Ambient Air Flow Research Articles

Developing an experiment-based strong machine learning model for performance prediction and full analysis of Maisotsenko dewpoint evaporative air cooler

Among all direct and indirect water-based evaporative air coolers, Maisotsenko indirect evaporative cooler (MIEC) is the only one which can supply sub wet-bulb air temperature while adding no moisture to the product air. For any given MIEC, four thermal/fluid parameters including dry channel flow rate, wet-to-dry-side air flow ratio, ambient air temperature and ambient relative humidity impact the performance of the MIEC. Sub-wet bulb supply temperature while having maximum cooling capacity happen only for a specific range of the mentioned thermal/fluid parameters. For any ambient condition and dry side air flow, a magic value of air-flow-ratio can maximize the cooling capacity of the cooler. Thousands of data is required to provide a simultaneous multi-aspect analysis of each parameter (while other parameters vary as well) to identify all possible curve behaviors and secrets of this technology. That is why, for the first time in this research, a strong machine learning (ML) model, is developed for MIEC cooler using 625 validated analytical/experimental-based training data (full factorial design). This model is employed to generate around 3600 unseen data to fully clarify the impact of each parameter (on supply temperature, total cooling capacity, useful cooling capacity and wet-bulb effectiveness) while other parameters are variable too. This strategy makes it possible to see all hidden extremum or peak point where the performance of the cooler is maximized or minimized. Interesting results are found in this research. For any ambient condition, there is an extremum point of the air flow ratio at which the total cooling capacity is maximized. The results indicate that as the dry side air flow increases, this extremum value decreases. For instance, under an ambient condition of 18 °C and 9 % relative humidity, the extremum point of the air flow ratio is 0.45 when the dry side air flow is 0.8 L/s and 0.25 when the dry side air flow is 4.8 L/s. In real-world commercial cooler, this can be simply happened by appropriate re-adjusting the dry and wet side fan speeds.

Thermal comfort investigation of membrane-assisted radiant cooling in outdoor settings

The global warming and urban heat island effect call for mitigation strategies for improving thermal environments in open urban spaces. Radiant cooling can remove heat from the human body via direct thermal radiation, thereby creating the possibility to provide active cooling for people in outdoor environments. While using a transparent membrane, convection energy lost to the ambient airflow can be minimized. However, current research on the thermal comfort of radiant cooling systems is restricted to indoor applications, while outdoor applications remain unclear. To address this need, the study investigated the effect of membrane-assisted asymmetric radiant cooling on people's thermal perception in outdoor environments. A radiant cooling facility in an outdoor setting was built, and its cooling effects were assessed by using 248 human subjects across hot and transitional seasons. It is found that the radiant cooling facility can lower the mean thermal sensation vote (MTSV) by 0.6 to 1.5 units. The degree of cooling depends both on the panel temperature and environmental conditions. At the panel surface temperature of 14.3°C, MTSV was at the neutral zone (-0.5 ≤ MTSV ≤ 0.5) with the environmental UTCI as high as 38.1°C, whereas the thermal sensation of the group without radiant cooling was rated warm to hot. Under this condition, the ambient UTCI scope of no heat stress can be extended by 10.1°C higher. The strongest local cooling sensation appeared in the back, with an average decrease of 1.33 units in MTSV, contributing to lowering the overall thermal sensation of the body. For the first time, it is demonstrated that membrane-assisted radiant cooling panels can effectively improve thermal comfort in open outdoor settings.

Combination of Advanced Actuator Line/Disk Model and High-Order Unstructured Finite Volume Solver for Helicopter Rotors

In the research field of rotorcraft aerodynamics, there are two fundamental challenges: resolving the complex vortex structures in rotor wakes and representing the moving rotor blades in the ambient airflow. In this paper, we address the first challenge by utilizing a third-order unstructured finite volume solver, which exhibits lower numerical dissipation than its second-order counterpart. This allows for sufficient resolution of small vortex structures on relatively coarse meshes. With this flow solver, the second challenge is addressed by modeling each rotor as an actuator disk (i.e., the actuator disk model (ADM)) or modeling each blade as an actuator line (i.e., the actuator line model (ALM)). Both of the two models are equipped with an improved tip loss correction, which is introduced in detail in the methodology section. In the section of numerical experiments, the numerical convergence properties of the two types of solvers have been compared in the case of two-dimensional infinite wing. In addition, the relationship between the ALM and the lifting line theory is discussed in the cases of fixed-wing calculations. Another goal of these cases is to validate the tip loss correction presented. The validation of the ALM/ADM and comparisons of computational efficiency are also demonstrated in simulations involving both hover and forward flight rotors. It was found that the combination of the third-order finite volume solver and the ALM/ADM with the improved tip loss correction presents an efficient way of performing the aerodynamic analysis of rotor-induced downwash flow.

Impact of human walking on the pollutant removal effectiveness of direction air supply considering environmental disturbances: Dynamic simulation study

Direction air supply (DAS) is a computer vision-assisted ventilation mode designed to address the challenge of respiratory protection during human movement. The DAS parameter design is based on ideal, steady-state air distribution results, but it cannot reflect the dynamic protection performance. This work investigates the effect of human walking on the pollutant removal effectiveness of DAS through computational fluid dynamics simulation with the dynamic mesh method. This work formulates an occupant's movement pattern and implements walking and turning motions using the overset mesh method. To verify the feasibility of the dynamic simulation method, a walking experiment was conducted in an experimental chamber equipped with a DAS system. The evolution of concentration isosurfaces, as well as the concentration, velocity, and static pressure at breathing-zone height are revealed. The negative impacts of three common industrial environmental disturbances: localized high-temperature pollutants, ambient airflow, and distance between the DAS nozzle and the breathing zone, on the protective zone and the DAS barrier against pollutants are analyzed. To comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of DAS, four assessment indexes are determined: inhalation exposure, protection factor, protective zone area, and effective protective ratio. The inconsistency between the protective zone area and the effective protective ratio needs to be noted. This work confirms the effectiveness of DAS within the protective zone and supports its further application in industrial settings.

Effective volume of rebreathed air during breathing with facepieces increases with protection class and decreases with ambient airflow.

Wearing facepieces is discussed in the context of increasing the volume of rebreathed air. We hypothesized that rebreathed air volume increases with increasing filtering facepiece (FFP) class and that persons breathing via facepieces compensate for the additional dead-space. We have determined the effective amount of rebreathed air for a surgical masks and FFP2 and FFP3 respirators in a physical model and determined tidal volumes, breathing frequency, blood oxygen saturation, and transcutaneously measured blood carbon dioxide partial pressure (PCO2) in lung-healthy subjects breathing without and with facepieces at rest and during exercising on a recumbent ergometer. Rebreathed air volume increased with the facepieces' protection class and with increasing inspiration volume by 45 ± 2 ml to 247 ± 1 ml. Ambient airflow reduced rebreathed air volume by 17% up to 100% (all p < 0.001). When wearing facepieces, subjects increased tidal volume (p < 0.001) but not breathing frequency. Oxygen saturation was not influenced by facepieces. With FFP3 respirators PCO2 increased by up to 3.2 mmHg (p < 0.001) at rest but only up to 1.4 mmHg (p < 0.001) when exercising. Discomfort of breathing increased with increasing protection class of the facepiece but was consistently perceived as tolerable. We conclude that the amount of rebreathed air increases with increasing protection class of facepieces. Healthy adults were capable to compensate the facepieces' dead-space by adapting tidal volume at rest and during physical activity; thereby they tolerated moderate increases in PCO2. Ambient airflow may considerably reduce the amount of facepiece related rebreathed air.

A data-driven model for a liquid desiccant regenerator equipped with an evacuated tube solar collector: Random forest regression, support vector regression and artificial neural network

The application of a solar-assisted liquid desiccant air-conditioning system equipped with evacuated tubes, focusing on the assessment and comparison of various artificial intelligence (AI) models is investigated. Specifically, Support Vector Regression (SVR), Multi-Layer Perceptron Artificial Neural Network (MLP-ANN), and Random Forest Regression (RFR) models are assessed for predicting key performance indicators: mass removal rate, efficiency, and effectiveness. Additionally, different optimizers within the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) framework—such as Adam, Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD), and RMSprop—are systematically examined and tuned. The study encompasses the selection of the most suitable AI model for each target variable, considering parameters such as ambient temperature, solar radiation, timestamp, airflow rate, and initial solution concentration as influential factors in the modeling process. It is found that the best predictor model for effectiveness is SVR with RBF kernel. For MRR and efficiency, it is MLP-ANN with respectively AdamW and NAdam optimizers. The disparity of prediction of the MRR, efficiency and effectiveness target are respectively 0.72%, 1.07% and 0.5%, on average, indicating a precise prediction. Furthermore, including timestamps as model inputs significantly boosts accuracy, an aspect often neglected in prior research, leading to a noticeable minimum 5% rise in the R2 score.

Efficient operation of earth–air heat exchanger system for air cooling in a hot climate based on a new control strategy

The present research contributes to filling a gap not covered in the previous studies on shallow geothermal applications using earth-to-air heat exchanger (EAHE) systems. The authors think that operating the EAHE continuously for long periods, as presented in many of the previous studies, is not efficient, and this is due to the following reasons:- At specific periods, especially during the night and early morning, the difference between the ambient air temperature (Tamb) and the undisturbed ground temperature (UGT) is small and even negative, meaning the ambient air is colder than the ground.- The continuous operation of the EAHE for a long time leads to the ground saturation with heat, which means that the ground cannot absorb more heat from the EAHE inlet air.So, the present study investigates performance improvement by applying a control strategy to the EAHE system according to two different modes: mode 1 and mode 2. These two operational modes depend on the difference between the ambient air temperature and the UGT value. In mode 1, the ambient air flows inside the EAHE and supplies fresh air to the building. This mode is applied when the temperature difference (Tamb-UGT) exceeds 1.5 οC. When the condition of mode 1 is not satisfied, mode 2 is used, where the ambient air bypasses the EAHE and is supplied directly to the ventilated space. To carry out the present investigation, a numerical model of the EAHE system is developed, and its results are validated against published data from the literature.The simulation of EAHE in Madinah City, KSA, presenting a hot climate region, has been carried out. The study's results confirmed that the control strategy is an efficient solution for the continuous operation of the EAHE. The applied control strategy guarantees that the air supplied to the building is the coldest among the ambient air and the EAHE outlet air. Also, it has been shown that when the control is applied (mode 2), the temperature of the air supplied to the building is 1.5 °C lower than that of the case related to mode 1. Finally, the results showed that the ground can be recovered thermally when the air bypasses the EAHE (mode 2). The ground temperature recovers almost to its undisturbed value during specific periods, which enhances the potential for subsequent heat absorption.

Experimental Study on Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Ambient Air in NACA0021 and NACA4822 Airfoil-Fin Channels

Experimental Study on Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Ambient Air in NACA0021 and NACA4822 Airfoil-Fin Channels

Classification of pleasantness of wind by electroencephalography.

Thermal comfort of humans depends on the surrounding environment and affects their productivity. Several environmental factors, such as air temperature, relative humidity, wind or airflow, and radiation, have considerable influence on the thermal comfort or pleasantness; hence, these are generally controlled by electrical devices. Lately, the development of objective measurement methods for thermal comfort or pleasantness using physiological signals is receiving attention to realize a personalized comfortable environment through the automatic control of electrical devices. In this study, we focused on electroencephalography (EEG) and investigated whether EEG signals contain information related to the pleasantness of ambient airflow reproducing natural wind fluctuations using machine learning methods. In a hot and humid artificial climate chamber, we measured EEG signals while the participants were exposed to airflow at four different velocities. Based on the reported pleasantness levels, we performed within-participant classification from the source activity of the EEG and obtained a classification accuracy higher than the chance level using both linear and nonlinear support vector machine classifiers as well as an artificial neural network. The results of this study showed that EEG is useful in identifying people's transient pleasantness when exposed to wind.

Qualification of Compensatory Test Methods Involving Pressure Increase in the VVER Containment System

In general, containment leakage testing of nuclear power plants with VVER reactors by elevated pressures using the compensatory leakage detection method (CLDM) can be performed at pressures and pressure increase rates higher than those stipulated by the regulations using the absolute pressure method (AP method). Elevated pressures and pressure increase rates under certain conditions can violate safety limits of the containment systems and/or decrease the reliability/life of containment structures and equipment. These factors determine the need to qualify the CLDM to promote conditions for reliability and safety. A non-stationary thermodynamic model of the qualification conditions for CLDM testing of the containment was developed. The criteria for CLDM qualification conditions are the maximum allowable pressure and pressure increase rate during testing. The CLDM condition for recording leakage in the containment is pressure stabilization in the containment systems. Based on the developed CLDM thermodynamic model, it was established that the containment leakage rate is determined by the flow rate of air entering the containment systems and by the thermodynamic state of the air inside and outside the containment systems. The established qualification conditions were used to determine conditions for the minimum recorded leakage sizes within CLDM and the maximum allowable ambient air flow rates and test duration. A prerequisite for justifying the qualification and implementation of the CLDM is to revise/amend regulatory and technical requirements for the maximum allowable pressure and pressure change rate in the containment systems and for the conditions for disconnecting containment systems passive heat removal systems (if any) during testing.

A Robust Bridge‐Type Airflow Sensor Based on Flexible Superhydrophobic Carbon Nanotube Fiber Thin Films

AbstractDespite a great deal of research about airflow sensors by far, it is still hard to maintain ultra‐low limit of detection, short response, and recovery time under humid and rainy environment, which compromises its practical applications. Herein, a robust bridge‐type airflow sensor base on flexible superhydrophobic carbon nanotube fiber thin films is developed, which can not only own remarkable sensitive properties with ultra‐low limit of detection, fast response, and rapid recovery, but also exclude the influence of moisture or water drops in real applications. Both response time and recovery time are reduced compared with that of the previously reported flexible carbon‐based airflow sensors. Particularly, recovery time is reduced by ≈2/3. Meanwhile, the superhydrophobic structure renders normal functioning of the sensor in severe environment of high humidity or even in the rain, so that the influence of moisture and raindrops can be excluded, a property deficient in the previously reported airflow sensors. Not only can the sensor detect ambient airflow sensitively, but it also exhibits outstanding performance in respiratory health monitoring. Hence, the novel sensor designed in this work realizes operation in the environment of high humidity and rain, which tremendously uplifts the applicability of flexible sensors.

The Impact of Surface Waves and Spray Injection Velocities on Air–Sea Momentum and Heat Fluxes

Surface waves and sea spray play a significant role in air–sea fluxes in high winds. The present study used a marine atmosphere surface layer (MASL), which couples the traditional Monin–Obukhov similarity theory, sea spray generation function, the balance of turbulent kinetic budget, and momentum/enthalpy conservation equations. Based on this model, the effects of wave states and spray injection velocities on air–sea momentum/enthalpy fluxes and near-surface wind/temperature profiles were theoretically investigated. Based on the assumption that the velocity of injected spray is the same as that of the ambient airflow, it was found that spray could increase the near-surface air turbulence intensity and inhibit air–sea fluxes at 10 m above the sea surface. Correspondingly, near-surface wind speeds and temperature increase in high winds. This phenomenon becomes prominent in cases of large wave ages or surface waves supporting a minority of air–sea fluxes. Based on the assumption that the velocity of the edges of breaking water bags is used to estimate that of spray injection, the opposite results were found: spray could weaken the near-surface air turbulence and increase total air–sea fluxes at 10 m above the sea surface. In this case, the near-surface wind speeds and temperature decreased. This reduction becomes remarkable when surface waves are full-developed or the majority of air–sea momentum fluxes are supported by waves.

Effect of ambient interferences on the effectiveness of a wearable ventilation for reducing pollutant exposure

This paper explores a wearable ventilation for reducing pollutant exposure in industrial environments. The effectiveness of a HAS (Head-mounted air supply) method while the wearer was on the move and in ambient airflows were separately investigated. Dynamic meshing technique combined with numerical simulation were adopted in this study. Results showed that the effectiveness variation while wearer moving was divided into interference, recovery, and stabilization periods according to the dynamic characteristics. A novel indicator SE was proposed to evaluate the stability of the effectiveness for pollutant exposure reduction. When the wearer walking and turning at a typical speed (1 m/s and π rad/s, separately), the HAS must maintain a flow rate of at least 12 L/s to achieve an optimal stability of 1 and 0.9, which reached a time-weighted average effectiveness near 98% and 88% during the moving process, respectively. When the wearer was standing in an ambient air flow (0.5 m/s), the ambient airflow from the side was found to interfere more significantly with the personalized air than from the front and back. During the back and forth moving in the ambient airflow, the pollutant inhalation exposure of the wearer significantly increased, especially during the turnaround phase. This scenario might require a larger flow rate (above 20 L/s) to achieve an optimal stability. These findings offer valuable insights for the application of the HAS in practical industrial environments.

Rapid, selective and homogeneous brain cooling with transnasal flow of ambient air for pediatric resuscitation

Neurologic outcome from out-of-hospital pediatric cardiac arrest remains poor. Although therapeutic hypothermia has been attempted in this patient population, a beneficial effect has yet to be demonstrated, possibly because of the delay in achieving target temperature. To minimize this delay, we developed a simple technique of transnasal cooling. Air at ambient temperature is passed through standard nasal cannula with an open mouth to produce evaporative cooling of the nasal passages. We evaluated efficacy of brain cooling with different airflows in different size piglets. Brain temperature decreased by 3°C within 25 minutes with nasal airflow rates of 16, 32, and 16 L/min in 1.8-, 4-, and 15-kg piglets, respectively, whereas rectal temperature lagged brain temperature. No substantial spatial temperature gradients were seen along the neuroaxis, suggesting that heat transfer is via blood convection. The evaporative cooling did not reduce nasal turbinate blood flow or sagittal sinus oxygenation. The rapid and selective brain cooling indicates a high humidifying capacity of the nasal turbinates is present early in life. Because of its simplicity, portability, and low cost, transnasal cooling potentially could be deployed in the field for early initiation of brain cooling prior to maintenance with standard surface cooling after pediatric cardiac arrest.

0219 Experimental study on thermal comfort and sleep quality of sleeping people in overheated bedroom conditions in the UK

Abstract Introduction Thermal comfort and sleep quality are important factors in human health and well-being and can be influenced by various environmental factors such as ambient temperature, humidity, and airflow. The microclimate within a bed, or the local climate immediately surrounding a person's body while they sleep, can also have a significant impact on thermal comfort and sleep quality. Methods In this paper, we investigate the relationship between bed microclimate and thermal comfort and sleep quality in overheated bedroom conditions that are prevalent during heatwaves in the United Kingdom. Participants were screened using the Sleep Disorder Symptoms Checklist (SDS-CL)-25 and health questionnaire. 10 healthy participants were recruited in a 3-night sleep monitoring in the bedrooms of student accommodation hall at Loughborough University campus in the summer of 2022. Baseline sleep quality (in-home) was objectively and subjectively collected for all the participants before the onset of the 3-night sleep monitoring period. Subjective response (self-rating) of sleep quality, sleep satisfaction, thermal sensation, and thermal satisfaction of the room and bed microclimate was collected using Consensus Sleep Diary and survey questionnaires, twice each night (before sleeping) and once in the morning (after waking up). Data on sleeping environment conditions (both room thermal environment and bed microclimate) were collected every night throughout the experiment period. Sleep quality of participants was objectively measured using actigraphy method and mean skin temperature was measured using wireless sensors at ten locations on the body. Results Overall, sleep quality in the overheated bedroom conditions was poorer compared to the baseline sleep quality. We found that the sleep efficiency reduced, and the self-rated sleep experience was significantly poorer, compared to the baseline. Impact of room thermal conditions on sleep latency was examined, which was found to be increased significantly in the overheated conditions compared to baseline (at home). The results also highlight the statistical significance between sleep quality, skin temperature, and bed temperature. Conclusion This study highlights the impact of overheated bedroom conditions (room environment and bed microclimate) on both thermal comfort and sleep quality, and the importance of considering the bed microclimate in the design and management of sleeping environments. Support (if any) EPSRC grant number EP/S021671/1

Numerical investigation of the air conditioning system performance assisted with energy storage of capsulated concave/convex phase change material

One of the highest energy drains in homes and businesses is the air conditioning (AC) system. Thus, any slight improvement in the AC system performance can result in considerable energy savings. This numerical study aims to boost the AC performance in hot environments via thermal energy storage. This is accomplished by directly cooling the AC condenser using capsulated phase change materials (PCM). The PCM is capsulated in a new design of concave/convex (CX) plates to reduce the lengthy PCM solidification time and also enhance the AC performance. The PCM is solidified during a relatively low nighttime temperature and then cools the AC condenser during daytime operation. The proposed encapsulated PCM design's impact on the AC performance is assessed and compared to those of used flat plates. Using ANSYS Fluent, a mathematical equations model is developed and solved and then validated via an experimental test rig of the PCM flat plates. The effects of varying the size and number of concave/convex configurations are investigated. It is found that concave/convex PCM plates greatly minimize the solidification/melting periods compared to flat plates, making them effective in AC system daily work. Rising the CX diameter and numbers enhances the PCM melting and solidification rates and decreases the air outlet temperature. Moreover, the saved percentage of the power rises with the ambient temperature and airflow rate rising. Further, the AC power usage by adopting PCM concave/convex plates is saved by a maximum value of about 16 % and 7.5 % when working for 120 and 300 min, respectively.

From Microscopic Droplets to Macroscopic Crowds: Crossing the Scales in Models of Short-Range Respiratory Disease Transmission, with Application to COVID-19.

Short-range exposure to airborne virus-laden respiratory droplets is an effective transmission route of respiratory diseases, as exemplified by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). In order to assess the risks associated with this pathway in daily-life settings involving tens to hundreds of individuals, the chasm needs to be bridged between fluid dynamical simulations and population-scale epidemiological models. This is achieved by simulating droplet trajectories at the microscale in numerous ambient flows, coarse-graining their results into spatio-temporal maps of viral concentration around the emitter, and coupling these maps to field-data about pedestrian crowds in different scenarios (streets, train stations, markets, queues, and street cafés). At the individual scale, the results highlight the paramount importance of the velocity of the ambient air flow relative to the emitter's motion. This aerodynamic effect, which disperses infectious aerosols, prevails over all other environmental variables. At the crowd's scale, the method yields a ranking of the scenarios by the risks of new infections, dominated by the street cafés and then the outdoor market. While the effect of light winds on the qualitative ranking is fairly marginal, even the most modest air flows dramatically lower the quantitative rates of newinfections.

The Key Mesoscale Systems and Mesoscale Vortices of the Henan Extreme Precipitation in 2021

Based on the Doppler weather radar and surface observations, the key mesoscale systems and features of the rainstorm structure during the period of the extreme precipitation in Henan province on 20 July 2021 are investigated. The results show that a nearly meso-α-scale West Henan Low Vortex (WHLV) near the Songshan Mountain, a surface mesoscale front, a horizontal shear convergence line in the lower troposphere and two strong low-level jets (LLJs) were the main mesoscale systems that triggered the extreme precipitation process. Many mesoscale vortices including meso-β-γ-scale vortices (i.e., meso-vortices) were found within the WHLV. Hourly precipitation over 50 mm was mostly caused by the storms with meso-vortices. In the heaviest precipitation stage of the Zhengzhou Storm (ZZS), a clear meso-vortex above 2 km AGL was identified with the diameter of 15–20 km and the vorticity of 1.0–2.0 × 10−3 s−1, while its lifetime was about 2 h. The low-level ambient airflows converged into the storm from the north, east and south, forming a strong low-level convergence that promoted the development of the storm. Strong convergence and uplift occurred along the east edge of the storm, while the strong easterly LLJ converged with the shallow outflow of the storm. The strongest updraft under 2 km AGL occurred at the northeast end of the storm when a short-lived meso-γ-scale vortex formed at that area. Both the strong low-level convergence and the merge of the convective cells from the east resulted in the eastward propagation of the ZZS.

A barrier to COVID-19 in the workplace

Plexiglass barriers block over 80 percent of aerosolized droplets expelled during a cough, but openings and ambient airflow can alter this effectiveness.

Shape Memory Polymer Foam for Autonomous Climate-Adaptive Building Envelopes

Reducing the continuously growing cooling energy demand of buildings is an important part of achieving global emission targets. Here, we present an innovative scenario of how the integration of a programmable material into a climate-adaptive building envelope (CABE) can create an energy-efficient thermal management system inherent to the material. This novel concept is based on a thermoresponsive shape memory polymer foam (SMP) and is designed to regulate the flow of ambient air through the building envelope in order to enable natural cooling of the structure. Hygrothermal simulation data obtained by the software WUFI® Plus indicate that significant cooling energy saving potential may be accessible with this type of concept. As a possible material basis for a corresponding adaptive element, a reactive foamed polyurethane-based SMP foam is proposed, which is capable of executing a thermoreversible shape change of more than 20% while having a suitable switching temperature range. Finally, the ecological impact of such a functional foam element is evaluated in detail as well as its influence on the overall balance of a façade construction by means of a life cycle assessment (LCA).