Faculty Publications (Scholarly Results)
This is a list of the faculty staff’s knowledge-creation and scholarly output, including peer-reviewed research. Click on blue hyperlink for full-text, or elsewhere in the grey box to view abstract. The padlock symbol indicates Open Access.
2024 ▼
Moon K. KIM, Bart CREMERS, Nuodi FU, Jiying LIU (2024) “Predictive and correlational analysis of heating energy consumption in four residential apartments with sensitivity analysis using long Short-Term memory and Generalized regression neural network models”🔓. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, Vol.71 …
Abstract: Highlights:
• Evaluated heating energy predictions using LSTM and GRNN for four residential units.
• Solar irradiance and CO2 levels had the biggest impact on heating energy usage.
• Introduced analysis of settings, behavior, and energy use to improve efficiency.
• This study conducted an impact factor analysis on the seven input parameters. Abstract:
The aim of this study is to explore several approaches to analyze how local weather conditions, indoor CO2 levels, and façade opening ratios affect the heating energy usage of a residential structure. To achieve this, the study uses two techniques: long short-term memory and Generalized Regression Neural Network methods. By applying these methods, the study suggests methods to predict the impact factors and evaluate the strength of their correlation with the actual heating energy consumed by the building. The study used both LSTM and GRNN algorithms to forecast the performance of heating energy usages in residential buildings using mechanical and natural ventilation systems. The results described that both models had low average error rates, ranging from 3.36% to 6.12%. However, the LSTM model had a better correlation with measured data. The examination of impact factor indicated that outside thermal and humidity factor had the most primarily influences for heating energy usage, while other environmental factors also significantly affected the residential building’s performance. Solar irradiance, wind velocity, and façade opening ratio had limitations in influencing heating performance because occupants may find it challenging to adjust ventilation rates in extreme weather conditions. Additionally, these factors could not affect heating energy consumption independently.
Permalink: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2024.103976
Hakan Ibrahim TOL, Habtamu B. MADESSA (2024) “Return-Temperature Reduction at District Heating Systems: Focus on End-User Sites”🔓. Energies …
Abstract: This review presents a comprehensive examination of recent advancements and findings related to return-temperature reduction in District Heating (DH) systems, with a focus on enhancing overall system efficiency at end-user sites. The review categorizes and clarifies various return-temperature reduction techniques, emphasizing aspects such as building energy performance, heat emitters, thermostatic radiator valves, and substation units. One shall note that return temperature is not a parameter that can be directly controlled within a DH system; instead, it is influenced indirectly by adjusting various system parameters throughout the design, commissioning, operation, and control phases. Key insights include the direct impact of heat demand on return temperatures; the pivotal role of indoor heating systems in optimizing thermal energy use in relation to heat demand; the significance of thermostatic radiator valves in regulating heat output and maintaining low return temperatures; the advantages of ventilation radiators and add-on fans in enhancing radiator efficiency; the necessity for effective substation operation to improve system cooling capacity; and the critical role of operational control strategies in achieving optimal system performance. These findings underscore the need for integrated approaches in DH system design and operation to achieve lower return temperatures and improve overall system efficiency.
Permalink: https://doi.org/10.3390/en17194901
Mehrdad RABANI, Coelho GUILHERME, Jonas Petersen ARNKELL (2024) “Enhancing Climate Resilience in Mixed-Mode Buildings: A Study of Hybrid Ventilation Strategies in a Cold Climate”🔓. In proceedings of The 1st International Conference on Net-Zero Built Environment, Springer, ISBN 978-3-031-69625-1
Abstract available via the hyperlink above
Mehrdad RABANI, Arnkell Jonas PETERSEN, Christian STENENG, Simon UTSTØL, Haakon HALLA (2024) “Hybrid Ventilation Systems for Reduced Lifetime Emissions in Cold Climates”🔓. E3S Web of Conferences …
Abstract: Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems are notable sources of emissions in buildings. In cold climates, mechanical ventilation systems are characterized by significant initial embodied emissions but benefit from reduced operational emissions related to heating energy. On the other hand, natural ventilation systems have the advantage of lower initial embodied emissions but will use more heating energy, in cold climates, for the same atmospheric quality, due to the general lack of efficient heat recovery solutions. Hybrid ventilation systems are hybrids of these, using a combination of driving forces. This study utilized a life cycle assessment (LCA) to compare lifetime emissions of hybrid and mechanical ventilation systems in a Nordic climate. Findings suggest that hybrid ventilation systems can yield lower lifetime emissions, provided upfront emissions are reduced without significantly increasing energy consumption. Reduction potential in upfront emissions is more substantial in open landscape offices than classrooms due to higher person density in classrooms necessitating more fresh air, limiting reductions that can be achieved without thermal discomfort during the winter season. Our study shows the feasibility of reducing the carbon footprint of ventilation systems by employing hybrid climatization strategies.
Permalink: https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202456202002
Zhen LIU, Xiangyuan ZHU, Jiying LIU, Moon K. KIM, Wei JIANG (2024) “A Numerical Investigation of the Influence of Diffuser Vane Height on Hydraulic Loss in the Volute for a Centrifugal Water Supply Pump”🔓. Buildings, Vol.14 (no.8) …
Abstract: The energy efficiency of water supply systems in high-rise residential buildings has become a significant concern for sustainable development in recent times. This work presents a numerical investigation on the influence of diffuser vane height on flow variation and hydraulic loss in the volute for a water supply centrifugal pump. Experiments and numerical simulations were conducted with four different vane height ratios. The numerical results were validated against experimental data. The hydraulic losses of different flow components were numerically evaluated at varying guide vane blade heights. The changes in flow patterns within the volute and the resulting discrepancies in hydraulic losses due to variations in the inlet flow conditions at different blade heights were studied. The findings indicate that the total pressure drop within the volute is affected significantly. Compared to traditional guide vanes, the reduced height vanes can reduce the hydraulic loss in the volute by nearly 75%. Once the vane height is reduced, the high-pressure gradient is improved, and the small-scale vortex vanishes. The influence area of the large-scale vortex in the volute outlet pipe decreases, leading to a weakening of the deflection of the main flow and ultimately resulting in reduced hydraulic loss.
Permalink: https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14082296
Mengying CUI, Baisong NING, Xiaozhou WU, Moon K. KIM, Bin YANG, Zhe TIAN, Jiying LIU (2024) “The development of radiant floor cooling system (RFCS): System type, control strategy, and application”🔓. Results in Engineering (RINENG), Vol.23 (no.102544) …
Abstract: Highlights:
• The structure and types of radiant floor system are presented.
• The control methods and evaluation indices are reviewed.
• Application of radiant floor cooling system is summarized.
• The suggestions for future researches in RFCS are proposed.
Abstract:
The utilization of radiant floor systems is one effective method to address the increasing cooling demand. The radiant floor cooling system (RFCS) has self-regulating capabilities, which benefit grid stability and the use of renewable energy. The application performance of RFCS is based on system design and intelligent control, as systems with high thermal inertia make it difficult to provide ideal indoor response effects. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the current development status of RFCSs and evaluate future development directions based on relevant research trends. A comprehensive overview of the radiant floor structure and the composition of RFCS were provided. The type of radiant floor structures can bring greater possibilities for the application of RFCS. Then, system control and evaluation are analyzed, with research on anti-condensation of radiant floors mainly focused on system and environmental control. Based on application status of the RFCS, the impact of various factors is discussed, including condensation risks, and climate change. Resistance to disturbances not only requires implementing control measures but also integrating with the building environment. There is still great potential for the hardware design and multi-directional integration of RFCS. The results of this review help relevant researchers gain a comprehensive understanding of the current development status and prospects of RFCS contributing to the decarbonization of the construction industry.
Permalink: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2024.102544
Erling HOLDEN, Jacob Joseph LAMB, Andres OLIVARES, Habtamu B. MADESSA (2024) “Fornybar Energi” [Language NB]. Universitetsforlaget, ISBN 9788215065656 …
Abstract: Vår moderne verden har et enormt behov for tilgang på energi i form av elektrisitet, varme og drivstoff. Fossile energikilder, som har dominert til nå, er ikke bare skadelige for miljø og klima, de tar også slutt en gang. Derfor er fornybar energi veien fremover, men er det helt uten ulemper og utfordringer?
I denne læreboka får du en grunnleggende innføring i energisystemets oppbygning, og en forståelse av de fysiske størrelsene og prinsippene som ligger til grunn for utvinning av energi fra ulike kilder. Hva innebærer det i praksis når vi skal gå fra fossilsamfunnet til fornybarsamfunnet?
Egne kapitler er viet innføring i de fornybare energikildene vannkraft, vindkraft, bioenergi, solenergi, geotermisk energi og havenergi. Her går forfatterne inn på alt fra produksjon, bruk og potensiale nasjonalt og globalt, til hvordan du regner på effekt og energiproduksjon. Alle kapitlene har (regne)oppgaver med fasit.
Læreboka er skrevet for ingeniørstudenter og andre studenter som har valgt en utdanning der fornybar energi inngår.
Kaiyue LI, Jingyu RAN, Moon K. KIM, Zhe TIAN, Jiying LIU (2024) “Optimizing long-term park-level integrated energy system through multi-stage planning: A study incorporating the ladder-type carbon trading mechanism”🔓. Results in Engineering (RINENG), Vol.22 …
Abstract: The integrated energy system is widely acknowledged as an effective method for advancing the adoption of renewable energy sources and reducing carbon emissions. To address economic issues caused by the inconsistency between traditional single-stage planning capacities of the park-level integrated energy system (PIES), the long-term planning model is proposed, which consists of multi-stage divisions and incorporates the ladder-type carbon trading mechanism. The model utilizes the long-term, multi-stage planning approach to determine the optimal installed capacity of equipment. Meanwhile, the ladder-type carbon trading mechanism is conducted considering the relationship between actual carbon emissions, carbon emission quotas, and carbon trading cost. The study assesses the impact of carbon trading mechanisms and various planning stage divisions on the economic feasibility of the PIES and its ability to reduce carbon emissions. The results indicate that compared to fixed carbon price trading strategies, the implementation of ladder-type carbon trading increases costs by 0.15 %–0.18 %, but reduces carbon emissions by 0.36 %–0.6 %; as the number of planning stages increases, carbon emissions significantly decrease, and lifecycle costs also significantly decrease. Compared to traditional single-stage planning, carbon emissions decrease by 14.6 % and lifecycle costs decrease by 15.17 % at number of planning stage K = 15; when the baseline price is set at 0.5 yuan/kg and the price growth rate is 0.5, the optimal values of carbon emissions and carbon trading cost are achieved. In conclusion, this study serves as references for the strategic implementations of PIES, emphasizing the importance of economic efficiency and low-carbon practices in line with the system’s long-term development and sustainability objectives.
Permalink: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2024.102107
Moon K. KIM, Jiying LIU, Luca BALDINI (2024) “Numerical analysis, design and application of a decentralized ventilation system with a heat recovery unit adapting to Nordic climates: A case study in Norway”🔓. Energy Reports, Vol.11, p.3863-3875 …
Abstract: This research investigated the energy efficiency of decentralized ventilation (DV) systems in cold weather conditions in comparison to centralized ventilation (CV) systems, focusing on three locations in Norway. The study found that DV systems with higher heat recovery unit (HRU) efficiency consumed less thermal and fan energy due to shorter air distribution pathways, utilizing a hybrid natural ventilation strategy in mild climates, and simpler space zoning for ventilation. This study proposes to determine a suitable ventilation system for adapting to cold climate. These methodologies are presented in three major parts: 1) ventilation energy demands of DV and CV systems in Norway, 2) performance of the heat recovery unit in the DV system, and 3) numerical analysis of the total ventilation energy demand of the DV system in cold climates using occupant ratio and existing measured data.The results showed specific time periods when it is ideal to use a fan-assisted NV system in cold climates, and in local conditions, 4–20% per year could benefit from a fan-assisted NV system using DV technology. A DV system with 0.7 HRU efficiency can save up to 14.5% of total HVAC energy compared to a CV system. The HRU heating efficiency played a crucial role in thermal ventilation energy demands in cold weather, while the cooling efficiency had no significant effect on energy demands. However, if a hydronic heating and cooling coil is added to the DV system, it consumes more than 9.08% of energy than using a pump. The energy-saving performance of the DV system decreases significantly if its HRU efficiency is below 50%, and there is no real advantage of using the DV system over the CV system in such cases. Nonetheless, the DV system can be utilized in various working conditions to conserve energy, such as different occupancy ratios, individual room space zoning, and indoor air pollution rates.
Permalink: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2023.11.050
Habtamu B. MADESSA, Mohammad SHAKERIN, Espen HELBERG REINSKAU, Mehrdad RABANI (2024) “Recent progress in the application of energy technologies in Large-Scale building Blocks: A State-of-the-Art review”🔓. Energy Conversion and Management, Vol.305 …
Abstract: Highlights:
• Transition to sustainable multi-building energy systems can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by synergising the multiple renewable energy sources with specific structural characteristics and occupancy constraints of buildings.
• To ensuring energy flexibility and resilience, optimization strategies for multi-building energy systems vary significantly with the climatic context and potentials for integrating energy storage technologies, highlighting the necessity for adaptable designs considering future energy demands and the expansion of district-level systems.
• There is a pressing need for more user-friendly multi-building energy system simulation tools to facilitate effective long-term planning and to optimize the design and management of energy flows among multiple buildings, ensuring maximum efficiency and sustainability.
Permalink: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2024.118210
Yudong MAO, Shouyu LIU, Jiying LIU, Mingzhi YU, Xinwei LI, Moon Keun KIM, Kaimin YANG (2024) “Phonon Transport Characteristics of Nano-Silicon Thin Films Irradiated by Ultrafast Laser under Dispersion Relation”🔓. Buildings, Vol.14 (no.1) …
Abstract: The gray model simplifies calculations by ignoring phonon polarization, but sacrifices a certain level of computational accuracy. In effect, the frequency and wavevector of phonons form complex polarization patterns, which means their propagation modes and vibrational directions have different influences. Therefore, based on the phonon dispersion relations in silicon, the lattice Boltzmann method is used to analyze the phonon transport characteristics in nano-silicon films under ultrafast laser excitation. The results show that the total energy density distribution obtained by superimposing acoustic and optical branches exhibits multiple wave-like behaviors. Among them, the acoustic branch has excellent transfer capability, dominating the rate at which the total energy density reaches a steady state distribution, while the optical branch has stronger heat capacity characteristics, with a greater impact on the peak value of the total energy density. When the heat transfer approaches a steady state, the longitudinal optical branch surprisingly contributes up to 52.73%. This indicates that the often-neglected optical phonons should also receive sufficient attention. Additionally, compared to the results of the gray model, it is found that the dispersion model is preferred when more attention is paid to the propagation characteristics during phonon transport.
Permalink: https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010210
Nuodi FU, Moon Keun KIM, Long HUANG, Jiying LIU, Bing CHEN, Stephen SHARPLES (2024) “Investigating the reliability of estimating real-time air exchange rates in a building by using airborne particles, including PM1.0, PM2.5, and PM10: A case study in Suzhou, China”🔓. Atmospheric Pollution Research (APR), Vol.15 (no.1) …
Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of using airborne particles to estimate the real-time Air Exchange Rate (AER) of buildings, considering particle size and outdoor conditions’ impact on the AER estimation accuracy. The study utilized on-site data collection and numerical simulations to analyze the factors affecting the AER prediction accuracy. Results showed that the PM1.0- and PM2.5-based empirical correlation could predict the AER of buildings with a Normalized Mean Error (NME) of less than 10% and a correlation coefficient (r) of over 0.97, outperforming the pressurization method. Fine particles with a diameter under 2.5 μm were found to be a reliable tracer for AER prediction, with a negative correlation between particle size and AER prediction accuracy due to their higher penetration rate. The study also found that outdoor particle levels and pressure differentials positively impacted the accuracy of PM-based AER estimation. These findings have practical applications for maintaining Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and accurately predicting a building’s heat losses.
Permalink: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apr.2023.101955