeded only by space conditioning. Recirculation systems consisting of a pump and piping loop(s) are commonly used in multifamily buildings to reduce wait time for hot water at faucets; however, constant pumping increases energy consumption by exposing supply and return line piping to continuous heat loss, even during periods when there is no demand for hot water. In this study, ARIES installed and tested two types of recirculation controls in a pair of buildings in order to evaluate their energy savings potential. Demand control, temperaturemore » modulation controls, and the simultaneous operation of both were compared to the baseline case of constant recirculation. Additionally, interactive effects between DHW control fuel reductions and space conditioning (heating and cooling) were estimated in order to make more realistic predictions of the payback and financial viability of retrofitting DHW systems with these controls. Results showed that DHW fuel consumption reduced by 7% after implementing the demand control technique, 2% after implementing temperature modulation, and 15% after implementing demand control and temperature modulation techniques simultaneously; recirculation pump runtime was reduced to 14 minutes or less per day. With space heating and cooling interactions included, the estimated annual cost savings were 8%, 1%, and 14% for the respective control techniques. Possible complications in the installation, commissioning and operation of the controls were identified and solutions offered.« less

Dynamic facade module prototype development for solar radiation prevention in high rise building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sega Sufia Purnama, Muhammad; Sutanto, Dalhar

2018-03-01

Solar radiation is an aspect that high rise building must avoid. The problem is, if high rise building facade can’t overcome, the solar thermal will come in the building, and its affects on the increasing of room temperature above comfort range. A type of additional facade element that could solve solar thermal in high rise building is adding a sun shading. A dynamic facade is a shade plane in high rise building that can moved or changed on outside condition such as solar movement and intensity. This research will discuss the dynamic facade module prototype development in high rise building in Jakarta. This research will be finish through some step. (1) Static shading shadow simulation. (2) Dynamic facade concept design development. (3) Dynamic shading shadow simulation. (4) Making of dynamic facade module prototype. (5) Field test for the dynamic facade module prototype. The dynamic facade in Jakarta case will be effective to solve solar transmission in high rise building rather than static facade.

Measure Guideline. Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Interior Insulation of Masonry Walls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Musunuru, S.; Pettit, B.

2015-04-30

This Measure Guideline describes a deep energy enclosure retrofit solution for insulating mass masonry buildings from the interior. It describes the retrofit assembly, technical details, and installation sequence for retrofitting masonry walls. Interior insulation of masonry retrofits might adversely affect the durability of the wall. This guideline includes a review of decision criteria pertinent to retrofitting masonry walls from the interior and the possible risk of freeze-thaw damage.

Building Energy Model Development for Retrofit Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chasar, David; McIlvaine, Janet; Blanchard, Jeremy

2012-09-30

Based on previous research conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Florida Solar Energy Center providing technical assistance to implement 22 deep energy retrofits across the nation, 6 homes were selected in Florida and Texas for detailed post-retrofit energy modeling to assess realized energy savings (Chandra et al, 2012). However, assessing realized savings can be difficult for some homes where pre-retrofit occupancy and energy performance are unknown. Initially, savings had been estimated using a HERS Index comparison for these homes. However, this does not account for confounding factors such as occupancy and weather. This research addresses a method to moremore » reliably assess energy savings achieved in deep energy retrofits for which pre-retrofit utility bills or occupancy information in not available. A metered home, Riverdale, was selected as a test case for development of a modeling procedure to account occupancy and weather factors, potentially creating more accurate estimates of energy savings. This “true up” procedure was developed using Energy Gauge USA software and post-retrofit homeowner information and utility bills. The 12 step process adjusts the post-retrofit modeling results to correlate with post-retrofit utility bills and known occupancy information. The “trued” post retrofit model is then used to estimate pre-retrofit energy consumption by changing the building efficiency characteristics to reflect the pre-retrofit condition, but keeping all weather and occupancy-related factors the same. This creates a pre-retrofit model that is more comparable to the post-retrofit energy use profile and can improve energy savings estimates. For this test case, a home for which pre- and post- retrofit utility bills were available was selected for comparison and assessment of the accuracy of the “true up” procedure. Based on the current method, this procedure is quite time intensive. However, streamlined processing spreadsheets or incorporation into existing software tools would improve the efficiency of the process. Retrofit activity appears to be gaining market share, and this would be a potentially valuable capability with relevance to marketing, program management, and retrofit success metrics.« less

Human Factors and Technical Considerations for a Computerized Operator Support System Prototype

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ulrich, Thomas Anthony; Lew, Roger Thomas; Medema, Heather Dawne

2015-09-01

A prototype computerized operator support system (COSS) has been developed in order to demonstrate the concept and provide a test bed for further research. The prototype is based on four underlying elements consisting of a digital alarm system, computer-based procedures, PI&D system representations, and a recommender module for mitigation actions. At this point, the prototype simulates an interface to a sensor validation module and a fault diagnosis module. These two modules will be fully integrated in the next version of the prototype. The initial version of the prototype is now operational at the Idaho National Laboratory using the U.S. Departmentmore » of Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) Human Systems Simulation Laboratory (HSSL). The HSSL is a full-scope, full-scale glass top simulator capable of simulating existing and future nuclear power plant main control rooms. The COSS is interfaced to the Generic Pressurized Water Reactor (gPWR) simulator with industry-typical control board layouts. The glass top panels display realistic images of the control boards that can be operated by touch gestures. A section of the simulated control board was dedicated to the COSS human-system interface (HSI), which resulted in a seamless integration of the COSS into the normal control room environment. A COSS demonstration scenario has been developed for the prototype involving the Chemical & Volume Control System (CVCS) of the PWR simulator. It involves a primary coolant leak outside of containment that would require tripping the reactor if not mitigated in a very short timeframe. The COSS prototype presents a series of operator screens that provide the needed information and soft controls to successfully mitigate the event.« less

Measure Guideline: Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Interior Insulation of Masonry Walls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Musunuru, S.; Pettit, B.

2015-04-01

This Measure Guideline describes a deep energy enclosure retrofit (DEER) solution for insulating mass masonry buildings from the interior. It describes the retrofit assembly, technical details, and installation sequence for retrofitting masonry walls. Interior insulation of masonry retrofits has the potential to adversely affect the durability of the wall; this document includes a review of decision criteria pertinent to retrofitting masonry walls from the interior and the possible risk of freeze-thaw damage.

The social marketing of safety behaviors: a quasi-randomized controlled trial of tractor retrofitting incentives.

PubMed

Sorensen, Julie A; Jenkins, Paul L; Emmelin, Maria; Stenlund, Hans; Weinehall, Lars; Earle-Richardson, Giulia B; May, John J

2011-04-01

We assessed the effect of social marketing incentives on dispositions toward retrofitting and retrofitting behavior among farmers whose tractors lacked rollover protective structures. From 2006 to 2007, we conducted a quasi-randomized controlled trial with 391 farm owners in New York and Pennsylvania surveyed before and after exposure to 1 of 3 tractor retrofitting incentive combinations. These combinations were offered in 3 trial regions; region 1 received rebates; region 2 received rebates, messages, and promotion and was considered the social marketing region; and region 3 received messages and promotion. A fourth region served as a control. The social marketing region generated the greatest increases in readiness to retrofit, intentions to retrofit, and message recall. In addition, postintervention stage of change, intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control levels were higher among farmers who had retrofitted tractors. Our results showed that a social marketing approach (financial incentives, tailored messages, and promotion) had the greatest influence on message recall, readiness to retrofit tractors, and intentions to retrofit tractors and that behavioral measures were fairly good predictors of tractor retrofitting behaviors.

Prototyping Instruments for Chemical Laboratory Using Inexpensive Electronic Modules.

PubMed

Urban, Pawel L

2018-05-15

Open-source electronics and programming can augment chemical and biomedical research. Currently, chemists can choose from a broad range of low-cost universal electronic modules (microcontroller boards and single-board computers) and use them to assemble working prototypes of scientific tools to address specific experimental problems and to support daily research work. The learning time can be as short as a few hours, and the required budget is often as low as 50 USD. Prototyping instruments using low-cost electronic modules gives chemists enormous flexibility to design and construct customized instrumentation, which can reduce the delays caused by limited access to high-end commercial platforms. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Proven Performance of Seven Cold Climate Deep Retrofit Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Osser, R.; Neuhauser, K.; Ueno, K.

2012-06-01

Seven test homes located in Massachusetts are examined within this report. The retrofit strategies of each home are presented along with a comparison of the pre- and post-retrofit airtightness achieved by the group. Pre- and post-retrofit utility bills were collected; energy models were used to estimate pre-retrofit energy use when bills were unavailable.

Pedagogical Usability of the Geometer's Sketchpad (GSP) Digital Module in the Mathematics Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nordin, Norazah; Zakaria, Effandi; Mohamed, Nik Rahimah Nik; Embi, Mohamed Amin

2010-01-01

Teacher played an important role in ascertaining effective teaching of mathematics. The objective of this paper was to investigate the pedagogical usability of a digital module prototype that integrated a dynamic geometry software, Geometer's Sketchpad (GSP) in mathematics teaching. The prototype was developed based on Reiser's and Dick's…

SU-E-T-66: A Prototype for Couch Based Real-Time Dosimetry in External Beam Radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ramachandran, P

Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to design a prototype for couch-based based real time dosimetry system in external beam radiotherapy Methods: A prototype of 100 ionization chambers was designed on a printed circuit board by etching the copper layer and each ionization chamber was wired to a 50 pin connector. The signals from the two 50 pin connectors collected from the ionization chambers were then transferred to a PXI module from National Instruments. The PXI module houses a current amplifier that amplifies the charge collected from the ionization chamber. The amplified signal is then sent to amore » digital multimeter module for converting the analog signal to digital signal. A software was designed in labview to read and display the signals obtained from the PXI module. A couch attachment frame was designed to house the 100 ionization chamber module. The frame was fixed underneath the treatment couch for measuring the dose during treatment. Resutls: The ionization chamber based prototype dosimetry was tested for simple radiotherapy treatment fields and found to be a useful device for measuring real time dosimetry at the treatment couch plane. This information could be used to assess the delivered dose to a patient during radiotherapy. It could be used as an invivo dosimeter during radiotherapy. Conclusion: In this study, a prototype for couch based real time dosimetry system was designed and tested. The prototype forms a basis for the development of large scale couch based real time dosimetry system that could be used to perform morning QA prior to treatment, assess real time doses delivered to patient and as a device to monitor the output of the treatment beam. Peter MacCallum Cancer Foundation.« less

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase II. Shallow Plus Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

K. Sutherland; Parker, D.; Martin, E.

2016-02-01

The BAPIRC team and Florida Power and Light (FPL) electric utility pursued a pilot phased energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida by creating detailed data on the energy and economic performance of two levels of retrofit - simple and deep. For this Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, a total of 56 homes spread across the utility partner's territory in east central Florida, southeast Florida, and southwest Florida were instrumented between August 2012 and January 2013, and received simple pass-through retrofit measures during the period of March 2013 - June 2013. Ten of these homes received a deeper package of retrofits duringmore » August 2013 - December 2013.« less

New control design principles based on measured performance and energy analysis of HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning) systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hittle, D. C.; Johnson, D. L.

1985-01-01

This report is one of a series on the development of heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) control systems that are simple, efficient, reliable, maintainable, and well-documented. This report identifies major problems associated with three currently used HVAC control systems. It also describes the development of a retrofit control system applicable to military buildings that will allow easy identification of component failures, facilitate repair, and minimize system failures. Evaluation of currently used controls showed that pneumatic temperature control equipment requires a very clean source of supply air and is also not very accurate. Pneumatic, rather than electronic, actuators should be used because they are cheaper and require less maintenance. Thermistor temperature detectors should not be used for HVAC applications because they require frequent calibration. It was found that enthalpy economy cycles cannot be used for control because the humidity sensors required for their use are prone to rapid drift, inaccurate, and hard to calibrate in the field. Performance of control systems greatly affects HVAC operating costs. Significant savings can be achieved if proportional-plus-integral control schemes are used. Use of the retrofit prototype control panel developed in this study on variable-air-volume systems should provide significant energy cost savings, improve comfort and reliability, and reduce maintenance costs.

The Social Marketing of Safety Behaviors: A Quasi–Randomized Controlled Trial of Tractor Retrofitting Incentives

PubMed Central

Jenkins, Paul L.; Emmelin, Maria; Stenlund, Hans; Weinehall, Lars; Earle-Richardson, Giulia B.; May, John J.

2011-01-01

Objectives. We assessed the effect of social marketing incentives on dispositions toward retrofitting and retrofitting behavior among farmers whose tractors lacked rollover protective structures. Methods. From 2006 to 2007, we conducted a quasi–randomized controlled trial with 391 farm owners in New York and Pennsylvania surveyed before and after exposure to 1 of 3 tractor retrofitting incentive combinations. These combinations were offered in 3 trial regions; region 1 received rebates; region 2 received rebates, messages, and promotion and was considered the social marketing region; and region 3 received messages and promotion. A fourth region served as a control. Results. The social marketing region generated the greatest increases in readiness to retrofit, intentions to retrofit, and message recall. In addition, postintervention stage of change, intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control levels were higher among farmers who had retrofitted tractors. Conclusions. Our results showed that a social marketing approach (financial incentives, tailored messages, and promotion) had the greatest influence on message recall, readiness to retrofit tractors, and intentions to retrofit tractors and that behavioral measures were fairly good predictors of tractor retrofitting behaviors. PMID:21330581

Experience Drives Synchronization: The phase and Amplitude Dynamics of Neural Oscillations to Musical Chords Are Differentially Modulated by Musical Expertise.

PubMed

Pallesen, Karen Johanne; Bailey, Christopher J; Brattico, Elvira; Gjedde, Albert; Palva, J Matias; Palva, Satu

2015-01-01

Musical expertise is associated with structural and functional changes in the brain that underlie facilitated auditory perception. We investigated whether the phase locking (PL) and amplitude modulations (AM) of neuronal oscillations in response to musical chords are correlated with musical expertise and whether they reflect the prototypicality of chords in Western tonal music. To this aim, we recorded magnetoencephalography (MEG) while musicians and non-musicians were presented with common prototypical major and minor chords, and with uncommon, non-prototypical dissonant and mistuned chords, while watching a silenced movie. We then analyzed the PL and AM of ongoing oscillations in the theta (4-8 Hz) alpha (8-14 Hz), beta- (14-30 Hz) and gamma- (30-80 Hz) bands to these chords. We found that musical expertise was associated with strengthened PL of ongoing oscillations to chords over a wide frequency range during the first 300 ms from stimulus onset, as opposed to increased alpha-band AM to chords over temporal MEG channels. In musicians, the gamma-band PL was strongest to non-prototypical compared to other chords, while in non-musicians PL was strongest to minor chords. In both musicians and non-musicians the long-latency (> 200 ms) gamma-band PL was also sensitive to chord identity, and particularly to the amplitude modulations (beats) of the dissonant chord. These findings suggest that musical expertise modulates oscillation PL to musical chords and that the strength of these modulations is dependent on chord prototypicality.

Performance of a Prototype Stationary Catadioptric Concentrating Photovoltaic Module

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lloyd, John V.; Kozodoy, Peter; Gladden, Christopher

A stationary catadioptric concentrating photovoltaic module with aperture area over 100 cm2, geometric concentration of 180x, and collection within 60° of polar incidence was designed, prototyped, and characterized. The module performance followed modeling closely with a peak power conversion efficiency of 26% for direct irradiance. Tracking of the sun is accomplished via translational micro-tracking completely internal to the module, avoiding the cost and complexity of mechanical two-axis trackers that point towards the sun. This study demonstrates the potential for concentrating photovoltaic modules with significantly higher efficiency than industry standard silicon photovoltaic modules that could be installed in stationary configurations onmore » rooftops.« less

Performance of a Prototype Stationary Catadioptric Concentrating Photovoltaic Module

DOE PAGES

Lloyd, John V.; Kozodoy, Peter; Gladden, Christopher; ...

2018-03-28

A stationary catadioptric concentrating photovoltaic module with aperture area over 100 cm2, geometric concentration of 180x, and collection within 60° of polar incidence was designed, prototyped, and characterized. The module performance followed modeling closely with a peak power conversion efficiency of 26% for direct irradiance. Tracking of the sun is accomplished via translational micro-tracking completely internal to the module, avoiding the cost and complexity of mechanical two-axis trackers that point towards the sun. This study demonstrates the potential for concentrating photovoltaic modules with significantly higher efficiency than industry standard silicon photovoltaic modules that could be installed in stationary configurations onmore » rooftops.« less

The Retrofit Puzzle Extended: Optimal Fleet Owner Behavior over Multiple Time Periods

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-08-04

In "The Retrofit Puzzle: Optimal Fleet Owner Behavior in the Context of Diesel Retrofit Incentive Programs" (1) an integer program was developed to model profit-maximizing diesel fleet owner behavior when selecting pollution reduction retrofits. Flee...

Guidelines for Retrofitting Bleachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, DC.

This brochure offers guidance on bleacher retrofitting to prevent falls, and suggests follow-up inspections and maintenance practices. Bleacher styles are described along with descriptions of bleacher-associated deaths, injuries, and hazards. Retrofitting recommendations are offered for guardrails and openings followed by retrofit strategies and…

Evaluation of CNT Energy Savers Retrofit Packages Implemented in Multifamily Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farley, Jenne; Ruch, Russell

This evaluation explored the feasibility of designing prescriptive retrofit measure packages for typical Chicago region multifamily buildings in order to achieve 25%-30% source energy savings through the study of three case studies. There is an urgent need to scale up energy efficiency retrofitting of Chicago's multifamily buildings in order to address rising energy costs and a rapidly depleting rental stock. Aimed at retrofit program administrators and building science professionals, this research project investigates the possibility of using prescriptive retrofit packages as a time- and resource-effective approach to the process of retrofitting multifamily buildings.

Evaluation of CNT Energy Savers Retrofit Packages Implemented in Multifamily Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farley, Jenne; Ruch, Russell

This evaluation explored the feasibility of designing prescriptive retrofit measure packages for typical Chicago region multifamily buildings in order to achieve 25%-30% source energy savings through the study of three case studies. There is an urgent need to scale up energy efficiency retrofitting of Chicago's multifamily buildings in order to address rising energy costs and a rapidly depletingrental stock. Aimed at retrofit program administrators and building science professionals, this research project investigates the possibility of using prescriptive retrofit packages as a time- and resource-effective approach to the process of retrofitting multifamily buildings.

Indoor thermal environment, air exchange rates, and carbon dioxide concentrations before and after energy retro fits in Finnish and Lithuanian multi-family buildings.

PubMed

Leivo, Virpi; Prasauskas, Tadas; Du, Liuliu; Turunen, Mari; Kiviste, Mihkel; Aaltonen, Anu; Martuzevicius, Dainius; Haverinen-Shaughnessy, Ulla

2018-04-15

Impacts of energy retrofits on indoor thermal environment, i.e. temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH), as well as ventilation rates and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) concentrations, were assessed in 46 Finnish and 20 Lithuanian multi-family buildings, including 39 retrofitted case buildings in Finland and 15 in Lithuania (the remaining buildings were control buildings with no retrofits). In the Finnish buildings, high indoor T along with low RH levels was commonly observed both before and after the retrofits. Ventilation rates (l/s per person) were higher after the retrofits in buildings with mechanical exhaust ventilation than the corresponding values before the retrofits. Measured CO 2 levels were low in vast majority of buildings. In Lithuania, average indoor T levels were low before the retrofits and there was a significant increase in the average T after the retrofits. In addition, average ventilation rate was lower and CO 2 levels were higher after the retrofits in the case buildings (N=15), both in apartments with natural and mixed ventilation. Based on the results, assessment of thermal conditions and ventilation rates after energy retrofits is crucial for optimal indoor environmental quality and energy use. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Building America Case Study: Performance of a Hot-Dry Climate Whole House Retrofit, Stockton, California (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ARBI

2014-09-01

The Stockton house retrofit is a two-story tudor style single family deep retrofit in the hot-dry climate of Stockton, CA. The home is representative of a deep retrofit option of the scaled home energy upgrade packages offered to targeted neighborhoods under the pilot Large-Scale Retrofit Program (LSRP) administered by the Alliance for Residential Building Innovation (ARBI). Deep retrofit packages expand on the standard package by adding HVAC, water heater and window upgrades to the ducting, attic and floor insulation, domestic hot water insulation, envelope sealing, lighting and ventilation upgrades. Site energy savings with the deep retrofit were 23% compared tomore » the pre-retrofit case, and 15% higher than the savings estimated for the standard retrofit package. Energy savings were largely a result of the water heater upgrade, and a combination of the envelope sealing, insulation and HVAC upgrade. The HVAC system was of higher efficiency than the building code standard. Overall the financed retrofit would have been more cost effective had a less expensive HVAC system been selected and barriers to wall insulation remedied. The homeowner experienced improved comfort throughout the monitored period and was satisfied with the resulting utility bill savings.« less

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase II: Shallow Plus Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutherland, K.; Parker, D.; Martin, E.

The BAPIRC team and Florida Power and Light (FPL) electric utility pursued a pilot phased energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida by creating detailed data on the energy and economic performance of two levels of retrofit - simple and deep. For this Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, a total of 56 homes spread across the utility partner's territory in east central Florida, southeast Florida, and southwest Florida were instrumented between August 2012 and January 2013, and received simple pass-through retrofit measures during the period of March 2013 - June 2013. Ten of these homes received a deeper package of retrofits duringmore » August 2013 - December 2013. A full account of Phase I of this project, including detailed home details and characterization, is found in Parker et al, 2015 (currently in draft). Phase II of this project, which is the focus of this report, applied the following additional retrofit measures to select homes that received a shallow retrofit in Phase I: a) Supplemental mini-split heat pump (MSHP) (6 homes); b) Ducted and space coupled Heat Pump Water Heater (8 homes); c) Exterior insulation finish system (EIFS) (1 homes); d) Window retrofit (3 homes); e) Smart thermostat (21 homes: 19 NESTs; 2 Lyrics); f) Heat pump clothes dryer (8 homes); g) Variable speed pool pump (5 homes).« less

Energy retrofit of an office building by substitution of the generation system: performance evaluation via dynamic simulation versus current technical standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Testi, D.; Schito, E.; Menchetti, E.; Grassi, W.

2014-11-01

Constructions built in Italy before 1945 (about 30% of the total built stock) feature low energy efficiency. Retrofit actions in this field can lead to valuable energetic and economic savings. In this work, we ran a dynamic simulation of a historical building of the University of Pisa during the heating season. We firstly evaluated the energy requirements of the building and the performance of the existing natural gas boiler, validated with past billings of natural gas. We also verified the energetic savings obtainable by the substitution of the boiler with an air-to-water electrically-driven modulating heat pump, simulated through a cycle-based model, evaluating the main economic metrics. The cycle-based model of the heat pump, validated with manufacturers' data available only at specified temperature and load conditions, can provide more accurate results than the simplified models adopted by current technical standards, thus increasing the effectiveness of energy audits.

Experience Drives Synchronization: The phase and Amplitude Dynamics of Neural Oscillations to Musical Chords Are Differentially Modulated by Musical Expertise

PubMed Central

Pallesen, Karen Johanne; Bailey, Christopher J.; Brattico, Elvira; Gjedde, Albert; Palva, J. Matias; Palva, Satu

2015-01-01

Musical expertise is associated with structural and functional changes in the brain that underlie facilitated auditory perception. We investigated whether the phase locking (PL) and amplitude modulations (AM) of neuronal oscillations in response to musical chords are correlated with musical expertise and whether they reflect the prototypicality of chords in Western tonal music. To this aim, we recorded magnetoencephalography (MEG) while musicians and non-musicians were presented with common prototypical major and minor chords, and with uncommon, non-prototypical dissonant and mistuned chords, while watching a silenced movie. We then analyzed the PL and AM of ongoing oscillations in the theta (4–8 Hz) alpha (8–14 Hz), beta- (14–30 Hz) and gamma- (30–80 Hz) bands to these chords. We found that musical expertise was associated with strengthened PL of ongoing oscillations to chords over a wide frequency range during the first 300 ms from stimulus onset, as opposed to increased alpha-band AM to chords over temporal MEG channels. In musicians, the gamma-band PL was strongest to non-prototypical compared to other chords, while in non-musicians PL was strongest to minor chords. In both musicians and non-musicians the long-latency (> 200 ms) gamma-band PL was also sensitive to chord identity, and particularly to the amplitude modulations (beats) of the dissonant chord. These findings suggest that musical expertise modulates oscillation PL to musical chords and that the strength of these modulations is dependent on chord prototypicality. PMID:26291324

Illuminance and luminance distributions of a prototype ambient illumination system for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mullican, R. C.; Hayes, B. C.

1991-01-01

Preliminary results of research conducted in the late 1970's indicate that perceptual qualities of an enclosure can be influenced by the distribution of illumination within the enclosure. Subjective impressions such as spaciousness, perceptual clarity, and relaxation or tenseness, among others, appear to be related to different combinations of surface luminance. A prototype indirect ambient illumination system was developed which will allow crew members to alter surface luminance distributions within an enclosed module, thus modifying perceptual cues to match crew preferences. A traditional lensed direct lighting system was compared to the prototype utilizing the full-scale mockup of Space Station Freedom developed by Marshall Space Flight Center. The direct lensed system was installed in the habitation module with the indirect prototype deployed in the U.S. laboratory module. Analysis centered on the illuminance and luminance distributions resultant from these systems and the implications of various luminaire spacing options. All test configurations were evaluated for compliance with NASA Standard 3000, Man-System Integration Standards.

A benefit-cost analysis of retrofitting diesel vehicles with particulate filters in the Mexico City metropolitan area.

PubMed

Stevens, Gretchen; Wilson, Andrew; Hammitt, James K

2005-08-01

In the Mexico City metropolitan area, poor air quality is a public health concern. Diesel vehicles contribute significantly to the emissions that are most harmful to health. Harmful diesel emissions can be reduced by retrofitting vehicles with one of several technologies, including diesel particulate filters. We quantified the social costs and benefits, including health benefits, of retrofitting diesel vehicles in Mexico City with catalyzed diesel particulate filters, actively regenerating diesel particulate filters, or diesel oxidation catalysts, either immediately or in 2010, when capital costs are expected to be lower. Retrofit with either type of diesel particulate filter or an oxidation catalyst is expected to provide net benefits to society beginning immediately and in 2010. At current prices, retrofit with an oxidation catalyst provides greatest net benefits. However, as capital costs decrease, retrofit with diesel particulate filters is expected to provide greater net benefits. In both scenarios, retrofit of older, dirtier vehicles that circulate only within the city provides greatest benefits, and retrofit with oxidation catalysts provides greater health benefits per dollar spent than retrofit with particulate filters. Uncertainty about the magnitude of net benefits of a retrofit program is significant. Results are most sensitive to values used to calculate benefits, such as the concentration-response coefficient, intake fraction (a measure of exposure), and the monetary value of health benefits.

Safe tractor access platforms: from guidance material to implementation.

PubMed

Day, L; Rechnitzer, G

2004-08-01

This article reports on the implementation of published guidelines for retrofitting tractors with safe access platforms, which were developed to reduce the risk of serious injuries and deaths associated with mounting and dismounting. Farmer interviews and engineering-based inspections of ten retrofitted tractors were conducted to gather information regarding benefits and disadvantages of the retrofitting and to assess the construction of the platforms. A scoring system was developed for platform retrofitting, and weighted scores between zero and ten were calculated for tractor access before and after retrofitting. Access was improved on all tractors, although to varying degrees. The average post-retrofit weighted score was 6.3 (range 2.6 to 9.7), compared with the pre-retrofit average of 0.9 (range 0.3 to 1.6). Five tractors received a post-retrofit score of 8.0 or higher. None of the lower-scoring tractors fully met the specifications for placement of the bottom step or rear wheel guard, two key characteristics for runover prevention. Other characteristics associated with a lower post-retrofit score included a low bottom step, high step rises, absence of colored nosing, and the front handrail space not being filled in. Platform retrofitting had little effect on tractor operations and substantially improved ease of access. This is the first published evaluation of a design-based solution for tractor runover injuries. This study shows that general guidelines for retrofitting of safe access platforms can be successfully applied. Mechanisms to increase adherence to the key criteria of bottom step positioning and rear wheel guarding should be included in future promotion.

77 FR 24505 - Hazard Mitigation Assistance for Wind Retrofit Projects for Existing Residential Buildings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-24

...] Hazard Mitigation Assistance for Wind Retrofit Projects for Existing Residential Buildings AGENCY... for Wind Retrofit Projects for Existing Residential Buildings. DATES: Comments must be received by... property from hazards and their effects. One such activity is the implementation of wind retrofit projects...

Energy Retrofit for Aging K-12 Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

3D/International, Houston, TX.

Successfully retrofitting aging K-12 schools using energy conservation measures (ECM) that can improve the physical plant and reduce energy consumption are explored. Topics explore how certain ECM measures can benefit educational facilities, why retrofitting begun sooner rather than later is important, how to finance the retrofit program, and the…

Major Energy Conservation Retrofits: A Planning Guide for Northern Climates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Quivik, Fredric

Energy-efficient retrofits are suggested as alternatives to conventional weatherization practices in this three-chapter report. Chapter 1 provides information necessary to help readers decide if a major energy retrofit is the right approach to a particular housing situation. Chapter 2 examines various aspects of retrofit designing, considering…

75 FR 18160 - Small Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Antioch Bridge Seismic Retrofit...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-09

... of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Antioch Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project... pile driving associated with the Antioch Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project. DATES: Effective August 15... request from Caltrans to harass marine mammals incidental to the Antioch Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project...

Deployment Ready Airway Management System (DRAMS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-24

have been developed along with rapid prototypes. The results have been excellent and DMLS Alpha one and two prototypes have been developed resulting...Contact Model Quarterly  Report               10/25/2013 DMLS FlexBlade Reusable Module B-1 Prototype

The Galileo PPS expert monitoring and diagnostic prototype

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahrami, Khosrow

1989-01-01

The Galileo PPS Expert Monitoring Module (EMM) is a prototype system implemented on the SUN workstation that will demonstrate a knowledge-based approach to monitoring and diagnosis for the Galileo spacecraft Power/Pyro subsystems. The prototype will simulate an analysis module functioning within the SFOC Engineering Analysis Subsystem Environment (EASE). This document describes the implementation of a prototype EMM for the Galileo spacecraft Power Pyro Subsystem. Section 2 of this document provides an overview of the issues in monitoring and diagnosis and comparison between traditional and knowledge-based solutions to this problem. Section 3 describes various tradeoffs which must be considered when designing a knowledge-based approach to monitoring and diagnosis, and section 4 discusses how these issues were resolved in constructing the prototype. Section 5 presents conclusions and recommendations for constructing a full-scale demonstration of the EMM. A Glossary provides definitions of terms used in this text.

Evaluation of Eco-Efficiency and Performance of Retrofit Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopinath, Smitha; Rama Chandra Murthy, A.; Iyer, Nagesh R.; Kokila, S.

2015-12-01

In this work three materials namely Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP), ferrocement and Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC) have been evaluated towards their performance efficiency and eco-effectiveness for sustainable retrofitting applications. Investigations have been carried out for flexural strengthening of RC beams with FRP, ferrocement and TRC. It is observed that in the case of FRP, it is not possible to tailor the material according to design requirements and most of the time strengthened structure becomes over stiff. Eco-effectiveness of these retrofitting materials has been evaluated by computing the embodied energy. It is observed that the amount of CO2 emitted by TRC is less compared to other retrofit materials. Further, the performance point of retrofitted RC frames has been evaluated and damage index has been calculated to find out the effective retrofit material. It is concluded that, if RC frame is retrofitted with FRP and TRC, it undergoes less damage compared to ferrocement.

76 FR 17936 - Federal Housing Administration (FHA): Notice of FHA PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-31

... Housing Administration (FHA): Notice of FHA PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot Program AGENCY...: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice announces HUD's FHA Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot Program (Retrofit Pilot... to conduct an Energy Efficient Mortgage Innovation pilot program targeted to the single family...

Measure Guideline: Three High Performance Mineral Fiber Insulation Board Retrofit Solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuhauser, K.

2015-01-01

This Measure Guideline describes a high performance enclosure retrofit package that uses mineral fiber insulation board, and is intended to serve contractors and designers seeking guidance for non-foam exterior insulation retrofit processes. The guideline describes retrofit assembly and details for wood frame roof and walls and for cast concrete foundations.

75 FR 21016 - Notice of Proposed Information Collection: Comment Request; The Green Retrofit Program of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-22

... Information Collection: Comment Request; The Green Retrofit Program of the American Recovery and... Retrofit Program authorized by the American Recovery and Revitalization Act of 2009. The legislation.... The Green Retrofit Program is detailed in HUD Notice H 09-02 issued on May 13, 2009. This Notice is...

Retrofitting a 1960s Split-Level, Cold-Climate Home

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puttagunta, Srikanth

2015-07-13

National programs such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® and numerous other utility air-sealing programs have made homeowners aware of the benefits of energy-efficiency retrofits. Yet these programs tend to focus only on the low-hanging fruit: they recommend air sealing the thermal envelope and ductwork where accessible, switching to efficient lighting and low-flow fixtures, and improving the efficiency of mechanical systems (though insufficient funds or lack of knowledge to implement these improvements commonly prevent the implementation of these higher cost upgrades). At the other end of the spectrum, various utilities across the country are encouraging deep energy retrofit programs. Althoughmore » deep energy retrofits typically seek 50% energy savings, they are often quite costly and are most applicable to gut-rehab projects. A significant potential for lowering energy use in existing homes lies between the lowhanging fruit and deep energy retrofit approaches—retrofits that save approximately 30% in energy compared to the pre-retrofit conditions. The energy-efficiency measures need to be nonintrusive so the retrofit projects can be accomplished in occupied homes.« less

SU-E-T-508: End to End Testing of a Prototype Eclipse Module for Planning Modulated Arc Therapy On the Siemens Platform

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huang, L; Sarkar, V; Spiessens, S

2014-06-01

Purpose: The latest clinical implementation of the Siemens Artiste linac allows for delivery of modulated arcs (mARC) using full-field flattening filter free (FFF) photon beams. The maximum doserate of 2000 MU/min is well suited for high dose treatments such as SBRT. We tested and report on the performance of a prototype Eclipse TPS module supporting mARC capability on the Artiste platform. Method: our spine SBRT patients originally treated with 12/13 field static-gantry IMRT (SGIMRT) were chosen for this study. These plans were designed to satisfy RTOG0631 guidelines with a prescription of 16Gy in a single fraction. The cases were re-plannedmore » as mARC plans in the prototype Eclipse module using the 7MV FFF beam and required to satisfy RTOG0631 requirements. All plans were transferred from Eclipse, delivered on a Siemens Artiste linac and dose-validated using the Delta4 system. Results: All treatment plans were straightforwardly developed, in timely fashion, without challenge or inefficiency using the prototype module. Due to the limited number of segments in a single arc, mARC plans required 2-3 full arcs to yield plan quality comparable to SGIMRT plans containing over 250 total segments. The average (3%/3mm) gamma pass-rate for all arcs was 98.5±1.1%, thus demonstrating both excellent dose prediction by the AAA dose algorithm and excellent delivery fidelity. Mean delivery times for the mARC plans(10.5±1.7min) were 50-70% lower than the SGIMRT plans(26±2min), with both delivered at 2000 MU/min. Conclusion: A prototype Eclipse module capable of planning for Burst Mode modulated arc delivery on the Artiste platform has been tested and found to perform efficiently and accurately for treatment plan development and delivered-dose prediction. Further investigation of more treatment sites is being carried out and data will be presented.« less

Numerical Analysis of a Masonry Panel Reinforced with Pultruded FRP Frames

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casalegno, C.; Russo, S.; Sciarretta, F.

2018-05-01

The paper presents a numerical study on the retrofit of traditional masonry with pultruded GFRP profile frames adjacent to a wall and connected to it by mechanical fasteners. This kind of retrofit solution, not having been explored yet either in theory or practice, is similar to the common steel frame retrofits, but offers the advantages of lightness and durability of FRP composite materials. The retrofit system proposed, once proven effective and advantageous, would bring a considerable potential innovation into its available options. Three different frame geometries and two cases of masonry thickness were considered to investigate the effectiveness of the retrofit GFRP frame on the inplane static response of the wall to horizontal loads. The global and local (connection) failure behavior of the wall-frame system was investigated using the 3D finite-element method. A general increase in strength after the retrofit, up to about 130%, was found, and a switch from rocking to the diagonal tension failure mode was observed. The strength hierarchy of the retrofitted systems was also analyzed to clarify the effectiveness of the retrofit in imparting a residual strength to masonry. A thinner masonry structure was clearly recognized to have got the greatest benefits, but the retrofit could also significantly improve the inplane shear strength of a thicker wall. A comparison with steel structures of analogous capacity in terms of weight and natural vibration frequencies supported the viability of composite FRP frames for retrofit.

Building America Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Deep Retrofits, Central and South Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Parker, K. Sutherland, D. Chasar, J. Montemurno, B. Amos, J. Kono

2017-02-01

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), in collaboration with Florida Power & Light (FPL), is pursuing a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida. Researchers are looking to establish the impacts of technologies of two retrofit packages -- shallow and deep -- on annual energy and peak energy reductions.

Building America Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Deep Retrofits, Central and South Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2017-02-22

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), in collaboration with Florida Power & Light (FPL), is pursuing a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida. Researchers are looking to establish the impacts of technologies of two retrofit packages -- shallow and deep -- on annual energy and peak energy reductions.

Measure Guideline: Three High Performance Mineral Fiber Insulation Board Retrofit Solutions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuhauser, Ken

2015-01-01

This Measure Guideline describes a high performance enclosure retrofit package that uses mineral fiber insulation board. The Measure Guideline describes retrofit assembly and details for wood frame roof and walls and for cast concrete foundations. This Measure Guideline is intended to serve contractors and designers seeking guidance for non-foam exterior insulation retrofit.

78 FR 9936 - Federal Housing Administration (FHA): PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot Program...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-12

... Administration (FHA): PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot Program: Extension of Pilot Program AGENCY...: On March 31, 2011, HUD published a notice that announced HUD's FHA Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot Program (Retrofit Pilot Program) known as FHA PowerSaver, which is a pilot program conducted for loans...

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase I: Shallow and Deep Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Parker; Sutherland, K.; Chasar, D.

2016-02-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America program, in collaboration with Florida Power and Light (FPL), conducted a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program. This research sought to establish impacts on annual energy and peak energy reductions from the technologies applied at two levels of retrofit - shallow and deep, with savings levels approaching the Building America program goals of reducing whole-house energy use by 40%. Under the Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, we have installed phased, energy-efficiency retrofits in a sample of 56 existing, all-electric homes. End-use savings and economic evaluation results from the phased measure packages and singlemore » measures are summarized in this report.« less

Object-oriented approach for gas turbine engine simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curlett, Brian P.; Felder, James L.

1995-01-01

An object-oriented gas turbine engine simulation program was developed. This program is a prototype for a more complete, commercial grade engine performance program now being proposed as part of the Numerical Propulsion System Simulator (NPSS). This report discusses architectural issues of this complex software system and the lessons learned from developing the prototype code. The prototype code is a fully functional, general purpose engine simulation program, however, only the component models necessary to model a transient compressor test rig have been written. The production system will be capable of steady state and transient modeling of almost any turbine engine configuration. Chief among the architectural considerations for this code was the framework in which the various software modules will interact. These modules include the equation solver, simulation code, data model, event handler, and user interface. Also documented in this report is the component based design of the simulation module and the inter-component communication paradigm. Object class hierarchies for some of the code modules are given.

The prototype detection unit of the KM3NeT detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adrián-Martínez, S.; Ageron, M.; Aharonian, F.; Aiello, S.; Albert, A.; Ameli, F.; Anassontzis, E. G.; Androulakis, G. C.; Anghinolfi, M.; Anton, G.; Anvar, S.; Ardid, M.; Avgitas, T.; Balasi, K.; Band, H.; Barbarino, G.; Barbarito, E.; Barbato, F.; Baret, B.; Baron, S.; Barrios, J.; Belias, A.; Berbee, E.; van den Berg, A. M.; Berkien, A.; Bertin, V.; Beurthey, S.; van Beveren, V.; Beverini, N.; Biagi, S.; Biagioni, A.; Bianucci, S.; Billault, M.; Birbas, A.; Boer Rookhuizen, H.; Bormuth, R.; Bouché, V.; Bouhadef, B.; Bourlis, G.; Boutonnet, C.; Bouwhuis, M.; Bozza, C.; Bruijn, R.; Brunner, J.; Cacopardo, G.; Caillat, L.; Calamai, M.; Calvo, D.; Capone, A.; Caramete, L.; Caruso, F.; Cecchini, S.; Ceres, A.; Cereseto, R.; Champion, C.; Château, F.; Chiarusi, T.; Christopoulou, B.; Circella, M.; Classen, L.; Cocimano, R.; Coleiro, A.; Colonges, S.; Coniglione, R.; Cosquer, A.; Costa, M.; Coyle, P.; Creusot, A.; Cuttone, G.; D'Amato, C.; D'Amico, A.; De Bonis, G.; De Rosa, G.; Deniskina, N.; Destelle, J.-J.; Distefano, C.; Di Capua, F.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Dorosti-Hasankiadeh, Q.; Drakopoulou, E.; Drouhin, D.; Drury, L.; Durand, D.; Eberl, T.; Elsaesser, D.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Fermani, P.; Fusco, L. A.; Gajanana, D.; Gal, T.; Galatà, S.; Garufi, F.; Gebyehu, M.; Giordano, V.; Gizani, N.; Gracia Ruiz, R.; Graf, K.; Grasso, R.; Grella, G.; Grmek, A.; Habel, R.; van Haren, H.; Heid, T.; Heijboer, A.; Heine, E.; Henry, S.; Hernández-Rey, J. J.; Herold, B.; Hevinga, M. A.; van der Hoek, M.; Hofestädt, J.; Hogenbirk, J.; Hugon, C.; Hößl, J.; Imbesi, M.; James, C. W.; Jansweijer, P.; Jochum, J.; de Jong, M.; Jongen, M.; Kadler, M.; Kalekin, O.; Kappes, A.; Kappos, E.; Katz, U.; Kavatsyuk, O.; Keller, P.; Kieft, G.; Koffeman, E.; Kok, H.; Kooijman, P.; Koopstra, J.; Korporaal, A.; Kouchner, A.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Kulikovskiy, V.; Lahmann, R.; Lamare, P.; Larosa, G.; Lattuada, D.; Le Provost, H.; Leismüller, K. P.; Leisos, A.; Lenis, D.; Leonora, E.; Lindsey Clark, M.; Llorens Alvarez, C. D.; Löhner, H.; Lonardo, A.; Loucatos, S.; Louis, F.; Maccioni, E.; Mannheim, K.; Manolopoulos, K.; Margiotta, A.; Mariş, O.; Markou, C.; Martínez-Mora, J. A.; Martini, A.; Masullo, R.; Melis, K. W.; Michael, T.; Migliozzi, P.; Migneco, E.; Miraglia, A.; Mollo, C. M.; Mongelli, M.; Morganti, M.; Mos, S.; Moudden, Y.; Musico, P.; Musumeci, M.; Nicolaou, C.; Nicolau, C. A.; Orlando, A.; Orzelli, A.; Papaikonomou, A.; Papaleo, R.; Păvălaş, G. E.; Peek, H.; Pellegrino, C.; Pellegriti, M. G.; Perrina, C.; Piattelli, P.; Pikounis, K.; Popa, V.; Pradier, Th.; Priede, M.; Pühlhofer, G.; Pulvirenti, S.; Racca, C.; Raffaelli, F.; Randazzo, N.; Rapidis, P. A.; Razis, P.; Real, D.; Resvanis, L.; Reubelt, J.; Riccobene, G.; Rovelli, A.; Saldaña, M.; Samtleben, D. F. E.; Sanguineti, M.; Santangelo, A.; Sapienza, P.; Schmelling, J.; Schnabel, J.; Sciacca, V.; Sedita, M.; Seitz, T.; Sgura, I.; Simeone, F.; Sipala, V.; Spitaleri, A.; Spurio, M.; Stavropoulos, G.; Steijger, J.; Stolarczyk, T.; Stransky, D.; Taiuti, M.; Terreni, G.; Tézier, D.; Théraube, S.; Thompson, L. F.; Timmer, P.; Trasatti, L.; Trovato, A.; Tselengidou, M.; Tsirigotis, A.; Tzamarias, S.; Tzamariudaki, E.; Vallage, B.; Van Elewyck, V.; Vermeulen, J.; Vernin, P.; Vicini, P.; Viola, S.; Vivolo, D.; Werneke, P.; Wiggers, L.; Wilms, J.; de Wolf, E.; van Wooning, R. H. L.; Zonca, E.; Zornoza, J. D.; Zúñiga, J.; Zwart, A.

2016-02-01

A prototype detection unit of the KM3NeT deep-sea neutrino telescope has been installed at 3500m depth 80 km offshore the Italian coast. KM3NeT in its final configuration will contain several hundreds of detection units. Each detection unit is a mechanical structure anchored to the sea floor, held vertical by a submerged buoy and supporting optical modules for the detection of Cherenkov light emitted by charged secondary particles emerging from neutrino interactions. This prototype string implements three optical modules with 31 photomultiplier tubes each. These optical modules were developed by the KM3NeT Collaboration to enhance the detection capability of neutrino interactions. The prototype detection unit was operated since its deployment in May 2014 until its decommissioning in July 2015. Reconstruction of the particle trajectories from the data requires a nanosecond accuracy in the time calibration. A procedure for relative time calibration of the photomultiplier tubes contained in each optical module is described. This procedure is based on the measured coincidences produced in the sea by the ^{40}K background light and can easily be expanded to a detector with several thousands of optical modules. The time offsets between the different optical modules are obtained using LED nanobeacons mounted inside them. A set of data corresponding to 600 h of livetime was analysed. The results show good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations of the expected optical background and the signal from atmospheric muons. An almost background-free sample of muons was selected by filtering the time correlated signals on all the three optical modules. The zenith angle of the selected muons was reconstructed with a precision of about 3°.

Performance Results for Massachusetts and Rhode Island Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot Community

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gates, C.; Neuhauser, K.

2014-03-01

Between December, 2009 and December, 2012 42 deep energy retrofit (DER) projects were completed through a DER pilot program sponsored by National Grid and conducted in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 37 of these projects were comprehensive retrofits while 5 were partial DERs, meaning that high performance retrofit was implemented for a single major enclosure component or a limited number of major enclosure components. The 42 DER projects represent 60 units of housing. The comprehensive projects all implemented a consistent 'package' of measures in terms of the performance targeted for major building components. Projects exhibited some variations in the approach tomore » implementing the retrofit package. Pre- and post-retrofit air leakage measurements were performed for each of the projects. Each project also reported information about project costs including identification of energy-related costs. Post-retrofit energy-use data was obtained for 29 of the DER projects. Post-retrofit energy use was analyzed based on the net energy used by the DER project regardless of whether the energy was generated on site or delivered to the site. Homeowner surveys were returned by 12 of the pilot participants. Based on the community experience, this DER package is expected to result in yearly source energy use near 110 MMBtu/year or approximately 40% below the Northeast regional average. Larger to medium sized homes that successful implement these retrofits can be expected to achieve source EUI that is comparable to Passive House targets for new construction. The community of DER projects show post-retrofit airtightness below 1.5 ACH50 to be eminently achievable.« less

An experimental study on compressive behavior of rubble stone walls retrofitted with BFRP grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Hui; Jia, Bin; Li, Wenjing; Liu, Xiao; Yang, Dan; Deng, Chuanli

2018-03-01

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the compressive behavior of rubble stone walls retrofitted with BFRP grids. The experimental program consisted of four rubble stone walls: one unretrofitted rubble stone wall (reference wall) and three BFRP grids retrofitted rubble stone walls. The main purpose of the tests was to gain a better understanding of the compressive behavior of rubble stone walls retrofitted with different amount of BFRP grids. The experimental results showed that the reference wall failed with out-of-plane collapse due to poor connection between rubble stone blocks and the three BFRP grids retrofitted walls failed with BFRP grids rupture followed by out-of-plane collapse. The measured compressive strength of the BFRP grids retrofitted walls is about 1.4 to 2.5 times of that of the reference wall. Besides, the rubble stone wall retrofitted with the maximum amount of BFRP grids showed the minimum vertical and out-of-plane displacements under the same load.

Study of response nonuniformity for the LHCb calorimeter module and the prototype of the CBM calorimeter module

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Korolko, I. E.; Prokudin, M. S.

A spatial nonuniformity of the response to high-energy muons is studied in the modules of the LHCb electromagnetic calorimeter and the prototype of the calorimeter module with lead plates and scintillator tiles 0.5 mm thick. The nonuniformity of the response of the inner LHCb modules to 50-GeV electrons is also measured. Software is developed for a thorough simulation of light collection in scintillator plates of a shashlik calorimeter. A model is elaborated to describe light transmission from the initial scintillation to the wavelength-shifting fiber with a subsequent reradiation and propagation of light over the fiber to the photodetector. The resultsmore » of the simulation are in good agreement with data.« less

Choosing the Right Fireplace or Fireplace Retrofit Device

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page is about choosing a fireplace or fireplace retrofit device, including information on hang tags and a list of fireplaces and retrofits that have qualified under the voluntary fireplace program

Evaluation of 3D printed optofluidic smart glass prototypes.

PubMed

Wolfe, Daniel; Goossen, K W

2018-01-22

Smart glass or smart windows are an innovative technology used for thermal management, energy efficiency, and privacy applications. Notable commercially available smart glass relies on an electric stimuli to modulate the glass from a transparent to a translucent mode of operation. However, the current market technologies, such as electrochromic, polymer dispersed liquid crystal, and suspended particle devices are expensive and suffer from solar absorption, poor transmittance modulation, and in some cases, continuous power consumption. The authors of this paper present a novel optofluidic smart glass prototype capable of modulating visible light transmittance from 8% to 85%.

Development of a 150-GHz MMIC Module Prototype for Large-Scale CMB Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kangaslahti, Pekka P.; Samoska, Lorene A.; Gaier, Todd C.; Soria, Mary M.; Lau, Judy M.; Sieth, Matthew M.; VanWinkle, Daniel; Tantawi, Sami

2011-01-01

HEMT-based receiver arrays with excellent noise and scalability are already starting to be manufactured at 100 GHz, but the advances in technology should make it possible to develop receiver modules with even greater operation frequency up to 200 GHz. A prototype heterodyne amplifier module has been developed for operation from 140 to 170 GHz using monolithic millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) low-noise InP high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) amplifiers. The compact, scalable module is centered on the 150-GHz atmospheric window using components known to operate well at these frequencies. Arrays equipped with hundreds of these modules can be optimized for many different astrophysical measurement techniques, including spectroscopy and interferometry. This module is a heterodyne receiver module that is extremely compact, and makes use of 35-nm InP HEMT technology, and which has been shown to have excellent noise temperatures when cooled cryogenically to 30 K. This reduction in system noise over prior art has been demonstrated in commercial mixers (uncooled) at frequencies of 160-180 GHz. The module is expected to achieve a system noise temperature of 60 K when cooled. An MMIC amplifier module has been designed to demonstrate the feasibility of expanding heterodyne amplifier technology to the 140 to 170-GHz frequency range for astronomical observations. The miniaturization of many standard components and the refinement of RF interconnect technology have cleared the way to mass-production of heterodyne amplifier receivers, making it a feasible technology for many large-population arrays. This work furthers the recent research efforts in compact coherent receiver modules, including the development of the Q/U Imaging ExperimenT (QUIET) modules centered at 40 and 90 GHz, and the production of heterodyne module prototypes at 90 GHz.

Design and implementation of a prototype micropositioning and fusion of optical fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vega, Fabio; Torres, Cesar; Mattos, Lorenzo

2011-09-01

We developed an automated system in micro and optical fiber fusion, using stepper motors of 3.6 ° (1.8 ° Medium step) with a threaded system for displacements in the order of microns, a LM016 LCD for User message management, a PIC16F877A microcontroller to control the prototype. We also used internal modules: TMR0, EEPROM, PWM (pulse width modulation) control using a pulse opto-cupped the discharge circuit high voltage (20 to 35 kilovolt transformer for FLYBACK fusion) The USART (Universal Synchronous Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter) for serial interface with the PC. The software platform developed under Visual Basic 6.0, which lets you manipulate the prototype from the PC. The entire program is optimized for microcontroller interrupt, macro-functions and is written in MPLAB 7.31. The prototype is now finished.

Development of a Self-contained Heat Rejection Module (SHRM), phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleming, M. L.

1976-01-01

The laboratory prototype test hardware and testing of the Self-Contained Heat Rejection Module are discussed. The purpose of the test was to provide operational and design experience for application to a flight prototype design. It also provided test evaluation of several of the actual components which were to be used in the flight prototype hardware. Several changes were made in the flight prototype design due to these tests including simpler line routing, relocation of remote operated valves to a position upstream of the expansion valves, and shock mounting of the compressor. The concept of heat rejection control by compressor speed reduction was verified and the liquid receiver, accumulator, remote control valves, oil separator and power source were demonstrated as acceptable. A procedure for mode changes between pumped fluid and vapor compression was developed.

Commercial Building Energy Saver, Web App

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Tianzhen; Piette, Mary; Lee, Sang Hoon

The CBES App is a web-based toolkit for use by small businesses and building owners and operators of small and medium size commercial buildings to perform energy benchmarking and retrofit analysis for buildings. The CBES App analyzes the energy performance of user's building for pre-and posto-retrofit, in conjunction with user's input data, to identify recommended retrofit measures, energy savings and economic analysis for the selected measures. The CBES App provides energy benchmarking, including getting an EnergyStar score using EnergyStar API and benchmarking against California peer buildings using the EnergyIQ API. The retrofit analysis includes a preliminary analysis by looking upmore » retrofit measures from a pre-simulated database DEEP, and a detailed analysis creating and running EnergyPlus models to calculate energy savings of retrofit measures. The CBES App builds upon the LBNL CBES API.« less

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Retrofitting a 1960s Split-Level Cold-Climate Home

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puttagunta, S.

2015-08-01

National programs such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® and numerous other utility air sealing programs have brought awareness to homeowners of the benefits of energy efficiency retrofits. Yet, these programs tend to focus on the low-hanging fruit: air-sealing the thermal envelope and ductwork where accessible, switch to efficient lighting, and low-flow fixtures. At the other end of the spectrum, deep-energy retrofit programs are also being encouraged by various utilities across the country. While deep energy retrofits typically seek 50% energy savings, they are often quite costly and most applicable to gut-rehab projects. A significant potential for lowering energy usagemore » in existing homes lies between the low hanging fruit and deep energy retrofit approaches - retrofits that save approximately 30% in energy over the existing conditions.« less

Retrofitting Las Vegas. Implementing Energy Efficiency in Two Las Vegas Test Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puttagunta, S.

2013-04-01

In 2009, the state of Nevada received nearly $40 million in Neighborhood Stabilization Funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to use to stabilize communities that have suffered from foreclosures and abandonment. In order to provide guidance to local officials and maximize how effectively this NSP funding is used in retrofitting homes, the CARB team provided design specifications, energy modeling, and technical support for the BARA team and its local partners—Better Building Performance, Nevada Energy Star Partners Green Alliance, and Home Free Nevada—for two retrofit test homes. One home demonstrated a modest retrofit and the other a deepmore » energy retrofit. This report describes the retrofit packages, which were used as an educational experience for home performance professionals, building trades, remodelers, and the general public.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

??National programs such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR(R) and numerous other utility air sealing programs have brought awareness to homeowners of the benefits of energy efficiency retrofits. Yet, these programs tend to focus on the low-hanging fruit: air-sealing the thermal envelope and ductwork where accessible, switch to efficient lighting, and low-flow fixtures. At the other end of the spectrum, deep-energy retrofit programs are also being encouraged by various utilities across the country. While deep energy retrofits typically seek 50% energy savings, they are often quite costly and most applicable to gut-rehab projects. A significant potential for lowering energy usagemore » in existing homes lies between the low hanging fruit and deep energy retrofit approaches - retrofits that save approximately 30% in energy over the existing conditions. A key is to be non-intrusive with the efficiency measures so the retrofit projects can be accomplished in occupied homes. This cold climate retrofit project involved the design and optimization of a home in Connecticut that sought to improve energy savings by at least 30% (excluding solar PV) over the existing home's performance. This report documents the successful implementation of a cost-effective solution package that achieved performance greater than 30% over the pre-retrofit - what worked, what did not, and what improvements could be made. Confirmation of successfully achieving 30% source energy savings over the pre-existing conditions was confirmed through energy modeling and comparison of the utility bills pre- and post- retrofit.« less

Retrofitting Vegas: Implementing Energy Efficiency in Two Las Vegas Test Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puttagunta, S.

2013-04-01

In 2009, the state of Nevada received nearly forty million dollars in Neighborhood Stabilization Funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The purpose of this funding was to stabilize communities that have suffered from foreclosures and abandonment. In an effort to provide guidance to local officials and maximize how effectively this NSP funding is utilized in retrofitting homes, CARB provided design specifications, energy modeling, and technical support for the Building America Retrofit Alliance (BARA) team and its local partners - Better Building Performance, Nevada Energy Star Partners Green Alliance, and Home Free Nevada - for two retrofit testmore » homes. One home was to demonstrate a modest retrofit and the other a deep energy retrofit. Through this project, CARB has provided two robust solution packages for retrofitting homes built in this region between the 1980s and early 1990s without substantially inconveniencing the occupants. The two test homes, the Carmen and Sierra Hills, demonstrate how cost-effectively energy efficient upgrades can be implemented in the hot, dry climate of the Southwest. In addition, the homes were used as an educational experience for home performance professionals, building trades, remodelers, and the general public. In-field trainings on air-sealing, HVAC upgrades, and insulating were provided to local contractors during the retrofit and BARA documented these retrofits through a series of video presentations, beginning with a site survey and concluding with the finished remodel and test out.« less

Mu2e transport solenoid prototype tests results

DOE PAGES

Lopes, Mauricio L.; G. Ambrosio; DiMarco, J.; ...

2016-02-08

The Fermilab Mu2e experiment has been developed to search for evidence of charged lepton flavor violation through the direct conversion of muons into electrons. The transport solenoid is an s-shaped magnet which guides the muons from the source to the stopping target. It consists of fifty-two superconducting coils arranged in twenty-seven coil modules. A full-size prototype coil module, with all the features of a typical module of the full assembly, was successfully manufactured by a collaboration between INFN-Genoa and Fermilab. The prototype contains two coils that can be powered independently. In order to validate the design, the magnet went throughmore » an extensive test campaign. Warm tests included magnetic measurements with a vibrating stretched wire, electrical and dimensional checks. As a result, the cold performance was evaluated by a series of power tests as well as temperature dependence and minimum quench energy studies.« less

Blast Design of Reinforced Concrete and Masonry Components Retrofitted with FRP

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-07-01

1 BLAST DESIGN OF REINFORCED CONCRETE AND MASONRY COMPONENTS RETROFITTED WITH FRP Marlon L. Bazan, Ph.D. and Charles J. Oswald, P.E., Ph.D...as an alternative to traditional methods for strengthening and retrofitting concrete and masonry structures to resist blast loads. The development...and experimental validation of a methodology for modeling the response of blast loaded concrete and masonry structural components retrofitted with FRP

Retrofitting the Low Impact Development Practices into Developed Urban areas Including Barriers and Potential Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafique, Muhammad; Kim, Reeho

2017-06-01

Low impact development (LID)/green infrastructure (GI) practices have been identified as the sustainable practices of managing the stormwater in urban areas. Due to the increasing population, most of the cities are more developing which results in the change of natural area into impervious areas (roads, buildings etc.). Moreover, urbanization and climate change are causing many water-related problems and making over cities unsafe and insecure. Under these circumstances, there is a need to introduce new stormwater management practices into developed cities to reduce the adverse impacts of urbanization. For this purpose, retrofitting low impact development practices demands more attention to reduce these water-related problems and trying to make our cities sustainable. In developed areas, there is a little space is available for the retrofitting of LID practices for the stormwater management. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate place to retrofitting LID practices needs more concern. This paper describes the successfully applied retrofitting LID practices around the globe. It also includes the process of applying retrofitting LID practices at the suitable place with the suitable combination. Optimal places for the retrofitting of different LID practices are also mentioned. This paper also highlights the barriers and potential solutions of retrofitting LID practices in urban areas.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Puttagunta, Srikanth

National programs such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® and numerous other utility air sealing programs have brought awareness to homeowners of the benefits of energy efficiency retrofits. Yet, these programs tend to focus on the low-hanging fruit: air-sealing the thermal envelope and ductwork where accessible, switch to efficient lighting, and low-flow fixtures. At the other end of the spectrum, deep-energy retrofit programs are also being encouraged by various utilities across the country. While deep energy retrofits typically seek 50% energy savings, they are often quite costly and most applicable to gut-rehab projects. A significant potential for lowering energy usagemore » in existing homes lies between the low hanging fruit and deep energy retrofit approaches - retrofits that save approximately 30% in energy over the existing conditions. A key is to be non-intrusive with the efficiency measures so the retrofit projects can be accomplished in occupied homes. This cold climate retrofit project involved the design and optimization of a home in Connecticut that sought to improve energy savings by at least 30% (excluding solar PV) over the existing home's performance. This report documents the successful implementation of a cost-effective solution package that achieved performance greater than 30% over the pre-retrofit - what worked, what did not, and what improvements could be made.« less

Zero liquid carryover whole-body shower vortex liquid/gas separator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The development and evaluation of a liquid/gas vortex type separator design eliminating liquid and semi-liquid (suds) carryover into air recirculating system were described. Consideration was given to a number of soaps other than the "Miranol JEM" which was the low sudsing soap used in previous test runs of the space shower. Analysis of test parameters and prototype testing resulted in a revised separator configuration and a better understanding of the suds generating mechanism in the wastewater collection system. The final design of the new separator provides for a wider choice of soaps without leading to the problem of "carryover". Furthermore, no changes in separator-to-shower interfaces were required. The new separator was retrofitted on the "space shower" and satisfactorily demonstrated in one-g testing.

Retrofit of a Multifamily Mass Masonry Building in New England

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ueno, K.; Kerrigan, P.; Wytrykowska, H.

2013-08-01

Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity (MVHfH) has partnered with Building Science Corporation to provide high performance affordable housing for 10 families in the retrofit of an existing brick building (a former convent) into condominiums. The research performed for this project provides information regarding advanced retrofit packages for multi-family masonry buildings in Cold climates. In particular, this project demonstrates safe, durable, and cost-effective solutions that will potentially benefit millions of multi-family brick buildings throughout the East Coast and Midwest (Cold climates). The retrofit packages provide insight on the opportunities for and constraints on retrofitting multifamily buildings with ambitious energy performance goalsmore » but a limited budget. The condominium conversion project will contribute to several areas of research on enclosures, space conditioning, and water heating. Enclosure items include insulation of mass masonry building on the interior, airtightness of these types of retrofits, multi-unit building compartmentalization, window selection, and roof insulation strategies. Mechanical system items include combined hydronic and space heating systems with hydronic distribution in small (low load) units, and ventilation system retrofits for multifamily buildings.« less

Retrofit of a MultiFamily Mass Masonry Building in New England

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ueno, K.; Kerrigan, P.; Wytrykowska, H.

2013-08-01

Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity (MVHfH) has partnered with Building Science Corporation to provide high performance affordable housing for 10 families in the retrofit of an existing brick building (a former convent) into condominiums. The research performed for this project provides information regarding advanced retrofit packages for multi-family masonry buildings in Cold climates. In particular, this project demonstrates safe, durable, and cost-effective solutions that will potentially benefit millions of multi-family brick buildings throughout the East Coast and Midwest (Cold climates). The retrofit packages provide insight on the opportunities for and constraints on retrofitting multifamily buildings with ambitious energy performance goalsmore » but a limited budget. The condominium conversion project will contribute to several areas of research on enclosures, space conditioning, and water heating. Enclosure items include insulation of mass masonry building on the interior, airtightness of these types of retrofits, multi-unit building compartmentalization, window selection, and roof insulation strategies. Mechanical system items include combined hydronic and space heating systems with hydronic distribution in small (low load) units, and ventilation system retrofits for multifamily buildings.« less

Concept design of robotic modules for needlescopic surgery.

PubMed

Sen, Shin; Harada, Kanako; Hewitt, Zackary; Susilo, Ekawahyu; Kobayashi, Etsuko; Sakuma, Ichiro

2017-08-01

Many minimally invasive surgical procedures and assisting robotic systems have been developed to further minimize the number and size of incisions in the body surface. This paper presents a new idea combining the advantages of modular robotic surgery, single incision laparoscopic surgery and needlescopic surgery. In the proposed concept, modules carrying therapeutic or diagnostic tools are inserted in the abdominal cavity from the navel as in single incision laparoscopic surgery and assembled to 3-mm needle shafts penetrating the abdominal wall. A three degree-of-freedom robotic module measuring 16 mm in diameter and 51 mm in length was designed and prototyped. The performance of the three connected robotic modules was evaluated. A new idea of modular robotic surgery was proposed, and demonstrated by prototyping a 3-DOF robotic module. The performance of the connected robotic modules was evaluated, and the challenges and future work were summarized.

Prototype of a computer method for designing and analyzing heating, ventilating and air conditioning proportional, electronic control systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barlow, Steven J.

1986-09-01

The Air Force needs a better method of designing new and retrofit heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) control systems. Air Force engineers currently use manual design/predict/verify procedures taught at the Air Force Institute of Technology, School of Civil Engineering, HVAC Control Systems course. These existing manual procedures are iterative and time-consuming. The objectives of this research were to: (1) Locate and, if necessary, modify an existing computer-based method for designing and analyzing HVAC control systems that is compatible with the HVAC Control Systems manual procedures, or (2) Develop a new computer-based method of designing and analyzing HVAC control systems that is compatible with the existing manual procedures. Five existing computer packages were investigated in accordance with the first objective: MODSIM (for modular simulation), HVACSIM (for HVAC simulation), TRNSYS (for transient system simulation), BLAST (for building load and system thermodynamics) and Elite Building Energy Analysis Program. None were found to be compatible or adaptable to the existing manual procedures, and consequently, a prototype of a new computer method was developed in accordance with the second research objective.

Determinants of Household Water Conservation Retrofit Activity: A Discrete Choice Model Using Survey Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cameron, T. A.; Wright, M. B.

1990-02-01

Economic analyses of residential water demand have typically concentrated on price and income elasticities. In the short run a substantial change in water prices might induce only small changes in consumption levels. As time passes, however, households will have the opportunity to "retrofit" existing water-using equipment to make it less water-intensive. This produces medium- to long-run demand elasticities that are higher than short-run studies suggest. We examine responses to water conservation questions appearing on the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's 1983 residential energy survey. We find that households' decisions to install shower retrofit devices are influenced by the potential to save money on water heating bills. We attribute toilet retrofit decisions more to noneconomic factors which might be characterized as "general conservation mindedness." The endogeneity of these retrofit decisions casts some doubt on the results of studies of individual households that treat voluntary retrofits as exogenous.

Development of a prototype regeneration carbon dioxide absorber. [for use in EVA conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patel, P. S.; Baker, B. S.

1977-01-01

A prototype regenerable carbon dioxide absorber was developed to maintain the environmental quality of the portable life support system. The absorber works on the alkali metal carbonate-bicarbonate solid-gas reaction to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The prototype sorber module was designed, fabricated, and tested at simulated extravehicular activity conditions to arrive at optimum design. The unit maintains sorber outlet concentration below 5 mm Hg. An optimization study was made with respect to heat transfer, temperature control, sorbent utilization, sorber life and regenerability, and final size of the module. Important parameters influencing the capacity of the final absorber unit were identified and recommendations for improvement were made.

Seismic retrofit benefit considering statewide transportation assessment.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and demonstrate a methodology to prioritize bridges for : retrofit in the State of Oregon. Given the limited resources available, retrofitting all vulnerable bridges in the foreseeable : future would not be i...

Fish passage through retrofitted culverts : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-11-01

Long term and short term studies of fish movement were conducted at several retrofitted culverts within Oregon. This was done to assess the effectiveness of retrofitting culverts with baffles to improve fish passage. The long term results showed that...

Seismic retrofitting manual for highway structures. Part 1, Bridges

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-01-01

This report is the first of a two-part publication entitled "Seismic retrofitting manual for highway structures". Part 1 of this manual is based on previous Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) publications on this subject including Seismic Retrofit...

Characterization of a low concentrator photovoltaics module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, B. A.; van Dyk, E. E.; Vorster, F. J.; Okullo, W.; Munji, M. K.; Booysen, P.

2012-05-01

Low concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) systems have the potential to reduce the cost per kWh of electricity compared to conventional flat-plate photovoltaics (PV) by up to 50%. The cost-savings are realised by replacing expensive PV cells with relatively cheaper optical components to concentrate incident solar irradiance onto a receiver and by tracking the sun along either 1 axis or 2 axes. A LCPV module consists of three interrelated subsystems, viz., the optical, electrical and the thermal subsystems, which must be considered for optimal module design and performance. Successful integration of these subsystems requires the balancing of cost, performance and reliability. In this study LCPV experimental prototype modules were designed, built and evaluated with respect to optimisation of the three subsystems and overall performance. This paper reports on the optical and electrical evaluation of a prototype LCPV module.

Building America Case Study: Supplemental Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump in the Hot-Humid Climate, Brevard and Volusia Counties, Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

"The BAPIRC team and Florida Power and Light (FPL) electric utility pursued a pilot phased energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida by creating detailed data on the energy and economic performance of two levels of retrofit - simple and deep. For this Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, a total of 56 homes spread across the utility partner's territory in east central Florida, southeast Florida, and southwest Florida were instrumented between August 2012 and January 2013, and received simple pass-through retrofit measures during the period of March 2013 - June 2013. Ten of these homes received a deeper package of retrofits duringmore » August 2013 - December 2013. A full account of Phase I of this project, including detailed home details and characterization, is found in Parker et al, 2015 (currently in draft). Phase II of this project, which is the focus of this report, applied the following additional retrofit measures to select homes that received a shallow retrofit in Phase I: supplemental mini-split heat pump (MSHP) (6 homes), ducted and space coupled heat pump water heater (8 homes), exterior insulation finish system (EIFS) (1 homes), window retrofit (3 homes), smart thermostat (21 homes: 19 NESTs; 2 Lyrics), heat pump clothes dryer (8 homes), and variable speed pool pump (5 homes).« less

A prototype stationary Fourier transform spectrometer for near-infrared absorption spectroscopy.

PubMed

Li, Jinyang; Lu, Dan-feng; Qi, Zhi-mei

2015-09-01

A prototype stationary Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) was constructed with a fiber-coupled lithium niobate (LiNbO3) waveguide Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) for the purpose of rapid on-site spectroscopy of biological and chemical measurands. The MZI contains push-pull electrodes for electro-optic modulation, and its interferogram as a plot of intensity against voltage was obtained by scanning the modulating voltage from -60 to +60 V in 50 ms. The power spectrum of input signal was retrieved by Fourier transform processing of the interferogram combined with the wavelength dispersion of half-wave voltage determined for the MZI used. The prototype FTS operates in the single-mode wavelength range from 1200 to 1700 nm and allows for reproducible spectroscopy. A linear concentration dependence of the absorbance at λmax = 1451 nm for water in ethanolic solution was obtained using the prototype FTS. The near-infrared spectroscopy of solid samples was also implemented, and the different spectra obtained with different materials evidenced the chemical recognition capability of the prototype FTS. To make this prototype FTS practically applicable, work on improving its spectral resolution by increasing the maximum optical path length difference is in progress.

Innovative Retrofit Insulation Strategies for Concrete Masonry Foundations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huelman, P.; Goldberg, L.; Jacobson, R.

This study was designed to test a new approach for foundation insulation retrofits, with the goal of demonstrating improved moisture control, improved occupant comfort, and reduced heat loss. Because conducting experimental research on existing below-grade assemblies is very difficult, most of the results are based on simulations. The retrofit approach consists of filling open concrete block cores with an insulating material and adding R-10 exterior insulation that extends 1 ft below grade. The core fill is designed to improve the R-value of the foundation wall and increase the interior wall surface temperature, but more importantly to block convection currents thatmore » could otherwise increase moisture loads on the foundation wall and interior space. The exterior insulation significantly reduces heat loss through the most exposed part of the foundation and further increases the interior wall surface temperature. This improves occupant comfort and decreases the risk of condensation. Such an insulation package avoids the full-depth excavation necessary for exterior insulation retrofits, reduces costs, and eliminates the moisture and indoor air quality risks associated with interior insulation retrofits. Retrofit costs for the proposed approach were estimated at roughly half those of a full-depth exterior insulation retrofit.« less

Modular standards for emerging avionics technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radcliffe, B.; Boaz, J.

The present investigation is concerned with modular standards for the integration of new avionics technologies into production aircraft, taking into account also major retrofit programs. It is pointed out that avionics systems are about to undergo drastic changes in the partitioning of functions and judicious sharing of resources. These changes have the potential to significantly improve reliability and maintainability, and to reduce costs. Attention is given to a definition of the modular avionics concept, the existing module program, the development approach, development progress on the modular avionics standard, and the future of avionics installation standards.

Building America Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Shallow Retrofit Results, Central and South Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

2017-02-22

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), in collaboration with Florida Power & Light (FPL), is pursuing a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida. Researchers are looking to establish the impacts of technologies of two retrofit packages -- shallow and deep -- on annual energy and peak energy reductions. Sixty homes have been instrumented to record total house power and detailed energy end-use data on all appliances as well as household interior temperature and relative humidity conditions.

Building America Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Energy Efficiency Retrofits: Shallow Retrofit Results, Central and South Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Parker, K. Sutherland, D. Chasar, J. Montemurno, B. Amos, J. Kono

2017-02-01

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), in collaboration with Florida Power & Light (FPL), is pursuing a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program in Florida. Researchers are looking to establish the impacts of technologies of two retrofit packages -- shallow and deep -- on annual energy and peak energy reductions. Sixty homes have been instrumented to record total house power and detailed energy end-use data on all appliances as well as household interior temperature and relative humidity conditions.

A regression-based approach to estimating retrofit savings using the Building Performance Database

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walter, Travis; Sohn, Michael D.

Retrofitting building systems is known to provide cost-effective energy savings. This article addresses how the Building Performance Database is used to help identify potential savings. Currently, prioritizing retrofits and computing their expected energy savings and cost/benefits can be a complicated, costly, and an uncertain effort. Prioritizing retrofits for a portfolio of buildings can be even more difficult if the owner must determine different investment strategies for each of the buildings. Meanwhile, we are seeing greater availability of data on building energy use, characteristics, and equipment. These data provide opportunities for the development of algorithms that link building characteristics and retrofitsmore » empirically. In this paper we explore the potential of using such data for predicting the expected energy savings from equipment retrofits for a large number of buildings. We show that building data with statistical algorithms can provide savings estimates when detailed energy audits and physics-based simulations are not cost- or time-feasible. We develop a multivariate linear regression model with numerical predictors (e.g., operating hours, occupant density) and categorical indicator variables (e.g., climate zone, heating system type) to predict energy use intensity. The model quantifies the contribution of building characteristics and systems to energy use, and we use it to infer the expected savings when modifying particular equipment. We verify the model using residual analysis and cross-validation. We demonstrate the retrofit analysis by providing a probabilistic estimate of energy savings for several hypothetical building retrofits. We discuss the ways understanding the risk associated with retrofit investments can inform decision making. The contributions of this work are the development of a statistical model for estimating energy savings, its application to a large empirical building dataset, and a discussion of its use in informing building retrofit decisions.« less

Virtual environment architecture for rapid application development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grinstein, Georges G.; Southard, David A.; Lee, J. P.

1993-01-01

We describe the MITRE Virtual Environment Architecture (VEA), a product of nearly two years of investigations and prototypes of virtual environment technology. This paper discusses the requirements for rapid prototyping, and an architecture we are developing to support virtual environment construction. VEA supports rapid application development by providing a variety of pre-built modules that can be reconfigured for each application session. The modules supply interfaces for several types of interactive I/O devices, in addition to large-screen or head-mounted displays.

Study on the application of ambient vibration tests to evaluate the effectiveness of seismic retrofitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Li; Takaaki, Ohkubo; Guang-hui, Li

2018-03-01

In recent years, earthquakes have occurred frequently, and the seismic performance of existing school buildings has become particularly important. The main method for improving the seismic resistance of existing buildings is reinforcement. However, there are few effective methods to evaluate the effect of reinforcement. Ambient vibration measurement experiments were conducted before and after seismic retrofitting using wireless measurement system and the changes of vibration characteristics were compared. The changes of acceleration response spectrum, natural periods and vibration modes indicate that the wireless vibration measurement system can be effectively applied to evaluate the effect of seismic retrofitting. The method can evaluate the effect of seismic retrofitting qualitatively, it is difficult to evaluate the effect of seismic retrofitting quantitatively at this stage.

Diesel retrofit assessment for NYS DOT to retrofit its existing engine fleet.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-08-01

The NYS DEC has required the use of retrofit technologies for various state agency, state public authority, and regional public authority heavy duty vehicles, as well as heavy duty vehicles used on behalf of such agencies and authorities. This report...

Highway Vehicle Retrofit Evaluation : Phase I. Analysis and Preliminary Evaluation Results. Volume 1. Sections 1 through 3.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-11-01

This report in two volumes presents an analysis and preliminary evaluation of selected used-car and light-truck fuel economy retrofit devices. In particular, information is provided that depicts the performance characteristics of retrofit devices tha...

Assessment and evaluation of timber piles used in Nebraska for retrofit and rating.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-04-01

The cost of an effective retrofitting and rehabilitation of timber piles is less than cost of replacing the piles. However, some of the retrofit options used in Nebraska failed to result in the expected performance levels. Further, design and detaili...

Strategies and Challenges for Energy Efficient Retrofitting: Study of the Empire State Building

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De, B.; Mukherjee, M.

2013-11-01

Operational and maintenance cost of existing buildings is escalating making it tough for both the owner and the tenants. Retrofitting them with state of the art technologies help them to keep pace with amended recent code provisions and thus extending the older building stocks one more chance to live responsively. Retrofitted iconic buildings can thus retain their status in commerce driven real estate sector. It helps in reducing green house gas emission as well. World's iconic skyscraper, the Empire State Building (ESB), has undergone an exemplary retrofit process since 2008 to reduce its energy demands. To achieve the goal of operational cost and energy consumption reduction, stiff challenges had taken care in a systematic manner to realize benefit throughout the entire lifespan of the ESB. Least disturbances to the tenant and on-site component handling strategies required precise planning. The present paper explores strategies and process adopted for retrofitting the ESB, and derived insightful guidelines towards operational cost savings and energy efficiency of existing buildings through retrofitting.

Strategy Guideline: Quality Management in Existing Homes; Cantilever Floor Example

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taggart, J.; Sikora, J.; Wiehagen, J.

2011-12-01

This guideline is designed to highlight the QA process that can be applied to any residential building retrofit activity. The cantilevered floor retrofit detailed in this guideline is included only to provide an actual retrofit example to better illustrate the QA activities being presented. The goal of existing home high performing remodeling quality management systems (HPR-QMS) is to establish practices and processes that can be used throughout any remodeling project. The research presented in this document provides a comparison of a selected retrofit activity as typically done versus that same retrofit activity approached from an integrated high performance remodeling andmore » quality management perspective. It highlights some key quality management tools and approaches that can be adopted incrementally by a high performance remodeler for this or any high performance retrofit. This example is intended as a template and establishes a methodology that can be used to develop a portfolio of high performance remodeling strategies.« less

Performance of school bus retrofit systems: ultrafine particles and other vehicular pollutants.

PubMed

Zhang, Qunfang; Zhu, Yifang

2011-08-01

This study evaluated the performance of retrofit systems for diesel-powered school buses, a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) muffler and a spiracle crankcase filtration system (CFS), regarding ultrafine particles (UFPs) and other air pollutants from tailpipe emissions and inside bus cabins. Tailpipe emissions and in-cabin air pollutant levels were measured before and after retrofitting when the buses were idling and during actual pick-up/drop off routes. Retrofit systems significantly reduced tailpipe emissions with a reduction of 20-94% of total particles with both DOC and CFS installed. However, no unequivocal decrease was observed for in-cabin air pollutants after retrofitting. The AC/fan unit and the surrounding air pollutant concentrations played more important roles for determining the in-cabin air quality of school buses than did retrofit technologies. Although current retrofit systems reduce children's exposure while waiting to board at a bus station, retrofitting by itself does not protect children satisfactorily from in-cabin particle exposures. Turning on the bus engine increased in-cabin UFP levels significantly only when the wind blew from the bus' tailpipe toward its hood with its windows open. This indicated that wind direction and window position are significant factors determining how much self-released tailpipe emissions may penetrate into the bus cabin. The use of an air purifier was found to remove in-cabin particles by up to 50% which might be an alternative short-to-medium term strategy to protect children's health.

Strategy Guideline: Quality Management in Existing Homes - Cantilever Floor Example

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taggart, J.; Sikora, J.; Wiehagen, J.

2011-12-01

This guideline is designed to highlight the QA process that can be applied to any residential building retrofit activity. The cantilevered floor retrofit detailed in this guideline is included only to provide an actual retrofit example to better illustrate the QA activities being presented.

40 CFR 1042.801 - General provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... retrofit program prior to January 1, 2017 are exempt from the requirements of this subpart, as specified in this paragraph (g). (1) This exemption only applies for retrofit programs sponsored by a state... not apply where the sponsoring government specifies that inclusion in the retrofit program is not...

78 FR 41731 - Source Specific Federal Implementation Plan for Implementing Best Available Retrofit Technology...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-11

... Federal Implementation Plan for Implementing Best Available Retrofit Technology for Four Corners Power... Implementation Plan (FIP) to implement the Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) requirement of the Regional... given the uncertainties in the electrical market in Arizona, EPA is proposing to extend the date by...

Quantifying the Financial Benefits of Multifamily Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Philbrick; Scheu, R.; Brand, L.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America research team Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit analyzed building, energy, and financial program data as well as other public and private data to examine the relationship between energy-efficiency retrofits and financial performance on three levels: building, city, and community.

Field testing of a low-cost retrofit filter berm to treat stormwater runoff contaminants.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-09-01

The goal of this cooperative effort between MaineDOT and the University of New Hampshire was to test a low-cost : retrofit filter berm that would reduce non-point pollution from highway runoff. The retrofit berm would be easy to : construct using rea...

EnergySmart Schools Tips: Retrofitting, Operating, and Maintaining Existing Buildings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Energy, 2010

2010-01-01

Combining preventative operations and maintenance (O&M) with strategic retrofitting of building systems improves a school's energy performance. For schools with limited resources and experience, "quick wins" in O&M and retrofitting provide a valuable starting point to energy management. As a next step, strategically prioritizing long- and…

77 FR 70689 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Tennessee; Regional Haze State Implementation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-27

... Retrofit Technology Requirements for Eastman Chemical Company AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: EPA is finalizing approval of the Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART... retrofitting its facility pursuant to the BART determination for SO 2 emissions (hereafter referred to as the...

49 CFR 214.513 - Retrofitting of existing on-track roadway maintenance machines; general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Retrofitting of existing on-track roadway maintenance machines; general. 214.513 Section 214.513 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... SAFETY On-Track Roadway Maintenance Machines and Hi-Rail Vehicles § 214.513 Retrofitting of existing on...

75 FR 13498 - Small Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Dumbarton Bridge Seismic...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-22

... of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Dumbarton Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project... pile driving associated with the Dumbarton Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project. DATES: Effective August 15... request from Caltrans to harass marine mammals incidental to the Dumbarton Bridge Seismic Retrofit Project...

Technology Solutions for Existing Homes Overview: Quantifying the Financial Benefits of Multifamily Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2016-04-01

In this project, the U.S. Department of Energy Building America team Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit (PARR) worked with Elevate Energy on three tasks: to conduct pre- and post-retrofit analysis on the income and expense data of 13 Chicago-area multifamily buildings, to compare Chicago income and expense data to two national samples, and to explore the ramifications that energy-efficiency retrofits have on nine Chicago-area neighborhoods. The project team collected building, energy, and income and expense data from multiple private and public sources.

Building America Case Study: Simple Retrofit High-Efficiency Natural Gas Water Heater Field Test, Minneapolis, Minnesota

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

T. Schirber, B. Schoenbauer

High-performance water heaters are typically more time consuming and costly to install in retrofit applications, making high-performance water heaters difficult to justify economically. However, recent advancements in high-performance water heaters have targeted the retrofit market, simplifying installations and reducing costs. Four high-efficiency natural gas water heaters designed specifically for retrofit applications were installed in single-family homes along with detailed monitoring systems to characterize their savings potential, their installed efficiencies, and their ability to meet household demands.

Infrastructure Retrofit Design via Composite Mechanics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, Christos, C.; Gotsis,Pascal K.

1998-01-01

Select applications are described to illustrate the concept for retrofitting reinforced concrete infrastructure with fiber reinforced plastic laminates. The concept is first illustrated by using an axially loaded reinforced concrete column. A reinforced concrete arch and a dome are then used to illustrate the versatility of the concept. Advanced methods such as finite element structural analysis and progressive structural fracture are then used to evaluate the retrofitting laminate adequacy. Results obtains show that retrofits can be designed to double and even triple the as-designed load of the select reinforced concrete infrastructures.

Efficiency of blue-green stormwater retrofits for flood mitigation - Conclusions drawn from a case study in Malmö, Sweden.

PubMed

Haghighatafshar, Salar; Nordlöf, Beatrice; Roldin, Maria; Gustafsson, Lars-Göran; la Cour Jansen, Jes; Jönsson, Karin

2018-02-01

Coupled one-dimensional (1D) sewer and two-dimensional (2D) overland flow hydrodynamic models were constructed to evaluate the flood mitigation efficiency of a renowned blue-green stormwater retrofit, i.e. Augustenborg, in Malmö, Sweden. Simulation results showed that the blue-green stormwater systems were effective in controlling local surface flooding in inner-city catchments, having reduced the total flooded surfaces by about 70%. However, basement flooding could still be a potential problem depending on the magnitude of the inflows through combined sewer from upstream areas. Moreover, interactions between blue-green retrofits and the surrounding pipe-system were studied. It was observed that the blue-green retrofits reduced the peak flows by approximately 80% and levelled out the runoff. This is a substantial advantage for downstream pipe-bound catchments, as they do not receive a cloudburst-equivalent runoff from the retrofitted catchment, but a reduced flow corresponding to a much milder rainfall. Blue-green retrofits are more effective if primarily implemented in the upstream areas of a pipe-bound catchment since the resulting reduced runoff and levelled out discharge would benefit the entire network lying downstream. Implementing blue-green retrofits from upstream towards downstream can be considered as a sustainable approach. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the benefits of a building retrofit using an integrated system approach: A case study

DOE PAGES

Regnier, Cynthia; Sun, Kaiyu; Hong, Tianzhen; ...

2017-11-11

Building retrofits provide a large opportunity to significantly reduce energy consumption in the buildings sector. Traditional building retrofits focus on equipment upgrades, often at the end of equipment life or failure, and result in replacement with marginally improved similar technology and limited energy savings. The Integrated System (IS) retrofit approach enables much greater energy savings by leveraging interactive effects between end use systems, enabling downsized or lower energy technologies. This work presents a case study in Hawaii quantifying the benefits of an IS retrofit approach compared to two traditional retrofit approaches: a Standard Practice of upgrading equipment to meet minimummore » code requirements, and an Improved Practice of upgrading equipment to a higher efficiency. The IS approach showed an energy savings of 84% over existing building energy use, much higher than the traditional approaches of 13% and 33%. The IS retrofit also demonstrated the greatest energy cost savings potential. While the degree of savings realized from the IS approach will vary by building and climate, these findings indicate that savings on the order of 50% and greater are not possible without an IS approach. It is therefore recommended that the IS approach be universally adopted to achieve deep energy savings.« less

Quantifying the benefits of a building retrofit using an integrated system approach: A case study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Regnier, Cynthia; Sun, Kaiyu; Hong, Tianzhen

Building retrofits provide a large opportunity to significantly reduce energy consumption in the buildings sector. Traditional building retrofits focus on equipment upgrades, often at the end of equipment life or failure, and result in replacement with marginally improved similar technology and limited energy savings. The Integrated System (IS) retrofit approach enables much greater energy savings by leveraging interactive effects between end use systems, enabling downsized or lower energy technologies. This work presents a case study in Hawaii quantifying the benefits of an IS retrofit approach compared to two traditional retrofit approaches: a Standard Practice of upgrading equipment to meet minimummore » code requirements, and an Improved Practice of upgrading equipment to a higher efficiency. The IS approach showed an energy savings of 84% over existing building energy use, much higher than the traditional approaches of 13% and 33%. The IS retrofit also demonstrated the greatest energy cost savings potential. While the degree of savings realized from the IS approach will vary by building and climate, these findings indicate that savings on the order of 50% and greater are not possible without an IS approach. It is therefore recommended that the IS approach be universally adopted to achieve deep energy savings.« less

Validity of High School Physic Module With Character Values Using Process Skill Approach In STKIP PGRI West Sumatera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anaperta, M.; Helendra, H.; Zulva, R.

2018-04-01

This study aims to describe the validity of physics module with Character Oriented Values Using Process Approach Skills at Dynamic Electrical Material in high school physics / MA and SMK. The type of research is development research. The module development model uses the development model proposed by Plomp which consists of (1) preliminary research phase, (2) the prototyping phase, and (3) assessment phase. In this research is done is initial investigation phase and designing. Data collecting technique to know validation is observation and questionnaire. In the initial investigative phase, curriculum analysis, student analysis, and concept analysis were conducted. In the design phase and the realization of module design for SMA / MA and SMK subjects in dynamic electrical materials. After that, the formative evaluation which include self evaluation, prototyping (expert reviews, one-to-one, and small group. At this stage validity is performed. This research data is obtained through the module validation sheet, which then generates a valid module.

Improving Best Air Conditioner Efficiency by 20-30% through a High Efficiency Fan and Diffuser Stage Coupled with an Evaporative Condenser Pre-Cooler

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, Danny S; Sherwin, John R; Raustad, Richard

2014-04-10

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) conducted a research project to improve the best residential air conditioner condenser technology currently available on the market by retrofitting a commercially-available unit with both a high efficiency fan system and an evaporative pre-cooler. The objective was to integrate these two concepts to achieve an ultra-efficient residential air conditioner design. The project produced a working prototype that was 30% more efficient compared to the best currently-available technologies; the peak the energy efficiency ratio (EER) was improved by 41%. Efficiency at the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) standard B-condition which is used to estimate seasonalmore » energy efficiency ratio (SEER), was raised from a nominal 21 Btu/Wh to 32 Btu/Wh.« less

A Red-Light Running Prevention System Based on Artificial Neural Network and Vehicle Trajectory Data

PubMed Central

Li, Pengfei; Li, Yan; Guo, Xiucheng

2014-01-01

The high frequency of red-light running and complex driving behaviors at the yellow onset at intersections cannot be explained solely by the dilemma zone and vehicle kinematics. In this paper, the author presented a red-light running prevention system which was based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) to approximate the complex driver behaviors during yellow and all-red clearance and serve as the basis of an innovative red-light running prevention system. The artificial neural network and vehicle trajectory are applied to identify the potential red-light runners. The ANN training time was also acceptable and its predicting accurate rate was over 80%. Lastly, a prototype red-light running prevention system with the trained ANN model was described. This new system can be directly retrofitted into the existing traffic signal systems. PMID:25435870

A red-light running prevention system based on artificial neural network and vehicle trajectory data.

PubMed

Li, Pengfei; Li, Yan; Guo, Xiucheng

2014-01-01

The high frequency of red-light running and complex driving behaviors at the yellow onset at intersections cannot be explained solely by the dilemma zone and vehicle kinematics. In this paper, the author presented a red-light running prevention system which was based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) to approximate the complex driver behaviors during yellow and all-red clearance and serve as the basis of an innovative red-light running prevention system. The artificial neural network and vehicle trajectory are applied to identify the potential red-light runners. The ANN training time was also acceptable and its predicting accurate rate was over 80%. Lastly, a prototype red-light running prevention system with the trained ANN model was described. This new system can be directly retrofitted into the existing traffic signal systems.

HDU Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) Prototype Systems Integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, Tracy R.; Kennedy, Kriss; Tri, Terry; Toups, Larry; Howe, A. Scott

2010-01-01

The Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) project team constructed an analog prototype lunar surface laboratory called the Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM). The prototype unit subsystems were integrated in a short amount of time, utilizing a skunk-works approach that brought together over 20 habitation-related technologies from a variety of NASA centers. This paper describes the system integration strategies and lessons learned, that allowed the PEM to be brought from paper design to working field prototype using a multi-center team. The system integration process included establishment of design standards, negotiation of interfaces between subsystems, and scheduling fit checks and installation activities. A major tool used in integration was a coordinated effort to accurately model all the subsystems using CAD, so that conflicts were identified before physical components came together. Some of the major conclusions showed that up-front modularity that emerged as an artifact of construction, such as the eight 45 degree "pie slices" making up the module whose steel rib edges defined structural mounting and loading points, dictated much of the configurational interfaces between the major subsystems and workstations. Therefore, 'one of the lessons learned included the need to use modularity as a tool for organization in advance, and to work harder to prevent non-critical aspects of the platform from dictating the modularity that may eventually inform the fight system.

Robotics Intern Retrofits Home Appliance to Operate in New, More-Efficient

Science.gov Websites

Ways | News | NREL Robotics Intern Retrofits Home Appliance to Operate in New, More-Efficient Ways Robotics Intern Retrofits Home Appliance to Operate in New, More-Efficient Ways November 2, 2017 Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Robotics Internship Program. Photo courtesy of Jamie Santos

40 CFR 52.2501 - Best available retrofit technology (BART) requirement for the Tesoro Refining and Marketing...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 5 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Best available retrofit technology... Best available retrofit technology (BART) requirement for the Tesoro Refining and Marketing Company oil... 10, to the following email address: [email protected] Effective Date Note: At 79 FR 33454...

Measuring energy-saving retrofits: Experiences from the Texas LoanSTAR program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haberl, J.S.; Reddy, T.A.; Claridge, D.E.

1996-02-01

In 1988 the Governor`s Energy Management Center of Texas received approval from the US Department of Energy to establish a $98.6 million state-wide retrofit demonstration revolving loan program to fund energy-conserving retrofits in state, public school, and local government buildings. As part of this program, a first-of-its-kind, statewide Monitoring and Analysis Program (MAP) was established to verify energy and dollar savings of the retrofits, reduce energy costs by identifying operational and maintenance improvements, improve retrofit selection in future rounds of the LoanSTAR program, and initiate a data base of energy use in institutional and commercial buildings located in Texas. Thismore » report discusses the LoanSTAR MAP with an emphasis on the process of acquiring and analyzing data to measure savings from energy conservation retrofits when budgets are a constraint. This report includes a discussion of the program structure, basic measurement techniques, data archiving and handling, data reporting and analysis, and includes selected examples from LoanSTAR agencies. A summary of the program results for the first two years of monitoring is also included.« less

Microtube strip heat exchanger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doty, F. D.

1990-12-01

Doty Scientific (DSI) believes their microtube-strip heat exchanger will contribute significantly to the following: (1) the closed Brayton cycles being pursued at MIT, NASA, and elsewhere; (2) reverse Brayton cycle cryocoolers, currently being investigated by NASA for space missions, being applied to MRI superconducting magnets; and (3) high-efficiency cryogenic gas separation schemes for CO2 removal from exhaust stacks. The goal of this current study is to show the potential for substantial progress in high-effectiveness, low-cost, gas-to-gas heat exchangers for diverse applications at temperatures from below 100 K to above 1000 K. To date, the highest effectiveness measured is about 98 percent and relative pressure drops below 0.1 percent with a specific conductance of about 45 W/kgK are reported. During the pre-award period DSI built and tested a 3-module heat exchanger bank using 103-tube microtube strip (MTS) modules. To add to their analytical capabilities, DSI has acquired computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software. This report describes the pre-award work and the status of the ten tasks of the current project, which are: analyze flow distribution and thermal stresses within individual modules; design a heat exchanger bank of ten modules with 400 microtube per module; obtain production quality tubestrip die and AISI 304 tubestrips; obtain production quality microtubing; construct revised MTS heat exchanger; construct dies and fixtures for prototype heat exchanger; construct 100 MTS modules; assemble 8 to 10 prototype MTS heat exchangers; test prototype MTS heat exchanger; and verify test through independent means.

Digital fabrication of multi-material biomedical objects.

PubMed

Cheung, H H; Choi, S H

2009-12-01

This paper describes a multi-material virtual prototyping (MMVP) system for modelling and digital fabrication of discrete and functionally graded multi-material objects for biomedical applications. The MMVP system consists of a DMMVP module, an FGMVP module and a virtual reality (VR) simulation module. The DMMVP module is used to model discrete multi-material (DMM) objects, while the FGMVP module is for functionally graded multi-material (FGM) objects. The VR simulation module integrates these two modules to perform digital fabrication of multi-material objects, which can be subsequently visualized and analysed in a virtual environment to optimize MMLM processes for fabrication of product prototypes. Using the MMVP system, two biomedical objects, including a DMM human spine and an FGM intervertebral disc spacer are modelled and digitally fabricated for visualization and analysis in a VR environment. These studies show that the MMVP system is a practical tool for modelling, visualization, and subsequent fabrication of biomedical objects of discrete and functionally graded multi-materials for biomedical applications. The system may be adapted to control MMLM machines with appropriate hardware for physical fabrication of biomedical objects.

Marginal costs of water savings from cooling system retrofits: a case study for Texas power plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loew, Aviva; Jaramillo, Paulina; Zhai, Haibo

2016-10-01

The water demands of power plant cooling systems may strain water supply and make power generation vulnerable to water scarcity. Cooling systems range in their rates of water use, capital investment, and annual costs. Using Texas as a case study, we examined the cost of retrofitting existing coal and natural gas combined-cycle (NGCC) power plants with alternative cooling systems, either wet recirculating towers or air-cooled condensers for dry cooling. We applied a power plant assessment tool to model existing power plants in terms of their key plant attributes and site-specific meteorological conditions and then estimated operation characteristics of retrofitted plants and retrofit costs. We determined the anticipated annual reductions in water withdrawals and the cost-per-gallon of water saved by retrofits in both deterministic and probabilistic forms. The results demonstrate that replacing once-through cooling at coal-fired power plants with wet recirculating towers has the lowest cost per reduced water withdrawals, on average. The average marginal cost of water withdrawal savings for dry-cooling retrofits at coal-fired plants is approximately 0.68 cents per gallon, while the marginal recirculating retrofit cost is 0.008 cents per gallon. For NGCC plants, the average marginal costs of water withdrawal savings for dry-cooling and recirculating towers are 1.78 and 0.037 cents per gallon, respectively.

Research Report for the Organizing for Diversity Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betsinger, Alicia M.; Garcia, Shernaz B.; Guerra, Patricia L.

This report describes the Organizing for Diversity Project, which generated professional development modules to prepare teachers to work more effectively with diverse students. Prototype modules were developed in collaboration with teacher volunteers, then field tested. The final 11 modules, which included 33 hours of training, were designed for…

Arkansas Solar Retrofit Guide. Greenhouses, Air Heaters and Water Heaters.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skiles, Albert; Rose, Mary Jo

Solar retrofits are devices of structures designed to be attached to existing buildings to augment their existing heating sources with solar energy. An investigation of how solar retrofits should be designed to suit the climate and resources of Arkansas is the subject of this report. Following an introduction (section 1), section 2 focuses on…

49 CFR 214.517 - Retrofitting of existing on-track roadway maintenance machines manufactured on or after January 1...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Retrofitting of existing on-track roadway maintenance machines manufactured on or after January 1, 1991. 214.517 Section 214.517 Transportation Other... Retrofitting of existing on-track roadway maintenance machines manufactured on or after January 1, 1991. In...

Whole-Building Retrofits | Climate Neutral Research Campuses | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Whole-Building Retrofits Whole-Building Retrofits Buildings are the greatest energy consumers on check. As buildings age, O&M costs reach the point where they are best addressed through a top-to wall insulation. Renovations are costly and disruptive, but they are the best way to adapt an aging

School Retrofit Design Analysis System. A Microcomputer Model for School Energy Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canipe, Stephen Lee

The School Retrofit Design Analysis System (SRDAS) developed in this study provides a non-technical method for the school administrator to use in evaluating alternative energy saving retrofit and new construction design possibilities. By providing a high degree of flexibility, SRDAS is applicable to a wide range of school building and retrofit…

Webinars on MyCDX Changes and New Defects and Recalls Reporting Module

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This webinar focuses on MyCDX changes, overview of the new defects and recalls reporting module, the Engines and Vehicles Compliance Information System (EV-CIS) home page prototype and deployment information.

New capabilities for older aircraft: A study of pilot integration of retro-fit digital avionics to analog-instrumented flight decks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breuer, Glynn E.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether applying Gilbert's Behavior Engineering Model to military tactical aviation organizations would foster effective user integration of retro-fit digital avionics in analog-instrumented flight decks. This study examined the relationship between the reported presence of environmental supports and personal repertory supports as defined by Gilbert, and the reported self-efficacy of users of retro-fit digital avionics to analog flight decks, and examined the efficacious behaviors of users as they attain mastery of the equipment and procedures, and user reported best practices and criteria for masterful performance in the use of retro-fit digital avionics and components. This study used a mixed methodology, using quantitative surveys to measure the perceived level of organizational supports that foster mastery of retro-fit digital avionic components, and qualitative interviews to ascertain the efficacious behaviors and best practices of masterful users of these devices. The results of this study indicate that there is some relationship between the reported presence of organizational supports and personal repertory supports and the reported self-mastery and perceived organizational mastery of retro-fit digital avionics applied to the operation of the research aircraft. The primary recommendation is that unit leadership decide exactly the capabilities desired from retro-fit equipment, publish these standards, ensure training in these standards is effective, and evaluate performance based on these standards. Conclusions indicate that sufficient time and resources are available to the individual within the study population, and the organization as a whole, to apply Gilbert's criteria toward the mastery of retro-fit digital avionics applied to the operation of the research aircraft.

Initial Risk Analysis and Decision Making Framework

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Engel, David W.

2012-02-01

Commercialization of new carbon capture simulation initiative (CCSI) technology will include two key elements of risk management, namely, technical risk (will process and plant performance be effective, safe, and reliable) and enterprise risk (can project losses and costs be controlled within the constraints of market demand to maintain profitability and investor confidence). Both of these elements of risk are incorporated into the risk analysis subtask of Task 7. Thus far, this subtask has developed a prototype demonstration tool that quantifies risk based on the expected profitability of expenditures when retrofitting carbon capture technology on a stylized 650 MW pulverized coalmore » electric power generator. The prototype is based on the selection of specific technical and financial factors believed to be important determinants of the expected profitability of carbon capture, subject to uncertainty. The uncertainty surrounding the technical performance and financial variables selected thus far is propagated in a model that calculates the expected profitability of investments in carbon capture and measures risk in terms of variability in expected net returns from these investments. Given the preliminary nature of the results of this prototype, additional work is required to expand the scope of the model to include additional risk factors, additional information on extant and proposed risk factors, the results of a qualitative risk factor elicitation process, and feedback from utilities and other interested parties involved in the carbon capture project. Additional information on proposed distributions of these risk factors will be integrated into a commercial implementation framework for the purpose of a comparative technology investment analysis.« less

Performance of a prototype surface collector for juvenile salmonids at Bonneville dam's first powerhouse on the Columbia River, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Evans, S.D.; Adams, N.S.; Rondorf, D.W.; Plumb, J.M.; Ebberts, B.D.

2008-01-01

During April-July 2000, we radio-tagged and released juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to evaluate a prototype surface flow bypass at Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River. The mock bypass, called a prototype surface collector (PSC), had six vertical slot entrances that were each 6 m wide and 12 m deep. The PSC was retrofitted to the upstream face of Bonneville Dam's First Powerhouse. Our objectives were to: (1) assess species-specific differences in movement patterns and behaviour of fish within 6 m of the face of the PSC, (2) estimate the efficiency and effectiveness of the PSC and (3) evaluate factors affecting the performance of the PSC. We found that 60-72% of the fish, depending on species, detected within 6 m of the PSC entered it. Of the fish that passed the First Powerhouse at turbines 1-6, 79-83% entered the PSC. Diel period was a significant contributor to PSC performance for all species, and day of year was a significant contributor to PSC performance for subyearling Chinook salmon. The PSC was twice as effective (%fish/%flow) as the spillway, passing 2.5:1 steelhead and subyearling Chinook salmon and 2.4:1 yearling Chinook salmon per unit of water. If fully implemented, the PSC would increase the percentage of fish that pass the First Powerhouse through non-turbine routes from 65-77% (without the PSC) to 76-85% (with the PSC), depending on species. Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Scalable methodology for large scale building energy improvement: Relevance of calibration in model-based retrofit analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Heo, Yeonsook; Augenbroe, Godfried; Graziano, Diane

2015-05-01

The increasing interest in retrofitting of existing buildings is motivated by the need to make a major contribution to enhancing building energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption and CO2 emission by the built environment. This paper examines the relevance of calibration in model-based analysis to support decision-making for energy and carbon efficiency retrofits of individual buildings and portfolios of buildings. The authors formulate a set of real retrofit decision-making situations and evaluate the role of calibration by using a case study that compares predictions and decisions from an uncalibrated model with those of a calibrated model. The case study illustratesmore » both the mechanics and outcomes of a practical alternative to the expert- and time-intense application of dynamic energy simulation models for large-scale retrofit decision-making under uncertainty.« less

Vulnerability Assessment of Shelters in the Eastern Caribbean: Retrofitting Terms of Reference for Consultants, Standards, [and] Global Estimates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibbs, Tony

Dozens of natural disaster shelters (mostly schools) in five Caribbean islands were assessed as to their vulnerability and the needed retrofitting to upgrade them. This report provides retrofit consultants with terms of reference and building design criteria for withstanding various natural disasters, as well as estimated global costs of various…

Attic Retrofits Using Nail-Base Insulated Panels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mallay, David; Kochkin, Vladimir

This project developed and demonstrated a roof/attic energy retrofit solution using nail-base insulated panels for existing homes where traditional attic insulation approaches are not effective or feasible. Nail-base insulated panels (retrofit panels) consist of rigid foam insulation laminated to one face of a wood structural panel. The prefabricated panels are installed above the existing roof deck during a reroofing effort.

Expert Meeting Report. Interior Insulation Retrofit of Mass Masonry Wall Assemblies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ueno, K.; Van Straaten, R.

2012-02-01

The Building Science Consortium held an Expert Meeting on Interior Insulation Retrofit of Mass Masonry Wall Assemblies on July 30, 2011, at the Westford Regency Hotel in Westford, MA. This report outlines the extensive information that was presented on assessment of risk factors for premature building deterioration due to interior insulation retrofits, and methods to reduce such risks.

Expert Meeting Report: Interior Insulation Retrofit of Mass Masonry Wall Assemblies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ueno, K.; Van Straaten, R.

2012-02-01

The Building Science Consortium held an Expert Meeting on Interior Insulation Retrofit of Mass Masonry Wall Assemblies on July 30, 2011 at the Westford Regency Hotel in Westford, MA. This report outlines the extensive information that was presented on assessment of risk factors for premature building deterioration due to interior insulation retrofits, and methods to reduce such risks.

Full-Scale Experimental Verification of Soft-Story-Only Retrofits of Wood-Frame Buildings using Hybrid Testing

Treesearch

Elaina Jennings; John W. van de Lindt; Ershad Ziaei; Pouria Bahmani; Sangki Park; Xiaoyun Shao; Weichiang Pang; Douglas Rammer; Gary Mochizuki; Mikhail Gershfeld

2015-01-01

The FEMA P-807 Guidelines were developed for retrofitting soft-story wood-frame buildings based on existing data, and the method had not been verified through full-scale experimental testing. This article presents two different retrofit designs based directly on the FEMA P-807 Guidelines that were examined at several different seismic intensity levels. The...

75 FR 37456 - Green Retrofit Program of Title XII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-29

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5376-N-55] Green Retrofit Program of Title XII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 AGENCY: Office of the Chief Information... Title of Proposal: Green Retrofit Program of Title XII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of...

Retrofitting of Reinforced Concrete Beams using Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karthik, S.; Sundaravadivelu, Karthik

2017-07-01

Strengthening of existing damaged structures is one of the leading studies in civil engineering. The purpose of retrofitting is to structurally treat the member with an aim to restore the structure to its original strength. The focus of this project is to study the behaviour of damaged Reinforced Concrete beam retrofitted with Reactive Powder Concrete (RPC) Overlay. Reinforced concrete beams of length 1200 mm, width 100 mm and depth 200 mm were casted with M30 grade of concrete in the laboratory and cured for 28 days. One beam is taken as control and are tested under two point loading to find out ultimate load. Remaining beams are subjected to 90 % ultimate load of control beams. The partially damaged beams are retrofitted with Reactive Powder Concrete Overlay at the full tension face of the beam and side overlay depends upon the respectable retrofitting techniques with 10 mm and 20 mm thick layer to find optimum. Materials like steel fibres are added to enhance the ductility by eliminating coarse particle for homogeneity of the structure. Finally, the modes of failure for retrofitted beams are analysed experimentally under two point loading & compared the results with Control beam.

Viability of Carbon Capture and Sequestration Retrofits for Existing Coal-Fired Power Plants under an Emission Trading Scheme.

PubMed

Talati, Shuchi; Zhai, Haibo; Morgan, M Granger

2016-12-06

Using data on the coal-fired electric generating units (EGUs) in Texas we assess the economic feasibility of retrofitting existing units with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) in order to comply with the Clean Power Plan's rate-based emission standards under an emission trading scheme. CCS with 90% capture is shown to be more economically attractive for a range of existing units than purchasing emission rate credits (ERCs) from a trading market at an average credit price above $28 per MWh under the final state standard and $35 per MWh under the final national standard. The breakeven ERC trading prices would decrease significantly if the captured CO 2 were sold for use in enhanced oil recovery, making CCS retrofits viable at lower trading prices. The combination of ERC trading and CO 2 use can greatly reinforce economic incentives and market demands for CCS and hence accelerate large-scale deployment, even under scenarios with high retrofit costs. Comparing the levelized costs of electricity generation between CCS retrofits and new renewable plants under the ERC trading scheme, retrofitting coal-fired EGUs with CCS may be significantly cheaper than new solar plants under some market conditions.

Deep sea tests of a prototype of the KM3NeT digital optical module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adrián-Martínez, S.; Ageron, M.; Aharonian, F.; Aiello, S.; Albert, A.; Ameli, F.; Anassontzis, E. G.; Anghinolfi, M.; Anton, G.; Anvar, S.; Ardid, M.; de Asmundis, R.; Balasi, K.; Band, H.; Barbarino, G.; Barbarito, E.; Barbato, F.; Baret, B.; Baron, S.; Belias, A.; Berbee, E.; van den Berg, A. M.; Berkien, A.; Bertin, V.; Beurthey, S.; van Beveren, V.; Beverini, N.; Biagi, S.; Bianucci, S.; Billault, M.; Birbas, A.; Boer Rookhuizen, H.; Bormuth, R.; Bouché, V.; Bouhadef, B.; Bourlis, G.; Bouwhuis, M.; Bozza, C.; Bruijn, R.; Brunner, J.; Cacopardo, G.; Caillat, L.; Calamai, M.; Calvo, D.; Capone, A.; Caramete, L.; Caruso, F.; Cecchini, S.; Ceres, A.; Cereseto, R.; Champion, C.; Château, F.; Chiarusi, T.; Christopoulou, B.; Circella, M.; Classen, L.; Cocimano, R.; Colonges, S.; Coniglione, R.; Cosquer, A.; Costa, M.; Coyle, P.; Creusot, A.; Curtil, C.; Cuttone, G.; D'Amato, C.; D'Amico, A.; De Bonis, G.; De Rosa, G.; Deniskina, N.; Destelle, J.-J.; Distefano, C.; Donzaud, C.; Dornic, D.; Dorosti-Hasankiadeh, Q.; Drakopoulou, E.; Drouhin, D.; Drury, L.; Durand, D.; Eberl, T.; Eleftheriadis, C.; Elsaesser, D.; Enzenhöfer, A.; Fermani, P.; Fusco, L. A.; Gajana, D.; Gal, T.; Galatà, S.; Gallo, F.; Garufi, F.; Gebyehu, M.; Giordano, V.; Gizani, N.; Gracia Ruiz, R.; Graf, K.; Grasso, R.; Grella, G.; Grmek, A.; Habel, R.; van Haren, H.; Heid, T.; Heijboer, A.; Heine, E.; Henry, S.; Hernández-Rey, J. J.; Herold, B.; Hevinga, M. A.; van der Hoek, M.; Hofestädt, J.; Hogenbirk, J.; Hugon, C.; Hößl, J.; Imbesi, M.; James, C.; Jansweijer, P.; Jochum, J.; de Jong, M.; Kadler, M.; Kalekin, O.; Kappes, A.; Kappos, E.; Katz, U.; Kavatsyuk, O.; Keller, P.; Kieft, G.; Koffeman, E.; Kok, H.; Kooijman, P.; Koopstra, J.; Korporaal, A.; Kouchner, A.; Koutsoukos, S.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Kulikovskiy, V.; Lahmann, R.; Lamare, P.; Larosa, G.; Lattuada, D.; Le Provost, H.; Leisos, A.; Lenis, D.; Leonora, E.; Lindsey Clark, M.; Liolios, A.; Llorens Alvarez, C. D.; Löhner, H.; Lo Presti, D.; Louis, F.; Maccioni, E.; Mannheim, K.; Manolopoulos, K.; Margiotta, A.; Mariş, O.; Markou, C.; Martínez-Mora, J. A.; Martini, A.; Masullo, R.; Michael, T.; Migliozzi, P.; Migneco, E.; Miraglia, A.; Mollo, C.; Mongelli, M.; Morganti, M.; Mos, S.; Moudden, Y.; Musico, P.; Musumeci, M.; Nicolaou, C.; Nicolau, C. A.; Orlando, A.; Orzelli, A.; Papageorgiou, K.; Papaikonomou, A.; Papaleo, R.; Păvălaş, G. E.; Peek, H.; Pellegrino, C.; Pellegriti, M. G.; Perrina, C.; Petridou, C.; Piattelli, P.; Pikounis, K.; Popa, V.; Pradier, Th.; Priede, M.; Pühlhofer, G.; Pulvirenti, S.; Racca, C.; Raffaelli, F.; Randazzo, N.; Rapidis, P. A.; Razis, P.; Real, D.; Resvanis, L.; Reubelt, J.; Riccobene, G.; Rovelli, A.; Royon, J.; Saldaña, M.; Samtleben, D. F. E.; Sanguineti, M.; Santangelo, A.; Sapienza, P.; Savvidis, I.; Schmelling, J.; Schnabel, J.; Sedita, M.; Seitz, T.; Sgura, I.; Simeone, F.; Siotis, I.; Sipala, V.; Solazzo, M.; Spitaleri, A.; Spurio, M.; Stavropoulos, G.; Steijger, J.; Stolarczyk, T.; Stransky, D.; Taiuti, M.; Terreni, G.; Tézier, D.; Théraube, S.; Thompson, L. F.; Timmer, P.; Trapierakis, H. I.; Trasatti, L.; Trovato, A.; Tselengidou, M.; Tsirigotis, A.; Tzamarias, S.; Tzamariudaki, E.; Vallage, B.; Van Elewyck, V.; Vermeulen, J.; Vernin, P.; Viola, S.; Vivolo, D.; Werneke, P.; Wiggers, L.; Wilms, J.; de Wolf, E.; van Wooning, R. H. L.; Yatkin, K.; Zachariadou, K.; Zonca, E.; Zornoza, J. D.; Zúñiga, J.; Zwart, A.

2014-09-01

The first prototype of a photo-detection unit of the future KM3NeT neutrino telescope has been deployed in the deep waters of the Mediterranean Sea. This digital optical module has a novel design with a very large photocathode area segmented by the use of 31 three inch photomultiplier tubes. It has been integrated in the ANTARES detector for in-situ testing and validation. This paper reports on the first months of data taking and rate measurements. The analysis results highlight the capabilities of the new module design in terms of background suppression and signal recognition. The directionality of the optical module enables the recognition of multiple Cherenkov photons from the same $^{40}$K decay and the localization bioluminescent activity in the neighbourhood. The single unit can cleanly identify atmospheric muons and provide sensitivity to the muon arrival directions.

Universal Reconfigurable Translator Module (URTM) Final Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leventhal, Edward; Machan, Roman; Jones, Rob

2009-01-01

This report describes the Universal Reconfigurable Translation Module, or URTM. The URTM was developed by Sigma Space Corporation for NASA in order to translate specific serial protocols, both logically and physically. At present, the prototype configuration has targeted MIL-STD-1553B (RT and BC), IEEE 1394b (Firewire), and ECSS-E-50-12A (SpaceWire). The objectives of this program were to study the feasibility of a configurable URTM to translate serial link data as might be used in a space-flight mission and to design, develop, document, and deliver an engineering prototype model of the URTM with a path to spaceflight. By simply connecting two of the three Physical Interface Modules (PIM) on either end of the RPTM (Reconfigurable Protocol Translator Module), the URTM then self configures via a library of interface translation functions, thereby allowing the two data links to communicate seamlessly.

RESLanjut: The learning media for improve students understanding in embedded systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Indrianto, Susanti, Meilia Nur Indah; Karina, Djunaidi

2017-08-01

The use of network in embedded system can be done with many kinds of network, with the use of mobile phones, bluetooths, modems, ethernet cards, wireless technology and so on. Using network in embedded system could help people to do remote controlling. On previous research, researchers found that many students have the ability to comprehend the basic concept of embedded system. They could also make embedded system tools but without network integration. And for that, a development is needed for the embedded system module. The embedded system practicum module design needs a prototype method in order to achieve the desired goal. The prototype method is often used in the real world. Or even, a prototype method is a part of products that consist of logic expression or external physical interface. The embedded system practicum module is meant to increase student comprehension of embedded system course, and also to encourage students to innovate on technology based tools. It is also meant to help teachers to teach the embedded system concept on the course. The student comprehension is hoped to increase with the use of practicum course.

A clinical database management system for improved integration of the Veterans Affairs Hospital Information System.

PubMed

Andrews, R D; Beauchamp, C

1989-12-01

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Decentralized Hospital Computer Program (DHCP) contains data modules derived from separate ancillary services (e.g., Lab, Pharmacy and Radiology). It is currently difficult to integrate information between the modules. A prototype is being developed aimed at integrating ancillary data by storing clinical data oriented to the patient so that there is easy interaction of data from multiple services. A set of program utilities provides for user-defined functions of decision support, queries, and reports. Information can be used to monitor quality of care by providing feedback in the form of reports, and reminders. Initial testing has indicated the prototype's design and implementation are feasible (in terms of space requirements, speed, and ease of use) in outpatient and inpatient settings. The design, development, and clinical use of this prototype are described.

Renewable energy and conservation measures for non-residential buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grossman, Andrew James

The energy demand in most countries is growing at an alarming rate and identifying economically feasible building retrofit solutions to decrease the need for fossil fuels so as to mitigate their environmental and societal impacts has become imperative. Two approaches are available for identifying feasible retrofit solutions: 1) the implementation of energy conservation measures; and 2) the production of energy from renewable sources. This thesis focuses on the development of retrofit software planning tools for the implementation of solar photovoltaic systems, and lighting system retrofits for mid-Michigan institutional buildings. The solar planning tool exploits the existing blueprint of a building's rooftop, and via image processing, the layouts of the solar photovoltaic arrays are developed based on the building's geographical location and typical weather patterns. The resulting energy generation of a PV system is estimated and is utilized to determine levelized energy costs. The lighting system retrofit analysis starts by a current utilization assessment of a building to determine the amount of energy used by the lighting system. Several LED lighting options are evaluated on the basis of color correlation temperature, color rendering index, energy consumption, and financial feasibility, to determine a retrofit solution. Solar photovoltaic installations in mid-Michigan are not yet financially feasible, but with the anticipated growth and dynamic complexity of the solar photovoltaic market, this solar planning tool is able to assist building proprietors make executive decisions regarding their energy usage. Additionally, a lighting system retrofit is shown to have significant financial and health benefits.

Promoting seismic retrofit implementation through "nudge": using warranty as a driver.

PubMed

Fujimi, Toshio; Tatano, Hirokazu

2013-10-01

This article proposes a new type of warranty policy that applies the "nudge" concept developed by Thaler and Sunstein to encourage homeowners in Japan to implement seismic retrofitting. Homeowner adaptation to natural disasters through loss reduction measures is known to be inadequate. To encourage proactive risk management, the "nudge" approach capitalizes on how choice architecture can influence human decision-making tendencies. For example, people tend to place more value on a warranty for consumer goods than on actuarial value. This article proposes a "warranty for seismic retrofitting" as a "nudge" policy that gives homeowners the incentive to adopt loss reduction measures. Under such a contract, the government guarantees all repair costs in the event of earthquake damage to the house if the homeowner implements seismic retrofitting. To estimate the degree to which a warranty will increase the perceived value of seismic retrofitting, we use field survey data from 1,200 homeowners. Our results show that a warranty increases the perceived value of seismic retrofitting by an average of 33%, and an approximate cost-benefit analysis indicates that such a warranty can be more economically efficient than an ex ante subsidy. Furthermore, we address the failure of the standard expected utility model to explain homeowners' decisions based on warranty evaluation, and explore the significant influence of ambiguity aversion on the efficacy of seismic retrofitting and nonanalytical factors such as feelings or trust. © 2013 Society for Risk Analysis.

Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM) Systems Integration Strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gill, Tracy; Merbitz, Jerad; Kennedy, Kriss; Tri, Terry; Toups, Larry; Howe, A. Scott

2011-01-01

The Habitat Demonstration Unit (HDU) project team constructed an analog prototype lunar surface laboratory called the Pressurized Excursion Module (PEM). The prototype unit subsystems were integrated in a short amount of time, utilizing a rapid prototyping approach that brought together over 20 habitation-related technologies from a variety of NASA centers. This paper describes the system integration strategies and lessons learned, that allowed the PEM to be brought from paper design to working field prototype using a multi-center team. The system integration process was based on a rapid prototyping approach. Tailored design review and test and integration processes facilitated that approach. The use of collaboration tools including electronic tools as well as documentation enabled a geographically distributed team take a paper concept to an operational prototype in approximately one year. One of the major tools used in the integration strategy was a coordinated effort to accurately model all the subsystems using computer aided design (CAD), so conflicts were identified before physical components came together. A deliberate effort was made following the deployment of the HDU PEM for field operations to collect lessons learned to facilitate process improvement and inform the design of future flight or analog versions of habitat systems. Significant items within those lessons learned were limitations with the CAD integration approach and the impact of shell design on flexibility of placing systems within the HDU shell.

Numerical and Experimental Evaluation of Blast Retrofit of Windows

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-18

Retrofitting windows against blast load environments is a topic under considerable investigation. The retrofits added to existing buildings need the strength...experimentally survived the desired loading environment. Two views of the posttest vertical blind system can be seen in Figure 8. Although the vertical...vertica Figure 8: Posttest views l blind system and the connections Both the numerical and experimental systems deformed in a similar

Mini-Split Heat Pumps Multifamily Retrofit Feasibility Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dentz, Jordan; Podorson, David; Varshney, Kapil

Mini-split heat pumps can provide space heating and cooling in many climates and are relatively affordable. These and other features make them potentially suitable for retrofitting into multifamily buildings in cold climates to replace electric resistance heating or other outmoded heating systems. This report investigates the suitability of mini-split heat pumps for multifamily retrofits. Various technical and regulatory barriers are discussed and modeling was performed to compare long-term costs of substituting mini-splits for a variety of other heating and cooling options. A number of utility programs have retrofit mini-splits in both single family and multifamily residences. Two such multifamily programsmore » are discussed in detail.« less

Mini-Split Heat Pumps Multifamily Retrofit Feasibility Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dentz, J.; Podorson, D.; Varshney, K.

2014-05-01

Mini-split heat pumps can provide space heating and cooling in many climates and are relatively affordable. These and other features make them potentially suitable for retrofitting into multifamily buildings in cold climates to replace electric resistance heating or other outmoded heating systems. This report investigates the suitability of mini-split heat pumps for multifamily retrofits. Various technical and regulatory barriers are discussed and modeling was performed to compare long-term costs of substituting mini-splits for a variety of other heating and cooling options. A number of utility programs have retrofit mini-splits in both single family and multifamily residences. Two such multifamily programsmore » are discussed in detail.« less

Chapter 8: Whole-Building Retrofit with Consumption Data Analysis Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurnik, Charles W.; Agnew, Ken; Goldberg, Mimi

Whole-building retrofits involve the installation of multiple measures. Whole-building retrofit programs take many forms. With a focus on overall building performance, these programs usually begin with an energy audit to identify cost-effective energy efficiency measures for the home. Measures are then installed, either at no cost to the homeowner or partially paid for by rebates and/or financing. The methods described here may also be applied to evaluation of single-measure retrofit programs. Related methods exist for replace-on-failure programs and for new construction, but are not the subject of this chapter.

Measure Guideline: Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Double-Stud Walls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loomis, H.; Pettit, B.

2015-06-22

This Measure Guideline describes a deep energy enclosure retrofit solution that provides insulation to the interior of the wall assembly with the use of a double-stud wall. The guide describes two approaches to retrofitting the existing walls—one that involves replacing the existing cladding and the other that leaves the cladding in place. This guideline also covers the design principles related to the use of various insulation types and provides strategies and procedures for implementing the double-stud wall retrofit. It also includes an evaluation of important moisture-related and indoor air quality measures that need to be implemented to achieve a durablemore » high-performance wall.« less

Measure Guideline: Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Double-Stud Walls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loomis, H.; Pettit, B.

2015-06-01

This Measure Guideline describes a deep energy enclosure retrofit (DEER) solution that provides insulation to the interior of the wall assembly with the use of a double stud wall. The guide describes two approaches to retrofitting the existing the walls: one involving replacement of the existing cladding, and the other that leaves the existing cladding in place. It discusses the design principles related to the use of various insulation types, and provides strategies and procedures for implementing the double stud wall retrofit. It also evaluates important moisture-related and indoor air quality measures that need to be implemented to achieve amore » durable, high performance wall.« less

Steel bridge retrofit evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prine, David W.

1998-03-01

The development of a retrofit design aimed at retarding or eliminating fatigue crack growth in a large bridge can be a very difficult and expensive procedure. Analytical techniques frequently do not provide sufficient accuracy when applied to complex structural details. The Infrastructure Technology Institute (ITI) of Northwestern University, under contract to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), recently applied experimental state-of-the-art NDE technology to the Interstate 80 bridge over the Sacramento River near Sacramento, California (Bryte Bend). Acoustic emission monitoring was applied in conjunction with strain gage monitoring to aid in characterizing the retrofits' effect on existing active fatigue cracks. The combined test results clearly showed that one retrofit design was superior to the other.

Retrofit Audits and Cost Estimates. A Look at Quality and Consistency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eisenberg, L.; Shapiro, C.; Fleischer, W.

Retrofit NYC Block by Block is an outreach program targeting owners of one- to four-family homes, the most common building type in New York City, with more than 600,000 structures citywide. Administered by the Pratt Center for Community Development and implemented by four nonprofit, community-based organizations, Block by Block connects residents, businesses, and religious and civic organizations in predominantly low-and moderate-income neighborhoods with one or more of a half-dozen public and private financial incentive programs that facilitate energy-efficiency retrofits. This research project sought to evaluate the approach, effectiveness, and the energy use reductions accomplished by the Retrofit NYC: Block bymore » Block program.« less

Retrofit Audits and Cost Estimates: A Look at Quality and Consistency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eisenberg, L.; Shapiro, C.; Fleischer, W.

Retrofit NYC Block by Block is an outreach program targeting owners of one- to four-family homes, the most common building type in New York City, with more than 600,000 structures citywide. Administered by the Pratt Center for Community Development and implemented by four nonprofit, community based organizations, Block by Block connects residents, businesses, and religious and civic organizations in predominantly low- and moderate-income neighborhoods with one or more of a half-dozen public and private financial incentive programs that facilitate energy-efficiency retrofits. This research project sought to evaluate the approach, effectiveness, and the energy use reductions accomplished by the Retrofit NYC:more » Block by Block program.« less

Implementation and initial test result of a prototype solid state modulator for pulsed magnetron

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dake, Vishal; Mangalvedekar, H.A., E-mail: vishaldake90@gmail.com; Tillu, Abhijit

2014-07-01

A solid-state modulator rated for 50 kV, 120A, 4μs and 250 Hz has been designed. The discharging circuit of the modulator is being tested at ∼ 33 kV, 40-80A, at a maximum pulse repetition rate of 30 pps. The paper discusses development and testing of prototype discharging circuit on resistive load and magnetron. The technique used for measurement of pulse transformer leakage inductance, distributed capacitance and stray primary circuit series inductance will also be discussed in detail. It is necessary to have Energy Storage Capacitors with low ESL for these applications (ESL < 40 nH). The method used for evaluatingmore » the ESL of locally available metalized polypropylene capacitors will also be presented. (author)« less

Before and after retrofit - response of a building during ambient and strong motions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Celebi, M.; Liu, Huaibao P.; ,

1998-01-01

This paper presents results obtained from ambient vibration and strong-motion responses of a thirteen-story, moment-resisting steel framed Santa Clara County Office Building (SCCOB) before being retrofitted by visco-elastic dampers and from ambient vibration response following the retrofit. Understanding the cumulative structural and site characteristics that affect the response of SCCOB before and after the retrofit is important in assessing earthquake hazards to other similar buildings and decision making in retrofitting them. The results emphasize the need to better evaluate structural and site characteristics in developing earthquake resisting designs that avoid resonating effects. Various studies of the strong-motion response records from the SCCOB during the 24 April 1984 (MHE) Morgan Hill (MS = 6.1), the 31 March 1986 (MLE) Mt. Lewis (MS = 6.1) and the 17 October 1989 (LPE) Loma Prieta (MS = 7.1) earthquakes show that the dynamic characteristics of the building are such that it (a) resonated (b) responded with a beating effect due to close-coupling of its translational and torsional frequencies, and (c) had a long-duration response due to low-damping. During each of these earthquakes, there was considerable contents damage and the occupants felt the rigorous vibration of the building. Ambient tests of SCCOB performed following LPE showed that both translational and torsional periods of the building are smaller than those derived from strong motions. Ambient tests performed following the retrofit of the building with visco-elastic dampers show that the structural fundamental mode frequency of the building has increased. The increased frequency implies a stiffer structure. Strong-motion response of the building during future earthquakes will ultimately validate the effectiveness of the retrofit method.This paper presents results obtained from ambient vibration and strong-motion responses of a thirteen-story, moment-resisting steel framed Santa Clara County Office Building (SCCOB) before being retrofitted by visco-elastic dampers and from ambient vibration response following the retrofit. Understanding the cumulative structural and site characteristics that affect the response of SCCOB before and after the retrofit is important in assessing earthquake hazards to other similar buildings and decision making in retrofitting them. The results emphasize the need to better evaluate structural and site characteristics in developing earthquake resisting designs that avoid resonating effects. Various studies of the strong-motion response records from the SCCOB during the 24 April 1984 (MHE) Morgan Hill (Ms = 6.1), the 31 March 1986 (MLE) Mt. Lewis (Ms = 6.1) and the 17 October 1989(LPE) Loma Prieta (Ms = 7.1) earthquakes show that the dynamic characteristics of the building are such that it (a) resonated (b) responded with a beating effect due to close-coupling of its translational and torsional frequencies, and (c) had a long-duration response due to low-damping. During each of these earthquakes, there was considerable contents damage and the occupants felt the rigorous vibration of the building. Ambient tests of SCCOB performed following LPE showed that both translational and torsional periods of the building are smaller than those derived from strong motions. Ambient tests performed following the retrofit of the building with visco-elastic dampers show that the structural fundamental mode frequency of the building has increased. The increased frequency implies a stiffer structure. Strong-motion response of the building during future earthquakes will ultimately validate the effectiveness of the retrofit method.

Heavy Lift Helicopter - Prototype Technical Summary

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

in an inte- grated design. The following paragraphs discuss the swash - plate actuator servo loops and provide details...instrumentation in the prototype aircraft. Development testing of the flight control module in conjunc- tion with the transmission-driven pump and the reservoir was...PFCS employed cockpit controllers and force-feel actuation developed in the ATC

Quantifying the Financial Benefits of Multifamily Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Philbrick, D.; Scheu, R.; Brand, L.

Increasing the adoption of energy efficient building practices will require the energy sector to increase their understanding of the way that retrofits affect multifamily financial performance as well as how those indicators are interpreted by the lending and appraisal industries. This project analyzed building, energy, and financial program data as well as other public and private data to examine the relationship between energy efficiency retrofits and financial performance on three levels: building, city, and community. The project goals were to increase the data and analysis in the growing body of multifamily financial benefits work as well provide a framework formore » other geographies to produce similar characterization. The goals are accomplished through three tasks. Task one: A pre- and post-retrofit analysis of thirteen Chicago multifamily buildings. Task two: A comparison of Chicago income and expenses to two national datasets. Task three: An in-depth look at multifamily market sales data and the subsequent impact of buildings that undergo retrofits.« less

Vulnerability assessment of medieval civic towers as a tool for retrofitting design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Casciati, Sara; Faravelli, Lucia

2008-07-08

The seismic vulnerability of an ancient civic bell-tower is studied. Rather than seeing it as an intermediate stage toward a risk analysis, the assessment of vulnerability is here pursued for the purpose of optimizing the retrofit design. The vulnerability curves are drawn by carrying out a single time history analysis of a model calibrated on the basis of experimental data. From the results of this analysis, the medians of three selected performance parameters are estimated, and they are used to compute, for each of them, the probability of exceeding or attaining the three corresponding levels of light, moderate and severemore » damage. The same numerical model is then used to incorporate the effects of several retrofitting solutions and to re-estimate the associated vulnerability curves. The ultimate goal is to provide a numerical tool able to drive the optimization process of a retrofit design by the comparison of the vulnerability estimates associated with the different retrofitting solutions.« less

Greenbelt Homes Pilot Program: Summary of Building Envelope Retrofits, Planned HVAC Equipment Upgrades, and Energy Savings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wiehagen, J.; Del Bianco, M.; Mallay, D.

2015-05-01

In the fall of 2010, a multiyear pilot energy efficiency retrofit project was undertaken by Greenbelt Homes, Inc, (GHI) a 1,566 home cooperative of circa 1930 and 1940 homes in Greenbelt, Maryland. GHI established this pilot project to serve as a basis for decision making for the rollout of a decade-long community-wide upgrade program that will incorporate energy efficiency improvements to the building envelope and mechanical equipment. It presents a unique opportunity to evaluate and prioritize the wide-range of benefits of high-performance retrofits based on member experience with and acceptance of the retrofit measures implemented during the pilot project. Addressingmore » the complex interactions between benefits, trade-offs, construction methods, project management implications, realistic upfront costs, financing, and other considerations, serves as a case study for energy retrofit projects to include high-performance technologies based on the long-term value to the homeowner. The pilot project focused on identifying the added costs and energy savings benefits of improvements.« less

Retrofitting solutions for two different occupancy levels of educational buildings in tropics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Junjing; Pantazaras, Alexandros; Lee, Siew Eang; Santamouris, Mattheos

2018-01-01

Within the multi-functionality of educational buildings, the energy conservation potential can be very different. In addition, among different retrofitting solutions investigated involving interventions on the building envelope, ventilation strategies, artificial lighting systems as well as equipment upgrading, different saving potential would come from different aspects. The opportunities for energy saving potential from the overall point of view and from the detailed aspect view of different retrofitting solutions would be very useful and important for building renovation decision making. This study presents a detailed retrofitting study of two different educational buildings. One represents a building with average occupancy variation and containing mainly offices and labs. The other one represents a building with high occupancy variation and containing mainly lecture rooms and studios. This comparison of the results gives an idea of the different energy saving potential for different types of educational buildings. Principal component analysis is also adopted to investigate the detailed performance of one of the buildings which is influenced stronger by these retrofitting solutions.

Building America Case Study: Quantifying the Financial Benefits of Multifamily Retrofits, Chicago, Illinois

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Increasing the adoption of energy efficient building practices will require the energy sector to increase their understanding of the way that retrofits affect multifamily financial performance as well as how those indicators are interpreted by the lending and appraisal industries. This project analyzed building, energy, and financial program data as well as other public and private data to examine the relationship between energy efficiency retrofits and financial performance on three levels: building, city, and community. The project goals were to increase the data and analysis in the growing body of multifamily financial benefits work as well provide a framework formore » other geographies to produce similar characterization. The goals are accomplished through three tasks: Task one: A pre- and post-retrofit analysis of thirteen Chicago multifamily buildings. Task two: A comparison of Chicago income and expenses to two national datasets. Task three: An in-depth look at multifamily market sales data and the subsequent impact of buildings that undergo retrofits.« less

Note: Retrofitting an analog spectrometer for high resolving power in NUV-NIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Andrew S.; Batishchev, Oleg V.

2017-11-01

We demonstrate how an older spectrometer designed for photographic films can be efficiently retrofitted with a narrow laser-cut slit and a modern μm-pixel-size imaging CMOS camera, yielding sub-pm resolution in the broad near ultraviolet to near infrared (NUV-NIR) spectral range. Resolving power approaching 106 is achieved. Such digital retrofitting of an analog instrument is practical for research and teaching laboratories.

Integrated Framework for Patient Safety and Energy Efficiency in Healthcare Facilities Retrofit Projects.

PubMed

Mohammadpour, Atefeh; Anumba, Chimay J; Messner, John I

2016-07-01

There is a growing focus on enhancing energy efficiency in healthcare facilities, many of which are decades old. Since replacement of all aging healthcare facilities is not economically feasible, the retrofitting of these facilities is an appropriate path, which also provides an opportunity to incorporate energy efficiency measures. In undertaking energy efficiency retrofits, it is vital that the safety of the patients in these facilities is maintained or enhanced. However, the interactions between patient safety and energy efficiency have not been adequately addressed to realize the full benefits of retrofitting healthcare facilities. To address this, an innovative integrated framework, the Patient Safety and Energy Efficiency (PATSiE) framework, was developed to simultaneously enhance patient safety and energy efficiency. The framework includes a step -: by -: step procedure for enhancing both patient safety and energy efficiency. It provides a structured overview of the different stages involved in retrofitting healthcare facilities and improves understanding of the intricacies associated with integrating patient safety improvements with energy efficiency enhancements. Evaluation of the PATSiE framework was conducted through focus groups with the key stakeholders in two case study healthcare facilities. The feedback from these stakeholders was generally positive, as they considered the framework useful and applicable to retrofit projects in the healthcare industry. © The Author(s) 2016.

Evaluation of NOx emissions of a retrofitted Euro 5 passenger car for the Horizon prize "Engine retrofit".

PubMed

Giechaskiel, Barouch; Suarez-Bertoa, Ricardo; Lähde, Tero; Clairotte, Michael; Carriero, Massimo; Bonnel, Pierre; Maggiore, Maurizio

2018-06-13

The Horizon 2020 prize for the "Engine Retrofit for Clean Air" aims at reducing the pollution in cities by spurring the development of retrofit technology for diesel engines. A Euro 5 passenger car was retrofitted with an under-floor SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) for NO x catalyst in combination with a solid ammonia based dosing system as the NO x reductant. The vehicle was tested both on the road and on the chassis dynamometer under various test cycles and ambient temperatures. The NO x emissions were reduced by 350-1100 mg/km (60-85%) in the laboratory depending on the test cycle and engine conditions (cold or hot start), except at type approval conditions. The reduction for cold start urban cycles was < 75 mg/km (< 15%). The on road and laboratory tests were inline. In some high speed conditions significant increase of ammonia (NH 3 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) were measured. No effect was seen on other pollutants (hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particles). The results of the present study show that retrofitting high emitting vehicles can significantly reduce vehicle NO x emissions and ultimately pollution in cities. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Slumping technique for the manufacturing of a representative x-ray grazing incidence mirror module for future space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghigo, Mauro; Proserpio, Laura; Basso, Stefano; Citterio, Oberto; Civitani, Marta M.; Pareschi, Giovanni; Salmaso, Bianca; Sironi, Giorgia; Spiga, Daniele; Tagliaferri, Giampiero; Vecchi, Gabriele; Zambra, Alberto; Parodi, Giancarlo; Martelli, Francesco; Gallieni, Daniele; Tintori, Matteo; Bavdaz, Marcos; Wille, Eric; Ferrario, Ivan; Burwitz, Vadim

2013-09-01

The Astronomical Observatory of Brera (INAF-OAB, Italy), with the financing support of the European Space Agency (ESA), has concluded a study regarding a glass shaping technology for the production of grazing incidence segmented x-ray optics. This technique uses a hot slumping phase, in which pressure is actively applied on thin glass foils being shaped, to form a cylindrical approximation of Wolter I x-ray segments, and a subsequent cold slumping phase, in which the final Wolter I profile is then freeze into the glass segments during their integration in elemental X-ray Optical Units. The final goal of this study was the manufacturing of a prototype containing a number of slumped pair plates (meaning parabola and hyperbola couples) having representative dimensions to be tested both in UV light and in x-rays at the Panter facility (Germany). In this paper, the INAF-OAB slumping technique, comprising a shaping step and an integration step is described, together with the results obtained on the manufactured prototype modules: the first prototype was aimed to test the ad-hoc designed and built semi-automatic Integration MAchine (IMA) and debug its control software. The most complete module comprises 40 slumped segments of Schott D263 glass type of dimension 200 mm x 200 mm and thickness of 0.4 mm, slumped on Zerodur K20 mould and stacked together through glued BK7 glass structural ribs to form the first entire x-ray optical module ever built totally composed by glass. A last prototype was aimed at demonstrate the use of Schott glass AF32 type instead of D263. In particular, a new hot slumping experimental set-up is described whose advantage is to permit a better contact between mould and glass during the shaping process. The integration procedure of the slumped segments into the elemental module is also reviewed.

On-road, in-use gaseous emission measurements by remote sensing of school buses equipped with diesel oxidation catalysts and diesel particulate filters.

PubMed

Burgard, Daniel A; Provinsal, Melissa N

2009-12-01

A remote sensing device was used to obtain on-road and in-use gaseous emission measurements from three fleets of schools buses at two locations in Washington State. This paper reports each fleet's carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC), nitric oxide (NO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) mean data. The fleets represent current emission retrofit technologies, such as diesel particulate filters and diesel oxidation catalysts, and a control fleet. This study shows that CO and HC emissions decrease with the use of either retrofit technology when compared with control buses of the same initial emission standards. The CO and HC emission reductions are consistent with published U.S. Environmental Protection Agency verified values. The total oxides of nitrogen (NOx), NO, and the NO2/NOx ratio all increase with each retrofit technology when compared with control buses. As was expected, the diesel particulate filters emitted significantly higher levels of NO2 than the control fleet because of the intentional conversion of NO to NO2 by these systems. Most prior research suggests that NOx emissions are unaffected by the retrofits; however, these previous studies have not included measurements from retrofit devices on-road and after nearly 5 yr of use. Two 2006 model-year buses were also measured. These vehicles did not have retrofit devices but were built to more stringent new engine standards. Reductions in HCs and NOx were observed for these 2006 vehicles in comparison to other non-retrofit earlier model-year vehicles.

Flux concentration and modulation based magnetoresistive sensor with integrated planar compensation coils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Wugang; Hu, Jiafei; Pan, Mengchun; Chen, Dixiang; Zhao, Jianqiang

2013-03-01

1/f noise is one of the main noise sources of magnetoresistive (MR) sensors, which can cause intrinsic detection limit at low frequency. To suppress this noise, the solution of flux concentration and vertical motion modulation (VMM) has been proposed. Magnetic hysteresis in MR sensors is another problem, which degrades their response linearity and detection ability. To reduce this impact, the method of pulse magnetization and magnetic compensation field with integrated planar coils has been introduced. A flux concentration and VMM based magnetoresistive prototype sensor with integrated planar coils was fabricated using microelectromechanical-system technology. The response linearity of the prototype sensors is improved from 0.8% to 0.12%. The noise level is reduced near to the thermal noise level, and the low-frequency detection ability of the prototype sensor is enhanced with a factor of more than 80.

Outdoor module testing and comparison of photovoltaic technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabick, L. B.; Rifai, R.; Mitchell, K.; Woolston, T.; Canale, J.

A comparison of outdoor test results for several module technologies is presented. The technologies include thin-film silicon:hydrogen alloys (TFS), TFS modules with semitransparent conductor back contacts, and CuInSe2 module prototypes. A method for calculating open-circuit voltage and fill-factor temperature coefficients is proposed. The method relies on the acquisition of large statistical data samples to average effects due to varying insolation level.

The development and preliminary testing of a multimedia patient-provider survivorship communication module for breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Wen, Kuang-Yi; Miller, Suzanne M; Stanton, Annette L; Fleisher, Linda; Morra, Marion E; Jorge, Alexandra; Diefenbach, Michael A; Ropka, Mary E; Marcus, Alfred C

2012-08-01

This paper describes the development of a theory-guided and evidence-based multimedia training module to facilitate breast cancer survivors' preparedness for effective communication with their health care providers after active treatment. The iterative developmental process used included: (1) theory and evidence-based content development and vetting; (2) user testing; (3) usability testing; and (4) participant module utilization. Formative evaluation of the training module prototype occurred through user testing (n = 12), resulting in modification of the content and layout. Usability testing (n = 10) was employed to improve module functionality. Preliminary web usage data (n = 256, mean age = 53, 94.5% White, 75% college graduate and above) showed that 59% of the participants accessed the communication module, for an average of 7 min per login. The iterative developmental process was informative in enhancing the relevance of the communication module. Preliminary web usage results demonstrate the potential feasibility of such a program. Our study demonstrates survivors' openness to the use of a web-based communication skills training module and outlines a systematic iterative user and interface program development and testing process, which can serve as a prototype for others considering such an approach. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

The development and preliminary testing of a multimedia patient–provider survivorship communication module for breast cancer survivors

PubMed Central

Wen, Kuang-Yi; Miller, Suzanne M.; Stanton, Annette L.; Fleisher, Linda; Morra, Marion E.; Jorge, Alexandra; Diefenbach, Michael A.; Ropka, Mary E.; Marcus, Alfred C.

2012-01-01

Objective This paper describes the development of a theory-guided and evidence-based multimedia training module to facilitate breast cancer survivors’ preparedness for effective communication with their health care providers after active treatment. Methods The iterative developmental process used included: (1) theory and evidence-based content development and vetting; (2) user testing; (3) usability testing; and (4) participant module utilization. Results Formative evaluation of the training module prototype occurred through user testing (n = 12), resulting in modification of the content and layout. Usability testing (n = 10) was employed to improve module functionality. Preliminary web usage data (n = 256, mean age = 53, 94.5% White, 75% college graduate and above) showed that 59% of the participants accessed the communication module, for an average of 7 min per login. Conclusion The iterative developmental process was informative in enhancing the relevance of the communication module. Preliminary web usage results demonstrate the potential feasibility of such a program. Practice implications Our study demonstrates survivors’ openness to the use of a web-based communication skills training module and outlines a systematic iterative user and interface program development and testing process, which can serve as a prototype for others considering such an approach. PMID:22770812

AIDA: An Integrated Authoring Environment for Educational Software.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendes, Antonio Jose; Mendes, Teresa

1996-01-01

Describes an integrated authoring environment, AIDA ("Ambiente Integrado de Desenvolvimento de Aplicacoes educacionais"), that was developed at the University of Coimbra (Portugal) for educational software. Highlights include the design module, a prototyping tool that allows for multimedia, simulations, and modularity; execution module;…

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Pilot Demonstration of Phased Retrofits in Florida Homes - Central and South Florida Homes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2014-08-01

In this pilot project, the Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction and Florida Power and Light are collaborating to retrofit a large number of homes using a phased approach to both simple and deep retrofits. This project will provide the information necessary to significantly reduce energy use through larger community-scale projects in collaboration with utilities, program administrators and other market leader stakeholders.

Multifamily Retrofit Project Manager Job/Task Analysis and Report: September 2013

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Owens, C. M.

The development of job/task analyses (JTAs) is one of three components of the Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals project and will allow industry to develop training resources, quality assurance protocols, accredited training programs, and professional certifications. The Multifamily Retrofit Project Manager JTA identifies and catalogs all of the tasks performed by multifamily retrofit project managers, as well as the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform the identified tasks.

Measure Guideline. Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Zero Energy Ready House Flat Roofs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loomis, H.; Pettit, B.

2015-05-29

This Measure Guideline provides design and construction information for a deep energy enclosure retrofit solution of a flat roof assembly. It describes the strategies and procedures for an exterior retrofit of a flat wood-framed roof with brick masonry exterior walls using exterior and interior (framing cavity) insulation. The approach supported in this guide could also be adapted for use with flat wood-framed roofs with wood-framed exterior walls.

An analysis and retrofit of the acoustics at Image Creators Health and Beauty Salon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, Donna

2002-11-01

This paper discusses the analysis and retrofit of the acoustics in a high-volume beauty salon in Severna Park, MD. The major issues in what was designed to be a serene environment are reverberation times of 1-1.68 s in the mid- to upper-frequency range. Employee and customer complaints include heightened stress, vocal strain, headaches, and poor intelligibility. Existing analysis and acoustical retrofit solutions will be demonstrated.

Performance Results for Massachusetts and Rhode Island Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot Community

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gates, C.; Neuhauser, K.

2014-03-01

Between December, 2009 and December, 2012, 42 deep energy retrofit (DER) projects were completed through a pilot program sponsored by National Grid and conducted in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Thirty-seven of these projects were comprehensive retrofits while five were partial DERs, meaning that high performance retrofit was implemented for a single major enclosure component or a limited number of major enclosure components. Building Science Corporation developed a consistent "package" of measures in terms of the performance targeted for major building components. Based on the community experience, this DER package is expected to result in yearly source energy use near 110more » MMBtu/year or approximately 40% below the Northeast regional average.« less

Final Technical Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Newmarker, Marc; Campbell, Mark

2012-03-16

Design, validate at prototype level, and then demonstrate a full size, 800 MWht Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system based on Phase Changing Material (PCM) TES modules with round trip efficiency in excess of 93%. The PCM TES module would be the building block of a TES system which can be deployed at costs inline with the DOE benchmark of 2020. The development of a reliable, unsophisticated, modular, and scalable TES system designed to be massmanufactured utilizing advanced automated fabrication and assembly processes and field installed in the most cost-effective configuration could facilitate the attainment of a Levelized Cost of Energymore » (LCOE) of $.07/kWh by 2015. It was believed that the DOE targets can be attained by finding the best combinationTES module size, its optimal integration in the power cycle, and readily available PCM. Work under this project ultimately focused on the development and performance evaluation of a 100kWht prototype heat exchanger. The design utilizes a commercially available heat exchanger product to create a unique latent heat PCM storage module. The novel ideal associated with this technology is the inclusion of an agitation mechanism that is activated during the discharge process to improve heat transfer. The prototype unit did not meet the performance goals estimated through modeling, nor did the estimated costs of the system fall in line with the goals established by DOE.« less

Applicability and economic efficiency of earthquake retrofit measures on existing buildings in Bucharest, Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostenaru, M.

2009-04-01

The research discussed in this contribution contains two aspects: on one side the economic efficiency of seismic retrofit measures, and on the other their applicability. The research was limited to housing buildings. Bucharest, the capital of Romania, was the object of the research. Strong earthquakes affect Bucharest about three times in a century, the damaging earthquakes of the 20th century being in 1940 and 1977. Other strong earthquakes occurred in 1986 and 1990. Since it is a broad topic, first the building type was determined, which should serve further research. For this scope the building types of the 20th century, which are common in Bucharest, Romania, were investigated. For each building type reports have been written, which comprised the earthquake resilient features, the seismic defficiencies, the damage patterns and the retrofit measures. Each of these features was listed for elements of the building. A first result of the research was an integrated system in order to include latter aspects in the planning in the first steps. So already at the building survey attention has to be paid on how a building is subdivided in order to be able to determine the economic efficiency of the planned action. So were defined the `retrofit elements`. In a first step the characteristics were defined, through which these retrofit elements (for example column, wall part between two windows) can be recognised in the building survey. In a further one, which retrofit measures can be connected to these. Diagrams were built, in order to visualise these findings. For each retrofit element and the corresponding measure the costs were calculated. Also, these retrofit elements and the measures connected to them were modelled for the simulation with the structural software, so that the benefit of the measures could be determined. In the part which regarded the economic efficiency, benefits and costs of retrofit measures had to be compared, so the improvement in the rigidity, ductility and/or strength of the structure at different retrofit measures with its costs. In order to investigate the improvement in the seismic characteristics numerous simulations of the earthquake impact on reinforced concrete frame buildings were conducted and in that context conventional strengthening measures with reinforced concrete and steel were considered. In these reinforced concrete frame buildings interwar buildings from Bucharest were modelled, as these proved to be the most vulnerable in the initial investigation. For the investigation of the economic efficiency also the damages through earthquakes were simulated. With help of a characteristic of the software used so called performance points could be set, so at the end of the simulation it could be seen how strongly was damaged the steel and respectively the concrete in the reinforced concrete element and so was conducted a classification of the strength of the damages in different retrofit elements. These simulations were done for the 1977, 1986 and 1990 earthquakes, as for these the strong motion records were digitally available. For two simple models alternatives of retrofit actions and their locations were fully simulated, while for real building models customised retrofit strategies considering more retrofit elements within the strategy were employed. To the benefit belong not only the improvement of the structural behaviour, as often assumed in earthquake engineering circles. There belong also aesthetical and sociologic aspects. In order to give these aspects their rights, a decision tree was developed, in which the actors are the engineer, the architect, the investor and the user. The retrofit measures were evaluated with two different decision systems. This was the part about the applicability. Further research would serve to see how can be used the developed method for the strategic planning, in which not only single buildings but whole urban areas build the object. The research was funded by the Research Training Network 450 "Natural Disasters" supported by the DFG (German Research Network), 2000-2004 while the result was published with support from a subsequent research project of the author, CA'REDIVIVUS, which continued the research, supported by the European Commission, in 2006.

ADC interface for data server with data preselection for luminosity detector in AIDA-2020 project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniluk, W.; Dziedzic, B.; Korcyl, G.; Wojtoń, T.; Zawiejski, L.

2017-08-01

Main aim of the AIDA-2020 project is development of detectors for future accelerators. In FCAL Colaboration we are working on forward subdetectors for ILC and CLIC accelerators. My team is developing prototype module which receives data from ADC, provides the data preselection, and transmits them as packages to the data server for further their analysis. Common prototype is based on AC701 evaluation board which contains Artix-7 FPGA and is equipped with SMA connectors for gigabit transceivers and ethernet connector. In my talk I will describe architecture of the device and current state of module development.

Construction and beam-tests of silicon-tungsten prototype modules for the CMS High Granularity Calorimeter for HL-LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quast, Thorben

2018-02-01

As part of its HL-LHC upgrade program, CMS is developing a High Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL) to replace the existing endcap calorimeters. The HGCAL will be realised as a sampling calorimeter, including an electromagnetic compartment comprising 28 layers of silicon pad detectors with pad areas of 0.5-1.0 cm2 interspersed with absorbers. Prototype modules, based on 6-inch hexagonal silicon pad sensors with 128 channels, have been constructed and include many of the features required for this challenging detector. In 2016, beam tests of sampling configurations made from these modules have been conducted both at FNAL and at CERN using the Skiroc2 front-end ASIC (designed by the CALICE collaboration for ILC). In 2017, the setup has been extended with CALICE's AHCAL prototype, a scinitillator based sampling calorimeter, and it was further tested in dedicated beam tests at CERN. There, the new Skiroc2-CMS front-end ASIC was used for the first time. We highlight final results from our studies in 2016, including position resolution as well as precision timing-measurements. Furthermore, the extended setup in 2017 is discussed and first results from beam tests with electrons and pions are shown.

Scalable Performance Environments for Parallel Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, Daniel A.; Olson, Robert D.; Aydt, Ruth A.; Madhyastha, Tara M.; Birkett, Thomas; Jensen, David W.; Nazief, Bobby A. A.; Totty, Brian K.

1991-01-01

As parallel systems expand in size and complexity, the absence of performance tools for these parallel systems exacerbates the already difficult problems of application program and system software performance tuning. Moreover, given the pace of technological change, we can no longer afford to develop ad hoc, one-of-a-kind performance instrumentation software; we need scalable, portable performance analysis tools. We describe an environment prototype based on the lessons learned from two previous generations of performance data analysis software. Our environment prototype contains a set of performance data transformation modules that can be interconnected in user-specified ways. It is the responsibility of the environment infrastructure to hide details of module interconnection and data sharing. The environment is written in C++ with the graphical displays based on X windows and the Motif toolkit. It allows users to interconnect and configure modules graphically to form an acyclic, directed data analysis graph. Performance trace data are represented in a self-documenting stream format that includes internal definitions of data types, sizes, and names. The environment prototype supports the use of head-mounted displays and sonic data presentation in addition to the traditional use of visual techniques.

A hybrid electronically scanned pressure module for cryogenic environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, J. J.; Hopson, P., Jr.; Kruse, N.

1995-01-01

Pressure is one of the most important parameters measured when testing models in wind tunnels. For models tested in the cryogenic environment of the National Transonic Facility at NASA Langley Research Center, the technique of utilizing commercially available multichannel pressure modules inside the models is difficult due to the small internal volume of the models and the requirement of keeping the pressure transducer modules within an acceptable temperature range well above the -173 degrees C tunnel temperature. A prototype multichannel pressure transducer module has been designed and fabricated with stable, repeatable sensors and materials optimized for reliable performance in the cryogenic environment. The module has 16 single crystal silicon piezoresistive pressure sensors electrostatically bonded to a metalized Pyrex substrate for sensing the wind tunnel model pressures. An integral temperature sensor mounted on each silicon micromachined pressure sensor senses real-time temperature fluctuations to within 0.1 degrees C to correct for thermally induced non-random sensor drift. The data presented here are from a prototype sensor module tested in the 0.3 M cryogenic tunnel and thermal equilibrium conditions in an environmental chamber which approximates the thermal environment (-173 degrees C to +60 degrees C) of the National Transonic Facility.

Minnesota retrofit insulation in situ test program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1978-06-01

The use of cellulose, glass fiber, rock/slag fiber and urea formaldehyde installed as retrofit insulation materials in residential walls and ceilings was studied. Homes were selected for testing according to the type of retrofit insulation, age of retrofit insulation and whether the retrofit was in the wall or ceiling. The total project was comprised of 22 wall and 48 ceiling samples. Samples of retrofit insulation were taken from an area of three to four square feet in the ceiling or wall of the home. The sample volume was measured, the sample removed and double-sealed in polyethylene bags. The samples weremore » shipped to the laboratory for testing. Laboratory measurements were made of density, moisture content, thermal resistance, and relative flammability of each sample. Additionally, the friability and compressive strength of each urea-formaldehyde foam sample was measured. The following results were obtained. Cellulosic loose fill insulation tests indicated that settling and moisture build-up are not serious problems. Flammability is a concern. Age did not affect the properties of the cellulosic loose fill, but fungal growth was evident. Shrinkage, ranging from 2.5 to 9 percent, averaging 4.5 percent, was exhibited. Degradation of the foam samples with time did not occur. Density was the most critical property affecting the other properties. The higher the density, the higher the thermal resistence per inch, the lower the friability and the higher the compressive strength. The accurate prediction of the fiber diameter, amount of unfiberized mineral, and extent of modular clumping thermal resistance of loose fill mineral fiber insulations is related to and is not solely a factor of density. The materials in this sample did not noticeably affect the structure or wiring of the retrofitted homes. (LCL)« less

Retrofitting Steam Turbines with Expired Service Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dubrovskii, V. G.; Zubov, A. P.; Koshelev, S. A.; Babiev, A. N.; Kremer, V. L.

2018-06-01

Many pieces of equipment installed at thermal power stations (TPS) have an expired service life or are close to expiry and are obsolete. In addition, the structure of heat consumption by end users has changed. Among the ways for solving the problem of aging equipment is the retrofitting of turbines that allows for service life recovery and improvement of their performance to the modern level. The service life is recovered through replacement of high-temperature assemblies and parts of a turbine, and the performance is improved by retrofitting and major overhaul of low-temperature assemblies. Implementation of modern engineering solutions and numerical methods in designing upgraded flow paths of steam turbines considerably improves the turbine effectiveness. New flow paths include sabre-like guide vanes, integrally-machined shrouds, and effective honeycomb or axial-radial seals. The flow paths are designed using optimization and hydraulic simulation methods as well as approaches for improving the performance on the turbine blading and internal steam flow paths. Retrofitting of turbines should be performed to meet the customers' needs. The feasibility of implementation of one or another alternative must be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the turbine conditions, the availability of reserves for generating live steam and supplying circulation water, and the demands and capacities for generation and delivery of power and heat. The main principle of retrofitting is to retain the foundation and the auxiliary and heat-exchange equipment that is fit for further operation. With the example of PT-60-130 and T-100-130, the experience is presented of a comprehensive approach to retrofitting considering the customer's current needs and the actual equipment conditions. Due to the use of modern engineering solutions and procedures, retrofitting yields updating and upgrading of the turbine at a relatively low cost.

A systems evaluation on the effectiveness of a catalyst retrofit program in China.

PubMed

Jones, M; Wilson, R; Norbeck, J M; Han, W; Hurley, R; Schuetzle, D

2001-09-01

A low-cost, rare-earth oxide (REO) catalyst has been recommended as part of China's retrofit program for Chinese carbureted vehicles. This study evaluated: (1) the emission reduction efficiency of the REO catalyst during chassis dynamometer testing on the FTP cycle; (2) the effect that fuel properties had on tailpipe emissions and catalyst efficiency; (3) the importance of vehicle premaintenance as part of a retrofit protocol; and (4) the emission reductions obtained following implementation of the program. Results also show that current in-use Chinese noncatalyst, carbureted vehicles operate excessively rich, resulting in extremely high emissions of CO, gaseous toxic compounds, and other non-methane hydrocarbon species (NMHC). Preretrofit maintenance alone has the potential to reduce these emissions by approximately 50%. Dynamometer emission tests showed emissions reductions of >95% for hydrocarbons, CO, and gaseous toxics after retrofit of the REO catalyst. In particular, the relative unit health risk associated with the decrease in emissions of airborne toxic compounds using unleaded Chinese fuel was reduced from 6.33 to 0.30. (Use of low-sulfur California Phase II gasoline rather than current in-use Chinese fuel reduced emissions further.) Following implementation of the program, a follow-up study showed that in-use emissions benefits were considerably less than anticipated, primarily because of poor quality control at the retrofit service centers, a less aggressive preretrofit maintenance procedure, and unauthorized modification to the recommended retrofit control system. Overall results indicate that a carefully controlled retrofit program using REO catalyst technology can reduce emissions significantly. However, well-defined implementation guidelines, and strict adherence to these guidelines are needed to achieve maximum benefits.

Electromagnetic DM technology meets future AO demands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamelinck, Roger; Rosielle, Nick; Steinbuch, Maarten; Doelman, Niek

New deformable mirror technology is developed by the Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Delft University of Technology and TNO Science and Industry. Several prototype adaptive deformable mirrors are realized mirrors, up to 427 actuators and ∅150mm diameter, with characteristics suitable for future AO systems. The prototypes consist of a 100µm thick, continuous facesheet on which low voltage, electromagnetic, push-pull actuators impose out-of-plane displacements. The variable reluctance actuators with ±10µm stroke and nanometer resolution are located in a standard actuator module. Each module with 61 actuators connects to a single PCB with dedicated, 16 bit, PWM based, drivers. A LVDS multi-drop cable connects up to 32 actuator modules. With the actuator module, accompanying PCB and multi-drop system the deformable mirror technology is made modular in its mechanics and electronics. An Ethernet-LVDS bridge enables any commercial PC to control the mirror using the UDP standard. Latest results of the deformable mirror technology development are presented.

Low-cost evacuated-tube solar collector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-02-01

A prototype design for an evacuated tube air cooled solar collector module was completed. A product cost study, based on the production of 60,000 of the prototype modules per year (approx. 1,000,000 square feet annually), estimates that the module as shipped would have a cost at inventory of $7.09 to $7.40 per square foot of aperture. Computer programs were developed to predict the optical and thermal performane of the module. Antireflective coatings (porous aluminum oxide) formed by spraying or dipping were demonstrated but degraded more rapidly when exposed to a high humidity ambient acid etched films. A selective black chromium oxide multi-layered graded film was vapor deposited which had an absorptivity of about 0.9 and an emissivity of 0.03. When the film was heated to temperatures of 4000 C in a gettered vacuum for as little as 24 hours, however, irreversible changes took place both between and within coating layers which resulted in alpha decreasing to about 0.73 and epsilon increasing to 0.14.

Measure Guideline: Deep Energy Enclosure Retrofit for Zero Energy Ready House Flat Roofs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loomis, H.; Pettit, B.

2015-05-01

This Measure Guideline provides design and construction information for a deep energy enclosure retrofit (DEER) solution of a flat roof assembly. It describes the strategies and procedures for an exterior retrofit of a flat, wood-framed roof with brick masonry exterior walls, using exterior and interior (framing cavity) insulation. The approach supported in this guide could also be adapted for use with flat, wood-framed roofs with wood-framed exterior walls.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, D.; Sutherland, K.; Chasar, D.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America program, in collaboration with Florida Power and Light (FPL), conducted a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program. This research sought to establish impacts on annual energy and peak energy reductions from the technologies applied at two levels of retrofit - shallow and deep, with savings levels approaching the Building America program goals of reducing whole-house energy use by 40%. Under the Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, we have installed phased, energy-efficiency retrofits in a sample of 56 existing, all-electric homes. End-use savings and economic evaluation results from the phased measure packages and singlemore » measures are summarized in this report. Project results will be of interest to utility program designers, weatherization evaluators, and the housing remodel industry. Shallow retrofits were conducted in all homes from March to June 2013. The measures for this phase were chosen based on ease of installation, targeting lighting (CFLs and LED lamps), domestic hot water (wraps and showerheads), refrigeration (cleaning of coils), pool pump (reduction of operating hours), and the home entertainment center (smart plugs). Deep retrofits were conducted on a subset of ten PDR homes from May 2013 through March 2014. Measures included new air source heat pumps, duct repair, ceiling insulation, heat pump water heaters, variable speed pool pumps and learning thermostats. Major appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers were replaced where they were old and inefficient.« less

Modeling the resiliency of energy-efficient retrofits in low-income multifamily housing.

PubMed

Underhill, L J; Fabian, M P; Vermeer, K; Sandel, M; Adamkiewicz, G; Leibler, J H; Levy, J I

2018-05-01

Residential energy efficiency and ventilation retrofits (eg, building weatherization, local exhaust ventilation, HVAC filtration) can influence indoor air quality (IAQ) and occupant health, but these measures' impact varies by occupant activity. In this study, we used the multizone airflow and IAQ analysis program CONTAM to simulate the impacts of energy retrofits on indoor concentrations of PM 2.5 and NO 2 in a low-income multifamily housing complex in Boston, Massachusetts (USA). We evaluated the differential impact of residential activities, such as low- and high-emission cooking, cigarette smoking, and window opening, on IAQ across two seasons. We found that a comprehensive package of energy and ventilation retrofits was resilient to a range of occupant activities, while less holistic approaches without ventilation improvements led to increases in indoor PM 2.5 or NO 2 for some populations. In general, homes with simulated concentration increases included those with heavy cooking and no local exhaust ventilation, and smoking homes without HVAC filtration. Our analytical framework can be used to identify energy-efficient home interventions with indoor retrofit resiliency (ie, those that provide IAQ benefits regardless of occupant activity), as well as less resilient retrofits that can be coupled with behavioral interventions (eg, smoking cessation) to provide cost-effective, widespread benefits. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effectiveness of mitigation measures in reducing future primary particulate matter emissions from on-road vehicle exhaust.

PubMed

Yan, Fang; Bond, Tami C; Streets, David G

2014-12-16

This work evaluates the effectiveness of on-road primary particulate matter emission reductions that can be achieved by long-term vehicle scrappage and retrofit measures on regional and global levels. Scenario analysis shows that scrappage can provide significant emission reductions as soon as the measures begin, whereas retrofit provides greater emission reductions in later years, when more advanced technologies become available in most regions. Reductions are compared with a baseline that already accounts for implementation of clean vehicle standards. The greatest global emission reductions from a scrappage program occur 5 to 10 years after its introduction and can reach as much as 70%. The greatest reductions with retrofit occur around 2030 and range from 16-31%. Monte Carlo simulations are used to evaluate how uncertainties in the composition of the vehicle fleet affect predicted reductions. Scrappage and retrofit reduce global emissions by 22-60% and 15-31%, respectively, within 95% confidence intervals, under a midrange scenario in the year 2030. The simulations provide guidance about which strategies are most effective for specific regions. Retrofit is preferable for high-income regions. For regions where early emission standards are in place, scrappage is suggested, followed by retrofit after more advanced emission standards are introduced. The early implementation of advanced emission standards is recommended for Western and Eastern Africa.

Effectiveness of Mitigation Measures in Reducing Future Primary Particulate Matter Emissions from On-Road Vehicle Exhaust

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yan, Fang; Bond, Tami C.; Streets, David G.

This work evaluates the effectiveness of on-road primary particulate matter emission reductions that can be achieved by long-term vehicle scrappage and retrofit measures on regional and global levels. Scenario analysis shows that scrappage can provide significant emission reductions as soon as the measures begin, whereas retrofit provides greater emission reductions in later years, when more advanced technologies become available in most regions. Reductions are compared with a baseline that already accounts for implementation of clean vehicle standards. The greatest global emission reductions from a scrappage program occur 5 to 10 years after its introduction and can reach as much asmore » 70%. The greatest reductions with retrofit occur around 2030 and range from 16-31%. Monte Carlo simulations are used to evaluate how uncertainties in the composition of the vehicle fleet affect predicted reductions. Scrappage and retrofit reduce global emissions by 22-60% and 15-31%, respectively, within 95% confidence intervals, under a midrange scenario in the year 2030. The simulations provide guidance about which strategies are most effective for specific regions. Retrofit is preferable for high-income regions. For regions where early emission standards are in place, scrappage is suggested, followed by retrofit after more advanced emission standards are introduced. The early implementation of advanced emission standards is recommended for Western and Eastern Africa« less

A Meta-Analysis of Single-Family Deep Energy Retrofit Performance in the U.S.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Less, Brennan; Walker, Iain

2014-08-01

The current state of Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) performance in the U.S. has been assessed in 116 homes in the United States, using actual and simulated data gathered from the available domestic literature. Substantial airtightness reductions averaging 63% (n=48) were reported (two- to three-times more than in conventional retrofits), with average post-retrofit airtightness of 4.7 Air Changes per House at 50 Pascal (ACH50) (n=94). Yet, mechanical ventilation was not installed consistently. In order to avoid indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, all future DERs should comply with ASHRAE 62.2-2013 requirements or equivalent. Projects generally achieved good energy results, with average annualmore » net-site and net-source energy savings of 47%±20% and 45%±24% (n=57 and n=35), respectively, and carbon emission reductions of 47%±22% (n=23). Net-energy reductions did not vary reliably with house age, airtightness, or reported project costs, but pre-retrofit energy usage was correlated with total reductions (MMBtu).« less

Encouraging farmers to retrofit tractors: a qualitative analysis of risk perceptions among a group of high-risk farmers in New York.

PubMed

Sorensen, J A; May, J J; Paap, K; Purschwitz, M A; Emmelin, M

2008-01-01

Tractor rollovers continue to be one of the most frequent causes of agricultural fatalities. Despite knowledge of rollovers and the efficacy of rollover protective structures (ROPS), few New York farmers have considered installing ROPS on their unprotected tractors. Qualitative interviews conducted with an "at-risk" segment of the New York farming community indicate that there are a number of barriers to safety in general and to retrofitting, in particular. The following themes and categories emerged in relation to safety and risk taking: constant exposures to risk with positive outcomes normalizes risk; the modeling of risk by significant others positions risk as part of a farming identity; and the pressure to reduce costs, save time, and accept risk frames risk-taking as the cost-effective option (especially in regard to retrofitting, which farmers believe is both expensive and time-consuming). Recommendations for researchers planning retrofitting interventions would be to focus safety messages on the risk to significant others or on the financial impact of rollovers, and to provide financial incentives and assistance to farmers considering retrofitting.

36 CFR 1192.51 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible vehicles be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices. (c) Existing vehicles which are retrofitted to comply with the...

Nine Steps to a Successful Lighting Retrofit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ries, Jack

1998-01-01

Presents the steps needed to successfully design a lighting retrofit of school classrooms. Tips cover budgeting, technology, financing, contractor selection, assessing area function, and choosing a light source. (GR)

49 CFR 38.51 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible vehicles be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices. (c) Existing vehicles which are retrofitted to comply with the...

Space shuttle orbiter trimmed center-of-gravity extension study. Volume 3: Impact of retrofits for center-of-gravity extension on orbiter thermal-protection system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunavant, J. C.

1979-01-01

Heat transfer studies were conducted at Mach 10.3 on space shuttle orbiter models with the S-2 fillet and C-4 canard retrofit moldlines which were generated in aerodynamic and system design studies to increase the allowable c.g. range of the orbiter. Areas of orbiter most strongly affected were the sides where a shear layer which separated along the wing leading edge impinged. Analytical studies of the heating effect on the thermal-protection system were made which indicated that scar weight on the orbiter sides due to allowances for retrofits of the S-2 fillet and C-4 canard is small (less than about 90 kg (200 lbs) in comparison to the total weight of the retrofit).

Evaluating an Exterior Insulation and Finish System for Deep Energy Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dentz, Jordan; Podorson, David

Exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS) are proprietary synthetic formulations that are applied to the exterior walls of buildings to serve as insulation and exterior cladding. The insulation thickness can vary from less than one inch to a foot or more. In this project the applicability of EIFS for residential deep energy retrofits was investigated through modeling and a case study home. The home was retrofitted using a site-applied four-inch-thick EIFS. Site-specific details were developed as required for the residential retrofit application. Site work and the costs of the EIFS system were documented. The demonstration home was modeled using Buildingmore » Energy Optimization energy and cost analysis software to explore cost effectiveness of various EIFS insulation thicknesses in two climate locations.« less

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase II: Shallow Plus Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutherland, K.; Parker, D.; Martin, E.

Originally published in February 2016, this revision contains an added section called 'Evaluation of Complete Central System Replacement with Inverter-Driven Heat Pump,' which presents the designs and energy savings evaluations of two different schemes wherein inverter-driven systems replaced a home's existing central system. Analyses for three additional retrofit measures were bolstered by longer-term data; these are described in the sections on supplemental mini-split heat pumps (MSHPs), smart thermostats, and heat pump clothes dryers. The sections on supplemental MSHPs and smart thermostats were also enhanced with larger sample sizes and projections of weather-normalized annual energy savings. Finally, peak system hour energymore » demand-reduction predictions are provided for all retrofit measures where meaningful impacts could be drawn.« less

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase II: Shallow Plus Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutherland, K.; Parker, D.; Martin, E.

Originally published in February 2016, this revision contains an added section called 'Evaluation of Complete Central System Replacement with Inverter-Driven Heat Pump,' which presents the designs and energy savings evaluations of two different schemes wherein inverter-driven systems replaced a home’s existing central system. Analyses for three additional retrofit measures were bolstered by longer-term data; these are described in the sections on supplemental mini-split heat pumps (MSHPs), smart thermostats, and heat pump clothes dryers. The sections on supplemental MSHPs and smart thermostats were also enhanced with larger sample sizes and projections of weather-normalized annual energy savings. Finally, peak system hour energymore » demand-reduction predictions are provided for all retrofit measures where meaningful impacts could be drawn.« less

Integrated prototyping environment for programmable automation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

da Costa, Francis; Hwang, Vincent S. S.; Khosla, Pradeep K.; Lumia, Ronald

1992-11-01

We propose a rapid prototyping environment for robotic systems, based on tenets of modularity, reconfigurability and extendibility that may help build robot systems `faster, better, and cheaper.' Given a task specification, (e.g., repair brake assembly), the user browses through a library of building blocks that include both hardware and software components. Software advisors or critics recommend how blocks may be `snapped' together to speedily construct alternative ways to satisfy task requirements. Mechanisms to allow `swapping' competing modules for comparative test and evaluation studies are also included in the prototyping environment. After some iterations, a stable configuration or `wiring diagram' emerges. This customized version of the general prototyping environment still contains all the hooks needed to incorporate future improvements in component technologies and to obviate unplanned obsolescence. The prototyping environment so described is relevant for both interactive robot programming (telerobotics) and iterative robot system development (prototyping).

Leg Muscle Usage Effects on Tibial Elasticity During Running

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

stress, such a strike mechanics and surface incline, also modulate bone elasticity during running. Because these modulators may operate on the tibia via...prototypical forefoot runner. We have obtained a video showing well-defined forefoot -running without coaching and have developed a short training video for

Assessment of cockpit interface concepts for data link retrofit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccauley, Hugh W.; Miles, William L.; Dwyer, John P.; Erickson, Jeffery B.

1992-01-01

The problem is examined of retrofitting older generation aircraft with data link capability. The approach taken analyzes requirements for the cockpit interface, based on review of prior research and opinions obtained from subject matter experts. With this background, essential functions and constraints for a retrofit installation are defined. After an assessment of the technology available to meet the functions and constraints, candidate design concepts are developed. The most promising design concept is described in detail. Finally, needs for further research and development are identified.

Prototyping phase of the high heat flux scraper element of Wendelstein 7-X

DOE PAGES

Boscary, Jean; Greuner, Henri; Ehrke, G.; ...

2016-03-24

The water-cooled high heat flux scraper element aims to reduce excessive heat loads on the target element ends of the actively cooled divertor of Wendelstein 7-X. Its purpose is to intercept some of the plasma fluxes both upstream and downstream before they reach the divertor surface. The scraper element has 24 identical plasma facing components (PFCs) divided into 6 modules. One module has 4 PFCs hydraulically connected in series by 2 water boxes. A PFC, 247 mm long and 28 mm wide, has 13 monoblocks made of CFC NB31 bonded by hot isostatic pressing onto a CuCrZr cooling tube equippedmore » with a copper twisted tape. 4 full-scale prototypes of PFCs have been successfully tested in the GLADIS facility up to 20 MW/m 2. The difference observed between measured and calculated surface temperatures is probably due to the inhomogeneity of CFC properties. The design of the water box prototypes has been detailed to allow the junction between the cooling pipe of the PFCs and the water boxes by internal orbital welding. In conclusion, the prototypes are presently under fabrication.« less

A Meta-Analysis of Single-Family Deep Energy Retrofit Performance in the U.S.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Less, Brennan; Walker, Iain

2014-03-01

The current state of Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) performance in the U.S. has been assessed in 116 homes in the United States (US), using actual and simulated data gathered from the available domestic literature. Substantial airtightness reductions averaging 63% (n=48) were reported (two- to three-times more than in conventional retrofits), with average post-retrofit airtightness of 4.7 Air Changes per House at 50 Pascal (ACH50) (n=94). Yet, mechanical ventilation was not installed consistently. In order to avoid indoor air quality (IAQ) issues, all future DERs should comply with ASHRAE 62.2-2013 requirements or equivalent. Projects generally achieved good energy results, with averagemore » annual net-site and net-source energy savings of 47%±20% and 45%±24% (n=57 and n=35), respectively, and carbon emission reductions of 47%±22% (n=23). Net-energy reductions did not vary reliably with house age, airtightness, or reported project costs, but pre-retrofit energy usage was correlated with total reductions (MMBtu). Annual energy costs were reduced $1,283±$804 (n=31), from a pre-retrofit average of $2,738±$1,065 to $1,588±$561 post-retrofit (n=25 and n=39). The average reported incremental project cost was $40,420±$30,358 (n=59). When financed on a 30-year term, the median change in net-homeownership cost was only $1.00 per month, ranging from $149 in savings to an increase of $212 (mean=$15.67±$87.74; n=28), and almost half of the projects resulted in reductions in net-cost. The economic value of a DER may be much greater than is suggested by these net-costs, because DERs entail substantial non-energy benefits (NEBs), and retrofit measures may add value to a home at resale similarly to general remodeling, PV panel installation, and green/energy efficient home labels. These results provide estimates of the potential of DERs to address energy use in existing homes across climate zones that can be used in future estimates of the technical potential to reduce household energy use and greenhouse gas emissions through DERs.« less

Retrofitting BACs with G418 resistance, luciferase, and oriP and EBNA-1 – new vectors for in vitro and in vivo delivery

PubMed Central

Magin-Lachmann, Christine; Kotzamanis, George; D'Aiuto, Leonardo; Wagner, Ernst; Huxley, Clare

2003-01-01

Background Bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) have been used extensively for sequencing the human and mouse genomes and are thus readily available for most genes. The large size of BACs means that they can generally carry intact genes with all the long range controlling elements that drive full levels of tissue-specific expression. For gene expression studies and gene therapy applications it is useful to be able to retrofit the BACs with selectable genes such as G418 resistance, reporter genes such as luciferase, and oriP/EBNA-1 from Epstein Barr virus which allows long term episomal maintenance in mammalian cells. Results We describe a series of retrofitting plasmids and a protocol for in vivo loxP/Cre recombination. The vector pRetroNeo carries a G418 resistance cassette, pRetroNeoLuc carries G418 resistance and a luciferase expression cassette, pRetroNeoLucOE carries G418 resistance, luciferase and an oriP/EBNA-1 cassette and pRetroNeoOE carries G418 resistance and oriP/EBNA-1. These vectors can be efficiently retrofitted onto BACs without rearrangement of the BAC clone. The luciferase cassette is expressed efficiently from the retrofitting plasmids and from retrofitted BACs after transient transfection of B16F10 cells in tissue culture and after electroporation into muscles of BALB/c mice in vivo. We also show that a BAC carrying GFP, oriP and EBNA-1 can be transfected into B16F10 cells with Lipofectamine 2000 and can be rescued intact after 5 weeks. Conclusion The pRetro vectors allow efficient retrofitting of BACs with G418 resistance, luciferase and/or oriP/EBNA-1 using in vivo expression of Cre. The luciferase reporter gene is expressed after transient transfection of retrofitted BACs into cells in tissue culture and after electroporation into mouse muscle in vivo. OriP/EBNA-1 allows stable maintenance of a 150-kb BAC without rearrangement for at least 5 weeks. PMID:12609052

Low-cost sustainable wall construction system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vohra, A.; Rosenfeld, A.H.

1998-07-01

Houses with no wall cavities, such as those made of adobe, stone, brick, or block, have poor thermal properties but are rarely insulated because of the cost and difficulty of providing wall insulation. A simple, low-cost technique using loose-fill indigenous materials has been demonstrated for the construction of highly insulated walls or the retrofit of existing walls in such buildings. Locally available pumice, in sandbags stacked along the exterior wall of an adobe house in New Mexico, added a thermal resistance (R) of 16 F{sm{underscore}bullet}ft{sup 2}{sm{underscore}bullet}h/Btu (2.8 m{sup 2}{sm{underscore}bullet}K/W). The total cost of the sandbag insulation wall retrofit wasmore » $3.76 per square foot ($$40.50/m{sup 2}). Computer simulations of the adobe house using DOE 2.1E show savings of $$275 per year, corresponding to 50% reduction in heating energy consumption. The savings-to-investment ratio ranges from 1.1 to 3.2, so the cost of conserved energy is lower than the price of propane, natural gas and electric heat, making the system cost-effective. Prototype stand-alone walls were also constructed using fly ash and sawdust blown into continuous polypropylene tubing, which was folded between corner posts as it was filled to form the shape of the wall. Other materials could also be used. The inexpensive technique solves the problem of insulating solid-wall hours and constructing new houses without specialized equipment and skills, thereby saving energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and improving comfort for people in many countries. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has filed patent applications on this technology, which is part of a DOE initiative on sustainable building envelope materials and systems.« less

Final prototype of magnetically suspended flywheel energy storage system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anand, D. K.; Kirk, J. A.; Zmood, R. B.; Pang, D.; Lashley, C.

1991-01-01

A prototype of a 500 Wh magnetically suspended flywheel energy storage system was designed, built, and tested. The authors present the work done and include the following: (1) a final design of the magnetic bearing, control system, and motor/generator, (2) construction of a prototype system consisting of the magnetic bearing stack, flywheel, motor, container, and display module, and (3) experimental results for the magnetic bearings, motor, and the entire system. The successful completion of the prototype system has achieved: (1) manufacture of tight tolerance bearings, (2) stability and spin above the first critical frequency, (3) use of inside sensors to eliminate runout problems, and (4) integration of the motor and magnetic bearings.

Final prototype of magnetically suspended flywheel energy storage system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anand, D. K.; Kirk, J. A.; Zmood, R. B.; Pang, D.; Lashley, C.

A prototype of a 500 Wh magnetically suspended flywheel energy storage system was designed, built, and tested. The authors present the work done and include the following: (1) a final design of the magnetic bearing, control system, and motor/generator, (2) construction of a prototype system consisting of the magnetic bearing stack, flywheel, motor, container, and display module, and (3) experimental results for the magnetic bearings, motor, and the entire system. The successful completion of the prototype system has achieved: (1) manufacture of tight tolerance bearings, (2) stability and spin above the first critical frequency, (3) use of inside sensors to eliminate runout problems, and (4) integration of the motor and magnetic bearings.

Optimum filters for narrow-band frequency modulation.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shelton, R. D.

1972-01-01

The results of a computer search for the optimum type of bandpass filter for low-index angle-modulated signals are reported. The bandpass filters are discussed in terms of their low-pass prototypes. Only filter functions with constant numerators are considered. The pole locations for the optimum filters of several cases are shown in a table. The results are fairly independent of modulation index and bandwidth.

Research and development of the laser tracker measurement system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Z. L.; Zhou, W. H.; Lao, D. B.; Yuan, J.; Dong, D. F. F.; Ji, R. Y. Y.

2013-01-01

The working principle and system design of the laser tracker measurement system are introduced, as well as the key technologies and solutions in the implementation of the system. The design and implementation of the hardware and configuration of the software are mainly researched. The components of the hardware include distance measuring unit, angle measuring unit, tracking and servo control unit and electronic control unit. The distance measuring devices include the relative distance measuring device (IFM) and the absolute distance measuring device (ADM). The main component of the angle measuring device, the precision rotating stage, is mainly comprised of the precision axis and the encoders which are both set in the tracking head. The data processing unit, tracking and control unit and power supply unit are all set in the control box. The software module is comprised of the communication module, calibration and error compensation module, data analysis module, database management module, 3D display module and the man-machine interface module. The prototype of the laser tracker system has been accomplished and experiments have been carried out to verify the proposed strategies of the hardware and software modules. The experiments showed that the IFM distance measuring error is within 0.15mm, the ADM distance measuring error is within 3.5mm and the angle measuring error is within 3" which demonstrates that the preliminary prototype can realize fundamental measurement tasks.

Life cycle cost-based risk model for energy performance contracting retrofits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berghorn, George H.

Buildings account for 41% of the primary energy consumption in the United States, nearly half of which is accounted for by commercial buildings. Among the greatest energy users are those in the municipalities, universities, schools, and hospitals (MUSH) market. Correctional facilities are in the upper half of all commercial building types for energy intensity. Public agencies have experienced reduced capital budgets to fund retrofits; this has led to the increased use of energy performance contracts (EPC), which are implemented by energy services companies (ESCOs). These companies guarantee a minimum amount of energy savings resulting from the retrofit activities, which in essence transfers performance risk from the owner to the contractor. Building retrofits in the MUSH market, especially correctional facilities, are well-suited to EPC, yet despite this potential and their high energy intensities, efficiency improvements lag behind that of other public building types. Complexities in project execution, lack of support for data requests and sub-metering, and conflicting project objectives have been cited as reasons for this lag effect. As a result, project-level risks must be understood in order to support wider adoption of retrofits in the public market, in particular the correctional facility sub-market. The goal of this research is to understand risks related to the execution of energy efficiency retrofits delivered via EPC in the MUSH market. To achieve this goal, in-depth analysis and improved understanding was sought with regard to ESCO risks that are unique to EPC in this market. The proposed work contributes to this understanding by developing a life cycle cost-based risk model to improve project decision making with regard to risk control and reduction. The specific objectives of the research are: (1) to perform an exploratory analysis of the EPC retrofit process and identify key areas of performance risk requiring in-depth analysis; (2) to construct a framework describing the sources of and mitigation strategies employed for assessing key risks in EPC retrofits; (3) to develop a strategy for analyzing and evaluating risks for EPC retrofits focused on managing expected costs throughout the project life cycle, and use data collected through this strategy to develop and parameterize a risk model; and (4) to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed life cost-based risk model through a pilot application to a case study site. Five major contributions to the body of knowledge resulting from the research include: (1) a consensus-based assessment of ESCO risk management; (2) characterization of EPC retrofit risks borne by ESCOs; (3) an empirical evaluation of scenario failure mode and effects analysis and its application to this domain; (4) development and pilot application of a life cycle cost-based risk model; and (5) future expansion of the research approach to other domains. The researcher envisions that full implementation of the research will further encourage the growth of the energy services industry, and support focused retrofits in complex building types that typically can benefit the most from such work. Ultimately, this will reduce the energy consumption of public sector buildings to levels that are more fitting with the global principles of sustainability and responsible management of constrained resources.

Sodium Based Heat Pipe Modules for Space Reactor Concepts: Stainless Steel SAFE-100 Core

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, James J.; Reid, Robert S.

2004-01-01

A heat pipe cooled reactor is one of several candidate reactor cores being considered for advanced space power and propulsion systems to support future space exploration applications. Long life heat pipe modules, with designs verified through a combination of theoretical analysis and experimental lifetime evaluations, would be necessary to establish the viability of any of these candidates, including the heat pipe reactor option. A hardware-based program was initiated to establish the infrastructure necessary to build heat pipe modules. This effort, initiated by Los Alamos National Laboratory and referred to as the Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE) project, set out to fabricate and perform non-nuclear testing on a modular heat pipe reactor prototype that can provide 100 kilowatt from the core to an energy conversion system at 700 C. Prototypic heat pipe hardware was designed, fabricated, filled, closed-out and acceptance tested.

Indoor and outdoor characterization of the HIRL prototype: An innovative highly integrated receiverless LCPV concept using multijunction cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weick, Clément; De Betelu, Romain; Tauzin, Aurélie; Baudrit, Mathieu

2017-09-01

Concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) modules are composed of many components and interfaces, which require complex assembling processes, resulting in fabrication complexity and often lack of reliability. The present work addresses these issues, by proposing an innovative low concentration photovoltaic (LCPV) concept. In particular, the purpose here is to develop a module with a high level of integration by lowering the number of components and interfaces. The mirror used as the concentrator optic is multifunctional, as it combines thermal, structural and optical function. Moreover, the proposed design claims to demonstrate the applicability of reliable flat PV processes (such as lamination and cells interconnections), for the manufacturing of this LCPV module. The paper describes both indoor and outdoor characterization of a new prototype. Performances by means of IV curves tracing will be discussed regarding the losses distribution within the optical chain.

Design and Test of Wendelstein 7-X Water-Cooled Divertor Scraper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boscary, J.; Greuner, Henri; Ehrke, Gunnar

Heat load calculations have indicated the possible overloading of the ends of the water-cooled divertor facing the pumping gap beyond their technological limit. The intention of the scraper is the interception of some of the plasma fluxes both upstream and downstream before they reach the divertor surface. The scraper is divided into six modules of four plasma facing components (PFCs); each module has four PFCs hydraulically connected in series by two water boxes (inlet and outlet). A full-scale prototype of one module has been manufactured. Development activities have been carried out to connect the water boxes to the cooling pipesmore » of the PFCs by tungsten inert gas internal orbital welding. This prototype was successfully tested in the GLADIS facility with 17 MW/m2 for 500 cycles. The results of these activities have confirmed the possible technological basis for a fabrication of the water-cooled scraper.« less

Transit safety retrofit package development : applications requirements document.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-05-01

This Application Requirements Document for the Transit Safety Retrofit Package (TRP) Development captures the system, hardware and software requirements towards fulfilling the technical objectives stated within the contract. To achieve the objective ...

40 CFR 610.13 - Program structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria General Provisions § 610.13 Program structure. (a... conclusions as to the effect of the tested retrofit device on fuel economy and exhaust emissions, and as to...

40 CFR 610.14 - Payment of program costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... ECONOMY RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria General Provisions § 610.14 Payment of... request of a manufacturer of a retrofit device, should the Administrator test the device, or cause the...

77 FR 20333 - Approval, Disapproval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Nebraska; Regional Haze State...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-04

...; Federal Implementation Plan for Best Available Retrofit Technology Determination; Extension of Public... Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) requirements for sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) at one source in...

Laying the Groundwork.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kretchmer, Mark R.

2000-01-01

Discusses how to avoid costly errors in high-tech retrofits through proper planning and coordination. Guidelines are offered for selecting cable installers, using multi-disciplinary consulting engineering firm, and space planning when making high-tech retrofits. (GR)

Retrofit designs for small bench-type blood cell counters.

PubMed

Ferris, C D

1991-01-01

This paper describes several retrofit designs to correct operational problems associated with small bench-type blood cell counters. Replacement electronic circuits as well as modifications to the vacuum systems are discussed.

Retrofitting the Streetlights in Boise, Idaho

ScienceCinema

Young, Clay; Oliver, LeAnn; Bieter, David; Johnson, Michael; Oldemeyer, Neal

2018-05-11

Boise, Idaho is using an energy efficiency grant to retrofit hundreds of streetlights throughout the downtown area with energy-efficient LED bulbs, which will save money and improve safety and local quality of life.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuhauser, K.; Gates, C.

This research project evaluates post-retrofit performance measurements, energy use data and construction costs for 13 projects that participated in the National Grid Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot program. The projects implemented a package of measures defined by performance targets for building enclosure components and building enclosure air tightness. Nearly all of the homes reached a post-retrofit air tightness result of 1.5 ACH 50. Homes that used the chainsaw retrofit technique along with roof insulation, and wall insulation applied to the exterior had the best air tightness results and the lowest heating and cooling source energy use. Analysis of measure costs andmore » project objectives yielded a categorization of costs relative to energy performance objectives. On average about ½ of the energy-related measure costs correspond primarily to energy-related objectives, and 20% of energy-related measure costs relate primarily to non-energy objectives.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gates, C.; Neuhauser, K.

This research project evaluates post-retrofit performance measurements, energy use data and construction costs for 13 projects that participated in the National Grid Deep Energy Retrofit Pilot program. The projects implemented a package of measures defined by performance targets for building enclosure components and building enclosure air tightness. Nearly all of the homes reached a post-retrofit air tightness result of 1.5 ACH 50. Homes that used the chainsaw retrofit technique along with roof insulation, and wall insulation applied to the exterior had the best air tightness results and the lowest heating and cooling source energy use. Analysis of measure costs andmore » project objectives yielded a categorization of costs relative to energy performance objectives. On average about 1/2 of the energy-related measure costs correspond primarily to energy-related objectives, and 20% of energy-related measure costs relate primarily to non-energy objectives.« less

The effect of CFRP on retrofitting of damaged HSRC beams using AE technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soffian Noor, M. S.; Noorsuhada, M. N.

2017-12-01

This paper presents the effect of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) on retrofitted high strength reinforced concrete (HSRC) beams using acoustic emission (AE) technique. Two RC beam parameters were prepared. The first was the control beam which was undamaged HSRC beam. The second was the damaged HSRC beam retrofitted with CFRP on the soffit. The main objective of this study is to assess the crack modes of HSRC beams using AE signal strength. The relationship between signal strength, load and time were analysed and discussed. The crack pattern observed from the visual observation was also investigated. HSRC beam retrofitted with CFRP produced high signal strength compared to control beam. It demonstrates the effect of the AE signal strength for interpretation and prediction of failure modes that might occur in the beam specimens.

Comparative feasibility study on retrofitting ballast water treatment system for a bulk carrier.

PubMed

Jee, Jaehoon; Lee, Sangick

2017-06-30

Use of ballast water in ships causes harmful effects on marine environment accompanied by economic loss and negative impact on ecosystem and human health. To solve these problems, the international convention on ballast water management will take into force in September 2017. In this study, a comprehensive feasibility of retrofitting the ballast water treatment system for an ocean-going bulk carrier was conducted. The technologies involved, installation and operational aspects of direct flow and side stream electrolysis, UV, and ozone type BWTS are described in detail. The principal concept of each BWTS is explained and probable arrangements of retrofitting in engine room are suggested. The cost analysis is carried out for retrofitting 4 types of BWTS onboard the target ship by examining each processes of installation and operation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Internal Roof and Attic Thermal Radiation Control Retrofit Strategies for Cooling-Dominated Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fallahi, A.; Duraschlag, H.; Elliott, D.

2013-12-01

This project evaluates the cooling energy savings and cost effectiveness of radiation control retrofit strategies for residential attics in U.S. cooling-dominated climates. Usually, in residential applications, radiation control retrofit strategies are applied below the roof deck or on top of the attic floor insulation. They offer an alternative option to the addition of conventional bulk insulation such as fiberglass or cellulose insulation. Radiation control is a potentially low-cost energy efficiency retrofit strategy that does not require significant changes to existing homes. In this project, two groups of low-cost radiation control strategies were evaluated for southern U.S. applications. One uses amore » radiant barrier composed of two aluminum foils combined with an enclosed reflective air space and the second uses spray-applied interior radiation control coatings (IRCC).« less

Internal Roof and Attic Thermal Radiation Control Retrofit Strategies for Cooling-Dominated Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fallahi, A.; Durschlag, H.; Elliott, D.

2013-12-01

This project evaluates the cooling energy savings and cost effectiveness of radiation control retrofit strategies for residential attics in U.S. cooling-dominated climates. Usually, in residential applications, radiation control retrofit strategies are applied below the roof deck or on top of the attic floor insulation. They offer an alternative option to the addition of conventional bulkinsulation such as fiberglass or cellulose insulation. Radiation control is a potentially low-cost energy efficiency retrofit strategy that does not require significant changes to existing homes. In this project, two groups of low-cost radiation control strategies were evaluated for southern U.S. applications. One uses a radiantmore » barrier composed of two aluminum foils combined with an enclosedreflective air space and the second uses spray-applied interior radiation control coatings (IRCC).« less

Bay Ridge Gardens - Mixed-Humid Affordable Multifamily Housing Deep Energy Retrofit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lyons, J.; Moore, M.; Thompson, M.

2013-08-01

Under this project, Newport Partners (as part of the BA-PIRC research team) evaluated the installation, measured performance, and cost-effectiveness of efficiency upgrade measures for a tenant-in-place DER at the Bay Ridge multifamily (MF) development in Annapolis, Maryland. The design and construction phase of the Bay Ridge project was completed in August 2012. This report summarizes system commissioning, short-term test results, utility bill data analysis, and analysis of real-time data collected over a one-year period after the retrofit was complete. The Bay Ridge project is comprised of a 'base scope' retrofit which was estimated to achieve a 30%+ savings (relative tomore » pre-retrofit) on 186 apartments, and a 'DER scope' which was estimated to achieve 50% savings (relative to pre-retrofit) on a 12-unit building. The base scope was applied to the entire apartment complex, except for one 12-unit building which underwent the DER scope. A wide range of efficiency measures was applied to pursue this savings target for the DER building, including improvements/replacements of mechanical equipment and distribution systems, appliances, lighting and lighting controls, the building envelope, hot water conservation measures, and resident education. The results of this research build upon the current body of knowledge of multifamily retrofits. Towards this end, the research team has collected and generated data on the selection of measures, their estimated performance, their measured performance, and risk factors and their impact on potential measures.« less

Examining non-structural retrofitting status of teaching hospitals in Kerman against disasters.

PubMed

Moghadam, Mahmood Nekooi; Moradi, Seyed Mobin; Amiresmaili, Mohammadreza

2017-05-01

Continuous services provision of a hospital before and after a disaster is one of the most prominent issues that all people, especially the authorities must take into huge consideration. Concerning the experiences of previous earthquakes, the role and importance of nonstructural components becomes increasingly clear in the uninterrupted services of hospitals. In this study, non-structural retrofitting status of Kerman teaching hospitals was evaluated against natural disasters. This cross-sectional study was carried out in the second half of 2014 on the teaching hospitals in Kerman (Iran). The study population consisted of all Kerman teaching hospitals. The research instrument was World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO) standard checklist. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics through SPSS 19. One hospital had a low retrofitting level, two hospitals had an average level and one had a high level. In the examined hospitals in this study, the medical gas section had the lowest preparedness against natural disasters, while the office, warehouse and furniture section had the highest resistance. Generally, the non-structural retrofitting status was 50% in one hospital and was between 65% and 85% in other hospitals. Generally, the retrofitting status of hospitals was not at the ideal condition, most hospitals were in average condition. Concerning the high risk of hospitals in disasters, it is necessary that senior executives and managers of Kerman Province and Kerman University of Medical Sciences take some measures to retrofit these buildings and to reduce the risk of vulnerability.

Solar Urban Neighborhood (SUN). Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ellertson, J.

1984-07-10

The Solar Urban Neighborhood (SUN) project was conceived to demonstrate a widely applicable cooperative procedure for low and moderate income urban residents to conserve energy and promote neighborhood revitalization through installing affordable energy conservation and solar retrofit measures on their homes. The self-help retrofit systems demonstrated fan-assisted air panels for walls and a mansard roof as well as vented Trombe wall and a sunspace. Building upon a strong tradition of cooperation within their neighborhood (security watches, community gardening, bartering of skills for do-it-yourself projects), these Roxbury neighbors were able to use the DOE grant as a catalyst for doing amore » far more ambitious undertaking. Additionally, the project used elements of a private-public partnership since the project director was also an energy retrofit contractor with specialized equipment and skills to share, wholesale purchase access, etc. Countervailing negative forces which impeded the progress of the project were the very ambitiousness of the solar retrofit itself, the delays in receiving the initial start up grant advance and in overcoming zoning restrictions which required design modifications; and discovery of building defects (dry rot, carpenter ants) within the structures at the time of retrofit. Nevertheless, the SUN project did have a wide impact through formal and informal outreach; through an associated project, SUN-TECH, which promoted solar retrofit awareness and involvement of City of Boston building, energy, and housing officials; and through evolvement of a grass roots level public-private partnership.« less

Seismic Rehabilitation of RC Frames by Using Steel Panels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mowrtage, Waiel

2008-07-01

Every major earthquake in Turkey causes a large number of building suffer moderate damage due to poor construction. If a proper and fast retrofit is not applied, the aftershocks, which may sometimes come days or weeks after the main shock, can push a moderately damaged building into a major damage or even total collapse. This paper presents a practical retrofit method for moderately damaged buildings, which increases the seismic performance of the structural system by reducing the displacement demand. Fabricated steel panels are used for the retrofit. They are light-weight, easy to handle, and can be constructed very quickly. Moreover, they are cheap, and do not need formwork or skilled workers. They can be designed to compensate for the stiffness and strength degradation, and to fit easily inside a moderately damaged reinforced concrete frame. To test the concept, a half-scale, single-story 3D reinforced concrete frame specimen was constructed at the shake-table laboratories of the Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute of Bogazici University, and subjected to recorded real earthquake base accelerations. The amplitudes of base accelerations were increased until a moderate damage level is reached. Then, the damaged RC frames was retrofitted by means of steel panels and tested under the same earthquake. The seismic performance of the specimen before and after the retrofit was evaluated using FEMA356 standards, and the results were compared in terms of stiffness, strength, and deformability. The results have confirmed effectiveness of the proposed retrofit scheme.

Data and Analytics to Inform Energy Retrofit of High Performance Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hong, Tianzhen; Yang, Le; Hill, David

Buildings consume more than one-third of the world?s primary energy. Reducing energy use in buildings with energy efficient technologies is feasible and also driven by energy policies such as energy benchmarking, disclosure, rating, and labeling in both the developed and developing countries. Current energy retrofits focus on the existing building stocks, especially older buildings, but the growing number of new high performance buildings built around the world raises a question that how these buildings perform and whether there are retrofit opportunities to further reduce their energy use. This is a new and unique problem for the building industry. Traditional energymore » audit or analysis methods are inadequate to look deep into the energy use of the high performance buildings. This study aims to tackle this problem with a new holistic approach powered by building performance data and analytics. First, three types of measured data are introduced, including the time series energy use, building systems operating conditions, and indoor and outdoor environmental parameters. An energy data model based on the ISO Standard 12655 is used to represent the energy use in buildings in a three-level hierarchy. Secondly, a suite of analytics were proposed to analyze energy use and to identify retrofit measures for high performance buildings. The data-driven analytics are based on monitored data at short time intervals, and cover three levels of analysis ? energy profiling, benchmarking and diagnostics. Thirdly, the analytics were applied to a high performance building in California to analyze its energy use and identify retrofit opportunities, including: (1) analyzing patterns of major energy end-use categories at various time scales, (2) benchmarking the whole building total energy use as well as major end-uses against its peers, (3) benchmarking the power usage effectiveness for the data center, which is the largest electricity consumer in this building, and (4) diagnosing HVAC equipment using detailed time-series operating data. Finally, a few energy efficiency measures were identified for retrofit, and their energy savings were estimated to be 20percent of the whole-building electricity consumption. Based on the analyses, the building manager took a few steps to improve the operation of fans, chillers, and data centers, which will lead to actual energy savings. This study demonstrated that there are energy retrofit opportunities for high performance buildings and detailed measured building performance data and analytics can help identify and estimate energy savings and to inform the decision making during the retrofit process. Challenges of data collection and analytics were also discussed to shape best practice of retrofitting high performance buildings.« less

Field Test Evaluation of Conservation Retrofits of Low-Income, Single-Family Buildings in Wisconsin: Blower-Door-Directed Infiltration Reduction Procedure, Field Test Implementation and Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gettings, M.B.

A blower-door-directed infiltration retrofit procedure was field tested on 18 homes in south central Wisconsin. The procedure, developed by the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation, includes recommended retrofit techniques as well as criteria for estimating the amount of cost-effective work to be performed on a house. A recommended expenditure level and target air leakage reduction, in air changes per hour at 50 Pascal (ACH50), are determined from the initial leakage rate measured. The procedure produced an average 16% reduction in air leakage rate. For the 7 houses recommended for retrofit, 89% of the targeted reductions were accomplished with 76% of themore » recommended expenditures. The average cost of retrofits per house was reduced by a factor of four compared with previous programs. The average payback period for recommended retrofits was 4.4 years, based on predicted energy savings computed from achieved air leakage reductions. Although exceptions occurred, the procedure's 8 ACH50 minimum initial leakage rate for advising retrofits to be performed appeared a good choice, based on cost-effective air leakage reduction. Houses with initial rates of 7 ACH50 or below consistently required substantially higher costs to achieve significant air leakage reductions. No statistically significant average annual energy savings was detected as a result of the infiltration retrofits. Average measured savings were -27 therm per year, indicating an increase in energy use, with a 90% confidence interval of 36 therm. Measured savings for individual houses varied widely in both positive and negative directions, indicating that factors not considered affected the results. Large individual confidence intervals indicate a need to increase the accuracy of such measurements as well as understand the factors which may cause such disparity. Recommendations for the procedure include more extensive training of retrofit crews, checks for minimum air exchange rates to insure air quality, and addition of the basic cost of determining the initial leakage rate to the recommended expenditure level. Recommendations for the field test of the procedure include increasing the number of houses in the sample, more timely examination of metered data to detect anomalies, and the monitoring of indoor air temperature. Though not appropriate in a field test of a procedure, further investigation into the effects of air leakage rate reductions on heating loads needs to be performed.« less

The multisensor payload 'Structura' for the observation of atmospheric night glows from the ISS board

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krot, Yury; Beliaev, Boris; Katkovsky, Leonid

2016-10-01

Aerospace Research Department of the Institute of Applied Physical Problems at Belarusian State University has developed a prototype of the optical payload intended for a space experiment on the ISS board. The prototype includes four optical modules for the night glows observation, in particular spatial-brightness and spectral characteristics in the altitude range of 80-320 km. Objects of the interest are emitting top layers of the atmosphere including exited OH radicals, atomic and molecular oxygen and sodium layers. The goal of the space experiment is a research of night glows over different regions of the Earth and a connection with natural disasters like earthquakes, cyclones, etc. Two optical modules for spatial distribution of atomic oxygen layers along the altitude consist of input lenses, spectral interferential filters and line CCD detectors. The optical module for registration of exited OH radical emissions is formed from CCD array spectrometer. The payload includes also a panchromatic (400-900 nm) high sensitive imaging camera for observing of the glows general picture. The optical modules of the prototype have been tested and general optical characteristics were determined in laboratory conditions. A solution of an astigmatism reducing of a concave diffraction grating and a method of the second diffraction order correction were applied and improved spectrometer's optical characteristics. Laboratory equipment and software were developed to imitate a dynamic scene of the night glows in laboratory conditions including an imitation of linear spectra and the spatial distribution of emissions.

The Southwest Residential Experiment Station - The first year

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwibel, H. S.; Schaefer, J. F.

A history and status report on the Southwest Residential Experiment Station (SW RES) aimed at instituting residential applications of prototype residence-like photovoltaic systems is given. The three-acre SW RES site has an average annual insolation of 2375 kwhr/sq m, one of the highest in the United States. The eight prototypes under construction are aimed at suitability for the meteorological, cultural, and economic climates of the southwest, design compatibility with residence design with maintenance for one year after turnkey, and a minimum 100 W preproduction module. Useful information resulting from the program includes the redirection of a 4 kW array reducing costs by a factor of 20, awareness of the interference of Spring winds in handling modules larger than 1 ft x 4 ft, and the fact that white aggregate roofing gravel, south of an optimally tilted array, enhances array performance. In addition, each prototype is instrumented for performance monitoring and is equipped with a residential load simulator capable of dissipating from 0 to 26 kW in 100 watt increments.

A Novel Low-Cost Sensor Prototype for Monitoring Temperature during Wine Fermentation in Tanks

PubMed Central

Sainz, Beatriz; Antolín, Jonathan; López-Coronado, Miguel; de Castro, Carlos

2013-01-01

This paper presents a multipurpose and low cost sensor for temperature control over the wine fermentation process, in order to steadily communicate data through wireless modules in real time to a viticulturist's mobile or fixed device. The advantage of our prototype is due to the fact that it will be used by small winemakers in the “Ribera del Duero” area, and as it is a cheaper sensor and easy to use for the control and monitoring of the grape fermentation process, it will probably be used by other business men with the same necessities in the region. The microcontroller MSP430G2553 is among the components that make up the sensor, that are integrated onto a motherboard. It communicates with the RN-42 Bluetooth module through an UART interface. After verifying that all elements are working correctly, the parts are assembled to form the final prototype. This device has been tested in a winery in the region, fulfilling the initial project specifications. PMID:23449116

Wireless optical network for a home network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouchet, Olivier; Porcon, Pascal; Walewski, Joachim W.; Nerreter, Stefan; Langer, Klaus-Dieter; Fernández, Luz; Vucic, Jelena; Kamalakis, Thomas; Ntogari, Georgia; Neokosmidis, Ioannis; Gueutier, Eric

2010-08-01

During the European collaborative project OMEGA, two optical-wireless prototypes have been developed. The first prototype operates in the near-infrared spectral region and features Giga Ethernet connectivity, a simple transceiver architecture due to the use of on-off keying, a multi-sector transceiver, and an ultra-fast switch for sector-to-sector hand over. This full-duplex system, composed by one base station and one module, transmits data on three meters. The second prototype is a visible-light-communications system based on DMT signal processing and an adapted MAC sublayer. Data rates around to 100 Mb/s at the physical layer are achieved. This broadcast system, composed also by one base station and one module, transmits data up to two meters. In this paper we present the adapted optical wireless media-access-control sublayer protocol for visible-light communications. This protocol accommodates link adaptation from 128 Mb/s to 1024 Mb/s with multi-sector coverage, and half-duplex or full-duplex transmission.

Geothermal-retrofit study for the National Orange Show Facilities in San Bernardino, California

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1981-11-17

The cost and feasibility of retrofitting the National Orange Show Facilities to use geothermal heat instead of natural gas for heating are determined. Because of the limited usage of the smaller facilities the study was limited to the conversion of the six major buildings: Domed, Hobby, Citrus, Auditorium, Restaurant and Commercial. A major problem is that most of the buildings are used on a very limited basis. This drastically reduced the amount of savings that could be used to amortize the retrofit cost. Another problem is that the buildings are spread over a large area and so the below grademore » piping costs were high. Finally, all of the buildings except for the Auditorium have direct gas fired heaters that would require all new terminal heating systems. In order to limit the retrofit cost, the retrofit system was designed to handle less than the peak load. This seemed appropriate because the facility might not even be in operation when a peak load condition occurred. Also, the existing systems could be used to supplement the geothermal system if necessary. The calculated and design peak loads are summarized.« less

Improving Management of Green Retrofits from a Stakeholder Perspective: A Case Study in China.

PubMed

Liang, Xin; Shen, Geoffrey Qiping; Guo, Li

2015-10-28

Green retrofits, which improve the environment and energy efficiency of buildings, are considered a potential solution for reducing energy consumption as well as improving human health and productivity. They represent some of the riskiest, most complex, and most uncertain projects to manage. As the foundation of project management, critical success factors (CSFs) have been emphasized by previous research. However, most studies identified and prioritized CSFs independently of stakeholders. This differs from the reality, where the success of green retrofits is tightly interrelated to the stakeholders of projects. To improve the analysis from a stakeholder perspective, the present study proposed an innovative method based on a two-mode social network analysis to integrate CSF analysis with stakeholders. The results of this method can provide further understanding of the interactions between stakeholders and CSFs, and the underlying relationship among CSFs through stakeholders. A pilot study was conducted to apply the proposed method and assess the CSFs for green retrofits in China. The five most significant CSFs are identified in the management of green retrofit. Furthermore, the interrelations between stakeholders and CSFs, coefficient and clusters of CSFs are likewise discussed.

Infrastructure optimisation via MBR retrofit: a design guide.

PubMed

Bagg, W K

2009-01-01

Wastewater management is continually evolving with the development and implementation of new, more efficient technologies. One of these is the Membrane Bioreactor (MBR). Although a relatively new technology in Australia, MBR wastewater treatment has been widely used elsewhere for over 20 years, with thousands of MBRs now in operation worldwide. Over the past 5 years, MBR technology has been enthusiastically embraced in Australia as a potential treatment upgrade option, and via retrofit typically offers two major benefits: (1) more capacity using mostly existing facilities, and (2) very high quality treated effluent. However, infrastructure optimisation via MBR retrofit is not a simple or low-cost solution and there are many factors which should be carefully evaluated before deciding on this method of plant upgrade. The paper reviews a range of design parameters which should be carefully evaluated when considering an MBR retrofit solution. Several actual and conceptual case studies are considered to demonstrate both advantages and disadvantages. Whilst optimising existing facilities and production of high quality water for reuse are powerful drivers, it is suggested that MBRs are perhaps not always the most sustainable Whole-of-Life solution for a wastewater treatment plant upgrade, especially by way of a retrofit.

Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide (AERG): Practical Ways to Improve Energy Performance; Healthcare Facilities (Book)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendron, R.; Leach, M.; Bonnema, E.

The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide for Healthcare Facilities is part of a series of retrofit guides commissioned by the U.S. Department of Energy. By presenting general project planning guidance as well as detailed descriptions and financial payback metrics for the most important and relevant energy efficiency measures (EEMs), the guides provide a practical roadmap for effectively planning and implementing performance improvements in existing buildings. The Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides (AERGs) are intended to address key segments of the U.S. commercial building stock: retail stores, office buildings, K-12 schools, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities. The guides' general project planning considerations aremore » applicable nationwide; the energy and cost savings estimates for recommended EEMs were developed based on energy simulations and cost estimates for an example hospital tailored to five distinct climate regions. These results can be extrapolated to other U.S. climate zones. Analysis is presented for individual EEMs, and for packages of recommended EEMs for two project types: existing building commissioning projects that apply low-cost and no-cost measures, and whole-building retrofits involving more capital-intensive measures.« less

An actuarial approach to retrofit savings in buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Subbarao, Krishnappa; Etingov, Pavel V.; Reddy, T. A.

An actuarial method has been developed for determining energy savings from retrofits from energy use data for a number of buildings. This method should be contrasted with the traditional method of using pre- and post-retrofit data on the same building. This method supports the U.S. Department of Energy Building Performance Database of real building performance data and related tools that enable engineering and financial practitioners to evaluate retrofits. The actuarial approach derives, from the database, probability density functions (PDFs) for energy savings from retrofits by creating peer groups for the user’s pre post buildings. From the energy use distribution ofmore » the two groups, the savings PDF is derived. This provides the basis for engineering analysis as well as financial risk analysis leading to investment decisions. Several technical issues are addressed: The savings PDF is obtained from the pre- and post-PDF through a convolution. Smoothing using kernel density estimation is applied to make the PDF more realistic. The low data density problem can be mitigated through a neighborhood methodology. Correlations between pre and post buildings are addressed to improve the savings PDF. Sample size effects are addressed through the Kolmogorov--Smirnov tests and quantile-quantile plots.« less

Improving Management of Green Retrofits from a Stakeholder Perspective: A Case Study in China

PubMed Central

Liang, Xin; Shen, Geoffrey Qiping; Guo, Li

2015-01-01

Green retrofits, which improve the environment and energy efficiency of buildings, are considered a potential solution for reducing energy consumption as well as improving human health and productivity. They represent some of the riskiest, most complex, and most uncertain projects to manage. As the foundation of project management, critical success factors (CSFs) have been emphasized by previous research. However, most studies identified and prioritized CSFs independently of stakeholders. This differs from the reality, where the success of green retrofits is tightly interrelated to the stakeholders of projects. To improve the analysis from a stakeholder perspective, the present study proposed an innovative method based on a two-mode social network analysis to integrate CSF analysis with stakeholders. The results of this method can provide further understanding of the interactions between stakeholders and CSFs, and the underlying relationship among CSFs through stakeholders. A pilot study was conducted to apply the proposed method and assess the CSFs for green retrofits in China. The five most significant CSFs are identified in the management of green retrofit. Furthermore, the interrelations between stakeholders and CSFs, coefficient and clusters of CSFs are likewise discussed. PMID:26516897

Design procedures of retrofitted bridge rail.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-08-01

The use of shallow embedment anchors in concrete is essential for retrofit applications; however, the combination of steel anchors, chemical adhesive, and concrete acting as a single tensile mechanism creates uncertainties in anchor strength and fail...

49 CFR 38.111 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... inaccessible cars be retrofitted with lifts, ramps or other boarding devices. (d) Passenger coaches or food... cars retrofitted to meet the seating requirements of § 37.91 of this title shall comply with § 38.113(e...

36 CFR 1192.91 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible cars be retrofitted with lifts...) Existing vehicles retrofitted to comply with the “one-car-per-train rule” at 49 CFR 37.93 shall comply with...

49 CFR 38.91 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... provisions of this subpart. This provision does not require that inaccessible cars be retrofitted with lifts... part. (d) Existing vehicles retrofitted to comply with the “one-car-per-train rule” at § 37.93 of this...

Seismic retrofit workshop

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-11-01

Metallic dampers were proposed for the seismic retrofit of deficient highway bridges by the University of Missouri-Rolla (UMR) under the sponsorship of Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT). A research project (MODOT Study No. RI 01-028) on t...

Facilities Upgrade and Retrofit. Strategies for Success.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Mike

2000-01-01

Provides three articles on the subject of educational facility upgrading and retrofiting that address setting guidelines for classroom acoustics, making sports facilities brighter and more energy-efficient, and cutting energy bills and protecting interiors. (GR)

Design of 1 MHz Solid State High Frequency Power Supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parmar, Darshan; Singh, N. P.; Gajjar, Sandip; Thakar, Aruna; Patel, Amit; Raval, Bhavin; Dhola, Hitesh; Dave, Rasesh; Upadhay, Dishang; Gupta, Vikrant; Goswami, Niranjan; Mehta, Kush; Baruah, Ujjwal

2017-04-01

High Frequency Power supply (HFPS) is used for various applications like AM Transmitters, metallurgical applications, Wireless Power Transfer, RF Ion Sources etc. The Ion Source for a Neutral beam Injector at ITER-India uses inductively coupled power source at High Frequency (∼1 MHz). Switching converter based topology used to generate 1 MHz sinusoidal output is expected to have advantages on efficiency and reliability as compared to traditional RF Tetrode tubes based oscillators. In terms of Power Electronics, thermal and power coupling issues are major challenges at such a high frequency. A conceptual design for a 200 kW, 1 MHz power supply and a prototype design for a 600 W source been done. The prototype design is attempted with Class-E amplifier topology where a MOSFET is switched resonantly. The prototype uses two low power modules and a ferrite combiner to add the voltage and power at the output. Subsequently solution with Class-D H-Bridge configuration have been evaluated through simulation where module design is stable as switching device do not participate in resonance, further switching device voltage rating is substantially reduced. The rating of the modules is essentially driven by the maximum power handling capacity of the MOSFETs and ferrites in the combiner circuit. The output passive network including resonance tuned network and impedance matching network caters for soft switching and matches the load impedance to 50ohm respectively. This paper describes the conceptual design of a 200 kW high frequency power supply and experimental results of the prototype 600 W, 1 MHz source.

Performance of a Low-Cost, Low-Concentration Photovoltaic Module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shell, Kara A.; Brown, Scott A.; Schuetz, Mark A.; Davis, Bob J.; French, Roger H.

2011-12-01

In order to significantly reduce the cost of solar power, Replex Plastics has developed a low-cost, low-concentration PV module incorporating acrylic mirror reflectors. The reflectors are compound parabolic concentrators designed for use with low-accuracy single axis trackers. The prototypes use crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and achieved 7.1x concentration over a receiver without reflectors. The 1×1.6 m module used 1/10th the silicon of a standard module and produced a max power of 140 W.

Designing from minimum to optimum functionality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bannova, Olga; Bell, Larry

2011-04-01

This paper discusses a multifaceted strategy to link NASA Minimal Functionality Habitable Element (MFHE) requirements to a compatible growth plan; leading forward to evolutionary, deployable habitats including outpost development stages. The discussion begins by reviewing fundamental geometric features inherent in small scale, vertical and horizontal, pressurized module configuration options to characterize applicability to meet stringent MFHE constraints. A proposed scenario to incorporate a vertical core MFHE concept into an expanded architecture to provide continuity of structural form and a logical path from "minimum" to "optimum" design of a habitable module. The paper describes how habitation and logistics accommodations could be pre-integrated into a common Hab/Log Module that serves both habitation and logistics functions. This is offered as a means to reduce unnecessary redundant development costs and to avoid EVA-intensive on-site adaptation and retrofitting requirements for augmented crew capacity. An evolutionary version of the hard shell Hab/Log design would have an expandable middle section to afford larger living and working accommodations. In conclusion, the paper illustrates that a number of cargo missions referenced for NASA's 4.0.0 Lunar Campaign Scenario could be eliminated altogether to expedite progress and reduce budgets. The plan concludes with a vertical growth geometry that provides versatile and efficient site development opportunities using a combination of hard Hab/Log modules and a hybrid expandable "CLAM" (Crew Lunar Accommodations Module) element.

Development of a high-power solid-state switch using static induction thyristors for a klystron modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokuchi, Akira; Kamitsukasa, Fumiyoshi; Furukawa, Kazuya; Kawase, Keigo; Kato, Ryukou; Irizawa, Akinori; Fujimoto, Masaki; Osumi, Hiroki; Funakoshi, Sousuke; Tsutsumi, Ryouta; Suemine, Shoji; Honda, Yoshihide; Isoyama, Goro

2015-01-01

We developed a solid-state switch with static induction thyristors for the klystron modulator of the L-band electron linear accelerator (linac) at the Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University. This switch is designed to have maximum specifications of a holding voltage of 25 kV and a current of 6 kA at the repetition frequency of 10 Hz for forced air cooling. The turn-on time of the switch was measured with a matched resistor to be 270 ns, which is sufficiently fast for the klystron modulator. The switch is retrofitted in the modulator to generate 1.3 GHz RF pulses with durations of either 4 or 8 μs using a 30 MW klystron, and the linac is successfully operated under maximum conditions. This finding demonstrates that the switch can be used as a high-power switch for the modulator. Pulse-to-pulse variations of the klystron voltage are measured to be less than 0.015%, and those of RF power and phase are lower than 0.15% and 0.1°, respectively. These values are significantly smaller than those obtained with a thyratron; hence, the stability of the main RF system is improved. The solid-state switch has been used in normal operation of the linac for more than a year without any serious trouble. Thus, we confirmed the switch's robustness and long-term reliability.

Existing Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Bay Ridge Gardens - Mixed Humid Affordable Multifamily Housing Deep Energy Retrofit, Annapolis, Maryland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2013-10-01

Under this project, the BA-PIRC research team evaluated the installation, measured performance, and cost-effectiveness of efficiency upgrade measures for a tenant-in-place deep energy retrofit at the Bay Ridge multifamily development in Annapolis, Maryland. The design and construction phase of the Bay Ridge project was completed in August 2012. This case study summarizes system commissioning, short-term test results, utility bill data analysis, and analysis of real-time data collected over a one-year period after the retrofit was complete.

Measure Guideline: Wall Air Sealing and Insulation Methods in Existing Homes; An Overview of Opportunity and Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, S.; Stephenson, R.

2012-09-01

This guide provides renovators and retrofit contractors an overview of considerations when including wall air sealing and insulation in an energy retrofit project. It also outlines the potential project risks, various materials for insulating, possible field inspections needed, installation procedures, as well as the benefits and drawbacks. The purpose of this document is to provide the outline of the overview and process of insulating and air sealing walls so that home retrofit professionals can identify approaches to air sealing and insulation measures.

Retrofit Gloveport Cover and Security Device

DOE PAGES

Hinckley, Jon E.

2015-01-01

The world of glovebox work in the areas of science and manufacturing is in a consistent state of flux due to the inherent nature of changing missions. These rapidly changing work environments result in almost continuous regulatory changes within the codes and standards in order to maintain worker and environmental safety. Gloveboxes designed and manufactured prior to these regulations are not easy to update or retrofit to accommodate new requirements. In order to meet the challenge of retrofitting gloveboxes to the meet the requirements, the following solutions have been developed.

Opening Up Architectures of Software-Intensive Systems: A First Prototype Implementation

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

9 4.1.2 Sequence Diagram Viewer NetBeans Module .................................. 11 4.1.3 Limitations of Static Analysis...Viewer NetBeans module [18]. Note that there exist other tools which can statically reverse engineer sequence diagrams such as Borland Together [19...and the NetBeans UML Modeling module [20]. The reason those are not presented in this document is because their functionalities are very similar

Five-cell superconducting RF module with a PBG coupler cell: design and cold testing of the copper prototype

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arsenyev, Sergey Andreyevich; Simakov, Evgenya Ivanovna; Shchegolkov, Dmitry

2015-04-29

We report the design and experimental data for a copper prototype of a superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) accelerator module. The five-cell module has an incorporated photonic band gap (PBG) cell with couplers. The purpose of the PBG cell is to achieve better higher order mode (HOM) damping, which is vital for preserving the quality of high-current electron beams. Better HOM damping raises the current threshold for beam instabilities in novel SRF accelerators. The PBG design also increases the real-estate gradient of the linac because both HOM damping and the fundamental power coupling can be done through the PBG cell instead ofmore » on the beam pipe via complicated end assemblies. First, we will discuss the design and accelerating properties of the structure. The five-cell module was optimized to provide good HOM damping while maintaining the same accelerating properties as conventional elliptical-cell modules. We will then discuss the process of tuning the structure to obtain the desired accelerating gradient profile. Finally, we will list measured quality factors for the accelerating mode and the most dangerous HOMs.« less

Application Reuse Library for Software, Requirements, and Guidelines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malin, Jane T.; Thronesbery, Carroll

1994-01-01

Better designs are needed for expert systems and other operations automation software, for more reliable, usable and effective human support. A prototype computer-aided Application Reuse Library shows feasibility of supporting concurrent development and improvement of advanced software by users, analysts, software developers, and human-computer interaction experts. Such a library expedites development of quality software, by providing working, documented examples, which support understanding, modification and reuse of requirements as well as code. It explicitly documents and implicitly embodies design guidelines, standards and conventions. The Application Reuse Library provides application modules with Demo-and-Tester elements. Developers and users can evaluate applicability of a library module and test modifications, by running it interactively. Sub-modules provide application code and displays and controls. The library supports software modification and reuse, by providing alternative versions of application and display functionality. Information about human support and display requirements is provided, so that modifications will conform to guidelines. The library supports entry of new application modules from developers throughout an organization. Example library modules include a timer, some buttons and special fonts, and a real-time data interface program. The library prototype is implemented in the object-oriented G2 environment for developing real-time expert systems.

Orion MPCV Service Module Avionics Ring Pallet Testing, Correlation, and Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Staab, Lucas; Akers, James; Suarez, Vicente; Jones, Trevor

2012-01-01

The NASA Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) is being designed to replace the Space Shuttle as the main manned spacecraft for the agency. Based on the predicted environments in the Service Module avionics ring, an isolation system was deemed necessary to protect the avionics packages carried by the spacecraft. Impact, sinusoidal, and random vibration testing were conducted on a prototype Orion Service Module avionics pallet in March 2010 at the NASA Glenn Research Center Structural Dynamics Laboratory (SDL). The pallet design utilized wire rope isolators to reduce the vibration levels seen by the avionics packages. The current pallet design utilizes the same wire rope isolators (M6-120-10) that were tested in March 2010. In an effort to save cost and schedule, the Finite Element Models of the prototype pallet tested in March 2010 were correlated. Frequency Response Function (FRF) comparisons, mode shape and frequency were all part of the correlation process. The non-linear behavior and the modeling the wire rope isolators proved to be the most difficult part of the correlation process. The correlated models of the wire rope isolators were taken from the prototype design and integrated into the current design for future frequency response analysis and component environment specification.

Independent evaluation of the transit retrofit package safety applications : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-02-01

This report presents the methodology and results of the independent evaluation of retrofit safety packages installed on transit vehicles in the : Safety Pilot Model Deploymentpart of the United States Department of Transportations Intelligent T...

Seismic retrofit guidelines for Utah highway bridges.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-05-01

Much of Utahs population dwells in a seismically active region, and many of the bridges connecting transportation lifelines predate the rigorous seismic design standards that have been developed in the past 10-20 years. Seismic retrofitting method...

Plumb Fittings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jahrling, Peter

1996-01-01

Discusses the electronic retrofitting of educational facilities plumbing systems. Some advantages of an electronic plumbing retrofit are cost, hygiene, water conservation, and meeting Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 (ADA) requirements. Issues important to the planning of a successful project are detailed. (RE)

75 FR 57492 - Notice of Submission of Proposed Information Collection to OMB American Recovery and Reinvestment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-21

... Energy and Green retrofit Investment program, Indian Community Development Block Grant Program, Native... Proposed Use: The Public Housing Capital Fund, Assisted Housing Stability and Energy and Green retrofit...

RETROFITTING CONTROL FACILITIES FOR WET-WEATHER FLOW CONTROL

EPA Science Inventory

Available technologies were evaluated to demonstrate the feasibility and cost effectiveness of retrofitting existing facilities to handle wet-weather flow (WWF). Cost/benefit relationships were compared to construction of new conventional control and treatment facilities. Desktop...

RETROFITTING CONTROL FACILITIES FOR WET WEATHER FLOW TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Available technologies were evaluated to demonstrate the technical feasibility and cost-effectiveness of retrofitting existing facilities to handle wet-weather flow. Cost/benefit relationships were also compared to construction of new conventional control and treatment facilitie...

RETROFITTING CONTROL FACILITIES FOR WET-WEATHER FLOW TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Available technologies were evaluated to demonstrate the technical feasibility and cost effectiveness of retrofitting existing facilities to handle wet-weather flow. Cost/benefit relationships were also compared to construction of new conventional control and treatment facilities...

Traffic noise analysis protocol : for new highway construction, reconstruction and retrofit barrier projects.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-08-01

The purpose of this Traffic Noise Analysis Protocol for New Highway : Construction, Reconstruction, and Retrofit Barrier Projects (Protocol) is : to present California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) policies and : procedures for applying 23 ...

Cold Climate and Retrofit Applications for Air-to-Air Heat Pumps

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baxter, Van D

2015-01-01

Air source heat pumps (ASHP) including air-to-air ASHPs are easily applied to buildings almost anywhere for new construction as well as retrofits or renovations. They are widespread in milder climate regions but their use in cold regions is hampered due to low heating efficiency and capacity at cold outdoor temperatures. Retrofitting air-to-air ASHPs to existing buildings is relatively easy if the building already has an air distribution system. For buildings without such systems alternative approaches are necessary. Examples are ductless, minisplit heat pumps or central heat pumps coupled to small diameter, high velocity (SDHV) air distribution systems. This article presentsmore » two subjects: 1) a summary of R&D investigations aimed at improving the cold weather performance of ASHPs, and 2) a brief discussion of building retrofit options using air-to-air ASHP systems.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilkerson, Andrea M.; McCullough, Jeffrey J.

The Yuma Sector Border Patrol Area is a high flux lighting application in a high temperature environment, presenting a formidable challenge for light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This retrofit is an Energy Savings Performance Contract ENABLE project under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program. If high flux LED technology performs well in a region with high ambient temperature and solar radiation, it can perform well in most outdoor environments. The design process for the Yuma retrofit has already provided valuable knowledge to CBP and DOE. The LED lighting system selected for the retrofit is expected to reduce energymore » consumption 69% compared to the incumbent quartz metal halide (QMH) lighting system. If the LED lighting system is installed, GATEWAY will continue to document and disseminate information regarding the installation and long-term performance so that others may also gain valuable knowledge from the Yuma Sector Border Patrol Area lighting retrofit.« less

Applying energy-conservation retrofits to standard army buildings: project design and initial energy data. Final report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Westervelt, E.T.; Northrup, G.R.; Allen, E.O.

1988-07-01

This report describes the initial and continuing efforts in a project demonstrating the energy performance of theoretically-based retrofit packages on as-found, standard-design Army buildings. Four standard building designs are being investigated: a motor-vehicle repair shop, the Type 64 (L-shaped) barracks, an enlisted-personnel mess hall, and a two-company, rolling-pin-shaped barracks for enlisted personnel. The Army has over 840 of these particular buildings. The objective of the project is to test the energy and cost performance of the retrofit packages, which include such measures as installing wall or ceiling insulation, replacing and/or blocking windows, partitioning areas of differing temperature, modifying air-handling equipment,more » modifying boiler controls, replacing lights, etc. To this end, energy data has been gathered from retrofitted and identical but nonretrofitted buildings for a test/reference comparison.« less

Performance of a Retrofitted Multicyclone for PM2.5 Emission Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dewika, M.; Rashid, M.; Ammar, M. R.

2018-03-01

This paper presents on the performance of a retrofitted multicyclone system, which aims to increase the collection efficiency of PM2.5 (i.e. particulate size fraction ≤ 2.5 μm) emission. The multicyclone was retrofitted by extracting 15% and 20% of the total volumetric air flow rate at the dust hopper of the unit using an additional Induced Draft Fan. The total collection efficiency with and without the extraction was measured at various air volumetric flow rates and particulate mass inlet concentration. The results showed that there was a reduction of 12% to 54% depending on the inlet concentration of PM2.5 emission in the stack with compared to without extraction increasing the collection efficiency of the retrofitted multicyclone. The finding suggests that a simple technique of applying gas extraction at the dust hopper of a multicyclone as reported in this study able to increase the overall performance in fine particulate collection.

Strategy Guideline: Energy Retrofits for Low-Rise Multifamily Buildings in Cold Climates

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frozyna, K.; Badger, L.

2013-04-01

This Strategy Guideline explains the benefits of evaluating and identifying energy efficiency retrofit measures that could be made during renovation and maintenance of multifamily buildings. It focuses on low-rise multifamily structures (three or fewer stories) in a cold climate. These benefits lie primarily in reduced energy use, lower operating and maintenance costs, improved durability of the structure, and increased occupant comfort. This guideline focuses on retrofit measures for roof repair or replacement, exterior wall repair or gut rehab, and eating system maintenance. All buildings are assumed to have a flat ceiling and a trussed roof, wood- or steel-framed exterior walls,more » and one or more single or staged boilers. Estimated energy savings realized from the retrofits will vary, depending on the size and condition of the building, the extent of efficiency improvements, the efficiency of the heating equipment, the cost and type of fuel, and the climate location.« less

Housing Archetype Analysis for Home Energy-Efficient Retrofit in the Great Lakes Region

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, S. -K.; Mrozowski, T.; Harrell-Seyburn, A.

This project report details activities and results of the "Market Characterization" project undertaken by the Cost Effective Energy Retrofit (CEER) team targeted toward the DOE goal of achieving 30%-50% reduction in existing building energy use. CEER consists of members from the Dow Chemical Company, Michigan State University, Ferris State University, and Habitat for Humanity Kent County. The purpose of this market characterization project was to identify housing archetypes which are dominant within the Great Lakes region and therefore offer significant potential for energy-efficient retrofit research and implementation due to the substantial number of homes possessing similar characteristics. Understanding the characteristicsmore » of housing groups referred to as "archetypes" by vintage, style, and construction characteristics can allow research teams to focus their retrofit research and develop prescriptive solutions for those structure types which are prevalent and offer high potential uptake within a region or market.« less

Impact evaluation of lighting retrofit projects at Boeing Commercial Airplane Group under The Energy $avings Plan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sullivan, G.P.; Oens, M.A.; Spanner, G.E.

1994-01-01

This impact evaluation of two lighting retrofit projects that were recently installed at Boeing Commercial Airplane Group (Boeing) was conducted for the Bonneville Power Administration (Bonneville) as part of an evaluation of its Energy $avings Plan (E$P) Program. The first project was a light-fixture and lighting control retrofit, consisting of five individual measures installed in Building 40-05. The second project was a retrofit of all parking lot lighting on the site. The objective of this impact evaluation was to assess how much electrical energy is being saved at Boeing as a result of the E$P projects and to determine howmore » much the savings cost Bonneville and the region. The impact of the project was evaluated with a combination of engineering analysis, financial analysis, interviews, and submittal reviews (Boeing`s proposals and completion reports).« less

The design and application of large area intensive lens array focal spots measurement system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Bingzhen; Yao, Shun; Yang, Guanghui; Dai, Mingchong; Wang, Zhiyong

2014-12-01

Concentrating Photovoltaic (CPV) modules are getting thinner and using smaller cells now days. Correspondingly, large area intensive lens arrays with smaller unit dimension and shorter focal length are wanted. However, the size and power center of lens array focal spots usually differ from the design value and are hard to measure, especially under large area situation. It is because the machining error and deformation of material of the lens array are hard to simulate in the optical design process. Thus the alignment error between solar cells and focal spots in the module assembly process will be hard to control. Under this kind of situation, the efficiency of CPV module with thinner body and smaller cells is much lower than expected. In this paper, a design of large area lens array focal spots automatic measurement system is presented, as well as its prototype application results. In this system, a four-channel parallel light path and its corresponding image capture and process modules are designed. These modules can simulate focal spots under sunlight and have the spots image captured and processed using charge coupled devices and certain gray level algorithm. Thus the important information of focal spots such as spot size and location will be exported. Motion control module based on grating scale signal and interval measurement method are also employed in this system in order to get test results with high speed and high precision on large area lens array no less than 1m×0.8m. The repeatability of the system prototype measurement is +/-10μm with a velocity of 90 spot/min. Compared to the original module assembled using coordinates from optical design, modules assembled using data exported from the prototype is 18% higher in output power, reaching a conversion efficiency of over 31%. This system and its design can be used in the focal spot measurement of planoconvex lens array and Fresnel lens array, as well as other kinds of large area lens array application with small focal spots.

Integrating Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Applications into Business Courses Using Online Business Geographics Modules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Fred; Mangold, W. Glynn; Holmes, Terry

2006-01-01

Although the value of geographic information systems (GIS) technologies is recognized by practitioners and educators alike, GIS instruction has yet to make significant inroads into business curricula. In this article, the authors discuss the constraints of integrating GIS tools into business education. They develop a prototype module for…

Equipment development for automated assembly of solar modules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hagerty, J. J.

1982-01-01

Prototype equipment was developed which allows for totally automated assembly in the three major areas of module manufacture: cell stringing, encapsulant layup and cure and edge sealing. The equipment is designed to be used in conjunction with a standard Unimate 2000B industrial robot although the design is adaptable to other transport systems.

NREL Technologies Win National Awards

Science.gov Websites

percent for a prototype module, 7.6 percent for a commercial module) from amorphous silicon, which is less expensive to produce than crystalline silicon used in most commercial solar cells. The resulting product is biomass resources such as wood waste or plant material into gas for electric power generation. The new

Design and evaluation of potentiometric principles for bladder volume monitoring: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Chen, Shih-Ching; Hsieh, Tsung-Hsun; Fan, Wen-Jia; Lai, Chien-Hung; Chen, Chun-Lung; Wei, Wei-Feng; Peng, Chih-Wei

2015-06-01

Recent advances in microelectronics and wireless transmission technology have led to the development of various implantable sensors for real-time monitoring of bladder conditions. Although various sensing approaches for monitoring bladder conditions were reported, most such sensors have remained at the laboratory stage due to the existence of vital drawbacks. In the present study, we explored a new concept for monitoring the bladder capacity on the basis of potentiometric principles. A prototype of a potentiometer module was designed and fabricated and integrated with a commercial wireless transmission module and power unit. A series of in vitro pig bladder experiments was conducted to determine the best design parameters for implementing the prototype potentiometric device and to prove its feasibility. We successfully implemented the potentiometric module in a pig bladder model in vitro, and the error of the accuracy of bladder volume detection was <±3%. Although the proposed potentiometric device was built using a commercial wireless module, the design principles and animal experience gathered from this research can serve as a basis for developing new implantable bladder sensors in the future.

Bay Ridge Gardens - Mixed Humid Affordable Multifamily Housing Deep Energy Retrofit: Annapolis, Maryland. Building America Case Study: Whole-House Solutions for Existing Homes (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

2013-10-01

Under this project, Newport Partners (as part of the BA-PIRC research team) evaluated the installation, measured performance, and cost-effectiveness of efficiency upgrade measures for a tenant-in-place DER at the Bay Ridge multifamily (MF) development in Annapolis, Maryland. The design and construction phase of the Bay Ridge project was completed in August 2012. This report summarizes system commissioning, short-term test results, utility bill data analysis, and analysis of real-time data collected over a one-year period after the retrofit was complete. The Bay Ridge project is comprised of a "base scope" retrofit which was estimated to achieve a 30%+ savings (relative tomore » pre-retrofit) on 186 apartments, and a "DER scope" which was estimated to achieve 50% savings (relative to pre-retrofit) on a 12-unit building. The base scope was applied to the entire apartment complex, except for one 12-unit building which underwent the DER scope. A wide range of efficiency measures was applied to pursue this savings target for the DER building, including improvements/replacements of mechanical equipment and distribution systems, appliances, lighting and lighting controls, the building envelope, hot water conservation measures, and resident education. The results of this research build upon the current body of knowledge of multifamily retrofits. Towards this end, the research team has collected and generated data on the selection of measures, their estimated performance, their measured performance, and risk factors and their impact on potential measures.« less

Examining non-structural retrofitting status of teaching hospitals in Kerman against disasters

PubMed Central

Moghadam, Mahmood Nekooi; Moradi, Seyed Mobin; Amiresmaili, Mohammadreza

2017-01-01

Background and objective Continuous services provision of a hospital before and after a disaster is one of the most prominent issues that all people, especially the authorities must take into huge consideration. Concerning the experiences of previous earthquakes, the role and importance of nonstructural components becomes increasingly clear in the uninterrupted services of hospitals. In this study, non-structural retrofitting status of Kerman teaching hospitals was evaluated against natural disasters. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out in the second half of 2014 on the teaching hospitals in Kerman (Iran). The study population consisted of all Kerman teaching hospitals. The research instrument was World Health Organization/Pan American Health Organization (WHO/PAHO) standard checklist. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive statistics through SPSS 19. Results One hospital had a low retrofitting level, two hospitals had an average level and one had a high level. In the examined hospitals in this study, the medical gas section had the lowest preparedness against natural disasters, while the office, warehouse and furniture section had the highest resistance. Generally, the non-structural retrofitting status was 50% in one hospital and was between 65% and 85% in other hospitals. Conclusions Generally, the retrofitting status of hospitals was not at the ideal condition, most hospitals were in average condition. Concerning the high risk of hospitals in disasters, it is necessary that senior executives and managers of Kerman Province and Kerman University of Medical Sciences take some measures to retrofit these buildings and to reduce the risk of vulnerability. PMID:28713518

Building America Case Study: Trade-Friendly Retrofit Insulated Panels for Existing Buildings, Albany, New York

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

This project evaluated the effectiveness and affordability of integrating retrofit insulated panels into a re-siding project. The Partnership for Home Innovation (PHI) teamed with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Albany Housing Authority (AHA), and the New York State Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) administered by Albany Community Action Partnership to demonstrate an energy retrofit and siding upgrade on a two-story, seven unit, multifamily building in Albany New York (CZ 5). The project focused on accomplishing three goals - doubling the existing wall thermal resistance (from approximately R-13 to a weighted average of R-27), reduction of buildingmore » air leakage, and completion of the retrofit within a budget where the additional cost for upgrading wall's thermal resistance is equal to the cost of the standard re-siding effort (i.e., the total cost of the energy efficient re-siding scope of work is not more than double the cost of the standard re-siding effort). Lessons learned from the project strongly indicate that the retrofit panel technology can be installed using common installation practices and with minimal training. Other lessons learned include limitation on the use of standard air sealing materials during cold weather installations and the need to develop better installation guidance for trades working with the level of tolerances that may be present in the existing structure. This technology demonstration showed that exterior retrofit panels provide a viable and reasonable option for the siding trades to increase market opportunities and achieve synergistic benefits for aesthetic upgrades to a building's exterior.« less

Evaluating the performance of a retrofitted stormwater wet pond for treatment of urban runoff.

PubMed

Schwartz, Daniel; Sample, David J; Grizzard, Thomas J

2017-06-01

This paper describes the performance of a retrofitted stormwater retention pond (Ashby Pond) in Northern Virginia, USA. Retrofitting is a common practice which involves modifying existing structures and/or urban landscapes to improve water quality treatment, often compromising standards to meet budgetary and site constraints. Ashby Pond is located in a highly developed headwater watershed of the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay. A total maximum daily load (TMDL) was imposed on the Bay watershed by the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2010 due to excessive sediment and nutrient loadings leading to eutrophication of the estuary. As a result of the TMDL, reducing nutrient and sediment discharged loads has become the key objective of many stormwater programs in the Bay watershed. The Ashby Pond retrofit project included dredging of accumulated sediment to increase storage, construction of an outlet structure to control flows, and repairs to the dam. Due to space limitations, pond volume was less than ideal. Despite this shortcoming, Ashby Pond provided statistically significant reductions of phosphorus, nitrogen, and suspended sediments. Compared to the treatment credited to retention ponds built to current state standards, the retrofitted pond provided less phosphorus but more nitrogen reduction. Retrofitting the existing stock of ponds in a watershed to at least partially meet current design standards could be a straightforward way for communities to attain downstream water quality goals, as these improvements represent reductions in baseline loads, whereas new ponds in new urban developments simply limit future load increases or maintain the status quo.

Building America Case Study: Simple Retrofit High-Efficiency Natural Gas Water Heater Field Test, Minneapolis, Minnesota

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

High performance water heaters are typically more time consuming and costly to install in retrofit applications, making high performance water heaters difficult to justify economically. However, recent advancements in high performance water heaters have targeted the retrofit market, simplifying installations and reducing costs. Four high efficiency natural gas water heaters designed specifically for retrofit applications were installed in single-family homes along with detailed monitoring systems to characterize their savings potential, their installed efficiencies, and their ability to meet household demands. The water heaters tested for this project were designed to improve the cost-effectiveness and increase market penetration of high efficiencymore » water heaters in the residential retrofit market. The retrofit high efficiency water heaters achieved their goal of reducing costs, maintaining savings potential and installed efficiency of other high efficiency water heaters, and meeting the necessary capacity in order to improve cost-effectiveness. However, the improvements were not sufficient to achieve simple paybacks of less than ten years for the incremental cost compared to a minimum efficiency heater. Significant changes would be necessary to reduce the simple payback to six years or less. Annual energy savings in the range of $200 would also reduce paybacks to less than six years. These energy savings would require either significantly higher fuel costs (greater than $1.50 per therm) or very high usage (around 120 gallons per day). For current incremental costs, the water heater efficiency would need to be similar to that of a heat pump water heater to deliver a six year payback.« less

Simple Retrofit High-Efficiency Natural Gas Water Heater Field Test

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schoenbauer, Ben

High-performance water heaters are typically more time consuming and costly to install in retrofit applications, making high performance water heaters difficult to justify economically. However, recent advancements in high performance water heaters have targeted the retrofit market, simplifying installations and reducing costs. Four high efficiency natural gas water heaters designed specifically for retrofit applications were installed in single-family homes along with detailed monitoring systems to characterize their savings potential, their installed efficiencies, and their ability to meet household demands. The water heaters tested for this project were designed to improve the cost-effectiveness and increase market penetration of high efficiency watermore » heaters in the residential retrofit market. The retrofit high efficiency water heaters achieved their goal of reducing costs, maintaining savings potential and installed efficiency of other high efficiency water heaters, and meeting the necessary capacity in order to improve cost-effectiveness. However, the improvements were not sufficient to achieve simple paybacks of less than ten years for the incremental cost compared to a minimum efficiency heater. Significant changes would be necessary to reduce the simple payback to six years or less. Annual energy savings in the range of $200 would also reduce paybacks to less than six years. These energy savings would require either significantly higher fuel costs (greater than $1.50 per therm) or very high usage (around 120 gallons per day). For current incremental costs, the water heater efficiency would need to be similar to that of a heat pump water heater to deliver a six year payback.« less

Simple Retrofit High-Efficiency Natural Gas Water Heater Field Test

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schoenbauer, Ben

High performance water heaters are typically more time consuming and costly to install in retrofit applications, making high performance water heaters difficult to justify economically. However, recent advancements in high performance water heaters have targeted the retrofit market, simplifying installations and reducing costs. Four high efficiency natural gas water heaters designed specifically for retrofit applications were installed in single-family homes along with detailed monitoring systems to characterize their savings potential, their installed efficiencies, and their ability to meet household demands. The water heaters tested for this project were designed to improve the cost-effectiveness and increase market penetration of high efficiencymore » water heaters in the residential retrofit market. The retrofit high efficiency water heaters achieved their goal of reducing costs, maintaining savings potential and installed efficiency of other high efficiency water heaters, and meeting the necessary capacity in order to improve cost-effectiveness. However, the improvements were not sufficient to achieve simple paybacks of less than ten years for the incremental cost compared to a minimum efficiency heater. Significant changes would be necessary to reduce the simple payback to six years or less. Annual energy savings in the range of $200 would also reduce paybacks to less than six years. These energy savings would require either significantly higher fuel costs (greater than $1.50 per therm) or very high usage (around 120 gallons per day). For current incremental costs, the water heater efficiency would need to be similar to that of a heat pump water heater to deliver a six year payback.« less

Energy Efficiency Building Systems Regional Innovation Cluster Initiative

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Krebs, Martha

The Consortium for Building Energy Innovation (CBEI) was established through a Funding Opportunity Announcement led by the U.S. Department of Energy, under a cooperative agreement managed by the National Energy Technology Laboratory. CBEI is led by The Pennsylvania State University and is composed of partners from academia, the private sector, and economic development agencies. The Consortium has included as many as 24 different partners over the five years, but 14 have been core to the work over the five year cooperative agreement. CBEI primarily focused on developing energy efficiency solutions for the small and medium commercial building market, with amore » focus on buildings less than 50,000 square feet. This market has been underserved by the energy efficiency industry, which has focused on larger commercial buildings where the scale of an individual retrofit lends itself to the use of sophisticated modeling tools and more advanced solutions. Owners/operators and retrofit providers for larger buildings have a greater level of understanding of, and experience with different solutions. In contrast, smaller commercial building retrofits, like residential retrofits, often have owners with less knowledge about energy management and less time to learn about it. This market segment is also served by retrofit providers that are smaller and often focused on particular building systems, e.g. heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, roofing, or insulation. The size of a smaller commercial building retrofit does not lend itself, from a cost perspective, to the application of multiple, sophisticated design and modeling tools, which means that they are less likely to have integrated solutions.« less

Feasibility of Hybrid Retrofits to Off-Grid Diesel Power Plants in the Philippines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barley, C. D.; Flowers, L. T.; Benavidez, P. J.

1999-08-01

The Strategic Power Utilities Group (SPUG) of the National Power Corporation (NPC) in the Philippines owns and operates about 100 power plants, mostly fueled by diesel, ranging in energy production from about 15 kilowatt-hours (kWh)/day to 106,000 kWh/day. Reducing the consumption of diesel fuel in these plants, along with the associated financial losses, is a priority for SPUG. The purpose of this study is to estimate the potential fuel and cost savings that might be achieved by retrofitting hybrid power systems to these existing diesel plants. As used in this report, the term ''hybrid system'' refers to any combination ofmore » wind turbine generators (WTGs), photovoltaic (PV) modules, lead-acid batteries, and an AC/DC power converter (either an electronic inverter or a rotary converter), in addition to the existing diesel gensets. The resources available for this study did not permit a detailed design analysis for each of the plants. Instead, the following five-step process was used: (1) Tabulate some important characteristics of all the plants. (2) Group the plants into categories (six classes) with similar characteristics. (3) For each class of system, identify one plant that is representative of the class. (4) For each representative plant, perform a moderately detailed prefeasibility analysis of design options. (5) Summarize and interpret the results. The analysis of each representative plant involved the use of time-series computer simulation models to estimate the fuel usage, maintenance expenses, and cash flow resulting from various designs, and to search the domain of possible designs for the one leading to the lowest life-cycle cost. Cost items that would be unaffected by the retrofit, such as operator salaries and the capital cost of existing equipment, were not included in the analysis. Thus, the results are reported as levelized cost of energy (COE) savings: the difference between the cost of the existing diesel-only system and that of an optimized hybrid system, expressed in units of U.S. dollars per kWh (US$/kWh) of energy production. This analysis is one phase of a study entitled ''Analysis of Renewable Energy Retrofit Options to Existing Diesel Mini-Grids,'' funded by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and performed jointly by NPC, the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and Sustainable Energy Solutions in New York, New York (Morris et al. 1998). A more detailed version of this paper is included in that report.« less

A Wireless Platform for Energy Efficient Building Control Retrofits

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

operate /tune the proposed controller and maintain WSN after reasonable training Feedback from CERL facility staff/ managemen t on ease of operation and...26 4.2 FACILITY/SITE LOCATION AND OPERATIONS ...HVAC RETROFITS ...................................................................................................... 36 5.4 OPERATIONAL TESTING

Transit safety retrofit package development : TRP concept of operations.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-05-01

This document describes the Concept of Operations (ConOps) for the Transit Safety Retrofit Package (TRP). The ConOps describes the current state of operations with respect to the integration of Connected Vehicle technology in transit buses, establish...

Dowel bar retrofit performance in Wisconsin.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-05-01

In 1999, WisDOT constructed test sections on I-39 to evaluate the dowel bar retrofit (DBR) rehabilitation technique for faulted concrete pavement slabs. Two years later, mortar deterioration and debonding were noted in the dowel slots. In response to...

Highway Vehicle Retrofit Evaluation : Phase 2. Report. Testing and Final Evaluation Results.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-11-01

This report presents the results of engine dynamometer and vehicle chassis dynamometer tests conducted with selected automotive retrofit devices in the classes of ultrasonic carburetors, high-velocity intake manifolds, tuned exhaust systems, and high...

RETROFIT STORMWATER MANAGEMENT: NAVIGATING MULTIDISCIPLINARY HURDLES AT THE WATERSHED SCALE

EPA Science Inventory

Stormwater runoff from extensive impervious surfaces in urban and suburban areas has led to human safety risks and stream ecosystem impairment, triggering an interest in watershed-scale retrofit stormwater management. Such stormwater management is of multidisciplinary relevance, ...

A survey of some solar energy retrofits.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-01-01

The report briefly describes a survey of some solar energy retrofits, such as solar heaters and Trombe walls, that can be easily adapted into existing buildings belonging to the Department. With their relatively high cost, commercial solar heaters ha...

Simultaneous removal of phosphorus and EfOM using MIEX, coagulation, and low-pressure membrane filtration.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Chul; Timmes, Thomas C; Dempsey, Brian A

2015-01-01

The feasibility of using magnetic ion exchange (MIEX) treatment, in-line alum coagulation, and low-pressure membrane filtration was investigated for the simultaneous removal of total phosphorus (TP) and effluent organic matter (EfOM) from biologically treated wastewater. The focus was also placed on minimizing fouling of polyvinylidene fluoride and polyethersulfone membranes, which are the most commonly used low-pressure membranes in new and retrofit wastewater treatment plants. MIEX alone was effective for the removal of EfOM, and MIEX plus a small alum dose was very effective in removing both EfOM and TP. MIEX removed phosphorus, but organic acids in EfOM were preferentially removed, and the effects of competing anions on the removal of EfOM were insignificant. All the pretreatment strategies decreased the resistance to filtration. The greatest decrease in fouling was achieved by using MIEX (15 mL L⁻¹) plus a very low dose of alum (∼0.5 mg Al L⁻¹). Sweep floc coagulation using alum and without MIEX also significantly decreased fouling but did not effectively remove EfOM and produced high floc volume that could be problematic for inside-out hollow-fibre modules. The addition of these reagents into rapid mix followed by membrane filtration would provide operational simplicity and could be easily retrofitted at existing membrane filtration facilities.

Towards Infusing Giovanni with a Semantic and Provenance Aware Visualization System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Del Rio, N.; Pinheiro da Silva, P.; Leptoukh, G. G.; Lynnes, C.

2011-12-01

Giovanni is a Web-based application developed by GES DISC that provides simple and intuitive ways to visualize, analyze, and access vast amounts of Earth science remote sensed data. Currently, the Giovanni visualization module is only aware of the physical links (i.e., hard-coded) between data and services and consequently cannot be easily adapted to new visualization scenarios. VisKo, a semantically enabled visualization framework, can be leveraged by Giovanni as a semantic bridge between data and visualization. VisKo relates data and visualization services at conceptual (i.e., ontological) levels and relies on reasoning systems to leverage the conceptual relationships to automatically infer physical links, facilitating an adaptable environment for new visualization scenarios. This is particularly useful for Giovanni, which has been constantly retrofitted with new visualization software packages to keep up with advancement in visualization capabilities. During our prototype integration of Giovanni with VisKo, a number of future steps were identified that if implemented could cement the integration and promote our prototype to operational status. A number of integration issues arose including the mediation of different languages used by each system to characterize datasets; VisKo relies on semantic data characterization to "match-up" data with visualization processes. It was necessary to identify mappings between Giovanni XML provenance and Proof Markup Language, which is understood by VisKo. Although a translator was implemented based on identified mappings, a more elegant solution is to develop a domain data ontology specific to Giovanni and to "align" this ontology with PML, enabling VisKo to directly ingest the semantic descriptions of Giovanni data. Additionally, the relationship between dataset components (e.g., variables and attributes) and visualization plot components (e.g., geometries, axes, titles) should also be modeled. In Giovanni, meta-data descriptions are used to configure the different properties of the plots such as titles, color-tables, and variable-to-axis bindings. Giovanni services rely on a set of custom attributes and naming conventions that help identify the relationships between dataset components and plot properties. VisKo visualization services however are generic modules that do not rely on any domain specific conventions for identifying relationships between dataset attributes and plot configuration. Rather, VisKo services rely on parameters to configure specific behaviors of the generic services. The relationship between VisKo parameters and plot properties however has yet to formally documented, partly because VisKo regards plots as holistic entities without any internal structure from which to relate parameters. We understand the need for a visualization plot ontology that defines plot components, their retinal properties, such as position and color, and the relationship between the plot properties to controlling service parameter sets. The plot ontology would also be linked to our domain data ontology, providing VisKo with the comprehensive understanding about how data attributes can cue the configuration of plots, and how a specific plot configuration relates to service parameters.

Electrical Prototype Power Processor for the 30-cm Mercury electric propulsion engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Biess, J. J.; Frye, R. J.

1978-01-01

An Electrical Prototpye Power Processor has been designed to the latest electrical and performance requirements for a flight-type 30-cm ion engine and includes all the necessary power, command, telemetry and control interfaces for a typical electric propulsion subsystem. The power processor was configured into seven separate mechanical modules that would allow subassembly fabrication, test and integration into a complete power processor unit assembly. The conceptual mechanical packaging of the electrical prototype power processor unit demonstrated the relative location of power, high voltage and control electronic components to minimize electrical interactions and to provide adequate thermal control in a vacuum environment. Thermal control was accomplished with a heat pipe simulator attached to the base of the modules.

Slab replacement and dowel bar retrofit, district 11, San Diego County

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-01-01

The project Resident Engineer requested that the Office of Rigid Pavement Materials and Structural Concrete examine cracking in replacement slabs and dowel bar retrofit installations on a project rehabilitating a section of Route 08 in District 11 ne...

Stream Responses to a Watershed-Scale Stormwater Retrofit

EPA Science Inventory

Green infrastructure can reduce stormwater runoff and mitigate many of the problems associated with impervious surfaces; however, the effectiveness of retrofit stormwater management for improving aquatic health is largely untested. In the suburban, 1.8 km2 Shepherd Creek catchmen...

Emissions Performance and In-Use Durability of Retrofit After-Treatment Technologies (SAE Paper 2014-01-2347)

EPA Science Inventory

In-use testing of diesel emissoin control technologies is an integral component of EPA's verification program. EPA identified and recovered a variety of retrofit devices, installed on heavy-duty vehicles for test.

Performance Contracting: Meeting the Challenge of Deferred Maintenance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singer, Terry E.; Johnson, Mary E.

2001-01-01

Discusses the magnitude of the problem of deferred maintenance on today's university campuses and the solving this problem using performance-based energy efficiency retrofit as implemented by energy service companies (ESCO). Several case studies of ESCO designed retrofits are examined. (GR)

Optimal bridge retrofit strategy to enhance disaster resilience of highway transportation systems.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

This study evaluated the resilience of highway bridges under the multihazard scenario of earthquake in the presence of : flood-induced scour. To mitigate losses incurred from bridge damage during extreme events, bridge retrofit strategies are : selec...

Commercial vehicle (CV) retrofit safety device (RSD) kits project.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

Retrofit Safety Device (RSD) kits were developed and deployed on commercial vehicles as part of the U.S. DOT Connected Vehicle Safety Pilot to gain insight into the unique aspects of deploying connected vehicle technology in a commercial vehicle envi...

Seismic retrofit of cruciform-shaped columns in the Aurora Avenue Bridge using FRP wrapping.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-08-01

Experimental tests were conducted on seven 1/3-scale column specimens to evaluate the vulnerabilities of existing cruciform-shaped columns and to develop appropriate retrofit measures that address the identified vulnerabilities. The specimens represe...

Transit safety retrofit package development : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

This report provides a summary of the Transit Safety Retrofit Package (TRP) Development project and its results. The report documents results of each project phase, and provides recommended next steps as well as a vision for a next generation TRP. Th...

Attic or Roof? An Evaluation of Two Advanced Weatherization Packages

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuhauser, Ken

2012-06-01

This project examines implementation of advanced retrofit measures in the context of a large-scale weatherization program and the archetypal Chicago brick bungalow. One strategy applies best practice air sealing methods and a standard insulation method to the attic floor. The other strategy creates an unvented roof assembly using materials and methods typically available to weatherization contractors. Through implementations of the retrofit strategies in a total of eight (8) test homes, the research found that the two different strategies achieve similar reductions in air leakage measurement (55%) and predicted energy performance (18%) relative to the pre-retrofit conditions.

A Path to Successful Energy Retrofits: Early Collaboration through Integrated Project Delivery Teams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parrish, Kristen

2012-10-01

This document guides you through a process for the early design phases of retrofit projects to help you mitigate frustrations commonly experienced by building owners and designers. It outlines the value of forming an integrated project delivery team and developing a communication and information-sharing infrastructure that fosters collaboration. This guide does not present a complete process for designing an energy retrofit for a building. Instead, it focuses on the early design phase tasks related to developing and selecting energy efficiency measures (EEMs) that benefit from collaboration, and highlights the resulting advantages.

Dissolution of cement, root caries, fracture, and retrofit of post and cores.

PubMed

Rosen, H

1998-10-01

Fixed partial denture abutments severely damaged by dental caries or fracture present a challenge to the dentist. The fixed partial denture may need to be removed for endodontic treatment with post and core fabrication. Frequently, the existing fixed partial denture can be recycled as a provisional restoration. Retrofitting the post and core greatly improves the stabilization of the interim as well as the remake of the definitive fixed partial denture. This article describes a chair side procedure for retrofitting posts and cores and, at the same appointment, converting the original fixed partial denture to an effective provisional restoration.

Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide: Practical Ways to Improve Energy Performance, K-12 Schools (Book)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The U.S. Department of Energy developed the K-12 Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide to provide specific methodologies, information, and guidance to help energy managers and other stakeholders plan and execute energy efficiency improvements. We emphasize actionable information, practical methodologies, diverse case studies, and unbiased evaluation of the most promising retrofit measure for each building type. K-12 schools were selected as one of the highest priority building sectors, because schools affect the lives of most Americans. They also represent approximately 8% of the energy use and 10% of the floor area in commercial buildings.

Supermarket refrigeration assessment for the Commonwealth Electric Company

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsaros, T.L.; Walker, D.H.

The Commonwealth Electric Company (COM/Electric) has initiated an incentive program to promote electric energy conservation within its service territory. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has assisted COM/Electric in assessing the impact on the utility and its customers of implementing energy efficient supermarket refrigeration in retrofit applications. The primary task of this assessment was to contact the supermarket chains and refrigeration contractors and suppliers in the COM/Electric service territory to determine the type of refrigeration employed and standard or novel retrofit equipment implemented in supermarkets. With this information, estimates were made of the potential energy savings that COM/Electric and themore » supermarkets could realize if supermarkets were retrofitted with energy efficient refrigeration equipment. It was determined that the refrigerated display case features offering the greatest potential for savings through retrofit installations include doors for medium temperature multideck cases, high-efficiency fan motors, anti-sweat heater controls, and vinyl strip curtains for walk-in coolers. The retrofit components associated with the compressor machine room that offer the greatest potential for savings include the use of low heat pressure control, hot gas defrost, and external liquid-suction heat exchangers and remote evaporative subcoolers for low temperature refrigeration. 6 refs., 14 figs., 26 tabs.« less

Effectiveness of two conventional methods for seismic retrofit of steel and RC moment resisting frames based on damage control criteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beheshti Aval, Seyed Bahram; Kouhestani, Hamed Sadegh; Mottaghi, Lida

2017-07-01

This study investigates the efficiency of two types of rehabilitation methods based on economic justification that can lead to logical decision making between the retrofitting schemes. Among various rehabilitation methods, concentric chevron bracing (CCB) and cylindrical friction damper (CFD) were selected. The performance assessment procedure of the frames is divided into two distinct phases. First, the limit state probabilities of the structures before and after rehabilitation are investigated. In the second phase, the seismic risk of structures in terms of life safety and financial losses (decision variables) using the recently published FEMA P58 methodology is evaluated. The results show that the proposed retrofitting methods improve the serviceability and life safety performance levels of steel and RC structures at different rates when subjected to earthquake loads. Moreover, these procedures reveal that financial losses are greatly decreased, and were more tangible by the application of CFD rather than using CCB. Although using both retrofitting methods reduced damage state probabilities, incorporation of a site-specific seismic hazard curve to evaluate mean annual occurrence frequency at the collapse prevention limit state caused unexpected results to be obtained. Contrary to CFD, the collapse probability of the structures retrofitted with CCB increased when compared with the primary structures.

Bubble memory module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bohning, O. D.; Becker, F. J.

1980-01-01

Design, fabrication and test of partially populated prototype recorder using 100 kilobit serial chips is described. Electrical interface, operating modes, and mechanical design of several module configurations are discussed. Fabrication and test of the module demonstrated the practicality of multiplexing resulting in lower power, weight, and volume. This effort resulted in the completion of a module consisting of a fully engineered printed circuit storage board populated with 5 of 8 possible cells and a wire wrapped electronics board. Interface of the module is 16 bits parallel at a maximum of 1.33 megabits per second data rate on either of two interface buses.

A product lifecycle management framework to support the exchange of prototyping and testing information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toche Fumchum, Luc Boris

2011-12-01

The modern perspective on product life cycle and the rapid evolution of Information and Communication Technologies in general have opened a new era in product representation and product information sharing between participants, both inside and outside the enterprise and throughout the product life. In particular, the Product Development Process relies on cross-functional activities involving different domains of expertise that each have their own dedicated tools. This has generated new challenges in terms of collaboration and dissemination of information at large between companies or even within the same organization. Within this context, the work reported herein focuses on a specific stakeholder within product development activities - the prototyping and testing department. Its business is typically related to the planning and building of prototypes in order to perform specific tests on the future product or one of its sub-assemblies. The research project aims at investigating an appropriate framework that leverages configured engineering product information, based on complementary information structures, to share and exchange prototyping and testing information in a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) perspective. As a first step, a case study based on the retrofit of an aircraft engine is deployed to implement a scenario demonstrating the functionalities to be available within the intended framework. For this purpose, complementary and configurable structures are simulated within the project's PLM system. In a second step are considered the software interoperability issues that don't only affect Design -- Testing interactions, but many other interfaces within either the company -- due to the silo-arrangement -- or the consortiums with partners, in which case the whole PLM platforms could simply be incompatible. A study based on an open source initiative and relying on an improved model of communication is described to show how two natively disparate PLM tools can dialogue to merge information in a central environment. The principles applied in both steps are therefore transposed to introduce the Open Exchange Nest as a generic PLM-driven and web-based concept to support the collaborative work in the aforementioned context.

Micro-optical system based 3D imaging for full HD depth image capturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Yong-Hwa; Cho, Yong-Chul; You, Jang-Woo; Park, Chang-Young; Yoon, Heesun; Lee, Sang-Hun; Kwon, Jong-Oh; Lee, Seung-Wan

2012-03-01

20 Mega-Hertz-switching high speed image shutter device for 3D image capturing and its application to system prototype are presented. For 3D image capturing, the system utilizes Time-of-Flight (TOF) principle by means of 20MHz high-speed micro-optical image modulator, so called 'optical shutter'. The high speed image modulation is obtained using the electro-optic operation of the multi-layer stacked structure having diffractive mirrors and optical resonance cavity which maximizes the magnitude of optical modulation. The optical shutter device is specially designed and fabricated realizing low resistance-capacitance cell structures having small RC-time constant. The optical shutter is positioned in front of a standard high resolution CMOS image sensor and modulates the IR image reflected from the object to capture a depth image. Suggested novel optical shutter device enables capturing of a full HD depth image with depth accuracy of mm-scale, which is the largest depth image resolution among the-state-of-the-arts, which have been limited up to VGA. The 3D camera prototype realizes color/depth concurrent sensing optical architecture to capture 14Mp color and full HD depth images, simultaneously. The resulting high definition color/depth image and its capturing device have crucial impact on 3D business eco-system in IT industry especially as 3D image sensing means in the fields of 3D camera, gesture recognition, user interface, and 3D display. This paper presents MEMS-based optical shutter design, fabrication, characterization, 3D camera system prototype and image test results.

Implementation of retrofit BMPs in a suburban watershed via economic incentives

EPA Science Inventory

Urban stormwater is typically conveyed to centralized infrastructure, and there is great potential for reducing stormwater runoff quantity through decentralization. In this case we hypothesize that smaller-scale retrofit best management practices (BMPs) such as rain gardens and r...

Diagnosis of retrofit fatigue crack re-initiation and growth in steel-girder bridges for proactive repair and emergency planning.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-07-01

This report presents a vibration : - : based damage : - : detection methodology that is capable of effectively capturing crack growth : near connections and crack re : - : initiation of retrofitted connections. The proposed damage detection algorithm...

Energy Retrofit--Step One.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canipe, Stephen L.; And Others

1983-01-01

A School Retrofit Design Analysis System (SRDAS) provides energy modeling analyses of school buildings. SRDAS has three subprograms that consider first, roof, windows, walls, floors, and infiltration sites; second, costs per student, compliance with national energy consumption norms, and electricity costs projections; and third, financial savings…

Finite Element Evaluation of Two Retrofit Options to Enhance the Performance of Cable Media Barriers.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-06-30

This report summarizes the finite element modeling and simulation efforts on evaluating the performance of cable median barriers including the current and several proposed retrofit designs. It also synthesizes a literature review of the performance e...

Building for the Boom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agron, Joe

2001-01-01

Presents construction comparative data from the 27th Annual Official Education Construction Report on education construction spending for 2000. Data tables show where the construction is happening by region, projected spending areas through 2003, new school and retrofitting costs, and the types of retrofits being performed. (GR)

40 CFR 63.8540 - What parts of my plant does this subpart cover?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... retrofitting with a dry lime injection fabric filter (DIFF), dry lime scrubber/fabric filter (DLS/FF), or wet... fired product to meet the relevant standards by retrofitting with a DIFF, DLS/FF, or WS. (g) An affected...

40 CFR 610.20 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false General. 610.20 Section 610.20 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) ENERGY POLICY FUEL ECONOMY RETROFIT... representations made with respect to retrofit devices: (a) Device functional category; (b) Device integrity; (c...

Capping it Off.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pflugh, John E.

1996-01-01

Describes how a metal roofing system can offer a variety of cost and design benefits when retrofitting a facility. Discusses the available options in metal roofing systems, steps to take when initiating a retrofit, and suggested precautions, such as moisture control, when installing the new roof. (RJM)

Dowel Bar Retrofit Mix Design and Specification : Technical Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-01-01

Current INDOT specifications for repair materials to be used in dowel bar retrofit (DBR) applications (Sections 507.08 and 901.07 of INDOTs Book of Specifications) are based, in large part, on the requirements of ASTM C 928 and the manufacturer-pr...

An integrated damping and strengthening strategy for performance-based seismic design and retrofit for highway bridges.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-05-01

In this study, a damping-enhanced strengthening (DES) strategy was introduced to retrofit bridge structures for multiple : performance objectives. The main objectives of this study are (1) to numerically demonstrate the effectiveness of the anchoring...

Modeling of Control Costs, Emissions, and Control Retrofits for Cost Effectiveness and Feasibility Analyses

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn about EPA’s use of the Integrated Planning Model (IPM) to develop estimates of SO2 and NOx emission control costs, projections of futureemissions, and projections of capacity of future control retrofits, assuming controls on EGUs.

Feasibility of Retrofitting Lifts on Commuter and Light Rail Vehicles

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1980-09-01

The objectives of this study were to determine if lift retrofit applications to rail vehicles are technically feasible, and if so, the extent to which existing bus lift technology can be utilized. This report examines some of the technical issues ass...

Seismic retrofitting manual for highway structures. Part 2, Retaining structures, slopes, tunnels, culverts, and roadways

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-08-01

This report is the second of a two-part publication entitled "Seismic Retrofitting Manual for Highway Structures". Part 2 includes new procedures for determining the seismic vulnerability of other important highway system structures, namely, retainin...

Indoor Free Space Optic: a new prototype, realization and evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouchet, Olivier; Besnard, Pascal; Mihaescu, Adrian

2008-08-01

The Free Space Optic (FSO) communication is a daily reality used by an increasing number of companies. For indoor environment, optical wireless communication becomes a good alternative with respect to radio proposals. For both technologies, the architecture is similar: emission/reception base station (Gateway or Bridge) are installed to cover zones, which are defined to ensure a quality of service. The customers may be connected to the Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) with an adapter or module that emits and receives on this network. But due to its specific characteristics, wireless optical technology could present important advantages such as: Transmitted data security, medical immunity, high data rate, etc... Nevertheless, the optical system may have a limit on the network management aspect and link budget. The scope of this paper is to present a proposal at crossroads between optical fibre telecom system and data processing. In this document, we will present a prototype developed in Brittany during a regional collaborative project (Techim@ges). In order to answer to the management aspect and the link budget, this prototype uses an optical multiplexing technique in 1550 nm band: the Wavelength Division Multiple Access (WDMA). Moreover it also proposes a new class 1 high power emission solution. This full duplex system transmits these various wavelengths in free space, by using optical Multiplexer/Demultiplexer and optical modules. Each module has a defined and personal wavelength associated to the terminal identification (addresses MAC or IP). This approach permits a data rate at a minimum of a ten's Mbit/s per customer and potentially hundred Mbps for a line of sight system. The application field for the achieved and proposed prototype is potentially investigated from WLAN to WPAN.

Developing Sensitive and Selective Nanosensors: A Single Molecule - Multiple Excitation Source Approach. Altairnano Lithium Ion Nano-scaled Titanate Oxide Cell and Module Abuse Testing

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-13

Source Approach Part II. Altairnano Lithium Ion Nano-scaled Titanate Oxide Cell and Module Abuse Testing 14. ABSTRACT 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF...Lithium Ion Nano-scaled Titanate Oxide Cell and Module Abuse Testing Report Title ABSTRACT This final report for Contract W911NF-09-C-0135 transmits the...prototype development. The second (Part II.) is "Altairnano Lithium Ion Nano-scaled Titanate Oxide Cell and Module Abuse Test Report". The

Multi-criteria decision model for retrofitting existing buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostenaru Dan, M. D.

2004-08-01

Decision is an element in the risk management process. In this paper the way how science can help in decision making and implementation for retrofitting buildings in earthquake prone urban areas is investigated. In such interventions actors from various spheres are involved. Their interests range among minimising the intervention for maximal preservation or increasing it for seismic safety. Research was conducted to see how to facilitate collaboration between these actors. A particular attention was given to the role of time in actors' preferences. For this reason, on decision level, both the processural and the personal dimension of risk management, the later seen as a task, were considered. A systematic approach was employed to determine the functional structure of a participative decision model. Three layers on which actors implied in this multi-criteria decision problem interact were identified: town, building and element. So-called 'retrofit elements' are characteristic bearers in the architectural survey, engineering simulations, costs estimation and define the realms perceived by the inhabitants. This way they represent an interaction basis for the interest groups considered in a deeper study. Such orientation means for actors' interaction were designed on other levels of intervention as well. Finally, an 'experiment' for the implementation of the decision model is presented: a strategic plan for an urban intervention towards reduction of earthquake hazard impact through retrofitting. A systematic approach proves thus to be a very good communication basis among the participants in the seismic risk management process. Nevertheless, it can only be applied in later phases (decision, implementation, control) only, since it serves verifying and improving solution and not developing the concept. The 'retrofit elements' are a typical example of the detailing degree reached in the retrofit design plans in these phases.

A stochastic analysis of tractor overturn costs on catfish farms.

PubMed

Ibendahl, G A; Stephens, W B; Myers, M L

2012-10-01

An area of health and safety risk in agriculture that can be especially dangerous is catfish farming. One of the potential sources of injuries on catfish farms is tractor overturns that often result in crushing injuries. There is likely a higher probability of tractor overturns on a catfish farm than on a traditional crop farm due to the conditions that prevail on catfish farms. A catfish farm requires tractor movement near pond levees and water, and these levees have steep banks. Many of the activities on a catfish farm, such as mowing, feeding, and pond maintenance, require operating a tractor near a pond levee. Rollover protection structures (ROPS) on tractors can help to minimize the injuries caused by tractor overturns. ROPS do not lessen the probability of overturns, but ROPS mitigate the expected injury severity and lower the associated costs of an overturn. Despite the benefits of ROPS, not every tractor is so equipped. Some earlier work indicated that the cost to retrofit older tractors might outweigh the expected benefits. This article uses stochastic (i.e., randomly determined) analysis to determine if risk-averse farmers are more likely than risk-neutral farmers to retrofit tractors with ROPS. For this analysis, a distribution function of injury costs should an overturn occur was developed for both ROPS and non-ROPS tractors, and a Monte Carlo simulation was conducted. Results indicate that many risk-averse producers would be willing to retrofit older tractors with ROPS. However producers who are risk-neutral probably will not retrofit. These results might explain why not all tractors have been retrofitted despite the long-term availability of retrofit kits.

Design Considerations for Gun Propellant Climatic Storage Chambers.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-11-01

Schematic diagram of thermal element 5 4. Prototype Lhermal element 6 5. Power control circuit diagram 7 6. Power control module 7 7. Temperature...plates. Each plate is powered through a triac and temperature control circuit as shown in figure 5. Figure 6 is a photograph of an assembled power control...SHEATER PLATES Figure 5. Power control circuit diagram 4 f Figure 6. Power control module WSR.L-0295-TR -8- Figure 7. Temperature control module 9 -WSRL

A Multi-Cycle Q-Modulation for Dynamic Optimization of Inductive Links.

PubMed

Lee, Byunghun; Yeon, Pyungwoo; Ghovanloo, Maysam

2016-08-01

This paper presents a new method, called multi-cycle Q-modulation, which can be used in wireless power transmission (WPT) to modulate the quality factor (Q) of the receiver (Rx) coil and dynamically optimize the load impedance to maximize the power transfer efficiency (PTE) in two-coil links. A key advantage of the proposed method is that it can be easily implemented using off-the-shelf components without requiring fast switching at or above the carrier frequency, which is more suitable for integrated circuit design. Moreover, the proposed technique does not need any sophisticated synchronization between the power carrier and Q-modulation switching pulses. The multi-cycle Q-modulation is analyzed theoretically by a lumped circuit model, and verified in simulation and measurement using an off-the-shelf prototype. Automatic resonance tuning (ART) in the Rx, combined with multi-cycle Q-modulation helped maximizing PTE of the inductive link dynamically in the presence of environmental and loading variations, which can otherwise significantly degrade the PTE in multi-coil settings. In the prototype conventional 2-coil link, the proposed method increased the power amplifier (PA) plus inductive link efficiency from 4.8% to 16.5% at ( R L = 1 kΩ, d 23 = 3 cm), and from 23% to 28.2% at ( R L = 100 Ω, d 23 = 3 cm) after 11% change in the resonance capacitance, while delivering 168.1 mW to the load (PDL).

Characterization of HIRF Susceptibility Threshold for a Prototype Implementation of an Onboard Data Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torres-Pomales, Wilfredo

2012-01-01

An experiment was conducted to characterize the effects of HIRF-induced upsets on a prototype onboard data network. The experiment was conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center s High Intensity Radiation Field Laboratory and used a generic distributed system prototyping platform to realize the data network. This report presents the results of the hardware susceptibility threshold characterization which examined the dependence of measured susceptibility on factors like the frequency and modulation of the radiation, layout of the physical nodes and position of the nodes in the test chamber. The report also includes lessons learned during the development and execution of the experiment.

SOLVENT-BASED TO WATERBASED ADHESIVE-COATED SUBSTRATE RETROFIT - VOLUME I: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

EPA Science Inventory

This volume represents the analysis of case study facilities' experience with waterbased adhesive use and retrofit requirements. (NOTE: The coated and laminated substrate manufacturing industry was selected as part of NRMRL'S support of the 33/50 Program because of its significan...

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT: NEW CONDENSATOR, INC.--THE CONDENSATOR DIESEL ENGINE RETROFIT CRANKCASE VENTILATION SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

EPA's Environmental Technology Verification Program has tested New Condensator Inc.'s Condensator Diesel Engine Retrofit Crankcase Ventilation System. Brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC), the ratio of engine fuel consumption to the engine power output, was evaluated for engine...

Load rating and FRP retrofitting of bridge abutment timber piles.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-05-01

This report details Phase II of the study titled Strengthening of Bridge Wood Piling Retrofits for Moment Resistance. Phase I of the research (project : R27-082) was focused on developing a load rating method for timber piles under eccentric load and...

Socio-economic effect of seismic retrofit implemented on bridges in the Los Angeles highway network.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-12-01

This research studied socio-economic effect of the seismic retrofit implemented on bridges in Los Angeles Area : Freeway Network. Firstly, advanced FE (Finite Element) modeling and nonlinear time history analysis are carried out to : evaluate the sei...

EVALUATING THE ECONOMICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLINESS OF NEWLY DESIGNED OR RETROFITTED CHEMICAL PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

This work describes a method for using spreadsheet analyses of process designs and retrofits to provide simple and quick economic and environmental evaluations simultaneously. The method focuses attention onto those streams and components that have the largest monetary values and...

Sustainable wall construction and exterior insulation retrofit technology process and structure

DOEpatents

Vohra, Arun

2000-01-01

A low-cost process for exterior wall insulation retrofit, or new wall construction by stacking layers of fabric tube filled with insulating material against a wall and covering them with mesh and stucco provides a durable structure with good insulating value.

Introspection on improper seismic retrofit of Basilica Santa Maria di Collemaggio after 2009 Italian earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cimellaro, Gian Paolo; Reinhorn, Andrei M.; de Stefano, Alessandro

2011-03-01

The 2009 L'Aquila, Italy earthquake highlighted the seismic vulnerability of historic masonry building structures due to improper "strengthening" retrofit work that has been done in the last 50 years. Italian seismic standards recommend the use of traditional reinforcement techniques such as replacing the original wooden roof structure with new reinforced concrete (RC) or steel elements, inserting RC tie-beams in the masonry and new RC floors, and using RC jacketing on the shear walls. The L'Aquila earthquake revealed the numerous limitations of these interventions, because they led to increased seismic forces (due to greater additional weight) and to deformation incompatibilities of the incorporated elements with the existing masonry walls. This paper provides a discussion of technical issues pertaining to the seismic retrofit of the Santa Maria di Collemaggio Basilica and in particular, the limitations of the last (2000) retrofit intervention. Considerable damage was caused to the church because of questionable actions and incorrect and improper technical choices.

Energy and Cost Savings of Retro-Commissioning and Retrofit Measures for Large Office Buildings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Weimin; Zhang, Jian; Moser, Dave

2012-08-03

This paper evaluates the energy and cost savings of seven retro-commissioning measures and 29 retrofit measures applicable to most large office buildings. The baseline model is for a hypothetical building with characteristics of large office buildings constructed before 1980. Each retro-commissioning measure is evaluated against the original baseline in terms of its potential of energy and cost savings while each retrofit measure is evaluated against the commissioned building. All measures are evaluated in five locations (Miami, Las Vegas, Seattle, Chicago and Duluth) to understand the impact of weather conditions on energy and cost savings. The results show that implementation ofmore » the seven operation and maintenance measures as part of a retro-commissioning process can yield an average of about 22% of energy use reduction and 14% of energy cost reduction. Widening zone temperature deadband, lowering VAV terminal minimum air flow set points and lighting upgrades are effective retrofit measures to be considered.« less

Diesel plant retrofitting options to enhance decentralized electricity supply in Indonesia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baring-Gould, E I; Barley, C D; Drouilhet, S

1997-09-01

Over the last 20 years, the government of Indonesia has undertaken an extensive program to provide electricity to the population of that country. The electrification of rural areas has been partially achieved through the use of isolated diesel systems, which account for about 20% of the country`s generated electricity. Due to many factors related to inefficient power production with diesels, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, in conjunction with PLN, the Indonesian national utility, Community Power Corporation, and Idaho Power Company, analyzed options for retrofitting existing diesel power systems. This study considered the use of different combinations of advanced diesel control,more » the addition of wind generators, photovoltaics and batteries to reduce the systems of overall cost and fuel consumption. This analysis resulted in a general methodology for retrofitting diesel power systems. This paper discusses five different retrofitting options to improve the performance of diesel power systems. The systems considered in the Indonesian analysis are cited as examples for the options discussed.« less

Considerations for the retrofit of data link

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corwin, William H.; Mccauley, Hugo W.

1990-01-01

Human factors issues related to the retrofit of data link in commercial transport aircraft are discussed. Topics that must be considered for data link implementation include, the loss of the party line, (i.e., the availability to all aircraft of information transmitted on a common voice frequency), and the scheduling of information to the flight crew. This paper focuses primarily on the human factors issues related to retrofit of Mode S. Retrofits is a difficult task because panel space accessible to flight crew members is limited. As with all cockpit equipment, data link implementation will have to comply with Federal Aviation Regulation 25.1523, which requires the manufacturer to address the conspicuity and ease of use of the data link device, and to assess the impact on crew workload. Operational sequence diagrams are provided to illustrate a methodology that can be used to decompose the flight crew body channel utilization of candidate avionics configurations in order to optimize the pilot-vehicle interface.

Field Assessment of Energy Audit Tools for Retrofit Programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Edwards, J.; Bohac, D.; Nelson, C.

2013-07-01

This project focused on the use of home energy ratings as a tool to promote energy retrofits in existing homes. A home energy rating provides a quantitative appraisal of a home’s energy performance, usually compared to a benchmark such as the average energy use of similar homes in the same region. Rating systems based on energy performance models, the focus of this report, can establish a home’s achievable energy efficiency potential and provide a quantitative assessment of energy savings after retrofits are completed, although their accuracy needs to be verified by actual measurement or billing data. Ratings can also showmore » homeowners where they stand compared to their neighbors, thus creating social pressure to conform to or surpass others. This project field-tested three different building performance models of varying complexity, in order to assess their value as rating systems in the context of a residential retrofit program: Home Energy Score, SIMPLE, and REM/Rate.« less

Comparison among different retrofitting strategies for the vulnerability reduction of masonry bell towers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milani, Gabriele; Shehu, Rafael; Valente, Marco

2017-11-01

This paper investigates the effectiveness of reducing the seismic vulnerability of masonry towers by means of innovative and traditional strengthening techniques. The followed strategy for providing the optimal retrofitting for masonry towers subjected to seismic risk relies on preventing active failure mechanisms. These vulnerable mechanisms are pre-assigned failure patterns based on the crack patterns experienced during the past seismic events. An upper bound limit analysis strategy is found suitable to be applied for simplified tower models in their present state and the proposed retrofitted ones. Taking into consideration the variability of geometrical features and the uncertainty of the strengthening techniques, Monte Carlo simulations are implemented into the limit analysis. In this framework a wide range of idealized cases are covered by the conducted analyses. The retrofitting strategies aim to increase the shear strength and the overturning load carrying capacity in order to reduce vulnerability. This methodology gives the possibility to use different materials which can fulfill the structural implementability requirements.

Seismic performance evaluation of an historical concrete deck arch bridge using survey and drawing of the damages, in situ tests, dynamic identification and pushover analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergamo, Otello; Russo, Eleonora; Lodolo, Fabio

2017-07-01

The paper describes the performance evaluation of a retrofit historical multi-span (RC) deck arch bridge analyzed with in situ tests, dynamic identification and FEM analysis. The peculiarity of this case study lies in the structural typology of "San Felice" bridge, an historical concrete arch bridge built in the early 20th century, a quite uncommon feature in Italy. The preservation and retrofit of historic cultural heritage and infrastructures has been carefully analyzed in the international codes governing seismic response. A complete survey of the bridge was carried out prior to sketching a drawing of the existing bridge. Subsequently, the study consists in four steps: material investigation and dynamic vibration tests, FEM analysis and calibration, retrofit assessment, pushover analysis. The aim is to define an innovative approach to calibrate the FEM analysis through modern experimental investigations capable of taking structural deterioration into account, and to offer an appropriate and cost-effective retrofitting strategy.

Pseudo-dynamic tests on masonry residential buildings seismically retrofitted by precast steel reinforced concrete walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wenfeng; Wang, Tao; Chen, Xi; Zhong, Xiang; Pan, Peng

2017-07-01

A retrofitting technology using precast steel reinforced concrete (PSRC) panels is developed to improve the seismic performance of old masonry buildings. The PSRC panels are built up as an external PSRC wall system surrounding the existing masonry building. The PSRC walls are well connected to the existing masonry building, which provides enough confinement to effectively improve the ductility, strength, and stiffenss of old masonry structures. The PSRC panels are prefabricated in a factory, significantly reducing the situ work and associated construction time. To demonstrate the feasibility and mechanical effectivenss of the proposed retrofitting system, a full-scale five-story specimen was constructed. The retrofitting process was completed within five weeks with very limited indoor operation. The specimen was then tested in the lateral direction, which could potentially suffer sigifnicant damage in a large earthquake. The technical feasibility, construction workability, and seismic performance were thoroughly demonstrated by a full-scale specimen construction and pseudo-dynamic tests.

Experimental prototype of an electric elevator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaiceanu, M.; Epure, S.; Ciuta, S.

2016-08-01

The main objective is to achieve an elevator prototype powered by a three-phase voltage system via a bidirectional static power converter ac-ac with regenerating capability. In order to diminish the power size of the electric motor up to 1/3 of rated power, the elevator contains two carriages of the same weight, one serving as the payload, and the other as counterweight. Before proper operation of the static power converter, the capacitor must be charged at rated voltage via a precharge circuit. At the moment of stabilizing the DC voltage at nominal value, the AC-AC power converter can operates in the proper limits. The functions of the control structure are: the load control task, speed and torque controls. System includes transducers for current measuring, voltage sensors and encoder. As reserve power sources the hybrid battery-photovoltaic panels are used. The control voltage is modulated by implementing four types of pulse width modulations: sinusoidal, with reduced commutation, third order harmonic insertion, and the space vector modulation. Therefore, the prototype could operates with an increased efficiency, in spite of the existing ones. The experimental results confirm the well design of the chosen solution. The control solution assures bidirectional power flow control, precharge control, and load control and it is implemented on a digital signal processor. The elevator capacity is between 300-450 kg, and it is driven by using a 1.5 kW three-phase asynchronous machine.

Neutron detection with plastic scintillators coupled to solid state photomultiplier detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christian, James F.; Johnson, Erik B.; Fernandez, Daniel E.; Vogel, Samuel; Frank, Rebecca; Stoddard, Graham; Stapels, Christopher; Pereira, Jorge; Zegers, Remco

2017-09-01

The recent reduction of dark current in Silicon Solid-state photomultipliers (SiSSPMs) makes them an attractive alternative to conventional photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) for scintillation detection applications. Nuclear Physics experiments often require large detector volumes made using scintillation materials, which require sensitive photodetectors, such as a PMTs. PMTs add to the size, fragility, and high-voltage requirements as well as distance requirements for experiments using magnetic fields. This work compares RMD's latest detector modules, denoted as the "year 2 prototype", of plastic scintillators that discriminate gamma and high-energy particle events from neutron events using pulse shape discrimination (PSD) coupled to a SiSSPM to the following two detector modules: a similar "year 1 prototype" and a scintillator coupled to a PMT module. It characterizes the noise floor, relative signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the timing performance, the PSD figure-of-merit (FOM) and the neutron detection efficiency of RMD's detectors. This work also evaluates the scaling of SiSSPM detector modules to accommodate the volumes needed for many Nuclear Physics experiments. The Si SSPM detector module provides a clear advantage in Nuclear Physics experiments that require the following attributes: discrimination of neutron and gamma-ray events, operation in or near strong magnetic fields, and segmentation of the detector.

Occupant satisfaction with indoor environmental quality and health after energy retrofits of multi-family buildings: Results from INSULAtE-project.

PubMed

Haverinen-Shaughnessy, Ulla; Pekkonen, Maria; Leivo, Virpi; Prasauskas, Tadas; Turunen, Mari; Kiviste, Mihkel; Aaltonen, Anu; Martuzevicius, Dainius

2018-05-30

Driven by climate change mitigation, EU countries are committed to improve energy efficiency of their building stock by implementing the energy performance of buildings directive (EPBD). Should higher energy efficiency result in better indoor environmental quality (IEQ), this policy could also be seen as an opportunity to improve public health across Europe. This paper focuses on the assessment of the effects of energy retrofits on occupant satisfaction with IEQ and health in multifamily buildings. Data on occupant satisfaction with IEQ and health were collected from the occupants of 39 Finnish and 15 Lithuanian multifamily buildings (an average of five apartments per building, one adult per apartment) both before and after energy retrofits (such as improving thermal insulation, windows, heating and/or ventilation systems). Parallel to the data collected from the occupants, data on several IEQ parameters, including temperature, temperature factor, and air change rate, were collected from their apartments. Moreover, data from seven Finnish and five Lithuanian non-retrofitted control buildings were collected according to the same protocol. Occupant satisfaction regarding indoor temperature was associated with both retrofit status (OR 5.3, 95% CI 2.6-11.0) and measured IEQ parameters (indoor temperature OR 1.4 per 1 °C increase, temperature factor OR 1.1 per 1% increase, and air change rate OR 5.6 per 1/h increase). Additional positive associations were found between retrofit status and occupants reporting absence of upper respiratory symptoms (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-2.9) as well as not missing work or school due to respiratory infections (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.2-13.8), however, these associations were independent of the measured IEQ parameters. There seems to be a strong subjective component related to the observed changes in occupant satisfaction with IEQ and health as a result of energy retrofitting in buildings. Further studies are needed to verify the actual mechanisms, as well as possible long term effects. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Analysis and Optimization of Building Energy Consumption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuah, Jun Wei

Energy is one of the most important resources required by modern human society. In 2010, energy expenditures represented 10% of global gross domestic product (GDP). By 2035, global energy consumption is expected to increase by more than 50% from current levels. The increased pace of global energy consumption leads to significant environmental and socioeconomic issues: (i) carbon emissions, from the burning of fossil fuels for energy, contribute to global warming, and (ii) increased energy expenditures lead to reduced standard of living. Efficient use of energy, through energy conservation measures, is an important step toward mitigating these effects. Residential and commercial buildings represent a prime target for energy conservation, comprising 21% of global energy consumption and 40% of the total energy consumption in the United States. This thesis describes techniques for the analysis and optimization of building energy consumption. The thesis focuses on building retrofits and building energy simulation as key areas in building energy optimization and analysis. The thesis first discusses and evaluates building-level renewable energy generation as a solution toward building energy optimization. The thesis next describes a novel heating system, called localized heating. Under localized heating, building occupants are heated individually by directed radiant heaters, resulting in a considerably reduced heated space and significant heating energy savings. To support localized heating, a minimally-intrusive indoor occupant positioning system is described. The thesis then discusses occupant-level sensing (OLS) as the next frontier in building energy optimization. OLS captures the exact environmental conditions faced by each building occupant, using sensors that are carried by all building occupants. The information provided by OLS enables fine-grained optimization for unprecedented levels of energy efficiency and occupant comfort. The thesis also describes a retrofit-oriented building energy simulator, ROBESim, that natively supports building retrofits. ROBESim extends existing building energy simulators by providing a platform for the analysis of novel retrofits, in addition to simulating existing retrofits. Using ROBESim, retrofits can be automatically applied to buildings, obviating the need for users to manually update building characteristics for comparisons between different building retrofits. ROBESim also includes several ease-of-use enhancements to support users of all experience levels.

Retrofit and verification test of a 30-cm ion thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dulgeroff, C. R.; Poeschel, R. L.

1980-01-01

Twenty modifications were found to be necessary and were approved by design review. These design modifications were incorporated in the thruster documents (drawings and procedures) to define the J series thruster. Sixteen of the design revisions were implemented in a 900 series thruster by retrofit modification. A standardized set of test procedures was formulated, and the retrofit J series thruster design was verified by test. Some difficulty was observed with the modification to the ion optics assembly, but the overall effect of the design modification satisfies the design objectives. The thruster was tested over a wide range of operating parameters to demonstrate its capabilities.

Building a prototype of a Martian base in Poland, an architectural design overview and progress report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozicki, Janek

This talk focuses on recent advances in the construction of a prototype 1000 m2 Martian out-post for 8 inhabitants. The architectural design for such a Martian base has been presented previously on COSPAR 2008, the presentation being entitled ,,Architectural design proposal for a Martian base to continue NASA Mars Design Reference Mission". The presentation was welcomed with warm interest by various institutions, some of which offered help in building a prototype such as providing the building site or funding. This year's oral presentation will focus on a progress report and will briefly describe the architectural design. The architectural design is inspired by terrestrial pneumatic architecture. It has small volume, can be easily transported and provides a large habitable space. An architectural solution analo-gous to a terrestrial house with a studio and a workshop was assumed. The spatial placement of the following zones was carefully considered: residential, agricultural and science, as well as garage and workshop. Further attention was paid to transportation routes and a control and communications center. The issues of a life support system, energy, food, water and waste recycling were also discussed. This Martian base was designed to be crewed by a team of eight people to stay on Mars for at least one and a half year. An Open Plan architectural solution was assumed, with a high level of modularity. Walls of standardized sizes with zip-fasteners allow free rearrangement of the interior to adapt to a new situation. The prototype of such a Polish-origin Martian outpost will be used in a manner similar to MDRS or FMARS but to a larger extent. The prototype's design itself will be tested and corrected to achieve a design which can be used on Mars. The procedure of unfolding the pneumatic modules and floor leveling will be tested. The 1000 m2 interior will be used for various simulation exercises: socio-psychological testing, interior arrangement experiments, agricultural simulations, growing plants in Martian conditions and other kinds of tests. The presented prototype focuses on the ergonomic and psychological aspects of longer stay in a Martian environment. It provides the Martian crew with a comfortable habitable space larger than DRM modules. The practical proposal is to send this base to Mars in a DRM transpor-tation module after prototype testing is completed. The author hopes that this or other similar Martian base designs will help in establishing a permanent presence of humans on Mars.

Assessment of Greenhouse Gas Retrofit Issues for Coal Fired Power Plants

EPA Science Inventory

Several studies have been published on carbon capture technology as an independent island. In contrast, this evaluation considered the impact on the existing plant and the potential improvements to ease the retrofit of a carbon capture process. This paper will provide insight i...

Dowel bar retrofit evaluation, district 12, Orange County, Interstate 405

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-09-01

A dowel bar retrofit project on Interstate 405 near Irvine in Orange County began to exhibit sights of failure in the bond between the existing concrete and the backfill grout in the dowel bar slots. It was requested the Office of Rigid Pavement and ...

SOLVENT-BASED TO WATERBASED ADHESIVE-COATED SUBSTRATE RETROFIT - VOLUME II: PROCESS OVERVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

This volume presents initial results of a study to identify the issues and barriers associated with retrofitting existing solvent-based equipment to accept waterbased adhesives as part of an EPA effort to improve equipment cleaning in the coated and laminated substrate manufactur...

40 CFR 610.41 - Test configurations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Test configurations. 610.41 Section... ECONOMY RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria General Vehicle Test Procedures § 610.41 Test configurations. (a) In order to measure the effectiveness of a retrofit device at least two, and...

40 CFR 610.41 - Test configurations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Test configurations. 610.41 Section... ECONOMY RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria General Vehicle Test Procedures § 610.41 Test configurations. (a) In order to measure the effectiveness of a retrofit device at least two, and...

40 CFR 610.41 - Test configurations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Test configurations. 610.41 Section... ECONOMY RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria General Vehicle Test Procedures § 610.41 Test configurations. (a) In order to measure the effectiveness of a retrofit device at least two, and...

40 CFR 610.41 - Test configurations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Test configurations. 610.41 Section... ECONOMY RETROFIT DEVICES Test Procedures and Evaluation Criteria General Vehicle Test Procedures § 610.41 Test configurations. (a) In order to measure the effectiveness of a retrofit device at least two, and...

OFF-GAS ANALYSIS RESULTS AND FINE PORE RETROFIT INFORMATION FOR GLASTONBURY, CONNECTICUT

EPA Science Inventory

In the summer of 1984, the Glastonbury, Connecticut Water Pollution Control Plant underwent a retrofit from a spiral roll coarse bubble to a spiral roll fine pore aeration system. Only diffuser replacement was performed in the aeration tanks. From November 1985 through Septembe...

OFF-GAS ANALYSIS RESULTS AND FINE PORE RETROFIT CASE HISTORY FOR HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT

EPA Science Inventory

In the summer of 1982, the Hartford Metropolitan District Commission, Hartford County, Connecticut, Water Pollution Control Facility underwent a retrofit form a spiral roll coarse bubble to a full floor coverage fine pore aeration system. Work performed included all new in-tank ...

DIESEL ENGINE RETROFIT TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION (POSTER)

EPA Science Inventory

ETV is presenting a poster at the EPA's 2005 Science Forum from May 16-18, 2005 in Washington, DC. This poster will contain a summary of the performance results realized by the six verified diesel retrofit technologies, as well as potential impacts that could be realized if sigi...

REVERSE AUCTION RESULTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF DECENTRALIZED RETROFIT BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN A SMALL URBAN WATERSHED (CINCINNATI OH)

EPA Science Inventory

Although urban stormwater is typically conveyed to centralized infrastructure, there is great potential for reducing stormwater runoff quantity through decentralization. In this case we hypothesize that smaller-scale retrofit best management practices (BMPs) such as rain gardens ...

CASE HISTORY OF FINE PORE DIFFUSER RETROFIT AT RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY

EPA Science Inventory

In April 1983, the Ridgewood, New Jersey Wastewater Treatment Plant underwent a retrofit from a coarse bubble to a fine pore aeration system. Also, process modification from contact stabilization to tapered aeration occurred. This report presents a case history of plant and aer...

Case Study of the Maplewood Park Multifamily Retrofit for Energy Efficiency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, Euy-Jin; Stephenson, Robert; Roberts, Sydney

2012-12-01

Maplewood Park (Maplewood), a 110-unit multifamily apartment complex in Union City, Georgia, completed major renovations under the guidance of a third-party green building certification program in October 2012. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) partnered with Southface Energy Institute (Southface) to use this project as a case study of energy retrofits in low-rise, garden-style, multifamily buildings in the southeastern United States. This report provides a comprehensive profile of this project including the project economics, findings of the building audit, and results of the analysis of energy retrofit measures specific to this project. With a main focus of energy retrofits, this reportmore » aims to discuss other aspects of multifamily building retrofit that would benefit future projects in terms of improved building audit process, streamlined tasks, and higher energy savings in low-rise, garden-style apartments. Maplewood received Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) financing via the 2010 Georgia Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP). To be eligible for QAP funds in Georgia, all major renovations must incorporate energy-efficiency measures and adopt a third-party green building certification. Because of the unique demands of this financing, including requirements for long-term ownership, property owners were also especially motivated to invest in upgrades that will increase durability and comfort while reducing the energy cost for the tenants.« less

A Demonstration of a Retrofit Architecture for Intelligent Control and Diagnostics of a Turbofan Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Litt, Jonathan S.; Turso, James A.; Shah, Neerav; Sowers, T. Shane; Owen, A. Karl

2005-01-01

A retrofit architecture for intelligent turbofan engine control and diagnostics that changes the fan speed command to maintain thrust is proposed and its demonstration in a piloted flight simulator is described. The objective of the implementation is to increase the level of autonomy of the propulsion system, thereby reducing pilot workload in the presence of anomalies and engine degradation due to wear. The main functions of the architecture are to diagnose the cause of changes in the engine s operation, warning the pilot if necessary, and to adjust the outer loop control reference signal in response to the changes. This requires that the retrofit control architecture contain the capability to determine the changed relationship between fan speed and thrust, and the intelligence to recognize the cause of the change in order to correct it or warn the pilot. The proposed retrofit architecture is able to determine the fan speed setting through recognition of the degradation level of the engine, and it is able to identify specific faults and warn the pilot. In the flight simulator it was demonstrated that when degradation is introduced into an engine with standard fan speed control, the pilot needs to take corrective action to maintain heading. Utilizing the intelligent retrofit control architecture, the engine thrust is automatically adjusted to its expected value, eliminating yaw without pilot intervention.

Retrofit device to improve vapor compression cooling system performance by dynamic blower speed modulation

DOEpatents

Roth, Robert Paul; Hahn, David C.; Scaringe, Robert P.

2015-12-08

A device and method are provided to improve performance of a vapor compression system using a retrofittable control board to start up the vapor compression system with the evaporator blower initially set to a high speed. A baseline evaporator operating temperature with the evaporator blower operating at the high speed is recorded, and then the device detects if a predetermined acceptable change in evaporator temperature has occurred. The evaporator blower speed is reduced from the initially set high speed as long as there is only a negligible change in the measured evaporator temperature and therefore a negligible difference in the compressor's power consumption so as to obtain a net increase in the Coefficient of Performance.

Dry soldering with hot filament produced atomic hydrogen

DOEpatents

Panitz, Janda K. G.; Jellison, James L.; Staley, David J.

1995-01-01

A system for chemically transforming metal surface oxides to metal that is especially, but not exclusively, suitable for preparing metal surfaces for dry soldering and solder reflow processes. The system employs one or more hot, refractory metal filaments, grids or surfaces to thermally dissociate molecular species in a low pressure of working gas such as a hydrogen-containing gas to produce reactive species in a reactive plasma that can chemically reduce metal oxides and form volatile compounds that are removed in the working gas flow. Dry soldering and solder reflow processes are especially applicable to the manufacture of printed circuit boards, semiconductor chip lead attachment and packaging multichip modules. The system can be retrofitted onto existing metal treatment ovens, furnaces, welding systems and wave soldering system designs.

Development of shashlik electromagnetic calorimeter prototype for SoLID

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shen, C.; Wang, Y.; Xiao, D.

A shashlik electromagnetic calorimeter will be produced in Hall A of Jefferson Laboratory for Solenoidal large Intensity Device (SoLID) to measure the energy deposition of electrons and hadrons, and to provide particle identification after the energy of the accelerator was upgraded to 12 GeV. Tsinghua University is the member of Hall A collaboration in charge of development and production of the large shashlik electromagnetic calorimeter of SoLID. One module of that calorimeter is composed by 194 layers. Each layer consists of a 1.5 mm thick plastic scintillator put on top of a 0.5 mm thick lead plate. Scintillation light ismore » read out by wave-length shifter fibers penetrating through the calorimeter modules longitudinally along the direction of flight of the impact particle. This paper describes the design and construction of that module, as well as a few optimization studies meant to improve its performance. A detailed Geant4 simulation also shows that an energy resolution of 5%/√ E (GeV) and a good containment for electromagnetic showers can be achieved, as well as some basic electron identification. In conclusion, a prototype of that module will be tested soon with an electron beam at JLab.« less

Development of shashlik electromagnetic calorimeter prototype for SoLID

DOE PAGES

Shen, C.; Wang, Y.; Xiao, D.; ...

2017-03-07

A shashlik electromagnetic calorimeter will be produced in Hall A of Jefferson Laboratory for Solenoidal large Intensity Device (SoLID) to measure the energy deposition of electrons and hadrons, and to provide particle identification after the energy of the accelerator was upgraded to 12 GeV. Tsinghua University is the member of Hall A collaboration in charge of development and production of the large shashlik electromagnetic calorimeter of SoLID. One module of that calorimeter is composed by 194 layers. Each layer consists of a 1.5 mm thick plastic scintillator put on top of a 0.5 mm thick lead plate. Scintillation light ismore » read out by wave-length shifter fibers penetrating through the calorimeter modules longitudinally along the direction of flight of the impact particle. This paper describes the design and construction of that module, as well as a few optimization studies meant to improve its performance. A detailed Geant4 simulation also shows that an energy resolution of 5%/√ E (GeV) and a good containment for electromagnetic showers can be achieved, as well as some basic electron identification. In conclusion, a prototype of that module will be tested soon with an electron beam at JLab.« less

Construction and first beam-tests of silicon-tungsten prototype modules for the CMS High Granularity Calorimeter for HL-LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, S.

2017-03-01

The High Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL) is the technology choice of the CMS collaboration for the endcap calorimetry upgrade planned to cope with the harsh radiation and pileup environment at the High Luminosity-LHC . The HGCAL is realized as a sampling calorimeter, including an electromagnetic compartment comprising 28 layers of silicon pad detectors with pad areas of 0.5-01. cm2 interspersed with absorbers made from tungsten and copper to form a highly compact and granular device. Prototype modules, based on hexagonal silicon pad sensors, with 128 channels, have been constructed and tested in beams at FNAL and at CERN. The modules include many of the features required for this challenging detector, including a PCB glued directly to the sensor, using through-hole wire-bonding for signal readout and 5 mm spacing between layers—including the front-end electronics and all services. Tests in 2016 have used an existing front-end chip —Skiroc2 (designed for the CALICE experiment for ILC). We present results from first tests of these modules both in the laboratory and with beams of electrons, pions and protons, including noise performance, calibration with mips and electron signals.

Transducer Modules for Dry-Coupled Ultrasonic Inspection of Aircraft Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komsky, Igor N.

2004-02-01

Several types of transducer modules have been developed at Northwestern University to overcome the problems that are associated with the application of liquid or gel couplants. The modules deploy polymer films to transmit the ultrasound through a dry interface. These films are very flexible, so even with a low pressure they can be adapted to the irregular inspection surfaces. The dry-coupled transducer modules may be used for transmission and reception of both longitudinal and transverse ultrasonic waves in the MHz frequency range. The prototype modules have been integrated with the portable ultrasonic inspection units and tested on a number of aircraft structures.

Control system development for a 1 MW/e/ solar thermal power plant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daubert, E. R.; Bergthold, F. M., Jr.; Fulton, D. G.

1981-01-01

The point-focusing distributed receiver power plant considered consists of a number of power modules delivering power to a central collection point. Each power module contains a parabolic dish concentrator with a closed-cycle receiver/turbine/alternator assembly. Currently, a single-module prototype plant is under construction. The major control system tasks required are related to concentrator pointing control, receiver temperature control, and turbine speed control. Attention is given to operational control details, control hardware and software, and aspects of CRT output display.

Dynamic single sideband modulation for realizing parametric loudspeaker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakai, Shinichi; Kamakura, Tomoo

2008-06-01

A parametric loudspeaker, that presents remarkably narrow directivity compared with a conventional loudspeaker, is newly produced and examined. To work the loudspeaker optimally, we prototyped digitally a single sideband modulator based on the Weaver method and appropriate signal processing. The processing techniques are to change the carrier amplitude dynamically depending on the envelope of audio signals, and then to operate the square root or fourth root to the carrier amplitude for improving input-output acoustic linearity. The usefulness of the present modulation scheme has been verified experimentally.

Retrofitting: The Thermal Upgrading of Buildings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maine Audubon Society, Falmouth.

This publication is a compilation of talks delivered during the spring of 1977 by Charles Wing. Contents of the booklet include retrofitting old houses, condensation and vapor barriers, solutions to the vapor barrier problem, and how much of which insulation to use. The publication includes charts, drawings, and equations to illustrate the topics…

INDUSTRIAL BOILER RETROFIT FOR NOX CONTROL: COMBINED SELECTIVE NONCATALYTIC REDUCTION AND SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION

EPA Science Inventory

The paper describes retrofitting and testing a 590 kW (2 MBtu/hr), oil-fired, three-pass, fire-tube package boiler with a combined selective noncatalytic reduction (SNCR) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. The system demonstrated 85% nitrogen oxides (NOx) reduction w...

Existing School Buildings: Incremental Seismic Retrofit Opportunities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC.

The intent of this document is to provide technical guidance to school district facility managers for linking specific incremental seismic retrofit opportunities to specific maintenance and capital improvement projects. The linkages are based on logical affinities, such as technical fit, location of the work within the building, cost saving…

Motel DHW Retrofit--Dallas, Texas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

Solar-energy system designed to provide 65% of total domestic-hot-water (DHW) demands for 100-room motel in Dallas, Texas is subject of a report now available. System is retrofit, and storage-tank size was limited to 1,000 gallons (3,785 1) by size of room where it is located.

The Three R's of Utility Savings: Rate Reduction, Rebates and Retrofit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petiunas, Raymond V.

1993-01-01

An effective way to increase electricity energy savings for school districts is to integrate rate case participation (rate reduction) with conservation and load-management efforts (rebates) and retrofit operations, to obtain a total energy cost reduction package. Describes how a Pennsylvania consortium of school districts saved its member…

Energy Retrofit Creates an Efficient Building.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Laurie

1997-01-01

After 20 years of inadequate heating and cooling, an Indiana school district took advantage of a 1994 state law that allows school districts to bypass the "low-bidder wins" restriction. The district established a guaranteed energy-saving contract for a climate-control-improvements package to retrofit the junior-senior high school. (MLF)

49 CFR 214.513 - Retrofitting of existing on-track roadway maintenance machines; general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... maintenance machines; general. 214.513 Section 214.513 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... SAFETY On-Track Roadway Maintenance Machines and Hi-Rail Vehicles § 214.513 Retrofitting of existing on-track roadway maintenance machines; general. (a) Each existing on-track roadway maintenance machine...

Public Housing: A Tailored Approach to Energy Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Dentz; Conlin, F.; Podorson, D.

2016-02-23

The Building America research team Advanced Residential Integrated Energy Solutions Collaborative (ARIES) worked with four public housing authorities (PHAs) to develop packages of energy-efficiency retrofit measures that the PHAs can cost-effectively implement with their own staffs during the normal course of housing operations when units are refurbished between occupancies.

Truck Noise VIII : The Determination of the Practical Noise Control Retrofitting of Pre-1970 Truck and Coach Models

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1976-06-01

A retrofit noise package was selected for four representative GMC vehicles; i.e., two Heavy Duty Conventionals, one cab-over engine Heavy Duty Astro, and one 53 passenger transit coach, to achieve optimum noise reduction. The selection of this materi...

Incentivizing truck retrofitting in port drayage : a study of drivers at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-02-01

Using data from detailed surveys of truck drivers, the wages and working conditions of drivers involved in port drayage were : analyzed. Focus as on drivers' willingness to pay for retrofitting and their preferences regarding different truck replacem...

Highway Vehicle Retrofit Evaluation : Phase I. Analysis and Preliminary Evaluation Results. Volume 2. Sections 4 through 13 and Appendix.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-11-01

More than 20 representative classes of retrofit devices/concepts/techniques, including more than 130 specific items, were examined in the course of the study. A major portion of the analysis effort was directed to the evaluation of 16 advanced, novel...

Ultralightweight Space Deployable Primary Reflector Demonstrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Montgomery, Edward E., IV; Zeiders, Glenn W.; Smith, W. Scott (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

A concept has been developed and analyzed and several generational prototypes built for a gossamer-class deployable truss for a mirror or reflector with many smaller precisely-figured solid elements attached will, for at least the next several decades, minimize the mass of a large primary mirror assembly while still providing the high image quality essential for planet-finding and cosmological astronomical missions. Primary mirror segments are mounted in turn on ultralightweight thermally-formed plastic panels that hold clusters of mirror segments in rigid arrays whose tip/tilt and piston would be corrected over the scale of the plastic panels by the control segments. Prototype panels developed under this program are 45 cm wide and fabricated from commercially available Kaplan sheets. A three-strut octahedral tensegrity is the basis for the overall support structure. Each fundamental is composed of two such octahedrons, rotated oppositely about a common triangular face. Adjacent modules are joined at the nodes of the upper and lower triangles to form a deployable structure that could be made arbitrarily large. A seven-module dowel-and-wire prototype has been constructed. Deployment techniques based on the use of collapsing toggled struts with diagonal tensional elements allows an assembly of tensegrities to be fully collapsed and redeployed. The prototype designs will be described and results of a test program for measuring strength and deformation will be presented.

SU-F-T-256: 4D IMRT Planning Using An Early Prototype GPU-Enabled Eclipse Workstation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hagan, A; Modiri, A; Sawant, A

Purpose: True 4D IMRT planning, based on simultaneous spatiotemporal optimization has been shown to significantly improve plan quality in lung radiotherapy. However, the high computational complexity associated with such planning represents a significant barrier to widespread clinical deployment. We introduce an early prototype GPU-enabled Eclipse workstation for inverse planning. To our knowledge, this is the first GPUintegrated Eclipse system demonstrating the potential for clinical translation of GPU computing on a major commercially-available TPS. Methods: The prototype system comprised of four NVIDIA Tesla K80 GPUs, with a maximum processing capability of 8.5 Tflops per K80 card. The system architecture consisted ofmore » three key modules: (i) a GPU-based inverse planning module using a highly-parallelizable, swarm intelligence-based global optimization algorithm, (ii) a GPU-based open-source b-spline deformable image registration module, Elastix, and (iii) a CUDA-based data management module. For evaluation, aperture fluence weights in an IMRT plan were optimized over 9 beams,166 apertures and 10 respiratory phases (14940 variables) for a lung cancer case (GTV = 95 cc, right lower lobe, 15 mm cranio-caudal motion). Sensitivity of the planning time and memory expense to parameter variations was quantified. Results: GPU-based inverse planning was significantly accelerated compared to its CPU counterpart (36 vs 488 min, for 10 phases, 10 search agents and 10 iterations). The optimized IMRT plan significantly improved OAR sparing compared to the original internal target volume (ITV)-based clinical plan, while maintaining prescribed tumor coverage. The dose-sparing improvements were: Esophagus Dmax 50%, Heart Dmax 42% and Spinal cord Dmax 25%. Conclusion: Our early prototype system demonstrates that through massive parallelization, computationally intense tasks such as 4D treatment planning can be accomplished in clinically feasible timeframes. With further optimization, such systems are expected to enable the eventual clinical translation of higher-dimensional and complex treatment planning strategies to significantly improve plan quality. This work was partially supported through research funding from National Institutes of Health (R01CA169102) and Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA, USA.« less

Recognition memory is modulated by visual similarity.

PubMed

Yago, Elena; Ishai, Alumit

2006-06-01

We used event-related fMRI to test whether recognition memory depends on visual similarity between familiar prototypes and novel exemplars. Subjects memorized portraits, landscapes, and abstract compositions by six painters with a unique style, and later performed a memory recognition task. The prototypes were presented with new exemplars that were either visually similar or dissimilar. Behaviorally, novel, dissimilar items were detected faster and more accurately. We found activation in a distributed cortical network that included face- and object-selective regions in the visual cortex, where familiar prototypes evoked stronger responses than new exemplars; attention-related regions in parietal cortex, where responses elicited by new exemplars were reduced with decreased similarity to the prototypes; and the hippocampus and memory-related regions in parietal and prefrontal cortices, where stronger responses were evoked by the dissimilar exemplars. Our findings suggest that recognition memory is mediated by classification of novel exemplars as a match or a mismatch, based on their visual similarity to familiar prototypes.

EUSO-TA prototype telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bisconti, Francesca; JEM-EUSO Collaboration

2016-07-01

EUSO-TA is one of the prototypes developed for the JEM-EUSO project, a space-based large field-of-view telescope to observe the fluorescence light emitted by cosmic ray air showers in the atmosphere. EUSO-TA is a ground-based prototype located at the Telescope Array (TA) site in Utah, USA, where an Electron Light Source and a Central Laser Facility are installed. The purpose of the EUSO-TA project is to calibrate the prototype with the TA fluorescence detector in presence of well-known light sources and cosmic ray air showers. In 2015, the detector started the first measurements and tests using the mentioned light sources have been performed successfully. A first cosmic ray candidate has been observed, as well as stars of different magnitude and color index. Since Silicon Photo-Multipliers (SiPMs) are very promising for fluorescence telescopes of next generation, they are under consideration for the realization of a new prototype of EUSO Photo Detector Module (PDM). The response of this sensor type is under investigation through simulations and laboratory experimentation.

Decision making based on analysis of benefit versus costs of preventive retrofit versus costs of repair after earthquake hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostenaru Dan, M.

2012-04-01

In this presentation interventions on seismically vulnerable early reinforced concrete skeleton buildings, from the interwar time, at different performance levels, from avoiding collapse up to assuring immediate post-earthquake functionality are considered. Between these two poles there are degrees of damage depending on the performance aim set. The costs of the retrofit and post-earthquake repair differ depending on the targeted performance. Not only an earthquake has impact on a heritage building, but also the retrofit measure, for example on its appearance or its functional layout. This way criteria of the structural engineer, the investor, the architect/conservator/urban planner and the owner/inhabitants from the neighbourhood are considered for taking a benefit-cost decision. Benefit-cost analysis based decision is an element in a risk management process. A solution must be found on how much change to accept for retrofit and how much repairable damage to take into account. There are two impact studies. Numerical simulation was run for the building typology considered for successive earthquakes, selected in a deterministic way (1977, 1986 and two for 1991 from Vrancea, Romania and respectively 1978 Thessaloniki, Greece), considering also the case when retrofit is done between two earthquakes. The typology of buildings itself was studied not only for Greece and Romania, but for numerous European countries, including Italy. The typology was compared to earlier reinforced concrete buildings, with Hennebique system, in order to see to which amount these can belong to structural heritage and to shape the criteria of the architect/conservator. Based on the typology study two model buildings were designed, and for one of these different retrofit measures (side walls, structural walls, steel braces, steel jacketing) were considered, while for the other one of these retrofit techniques (diagonal braces, which permits adding also active measures such as energy dissipaters) to different amount and location in the building was considered. Device computations, a civil engineering method for building economics (and which was, before statistics existed, also the method for computing the costs of general upgrade of buildings), were done for the retrofit and for the repair measures, being able to be applied for different countries, also ones where there is no database on existing projects in seismic retrofit. The building elements for which the device computations were done are named "retrofit elements" and they can be new elements, modified elements or replaced elements of the initial building. The addition of the devices is simple, as the row in project management was, but, for the sake of comparison, also complex project management computed in other works was compared for innovative measures such as FRP (with glass and fibre). The theoretical costs for model measures were compared to the way costs of real retrofit for this building type (with reinforced concrete jacketing and FRP) are computed in Greece. The theoretical proposed measures were generally compared to those applied in practice, in Romania and Italy as well. A further study will include these, as in Italy diagonal braces with dissipation had been used. The typology of braces is relevant also for the local seismic culture, maybe outgoing for another type of skeleton structures the distribution of which has been studied: the timber skeleton. A subtype of Romanian reinforced concrete skeleton buildings includes diagonal braces. In order to assess the costs of rebuilding or general upgrade without retrofit, architecture methods for building economics are considered based on floor surface. Diagrams have been built to see how the total costs vary as addition between the preventive retrofit and the post-earthquake repair, and tables to compare to the costs of rebuilding, outgoing from a the model of addition of day-lighting in atria of buildings. The moment when a repair measure has to be applied, function of the recurrence period of earthquakes, is similar to the depth of the atria. Depending on how strong the expected earthquake is, a more extensive retrofit is required in order to decrease repair costs. A further study would allow converting the device computations in floor surface costs, to be able not only to implement in an ICT environment by means of ontology and BIM, but also to convert to urban scale. For the latter studies of probabilistic application of structural mechanics models instead of observation based statistics can be considered. But first the socio-economic models of construction management games will be considered, both computer games and board hard-copy games, starting with SimCity which initially included the San Francisco 1906 earthquake, in order to see how the resources needed can be modeled. All criteria build the taxonomy of decision. Among them different ways to make the cost-benefit analysis exist, from weighted tree to pair-wise comparison. The taxonomy was modeled as a decision tree, which builds the basis for an ontology.

Replacing Resistance Heating with Mini-Split Heat Pumps, Sharon, Connecticut (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

Mini-split heat pumps can provide space heating and cooling in many climates and are relatively affordable. These and other features make them potentially suitable for retrofitting into multifamily buildings in cold climates to replace electric resistance heating or other outmoded heating systems. This report investigates the suitability of mini-split heat pumps for multifamily retrofits. Various technical and regulatory barriers are discussed and modeling was performed to compare long-term costs of substituting mini-splits for a variety of other heating and cooling options. A number of utility programs have retrofit mini-splits in both single family and multifamily residences. Two such multifamily programsmore » are discussed in detail.« less

Cascade Apartments: Deep Energy Multifamily Retrofit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gordon, A.; Mattheis, L.; Kunkle, R.

2014-02-01

In December of 2009-10, King County Housing Authority (KCHA) implemented energy retrofit improvements in the Cascade multifamily community, located in Kent, Washington (marine climate.)This research effort involved significant coordination from stakeholders KCHA, WA State Department of Commerce, utility Puget Sound Energy, and Cascade tenants. This report focuses on the following three primary BA research questions: 1. What are the modeled energy savings using DOE low income weatherization approved TREAT software? 2. How did the modeled energy savings compare with measured energy savings from aggregate utility billing analysis? 3. What is the Savings to Investment Ratio (SIR) of the retrofit packagemore » after considering utility window incentives and KCHA capitol improvement funding.« less

Advanced Energy Retrofit Guide: Practical Ways to Improve Energy Performance; Grocery Stores (Revised) (Book)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hendron, B.

2013-07-01

The U.S. Department of Energy developed the Advanced Energy Retrofit Guides (AERGs) to provide specific methodologies, information, and guidance to help energy managers and other stakeholders successfully plan and execute energy efficiency improvements. Detailed technical discussion is fairly limited in these guides. Instead, we emphasize actionable information, practical methodologies, diverse case studies, and unbiased evaluations of the most promising retrofit measures for each building type. A series of AERGs is under development, addressing key segments of the commercial building stock. Grocery stores were selected as one of the highest priority sectors, because they represent one of the most energy-intensive marketmore » segments.« less

Pilot retrofit test of refrigerant R-134a for GDSCC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albus, J.; Brown, B.; Dungao, M.; Spencer, G.

1994-01-01

NASA has issued an interim policy requiring all of its Centers to eliminate consumption (purchase) of stratospheric ozone-depleting substances, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's), by 1995. Also, plans must be outlined for the eventual phase out of their usage. The greatest source of CFC consumption and usage at the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex is refrigerant R-12, which is used in many of the facility's air-conditioning systems. A pilot retrofit test shows that retrofitting R-12 air-conditioning systems with hydrofluorocarbon R-13a would be a workable means to comply with the R-12 portion of NASA's policy. Results indicate acceptable cost levels and nearly equivalent system performance.

Apparatus for passive removal of subsurface contaminants and mass flow measurement

DOEpatents

Jackson, Dennis G [Augusta, GA; Rossabi, Joseph [Aiken, SC; Riha, Brian D [Augusta, GA

2003-07-15

A system for improving the Baroball valve and a method for retrofitting an existing Baroball valve. This invention improves upon the Baroball valve by reshaping the interior chamber of the valve to form a flow meter measuring chamber. The Baroball valve sealing mechanism acts as a rotameter bob for determining mass flow rate through the Baroball valve. A method for retrofitting a Baroball valve includes providing static pressure ports and connecting a measuring device, to these ports, for measuring the pressure differential between the Baroball chamber and the well. A standard curve of nominal device measurements allows the mass flow rate to be determined through the retrofitted Baroball valve.

Apparatus for passive removal of subsurface contaminants and volume flow measurement

DOEpatents

Jackson, Dennis G.; Rossabi, Joseph; Riha, Brian D.

2002-01-01

A system for improving the Baroball valve and a method for retrofitting an existing Baroball valve. This invention improves upon the Baroball valve by reshaping the interior chamber of the valve to form a flow meter measuring chamber. The Baroball valve sealing mechanism acts as a rotameter bob for determining volume flow rate through the Baroball valve. A method for retrofitting a Baroball valve includes providing static pressure ports and connecting a measuring device, to these ports, for measuring the pressure differential between the Baroball chamber and the well. A standard curve of nominal device measurements allows the volume flow rate to be determined through the retrofitted Baroball valve.

Preliminary test of the prototype modular cryostat for a 10 MW offshore superconducting wind turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jiuce; Ramalingam, R.; Sanz, Santiago; Neumann, Holger

2017-02-01

The SUPerconducting Reliable lightweight And more POWERful offshore wind turbine (SUPRAPOWER), an EU FP7 funded research project, are under development for an innovative superconducting 10 MW class offshore wind turbine. Due to the requirements of handling, maintenance, reliability of long term and offshore operation, the cryostats are divided in two major parts: the modular cryostat able to accommodate a single coil and a thermal collector that links all the modules. The prototype modular cryostat was designed, manufactured and assembled in Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The paper reports preliminary test results of proto-type modular cryostat with a two-stage Gifford-McMahon (GM) cryocooler.

Multichip module technology for automotive application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, R. Wayne; Evans, John L.; Bosley, Larry

1995-01-01

Advancements in multichip module technology are creating design freedoms previously unavailable to design engineers. These advancements are opening new markets for laminate based multichip module products. In particular, material improvements in laminate printed wiring boards are allowing multichip module technology to meet more stringent environmental conditions. In addition, improvements in encapsulants and adhesives are enhancing the capabilities of multichip module technology to meet harsh environment. Furthermore, improvements in manufacturing techniques are providing the reliability improvements necessary for use in high quality electronic systems. These advances are making multichip module technology viable for high volume, harsh environment applications like under-the-hood automotive electronics. This paper will provide a brief review of multichip module technology, a discussion of specific research activities with Chrysler for use of multichip modules in automotive engine controllers and finally a discussion of prototype multichip modules fabricated and tested.

77 FR 75703 - Partial Approval and Disapproval of Air Quality Implementation Plans; Arizona; Regional Haze and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-21

... action includes all portions of the SIP except for three electric generating stations that were addressed... Arizona's Best Available Retrofit Technology (BART) control analysis and determinations, Reasonable... refer to Best Available Retrofit Technology. (6) The term Class I area refers to a mandatory Class I...

Whole Foods Market Retrofits Multiple Building Systems for Big Savings

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2013-03-01

Whole Foods Market partnered with U.S. the Department of Energy (DOE) to develop and implement solutions to reduce annual energy consumption in existing stores by at least 30% versus pre-retrofit energy use at its store in Edgewater, New Jersey, as part of DOE’s Commercial Building Partnership (CBP) program.

77 FR 33021 - Approval, Disapproval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; State of Wyoming; Regional Haze...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-04

... or refer to air-fuel ratio controls. iii. The initials BART mean or refer to Best Available Retrofit... install BART controls for the purpose of eliminating or reducing visibility impairment. The specific... retrofit controls at certain larger, often uncontrolled, older stationary sources in order to address...

COMPARISON OF WEST GERMAN AND U.S. FLUE GAS DESULFURIZATION AND SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION COSTS

EPA Science Inventory

The report documents a comparison of the actual cost retrofitting flue gas desulfurization (FGD) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) on Federal Republic of German (FRG) boilers to cost estimating procedures used in the U.S. to estimate the retrofit of these controls on U.S. b...

Retrofit of waste-to-energy facilities equipped with electrostatic precipitators. Volume II: Field and laboratory reports, Part 2 of 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rigo, H.G.; Chandler, A.J.

Volume II (part 2 of 2) of ''Retrofit of Waste-to-energy Facilities Equipped with Electrostatic Precipitators'' contains the field and laboratory reports, including: (1) field reports, (2) analytic laboratory reports, (3) chain of custody forms, and (4) TCLP laboratory reports.

General view, looking northeast. Retrofitted into a garage during the ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

General view, looking northeast. Retrofitted into a garage during the twentieth century, this building dates from very early in the Lazaretto's history and is believed to have once functioned as a summer kitchen or bake house. - Lazaretto Quarantine Station, Kitchen/Bake House, Wanamaker Avenue and East Second Street, Essington, Delaware County, PA

Retrofit of waste-to-energy facilities equipped with electrostatic precipitators. Volume II: Field and Laboratory Reports, Part 1 of 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rigo, H.G.; Chandler, A.J.

1996-04-01

Volume II (part 1 of 2) of ''Retrofit of Waste-to-energy Facilities Equipped with Electrostatic Precipitators'' contains the documentation and raw data, including: (1) field reports, (2) analytic laboratory reports, (3) chain of custody forms, and (4) TCLP laboratory reports.

Retrofitting Non-Cognitive-Diagnostic Reading Assessment under the Generalized DINA Model Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Huilin; Chen, Jinsong

2016-01-01

Cognitive diagnosis models (CDMs) are psychometric models developed mainly to assess examinees' specific strengths and weaknesses in a set of skills or attributes within a domain. By adopting the Generalized-DINA model framework, the recently developed general modeling framework, we attempted to retrofit the PISA reading assessments, a…

75 FR 78730 - Federal Housing Administration (FHA): Notice of FHA PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-16

... Efficient Mortgage Innovation pilot program targeted to the single family housing market, and the Retrofit... effort. The November 10, 2010, notice solicited public comment and invited lenders interested in... public comments and expressions of interest from lenders is December 27, 2010. This notice extends the...

Airflow Resistance of Loose-Fill Mineral Fiber Insulations in Retrofit Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schumacher, C. J.; Fox, M. J.; Lstiburek, J.

2015-02-01

This report expands on Building America Report 1109 by applying the experimental apparatus and test method to dense-pack retrofit applications using mineral fiber insulation materials. Three fiber glass insulation materials and one stone wool insulation material were tested, and the results compared to the cellulose results from the previous study.

Avoiding Preconceptions in School Construction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maletz, Andrew

2012-01-01

An existing facility that is being upgraded or retrofitted today typically is 30 to 45 years old, often with limited natural light, antiquated mechanical systems and retrofitted technology. All too often at the outset of a project, the broader project goals--and even those narrower in scope--seem daunting or altogether impossible when staring at a…

Experience gained at the Ural Turbine Works with retrofitting steam turbine units for thermal power stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valamin, A. E.; Kultyshev, A. Yu.; Gol'dberg, A. A.; Shibaev, T. L.; Paneque Aguilera, H. C.

2013-08-01

Examples of projects on retrofitting, modernizing, and renovating steam turbine units at thermal power stations implemented with participation of the Ural Turbine Works are given. Advanced construction and layout solutions were used in implementing these projects both on the territory of Russia and abroad.

76 FR 491 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; New Mexico; Federal Implementation Plan for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-05

... Pollution Affecting Visibility and Best Available Retrofit Technology Determination AGENCY: Environmental... technology (BART) for NO X for this source. This action is being taken under section 110 and part C of the.... Visibility Protection 3. Best Available Retrofit Technology 4. The Western Regional Air Partnership and...

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Neuhauser, K.

Through discussion of five case studies (test homes), this project evaluates strategies to elevate the performance of existing homes to a level commensurate with best-in-class implementation of high-performance new construction homes. The test homes featured in this research activity participated in Deep Energy Retrofit (DER) Pilot Program sponsored by the electric and gas utility National Grid in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Building enclosure retrofit strategies are evaluated for impact on durability and indoor air quality in addition to energy performance. Evaluation of strategies is structured around the critical control functions of water, airflow, vapor flow, and thermal control. The aimmore » of the research project is to develop guidance that could serve as a foundation for wider adoption of high performance, 'deep' retrofit work. The project will identify risk factors endemic to advanced retrofit in the context of the general building type, configuration and vintage encountered in the National Grid DER Pilot. Results for the test homes are based on observation and performance testing of recently completed projects. Additional observation would be needed to fully gauge long-term energy performance, durability, and occupant comfort.« less

Evaluation plan for state gas heating system retrofit pilot programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berry, L.; Vineyard, T.

This report presents a detailed plan for the evaluation of state gas heating system retrofit pilot programs. The major goals of the evaluation procedures are to document the fuel savings and cost effectiveness of (1) the programs implemented by the states and (2) the four retrofit types installed. The major tasks involved in the evaluation include identification of program-eligible households, screening for data quality, assignment of eligible households to treatment or control groups, assembling cost data, collecting pre- and postretrofit consumption data, obtainin pre- and postretrofit weather data, checking for data quality, and analyzing the data. Data analysis relies onmore » the calculation of weather-adjusted normalized annual consumption (NAC) figures for pre- and postretrofit years for treatment and control groups. The differences between the treatment and control groups' NACs for the pre- and postretrofit years are the measure of the program's impact. Cost effectiveness analysis will combine the NAC results with cost data and with a variety of assumptions concerning future fuel prices, retrofit lifetimes, and discount rates to produce benefit/cost indicators.« less

Case study on incentive mechanism of energy efficiency retrofit in coal-fueled power plant in China.

PubMed

Yuan, Donghai; Guo, Xujing; Cao, Yuan; He, Liansheng; Wang, Jinggang; Xi, Beidou; Li, Junqi; Ma, Wenlin; Zhang, Mingshun

2012-01-01

An ordinary steam turbine retrofit project is selected as a case study; through the retrofit, the project activities will generate emission reductions within the power grid for about 92,463 tCO(2)e per annum. The internal rate of return (IRR) of the project is only -0.41% without the revenue of carbon credits, for example, CERs, which is much lower than the benchmark value of 8%. Only when the unit price of carbon credit reaches 125 CNY/tCO(2), the IRR could reach the benchmark and an effective carbon tax needs to increase the price of carbon to 243 CNY/tce in order to make the project financially feasible. Design of incentive mechanism will help these low efficiency enterprises improve efficiency and reduce CO(2) emissions, which can provide the power plants sufficient incentive to implement energy efficiency retrofit project in existing coal-fuel power generation-units, and we hope it will make a good demonstration for the other low efficiency coal-fueled power generation units in China.

Case Study on Incentive Mechanism of Energy Efficiency Retrofit in Coal-Fueled Power Plant in China

PubMed Central

Yuan, Donghai; Guo, Xujing; Cao, Yuan; He, Liansheng; Wang, Jinggang; Xi, Beidou; Li, Junqi; Ma, Wenlin; Zhang, Mingshun

2012-01-01

An ordinary steam turbine retrofit project is selected as a case study; through the retrofit, the project activities will generate emission reductions within the power grid for about 92,463 tCO2e per annum. The internal rate of return (IRR) of the project is only −0.41% without the revenue of carbon credits, for example, CERs, which is much lower than the benchmark value of 8%. Only when the unit price of carbon credit reaches 125 CNY/tCO2, the IRR could reach the benchmark and an effective carbon tax needs to increase the price of carbon to 243 CNY/tce in order to make the project financially feasible. Design of incentive mechanism will help these low efficiency enterprises improve efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions, which can provide the power plants sufficient incentive to implement energy efficiency retrofit project in existing coal-fuel power generation-units, and we hope it will make a good demonstration for the other low efficiency coal-fueled power generation units in China. PMID:23365532

A modular optically powered floating high voltage generator.

PubMed

Antonini, P; Borsato, E; Carugno, G; Pegoraro, M; Zotto, P

2013-02-01

The feasibility of fully floating high voltage (HV) generation was demonstrated producing a prototype of a modular HV system. The primary power source is provided by a high efficiency semiconductor power cell illuminated by a laser system ensuring the floating nature of each module. The HV is then generated by dc-dc conversion and a HV multiplier. The possibility of series connection among modules was verified.

Study of PMMA materials for a digital optical module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spina, Roberto; Tricarico, Luigi; Berardi, Vincenzo; De Rosa, Gianfranca; Ruggeri, Alan C.; Mastrorilli, Piero

2018-05-01

This work illustrates the material characterization to realize of a prototypal polymeric cover of a Digital Optical Module for the Hyper-Kamiokande neutrino experiment. The cover was made of a high transmittance poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA), used as a glass substitute. The main objective of the present research is to investigate the structural and optical properties of PMMA, evaluating the respect of the project specification.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Zhaoyi; Zhou, You; Qi, Hao

The electron-doping-induced phase transition of a prototypical perovskite SmNiO 3 induces a large and non-volatile optical refractive-index change and has great potential for active-photonic-device applications. Strong optical modulation from the visible to the mid-infrared is demonstrated using thin-film SmNiO 3. Finally, modulation of a narrow band of light is demonstrated in this paper using plasmonic metasurfaces integrated with SmNiO 3.

Retrofitted supersymmetric models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bose, Manatosh

This thesis explores several models of metastable dynamic supersymmetry breaking (MDSB) and a supersymmetric model of hybrid inflation. All of these models possess discrete R-symmetries. We specially focus on the retrofitted models for supersymmetry breaking models. At first we construct retrofitted models of gravity mediation. In these models we explore the genericity of the so-called "split supersymmetry." We show that with the simplest models, where the goldstino multiplet is neutral under the discrete R-symmetry, a split spectrum is not generic. However if the goldstino superfield is charged under some symmetry other than the R-symmetry, then a split spectrum is achievable but not generic. We also present a gravity mediated model where the fine tuning of the Z-boson mass is dictated by a discrete choice rather than a continuous tuning. Then we construct retrofitted models of gauge mediated SUSY breaking. We show that, in these models, if the approximate R-symmetry of the theory is spontaneously broken, the messenger scale is fixed; if explicitly broken by retrofitted couplings, a very small dimensionless number is required; if supergravity corrections are responsible for the symmetry breaking, at least two moderately small couplings are required, and that there is a large range of possible messenger scales. Finally we switch our attention to small field hybrid inflation. We construct a model that yields a spectral index ns = 0.96. Here, we also briefly discuss the possibility of relating the scale of inflation with the dynamics responsible for supersymmetry breaking.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Del Bianco, M.; Wiehagen, J.

This project evaluated the effectiveness and affordability of integrating retrofit insulated panels into a re-siding project. The Partnership for Home Innovation (PHI) teamed with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Albany Housing Authority (AHA), and the New York State Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) administered by Albany Community Action Partnership to demonstrate an energy retrofit and siding upgrade on a two-story, seven unit, multifamily building in Albany New York (CZ 5). The project focused on accomplishing three goals - doubling the existing wall thermal resistance (from approximately R-13 to a weighted average of R-27), reduction of buildingmore » air leakage, and completion of the retrofit within a budget where the additional cost for upgrading wall's thermal resistance is equal to the cost of the standard re-siding effort (i.e., the total cost of the energy efficient re-siding scope of work is not more than double the cost of the standard re-siding effort). Lessons learned from the project strongly indicate that the retrofit panel technology can be installed using common installation practices and with minimal training. Other lessons learned include limitation on the use of standard air sealing materials during cold weather installations and the need to develop better installation guidance for trades working with the level of tolerances that may be present in the existing structure. This technology demonstration showed that exterior retrofit panels provide a viable and reasonable option for the siding trades to increase market opportunities and achieve synergistic benefits for aesthetic upgrades to a building's exterior.« less

A Method to Test Model Calibration Techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Judkoff, Ron; Polly, Ben; Neymark, Joel

This paper describes a method for testing model calibration techniques. Calibration is commonly used in conjunction with energy retrofit audit models. An audit is conducted to gather information about the building needed to assemble an input file for a building energy modeling tool. A calibration technique is used to reconcile model predictions with utility data, and then the 'calibrated model' is used to predict energy savings from a variety of retrofit measures and combinations thereof. Current standards and guidelines such as BPI-2400 and ASHRAE-14 set criteria for 'goodness of fit' and assume that if the criteria are met, then themore » calibration technique is acceptable. While it is logical to use the actual performance data of the building to tune the model, it is not certain that a good fit will result in a model that better predicts post-retrofit energy savings. Therefore, the basic idea here is that the simulation program (intended for use with the calibration technique) is used to generate surrogate utility bill data and retrofit energy savings data against which the calibration technique can be tested. This provides three figures of merit for testing a calibration technique, 1) accuracy of the post-retrofit energy savings prediction, 2) closure on the 'true' input parameter values, and 3) goodness of fit to the utility bill data. The paper will also discuss the pros and cons of using this synthetic surrogate data approach versus trying to use real data sets of actual buildings.« less

A Method to Test Model Calibration Techniques: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Judkoff, Ron; Polly, Ben; Neymark, Joel

This paper describes a method for testing model calibration techniques. Calibration is commonly used in conjunction with energy retrofit audit models. An audit is conducted to gather information about the building needed to assemble an input file for a building energy modeling tool. A calibration technique is used to reconcile model predictions with utility data, and then the 'calibrated model' is used to predict energy savings from a variety of retrofit measures and combinations thereof. Current standards and guidelines such as BPI-2400 and ASHRAE-14 set criteria for 'goodness of fit' and assume that if the criteria are met, then themore » calibration technique is acceptable. While it is logical to use the actual performance data of the building to tune the model, it is not certain that a good fit will result in a model that better predicts post-retrofit energy savings. Therefore, the basic idea here is that the simulation program (intended for use with the calibration technique) is used to generate surrogate utility bill data and retrofit energy savings data against which the calibration technique can be tested. This provides three figures of merit for testing a calibration technique, 1) accuracy of the post-retrofit energy savings prediction, 2) closure on the 'true' input parameter values, and 3) goodness of fit to the utility bill data. The paper will also discuss the pros and cons of using this synthetic surrogate data approach versus trying to use real data sets of actual buildings.« less

Thermal and health outcomes of energy efficiency retrofits of homes of older adults.

PubMed

Ahrentzen, S; Erickson, J; Fonseca, E

2016-08-01

Mitigation of thermal stress and adverse indoor climatic conditions is important to older low-income populations whose age, health, and economic circumstances make them vulnerable to indoor environmental conditions. This research examines whether energy retrofits in affordable housing for older adults can also improve indoor climatic (i.e., temperature, humidity, air infiltration) conditions and whether such improvements correspond with improved health and comfort of residents. An apartment complex for low-income older adults in Phoenix was the study site. In 2010, renovations were undertaken to make it more energy efficient and to replace interior cabinetry, flooring, and paint with materials that had low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Fifty-seven residents from 53 apartment units participated in both baseline (pre-renovation) and 1 year post-renovation data collection trials. Environmental measures included temperature, relative humidity, and air infiltration. Health measures included general health, emotional distress, and sleep. Four questions addressed residents' perceptions of temperature quality. Results demonstrated a 19% reduction in energy consumption following the retrofit. In addition, fixed effects statistical models of the panel data showed significant stabilization of unit temperature from pre-retrofit to 1 year post-retrofit. Reductions in an apartment's temperature extremes of 27.2°C (81°F) and above also corresponded with improvement in occupant's reported health over the same time period, although not with occupant's perceptions of thermal comfort. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of retrofitting emission control systems on in-use heavy diesel vehicles.

PubMed

Millstein, Dev E; Harley, Robert A

2010-07-01

Diesel engines are now the largest source of nitrogen oxides (NO(x)) and fine particulate black carbon (soot) emissions in California. The California Air Resources Board recently adopted a rule requiring that by 2014 all in-use heavy trucks and buses meet current (2007) exhaust particulate matter (PM) emission standards. Also by 2023 all in-use heavy-duty vehicles will have to meet current NO(x) emission standards, with significant progress in achieving the requirements for NO(x) control expected by 2014. This will require retrofit or replacement of older in-use engines. Diesel particle filters (DPF) reduce PM emissions but may increase the NO(2)/NO(x) emission ratio to approximately 35%, compared to approximately 5% typical of diesel engines without particle filters. Additionally, DPF with high oxidative capacity reduce CO and hydrocarbon emissions. We evaluate the effects of retrofitting trucks with DPF on air quality in southern California, using an Eulerian photochemical air quality model. Compared to a 2014 reference scenario without the retrofit program, black carbon concentrations decreased by 12 +/- 2% and 14 +/- 2% during summer and fall, respectively, with corresponding increases in ambient ozone concentrations of 3 +/- 2% and 7 +/- 3%. NO(2) concentrations decreased by 2-4% overall despite the increase in primary NO(2) emissions because total NO(x) emissions were reduced as part of the program to retrofit NO(x) control systems on in-use engines. However, in some cases NO(2) concentrations may increase at locations with high diesel truck traffic.

The application, benefits and challenges of retrofitting the existing buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khairi, Muhammad; Jaapar, Aini; Yahya, Zaharah

2017-11-01

Sustainable development has been the main topic of debate for years in some countries such as United Kingdom, United State of America and Malaysia. Depletion of natural resources, global warming, economics uncertainty and health issues are some of the reasons behind sustainable development movements, it is not just a political debate in the parliament but more towards collective works among sectors in order to minimizing the negative impact of development to the environment and other living organism. Retrofit an existing building is one of the solutions to reduce the dependency on constructing new buildings. There are huge numbers of existing building stocks that suitable to be retrofitted such as historical buildings, offices, residential, warehouse, factories, vacant buildings and other historical buildings. Therefore, the aim of this research is to provide information on the application, benefits and challenges of retrofitting an existing building. Two buildings were chosen as case studies following by site visits and observation to the buildings. The data were then compared in a table form. Primary and secondary sources were also used for this research. The application of retrofit should be promoted across the construction and conservation industries since it has significant tangible and intangible benefits. It is one of the most environmentally friendly and efficient solutions to optimize the energy performance and could also helps to extend the life of the existing building or historical buildings while ensuring optimum thermal comfort for the occupants which leads to higher productivity.

Development of infrared goggles and prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuchimoto, Kouzou; Komatsubara, Shigeyuki; Fujikawa, Masaru; Otsuka, Toshiaki; Kan, Moriyasu; Matsumura, Norihide

2006-05-01

We aimed at developing a hands free type practical wearable thermography which will not hinder walking or working of the person wearing the equipment. We installed a small format camera core module, which was recently developed, into the fire fighter's helmet and incorporated image transmission function over radio to the equipment. We combined this thermography with a see-through type head mount display, and called it "Infrared Goggles". A prototype was developed for verification test of lifesaving support system in fire fighting activities.

System interface for an integrated intelligent safety system (ISS) for vehicle applications.

PubMed

Hannan, Mahammad A; Hussain, Aini; Samad, Salina A

2010-01-01

This paper deals with the interface-relevant activity of a vehicle integrated intelligent safety system (ISS) that includes an airbag deployment decision system (ADDS) and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). A program is developed in LabWindows/CVI, using C for prototype implementation. The prototype is primarily concerned with the interconnection between hardware objects such as a load cell, web camera, accelerometer, TPM tire module and receiver module, DAQ card, CPU card and a touch screen. Several safety subsystems, including image processing, weight sensing and crash detection systems, are integrated, and their outputs are combined to yield intelligent decisions regarding airbag deployment. The integrated safety system also monitors tire pressure and temperature. Testing and experimentation with this ISS suggests that the system is unique, robust, intelligent, and appropriate for in-vehicle applications.

System Interface for an Integrated Intelligent Safety System (ISS) for Vehicle Applications

PubMed Central

Hannan, Mahammad A.; Hussain, Aini; Samad, Salina A.

2010-01-01

This paper deals with the interface-relevant activity of a vehicle integrated intelligent safety system (ISS) that includes an airbag deployment decision system (ADDS) and a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS). A program is developed in LabWindows/CVI, using C for prototype implementation. The prototype is primarily concerned with the interconnection between hardware objects such as a load cell, web camera, accelerometer, TPM tire module and receiver module, DAQ card, CPU card and a touch screen. Several safety subsystems, including image processing, weight sensing and crash detection systems, are integrated, and their outputs are combined to yield intelligent decisions regarding airbag deployment. The integrated safety system also monitors tire pressure and temperature. Testing and experimentation with this ISS suggests that the system is unique, robust, intelligent, and appropriate for in-vehicle applications. PMID:22205861

Design and Testing of a Fast, 50 kV Solid-State Kicker Pulser

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cook, E G; Hickman, B C; Lee, B S

2002-06-24

The ability to extract particle beam bunches from a ring accelerator in arbitrary order can greatly extend an accelerator's capabilities and applications. A prototype solid-state kicker pulser capable of generating asynchronous bursts of 50 kV pulses has been designed and tested into a 50{Omega} load. The pulser features fast rise and fall times and is capable of generating an arbitrary pattern of pulses with a maximum burst frequency exceeding 5 MHz If required, the pulse-width of each pulse in the burst is independently adjustable. This kicker modulator uses multiple solid-state modules stacked in an inductive-adder configuration where the energy ismore » switched into each section of the adder by a parallel array of MOSFETs. Test data, capabilities, and limitations of the prototype pulser are described.« less

Transitioning to Zero Freshwater Withdrawal for Thermoelectric Generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macknick, J.; Tidwell, V. C.; Zemlick, K. M.; Sanchez, J.; Woldeyesus, T.

2013-12-01

The electricity sector is the largest withdrawer of freshwater in the United States. The primary demand for water from the electricity sector is for cooling thermoelectric power plants. Droughts and potential changes in water resources resulting from climate change pose important risks to thermoelectric power production in the United States. Power plants can minimize risk in a variety of ways. One method of reducing risk is to move away from dependency on freshwater resources. Here a scoping level analysis is performed to identify the technical tradeoffs and initial cost estimates for retrofitting all existing steam-powered generation to achieve zero freshwater withdrawal. Specifically, the conversion of existing freshwater-cooled plants to dry cooling or a wet cooling system utilizing non-potable water is considered. The least cost alternative is determined for each of the 1,178 freshwater using power plants in the United States. The use of non-potable water resources, such as municipal wastewater and shallow brackish groundwater, is considered based on the availability and proximity of those resources to the power plant, as well as the costs to transport and treat those resources to an acceptable level. The projected increase in levelized cost of electricity due to power plant retrofits ranges roughly from 0.20 to 20/MWh with a median value of 3.53/MWh. With a wholesale price of electricity running about 35/MWh, many retrofits could be accomplished at levels that would add less than 10% to current power plant generation expenses. Such retrofits could alleviate power plant vulnerabilities to thermal discharge limits in times of drought (particularly in the East) and would save 3.2 Mm3/d of freshwater consumption in watersheds with limited water availability (principally in the West). The estimated impact of retrofits on wastewater and brackish water supply is minimal requiring only a fraction of the available resource. Total parasitic energy requirements to achieve zero freshwater withdrawal are estimated at 140 million MWh or roughly 4.5% of the initial production from the retrofitted plants.

Social Housing Policies and Best Practice Review for Retrofit Action - Case Studies from Parma (IT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gherri, Barbara; Cavagliano, Chiara; Orsi, Samuele

2017-10-01

The paper aims at investigating the most suitable Energy Saving Measures -ESMs- for the retrofitting of Social Housing Stock -SHS- in Europe. A global awareness has been increasing, as well as education and training among architects and building sectors employees, in order to identify tailored financing schemes and advanced integrated retrofitting solutions. Several European financed programmes have been tested so far and the results are here summarized and deeply investigated in order to increase the energy performance of social housing buildings, to improve knowledge of problems associated with the retrofitting of these households, in order to provide the most appropriate solutions to be applied. Afterward, the best practices selected have been applied to some study cases in Italy, to demonstrate that the large variety of SH programmes in Europe can seriously be used, promoting the best practises’ application. A lot of theoretical and analytical work has been carried out by many European projects in the last decade, defining different approaches according to typologies of social housing buildings, focusing on national or regional regulation, on existing typologies and building techniques, on retrofitting solutions, on energy saving strategies and other managing approaches and energy saving devices. Due to the high participation of social housing organisations -SHO- and related European financed programmes, this academic research is focused on the most effective ESMs in order to encompass a large variety of needs and related solutions, even though some of them are still on course and other ones have already been completed. This research clearly demonstrates the valuable contribution these kinds of programme have in exchanging and sharing of knowledge and experience in the field of retrofit of Social Housing building across Europe, in order to primary improve the energy performance of the existing building stock and the quality of life of their inhabitants.

Flexible digital modulation and coding synthesis for satellite communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanderaar, Mark; Budinger, James; Hoerig, Craig; Tague, John

1991-01-01

An architecture and a hardware prototype of a flexible trellis modem/codec (FTMC) transmitter are presented. The theory of operation is built upon a pragmatic approach to trellis-coded modulation that emphasizes power and spectral efficiency. The system incorporates programmable modulation formats, variations of trellis-coding, digital baseband pulse-shaping, and digital channel precompensation. The modulation formats examined include (uncoded and coded) binary phase shift keying (BPSK), quatenary phase shift keying (QPSK), octal phase shift keying (8PSK), 16-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (16-QAM), and quadrature quadrature phase shift keying (Q squared PSK) at programmable rates up to 20 megabits per second (Mbps). The FTMC is part of the developing test bed to quantify modulation and coding concepts.

Experimental study on the particulate matter and nitrogenous compounds from diesel engine retrofitted with DOC+CDPF+SCR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yunhua; Lou, Diming; Tan, Piqiang; Hu, Zhiyuan

2018-03-01

The increasingly stringent emission regulations will mandate the retrofit of after-treatment devices for in-use diesel vehicles, in order to reduce their substantial particulate matter and nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions. In this paper, a combination of DOC (diesel oxidation catalyst), CDPF (catalytic diesel particulate filter) and SCR (selective catalytic reduction) retrofit for a heavy-duty diesel engine was employed to perform experiment on the engine test bench to evaluate the effects on the particulate matter emissions including particle number (PN), particle mass (PM), particle size distributions and nitrogenous compounds emissions including NOX, nitrogen dioxide (NO2)/NOX, nitrous oxide (N2O) and ammonia (NH3) slip. In addition, the urea injection was also of our concern. The results showed that the DOC+CDPF+SCR retrofit almost had no adverse effect on the engine power and fuel consumption. Under the test loads, the upstream DOC and CDPF reduced the PN and PM by an average of 91.6% and 90.9%, respectively. While the downstream SCR brought about an average decrease of 85% NOX. Both PM and NOX emission factors based on this retrofit were lower than China-Ⅳ limits (ESC), and even lower than China-Ⅴ limits (ESC) at medium and high loads. The DOC and CDPF changed the particle size distributions, leading to the increase in the proportion of accumulation mode particles and the decrease in the percentage of nuclear mode particles. This indicates that the effect of DOC and CDPF on nuclear mode particles was better than that of accumulation mode ones. The upstream DOC could increase the NO2/NOX ratio to 40%, higher NO2/NOX ratio improved the efficiency of CDPF and SCR. Besides, the N2O emission increased by an average of 2.58 times after the retrofit and NH3 slip occurred with the average of 26.7 ppm. The rate of urea injection was roughly equal to 8% of the fuel consumption rate. The DOC+CDPF+SCR retrofit was proved a feasible and effective measurement in terms of reducing particulate emissions and NOX simultaneously for in-use engine. However, it also resulted in higher N2O emission, NH3 slip as well as urea injecting strategy problem which should be of further concern.

Retrofit of hollow concrete masonry infilled steel frames using glass fiber reinforced plastic laminates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakam, Zeyad Hamed-Ramzy

2000-11-01

This study focuses on the retrofit of hollow concrete masonry infilled steel frames subjected to in-plane lateral loads using glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) laminates that are epoxy-bonded to the exterior faces of the infill walls. An extensive experimental investigation using one-third scale modeling was conducted and consisted of two phases. In the first phase, 64 assemblages, half of which were retrofitted, were tested under various combined in-plane loading conditions similar to those which different regions of a typical infill wall are subjected to. In the second phase, one bare and four masonry-infilled steel frames representative of a typical single-story, single-bay panel were tested under diagonal loading to study the overall behavior and the infill-frame interaction. The relative infill-to-frame stiffness was varied as a test parameter by using two different steel frame sections. The laminates altered the failure modes of the masonry assemblages and reduced the variability and anisotropic nature of the masonry. For the prisms which failed due to shear and/or mortar joint slip, significant strength increases were observed. For those exhibiting compression failure modes, a marginal increase in strength resulted. Retrofitting the infilled frames resulted in an average increase in initial stiffness of two-fold compared to the unretrofitted infilled frames, and seemed independent of the relative infill-to-frame stiffness. However, the increase in the load-carrying capacity of the retrofitted frames compared to the unretrofitted counterparts was higher for those with the larger relative infill-to-frame stiffness parameter. Unlike the unretrofitted infill walls, the retrofitted panels demonstrated almost identical failure modes that were characterized as "strictly comer crushing" in the vicinity of the loaded comers whereas no signs of distress were evident throughout the remainder of the infill. The laminates also maintained the structural integrity of the infill and prevented collapse and debris fallout even at severe loading stages. A finite element macromodel was proposed for the analysis of the GFRP-retrofitted masonry infilled frames. The infill panel was replaced with a nonlinear, compression-only, diagonal strut. This model was verified using the experimental results of the infilled frame testing and is characterized by its ease of application and accuracy.

Retrofit California Overview and Final Reports

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choy, Howard; Rosales, Ana

Energy efficiency retrofits (also called upgrades) are widely recognized as a critical component to achieving energy savings in the building sector to help lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To date, however, upgrades have accounted for only a small percentage of aggregate energy savings in building stock, both in California and nationally. Although the measures and technologies to retrofit a building to become energy efficient are readily deployed, establishing this model as a standard practice remains elusive. Retrofit California sought to develop and test new program models to increase participation in the energy upgrade market in California. The Program encompassed 24more » pilot projects, conducted between 2010 and mid-2013 and funded through a $30 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Better Buildings Neighborhood Program (BBNP). The broad scope of the Program can be seen in the involvement of the following regionally based Grant Partners: Los Angeles County (as prime grantee); Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), consisting of: o StopWaste.org for Alameda County o Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA) for Sonoma County o SF Environment for the City and County of San Francisco o City of San Jose; California Center for Sustainable Energy (CCSE) for the San Diego region; Sacramento Municipal Utilities District (SMUD). Within these jurisdictions, nine different types of pilots were tested with the common goal of identifying, informing, and educating the people most likely to undertake energy upgrades (both homeowners and contractors), and to provide them with incentives and resources to facilitate the process. Despite its limited duration, Retrofit California undoubtedly succeeded in increasing awareness and education among home and property owners, as well as contractors, realtors, and community leaders. However, program results indicate that a longer timeframe will be needed to transform the market and establish energy retrofits as the new paradigm. Innovations such as Flex Path, which came about because of barriers encountered during the Program, have already shown promise and are enabling increased participation. Together, the pilots represent an unprecedented effort to identify and address market barriers to energy efficiency upgrades and to provide lessons learned to shape future program planning and implementation. The statistics reflects the scope of the marketing and outreach campaigns, which tested a variety of approaches to increase understanding of the benefits of energy upgrades to drive participation in the Program. More traditional methods such as TV and radio advertisements were complimented by innovative community based social marketing campaigns that sought to leverage the trusted status of neighborhood organizations and leaders in order to motivate their constituents to undertake retrofits. The remainder of this report provides an overview of Retrofit California including brief summaries of the pilots’ main components and highlights, followed by the major findings or takeaway lessons from the approaches that were tested. Eleven of the pilots will be continued, with modifications, under the ratepayer-funded Regional Energy Networks. Involvement in the RENS by many of the Retrofit California partners will ensure that early lessons learned are carried forward to guide future programs for energy upgrades in California.« less

Dimmable electronic ballasts by variable power density modulation technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borekci, Selim; Kesler, Selami

2014-11-01

Dimming can be accomplished commonly by switching frequency and pulse density modulation techniques and a variable inductor. In this study, a variable power density modulation (VPDM) control technique is proposed for dimming applications. A fluorescent lamp is operated in several states to meet the desired lamp power in a modulation period. The proposed technique has the same advantages of magnetic dimming topologies have. In addition, a unique and flexible control technique can be achieved. A prototype dimmable electronic ballast is built and experiments related to it have been conducted. As a result, a 36WT8 fluorescent lamp can be driven for a desired lamp power from several alternatives without modulating the switching frequency.

Integration of Ancillary Data for Improved Clinical Use: A Prototype within the VA's DHCP

PubMed Central

Andrews, Robert D.

1989-01-01

The Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Decentralized Hospital Computer Program (DHCP) is composed of several clinical modules that provide for the clinical information needs of their respective ancillary services. Using information from multiple ancillary packages is sometimes cumbersome. A prototype is being developed aimed at integrating ancillary data by storing clinical data oriented to the patient so that there is easy interaction of data from multiple services. A set of program utilities provide for user-defined functions of reporting, queries, entry, and decision support. Information can be used to monitor quality of care by providing feedback in the form of reports, reminders, and bulletins. Initial testing has indicated the prototype's design and implementation are feasible (in terms of space requirements, speed, and ease of use) in both outpatient and inpatient environments. The design and development of this prototype are described.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rice, C Keith; Uselton, Robert B.; Shen, Bo

A residential-sized dual air-source integrated heat pump (AS-IHP) concept is under development in partnership between ORNL and a manufacturer. The concept design consists of a two-stage air-source heat pump (ASHP) coupled on the air distribution side with a separate novel water heating/dehumidification (WH/DH) module. The motivation for this unusual equipment combination is the forecast trend for home sensible loads to be reduced more than latent loads. Integration of water heating with a space dehumidification cycle addresses humidity control while performing double-duty. This approach can be applied to retrofit/upgrade applications as well as new construction. A WH/DH module capable of ~1.47more » L/h water removal and ~2 kW water heating capacity was assembled by the manufacturer. A heat pump system model was used to guide the controls design; lab testing was conducted and used to calibrate the models. Performance maps were generated and used in a TRNSYS sub-hourly simulation to predict annual performance in a well-insulated house. Annual HVAC/WH energy savings of ~35% are predicted in cold and hot-humid U.S. climates compared to a minimum efficiency baseline.« less

A prototype automatic phase compensation module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Terry, John D.

1992-01-01

The growing demands for high gain and accurate satellite communication systems will necessitate the utilization of large reflector systems. One area of concern of reflector based satellite communication is large scale surface deformations due to thermal effects. These distortions, when present, can degrade the performance of the reflector system appreciable. This performance degradation is manifested by a decrease in peak gain, and increase in sidelobe level, and pointing errors. It is essential to compensate for these distortion effects and to maintain the required system performance in the operating space environment. For this reason the development of a technique to offset the degradation effects is highly desirable. Currently, most research is direct at developing better material for the reflector. These materials have a lower coefficient of linear expansion thereby reducing the surface errors. Alternatively, one can minimize the distortion effects of these large scale errors by adaptive phased array compensation. Adaptive phased array techniques have been studied extensively at NASA and elsewhere. Presented in this paper is a prototype automatic phase compensation module designed and built at NASA Lewis Research Center which is the first stage of development for an adaptive array compensation module.

Development of a 3D CZT detector prototype for Laue Lens telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caroli, Ezio; Auricchio, Natalia; Del Sordo, Stefano; Abbene, Leonardo; Budtz-Jørgensen, Carl; Casini, Fabio; Curado da Silva, Rui M.; Kuvvetlli, Irfan; Milano, Luciano; Natalucci, Lorenzo; Quadrini, Egidio M.; Stephen, John B.; Ubertini, Pietro; Zanichelli, Massimiliano; Zappettini, Andrea

2010-07-01

We report on the development of a 3D position sensitive prototype suitable as focal plane detector for Laue lens telescope. The basic sensitive unit is a drift strip detector based on a CZT crystal, (~19×8 mm2 area, 2.4 mm thick), irradiated transversally to the electric field direction. The anode side is segmented in 64 strips, that divide the crystal in 8 independent sensor (pixel), each composed by one collecting strip and 7 (one in common) adjacent drift strips. The drift strips are biased by a voltage divider, whereas the anode strips are held at ground. Furthermore, the cathode is divided in 4 horizontal strips for the reconstruction of the third interaction position coordinate. The 3D prototype will be made by packing 8 linear modules, each composed by one basic sensitive unit, bonded on a ceramic layer. The linear modules readout is provided by a custom front end electronics implementing a set of three RENA-3 for a total of 128 channels. The front-end electronics and the operating logics (in particular coincidence logics for polarisation measurements) are handled by a versatile and modular multi-parametric back end electronics developed using FPGA technology.

Vibrational characteristics of a superconducting magnetic bearing employed for a prototype polarization modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakurai, Yuki; Matsumura, Tomotake; Sugai, Hajime; Katayama, Nobuhiko; Ohsaki, Hiroyuki; Terao, Yutaka; Terachi, Yusuke; Kataza, Hirokazu; Utsunomiya, Shin; Yamamoto, Ryo

2017-07-01

We present the vibrational characteristics of a levitating rotor in a superconducting magnetic bearing (SMB) system operating at below 10 K. We develop a polarization modulator that requires a continuously rotating optical element, called half-wave plate (HWP), for a cosmic microwave background polarization experiment. The HWP has to operate at the temperature below 10 K, and thus an SMB provides a smooth rotation of the HWP at the cryogenic temperature of about 10 K with minimal heat dissipation. In order to understand the potential interference to the cosmological observations due to the vibration of the HWP, it is essential to characterize the vibrational properties of the levitating rotor of the SMB. We constructed a prototype model that consists of an SMB with an array of high temperature superconductors, YBCO, and a permanent magnet ring, NdFeB. The rotor position is monitored by a laser displacement gauge, and a cryogenic Hall sensor via the magnetic field. In this presentation, we present the measurement results of the vibration characteristics using our prototype SMB system. We characterize the vibrational properties as the spring constant and the damping, and discuss the projected performance of this technology toward the use in future space missions.

Translating expert system rules into Ada code with validation and verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becker, Lee; Duckworth, R. James; Green, Peter; Michalson, Bill; Gosselin, Dave; Nainani, Krishan; Pease, Adam

1991-01-01

The purpose of this ongoing research and development program is to develop software tools which enable the rapid development, upgrading, and maintenance of embedded real-time artificial intelligence systems. The goals of this phase of the research were to investigate the feasibility of developing software tools which automatically translate expert system rules into Ada code and develop methods for performing validation and verification testing of the resultant expert system. A prototype system was demonstrated which automatically translated rules from an Air Force expert system was demonstrated which detected errors in the execution of the resultant system. The method and prototype tools for converting AI representations into Ada code by converting the rules into Ada code modules and then linking them with an Activation Framework based run-time environment to form an executable load module are discussed. This method is based upon the use of Evidence Flow Graphs which are a data flow representation for intelligent systems. The development of prototype test generation and evaluation software which was used to test the resultant code is discussed. This testing was performed automatically using Monte-Carlo techniques based upon a constraint based description of the required performance for the system.

Mu2e transport solenoid prototype design and manufacturing

DOE PAGES

Fabbricatore, P.; Ambrosio, G.; Cheban, S.; ...

2016-02-08

The Mu2e Transport Solenoid consists of 52 coils arranged in 27 coil modules that form the S-shaped cold mass. Each coil is wound from Al-stabilized NbTi superconductor. The coils are supported by an external structural aluminum shell machined from a forged billet. Most of the coil modules house two coils, with the axis of each coil oriented at an angle of approximately 5° with respect to each other. The coils are indirectly cooled with LHe circulating in tubes welded on the shell. In order to enhance the cooling capacity, pure aluminum sheets connect the inner bore of the coils tomore » the cooling tubes. The coils are placed inside the shell by the means of a shrink-fit procedure. A full-size prototype, with all the features of the full assembly, was successfully manufactured in a collaboration between INFN Genova and Fermilab. In order to ensure an optimal mechanical prestress at the coil-shell interface, the coils are inserted into the shell through a shrink-fitting process. We present the details of the prototype with the design choices as validated by the structural analysis. In conclusion, the fabrication steps are described as well.« less

A prototype scintillating-fibre tracker for the cosmic-ray muon tomography of legacy nuclear waste containers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahon, D. F.; Clarkson, A.; Hamilton, D. J.; Hoek, M.; Ireland, D. G.; Johnstone, J. R.; Kaiser, R.; Keri, T.; Lumsden, S.; McKinnon, B.; Murray, M.; Nutbeam-Tuffs, S.; Shearer, C.; Staines, C.; Yang, G.; Zimmerman, C.

2013-12-01

Cosmic-ray muons are highly penetrative charged particles observed at sea level with a flux of approximately 1 cm-2 min-1. They interact with matter primarily through Coulomb scattering which can be exploited in muon tomography to image objects within industrial nuclear waste containers. A prototype scintillating-fibre detector has been developed for this application, consisting of two tracking modules above and below the volume to be assayed. Each module comprises two orthogonal planes of 2 mm fibres. The modular configuration allows the reconstruction of the initial and scattered muon trajectories which enable the container content, with respect to atomic number Z, to be determined. Fibre signals are read out by Hamamatsu H8500 MAPMTs with two fibres coupled to each pixel via dedicated pairing schemes developed to avoid space point ambiguities and retain the high spatial resolution of the fibres. A likelihood-based image reconstruction algorithm was developed and tested using a GEANT4 simulation of the prototype system. Images reconstructed from this simulation are presented in comparison with experimental results taken with test objects. These results verify the simulation and show discrimination between the low, medium and high-Z materials imaged.

Detector evaluation of a prototype amorphous selenium-based full field digital mammography system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jesneck, Jonathan L.; Saunders, Robert S.; Samei, Ehsan; Xia, Jessie Q.; Lo, Joseph Y.

2005-04-01

This study evaluated the physical performance of a selenium-based direct full-field digital mammography prototype detector (Siemens Mammomat NovationDR), including the pixel value vs. exposure linearity, the modulation transfer function (MTF), the normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS), and the detective quantum efficiency (DQE). The current detector is the same model which received an approvable letter from FDA for release to the US market. The results of the current prototype are compared to those of an earlier prototype. Two IEC standard beam qualities (RQA-M2: Mo/Mo, 28 kVp, 2 mm Al; RQA-M4: Mo/Mo, 35 kVp, 2 mm Al) and two additional beam qualities (MW2: W/Rh, 28 kVp, 2 mm Al; MW4: W/Rh, 35 kVp, 2 mm Al) were investigated. To calculate the modulation transfer function (MTF), a 0.1 mm Pt-Ir edge was imaged at each beam quality. Detector pixel values responded linearly against exposure values (R2 0.999). As before, above 6 cycles/mm Mo/Mo MTF was slightly higher along the chest-nipple axis compared to the left-right axis. MTF was comparable to the previously reported prototype, with slightly reduced resolution. The DQE peaks ranged from 0.71 for 3.31 μC/kg (12.83 mR) to 0.4 for 0.48 μC/kg (1.86 mR) at 1.75 cycles/mm for Mo/Mo at 28 kVp. The DQE range for W/Rh at 28 kVP was 0.81 at 2.03 μC/kg (7.87 mR) to 0.50 at 0.50 μC/kg (1.94 mR) at 1 cycle/mm. NNPS tended to increase with greater exposures, while all exposures had a significant low-frequency component. Bloom and detector edge artifacts observed previously were no longer present in this prototype. The new detector shows marked noise improvement, with slightly reduced resolution. There remain artifacts due to imperfect gain calibration, but at a reduced magnitude compared to a prototype detector.

75 FR 69112 - Federal Housing Administration (FHA): Notice of FHA PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-10

... household and the path of energy prices. Costs. The cost of receiving the energy-savings is the upfront... Administration (FHA): Notice of FHA PowerSaver Home Energy Retrofit Loan Pilot Program: Request for Comments and..., HUD. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: This notice announces HUD's proposal to conduct an FHA Home Energy...

Commercial Refrigeration: Heat Transfer Optimization and Energy Reduction, Measurement and Verification of a Liquid Refrigerant Pump System Retrofit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gaul, Chris; Sheppy, Michael

This study describes the test results of a Refrigerant Pump System integrated into a commercial supermarket direct expansion (DX) vapor compression refrigeration system. The Liquid Refrigerant Pump System retrofit (patent-pending; application number 13/964,198) was introduced to NREL in August 2014 by CTA Architects Engineers.

Stanford University: The Building Energy Retrofit Programs. Green Revolving Funds in Action: Case Study Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flynn, Emily

2011-01-01

Stanford University's Energy Retrofit Program was created in 1993 to target resource reduction and conservation focused projects on campus. Fahmida Ahmed, Associate Director of the Department of Sustainability and Energy Management, says that Stanford has been investing in sustainability and energy-efficiency since the late 1970s, longer than many…

49 CFR 214.517 - Retrofitting of existing on-track roadway maintenance machines manufactured on or after January 1...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... maintenance machines manufactured on or after January 1, 1991. 214.517 Section 214.517 Transportation Other... TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD WORKPLACE SAFETY On-Track Roadway Maintenance Machines and Hi-Rail Vehicles § 214.517 Retrofitting of existing on-track roadway maintenance machines manufactured on or after January 1, 1991. In...

Energy Efficient Florida Educational Facilities: Phase VI. Progress Report: Phase I and II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callahan, Michael P.; Parker, Danny S.

A Florida study examined differences in energy uses in two adjacent portable classrooms to determine if these types of facilities can be made more energy efficient through retrofitting. Retrofitting included an efficient lighting system, new air conditioners, and reflective white metal roofs. Data show the white metal roofing reduced roof,…

Airflow Resistance of Loose-Fill Mineral Fiber Insulations in Retrofit Applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schumacher, C. J.; Fox, M. J.; Lstiburek, J.

2015-02-01

This report expands on Building America Report 1109 by applying the experimental apparatus and test method to dense-pack retrofit applications using mineral fiber insulation materials. Three (3) fiber glass insulation materials and one (1) stone wool insulation material were tested, and the results compared to the cellulose results from the previous study.

Measure Guideline. Wall Air Sealing and Insulation Methods in Existing Homes; An Overview of Opportunity and Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roberts, S.; Stephenson, R.

2012-09-01

This guide provides renovators and retrofit contractors an overview of considerations when including wall air sealing and insulation in an energy retrofit project. It also outlines the potential project risks, various materials for insulating, possible field inspections needed, installation procedures, as well as the benefits and drawbacks.

77 FR 52619 - Make Inoperative Exemptions; Retrofit On-Off Switches for Air Bags

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-30

... improved frontal crash protection for all occupants, by means that include advanced air bag technology. In... of advanced air bag technology and the retrofit switch brochures and forms that were included in Part.... We will also reexamine the at-risk groups in light of advanced air bag technology, the brochures and...

Retrofit and acceptance test of 30-cm ion thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poeschel, R. L.

1981-01-01

Six 30 cm mercury thrusters were modified to the J-series design and evaluated using standardized test procedures. The thruster performance meets the design objectives (lifetime objective requires verification), and documentation (drawings, etc.) for the design is completed and upgraded. The retrofit modifications are described and the test data for the modifications are presented and discussed.

The Energy Retrofit of a Building: A Journey Through Bloom's Learning Domains

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morgenstern, Mark; Meyer, Sally; Whitten, Barbara; Reuer, Matt

2008-01-01

At Colorado College, the energy retrofit of a building is used as a service-learning research project to teach physics and chemistry in a variety of courses. In introductory courses for nonscience majors, the project helps students appreciate the scientific method and quantitative reasoning. Within the physical-chemistry course, students see that…