Breathing building: A decentralized façade-integrated solar air-conditioning system
A decentralized adaptive solar air conditioning system is presented, which contains usual air-conditioning equipment and a new module, designed with a honeycomb structure, containing phase change material for latent thermal cold and hot energy storage. Heat recovery devices are responsible for higher system efficiency. A low-cost configuration and a multi-function deluxe version are presented,where in the second case a (magnetic) heat pump, a (magnetic) cooling device and an evaporative apparatus are added. Whereas the simple configuration is of medium cost and shows a good energy saving potential, the deluxe version is more expensive, but, on the other hand, is designed to show a higher energy saving potential. It is also expected to yield exquisite indoor hygienic and climatic conditions.
DEVELOPMENT AND PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF PCM THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE FOR AIR COOLING IN BUILDINGS
This study presents the development of a real-scale latent heat thermal energy storage (TES) device based on an air-PCM (phase change material) heat exchanger. The device uses the outdoor ambient temperature difference between night and day to refresh the indoor air and shift or completely avoid the use of air-conditioning in air-cooling in the building sector. The design is based on an extensive set of numerical simulations, performed by the commercial software ANSYS Fluent, focused on a parametric study allowing to identify the optimum value of different design parameters in order to have 10 hours of temperature shift. The numerical simulations were supported by experimental measurements done with a small-scale test rig. Additionally, the thermal response of the PCM to cooling and heating was also studied in a controlled temperature and humidity environment.
Historical biogeography of a new antitropical clade of temperate freshwater fishes
Any discovery of new biogeographical pattern in landlocked animals may challenge hypotheses that account for the evolution of intercontinental faunas. In this study, we examined the evolutionary origin and historical biogeography of temperate, freshwater perch‐like fishes within a molecular phylogenetic framework.