Heat Energy Distribution Research Articles

Image acquisition based on computer vision technology for optimizing thermal energy in building environments and simulating VR interior design

With the acceleration of urbanization, the problem of building energy consumption has become increasingly prominent, and the construction of low energy consumption and high comfort building environment has become a hot research field. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of computer vision technology for image acquisition, optimize the thermal energy management in the building environment through intelligent analysis, and improve the energy efficiency and comfort of interior design. Through the establishment of image acquisition system based on computer vision, the indoor and outdoor environment is monitored in real time. A deep learning algorithm is used to process the acquired images and extract the thermal energy characteristics of the buildings. Combined with virtual reality (VR) technology, a 3D model of interior design was constructed to simulate the impact of different design schemes on energy consumption. The experimental results show that the real-time data obtained by computer vision technology can effectively identify the heat energy distribution in the building, and provide optimization suggestions for interior design. Simulation results of different design options show that the optimized design reduces energy consumption while improving occupant comfort. Therefore, computer vision technology shows a good application prospect in the thermal energy optimization of building environment. By combining VR interior design simulation, the technology not only improves the accuracy of thermal management, but also provides architects with more information-based decision support and promotes the development of smart buildings.

Thermal environment optimization and process product design of CNC grinding machine based on improved neural network

In the machining process of CNC grinding machine, the non-uniformity of heat source often leads to the deformation of the workpiece, the intensification of wear and the machining error, so the optimization of thermal energy environment has become an important research direction to improve the machining performance. The aim of this study is to optimize the thermal energy environment of CNC grinding machine by improving the neural network algorithm, so as to achieve the goal of improving the machining precision and surface quality. We hope that by establishing thermal environment model, we can deeply analyze the characteristics of thermal energy distribution and put forward effective optimization measures. The improved neural network model is used to model the heat energy distribution of CNC grinding machine. The accuracy of the model is improved by introducing multi-layer perceptron and convolutional neural network. At the same time, combined with the experimental data, training and testing are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the model. Genetic algorithm and fuzzy control are used to adjust the thermal energy environment and obtain the best process parameters. The experimental results show that the prediction accuracy of the improved neural network model is significantly improved, and the prediction error of the model is significantly reduced compared with the traditional method. After thermal optimization, the surface roughness of the workpiece is reduced, the dimensional accuracy is significantly improved, and the overall processing efficiency is significantly improved. By improving the neural network model, the thermal energy environment of CNC grinding machine is effectively optimized, and the machining precision and surface quality are successfully improved.

Thermal energy resource utilization and sample image restoration technology based on Machine vision simulation in interior design

With the rise of sustainable building design, the traditional design methods are often unable to fully consider the optimal allocation and application of thermal energy resources. This study aims to explore the application of heat resource utilization and sample image restoration technology based on machine vision simulation technology in interior design, and provide practical solutions for optimizing indoor environment. In this paper, machine vision technology is used to monitor and model indoor space in real time, and heat energy flow and distribution under different design schemes are simulated. At the same time, the influence of different designs on thermal energy utilization efficiency is analyzed by using sample image restoration technology. In the study, a set of comprehensive evaluation indexes was established, which comprehensively considered the factors of heat efficiency, indoor comfort and energy consumption. The experimental results show that the simulation technology based on machine vision can accurately predict the indoor heat distribution and identify the best design scheme. At the same time, the sample image restoration technology significantly improves the evaluation accuracy of heat utilization efficiency. Through these methods, the optimized design scheme has higher thermal energy utilization than the traditional design, and significantly improves the indoor comfort. This study shows that the combination of machine vision simulation and sample image restoration technology can effectively improve the utilization efficiency of thermal energy resources in interior design, and provide new ideas and methods for sustainable building design.

Thermal optimization of alloy additive manufacturing process and visual design of metal process products based on edge computing

Alloy additive manufacturing technology has been widely used in aerospace, medical equipment and automobile manufacturing. The purpose of this study is to explore the thermal energy optimization scheme in the process of alloy additive manufacturing based on edge computing technology, and to display the metal process products in an all-round way through visual design, so as to promote the knowledge and practice of thermal energy management in the industry. In this paper, the edge computing platform is used to monitor the heat energy data generated in additive manufacturing process in real time, and the heat energy distribution is analyzed with machine learning algorithm. By establishing thermal energy optimization model, adjusting manufacturing parameters to reduce energy consumption, improve material utilization and product quality. At the same time, using visual design technology, the optimization process and results are graphically represented, which provides intuitive decision basis for engineers. The experimental results show that the thermal energy optimization scheme based on edge computing significantly improves the thermal energy efficiency of the alloy additive manufacturing process, and significantly reduces the thermal energy loss. Through the visual design, relevant personnel can understand the thermal energy distribution and process changes more clearly, and promote the collaboration between multiple departments. This study reveals the application potential of edge computing in alloy additive manufacturing and provides an effective thermal optimization strategy.

Indoor thermal energy optimization and 3D visualization based on ambient light sensing in the protection of historical architectural landscapes

While preserving cultural heritage, historic buildings also face the challenge of modern comfort and energy efficiency. Thermal energy optimization of indoor environment is an important means to improve living comfort and reduce energy consumption. Especially when protecting historical buildings, it is necessary to analyze how to carry out effective thermal energy management without affecting their appearance and structure. This paper discusses the optimization strategy of indoor thermal energy based on ambient light sensing technology, combined with 3D visualization to achieve the balance between energy conservation and comfort in historic buildings. Through the dynamic monitoring and analysis of indoor thermal environment, a feasible solution is provided for the protection and utilization of historical buildings. In this study, ambient light sensors were deployed in a historical building to monitor indoor light, temperature and humidity in real time. Through data collection and analysis, the main factors affecting indoor thermal environment are identified. 3D visualization technology is used to visualize the indoor heat energy distribution, and specific optimization suggestions are put forward. The research shows that the application of ambient light sensor significantly improves the monitoring accuracy of indoor heat energy, and the implementation of optimization measures reduces the indoor temperature fluctuation and energy consumption. The 3D visualization visually shows the thermal energy changes before and after optimization, providing a basis for managers to make decisions. Combined with 3D visualization technology, it not only enhances the comprehensibility of data, but also provides innovative ideas for the protection and rational use of historical buildings.

Molecular simulation of the effect of water content on CO2, CH4, and N2 adsorption characteristics of coal

The objective of this work was to investigate the sorption behavior of gases, namely CO2, CH4, and N2, by molecules of coal sampled from Linglu mine under different water inclusion rates. To this end, the adsorption, diffusion, adsorption heat, and potential energy distribution characteristics of the gases in the coal pores at different water inclusion rates were analyzed using molecular dynamics and grand canonical ensemble Monte Carlo methods. The results showed that the adsorption relationship of the coal molecules on CO2, CH4, and N2 exhibited a downtrend followed by an uptrend when the water content was increased from 0 to 3.6%. The adsorption amount of CO2 was approximately twice as much as those of CH4 and N2, indicating that the competitive adsorption advantage of CO2 compared with those of CH4 and N2 was unaffected by the water content. The trend in the average heat of adsorption was generally consistent with the trend in the density of coal molecules under different moisture contents. Under the same conditions, the diffusion coefficient within a coal molecule was negatively related to the water content in the system. The layer spacing of the water molecules (2.875 Å) was greater than the liquid–water layer spacing, indicating the formation of a water molecule layer at this point, which inhibited gas adsorption. This study lays a theoretical foundation for further investigating the microscopic mechanism of coal–water interaction.

Ternary nanofluids due to moving wedge with strong magnetic field and convective condition

The control of temperature distribution and management of heat energy are key problems in an industry. In this study, free convective flow with ternary nanoparticles (Cu, Ag, MgO) was equipped to analyze the impact on magnetic field and thermal radiation through a moving wedge surface. This volumetric concentration by Cu, Ag and MgO nanoparticles is selected by the most 4% to prevent the instability on the nanofluid. A set of applicable modifications was expressed as a change in the nonlinear partial differential equations and the nonlinear ordinary differential equations and it was undertaken mathematically for applying bvp4c on MATLAB package. These outcomes on ternary nanoparticles (Cu–Ag–MgO/blood), and hybrid nanoparticles (Cu–Ag/blood) and copper (Cu) nanoparticles had again correlated. The outcomes display that connecting Cu, Ag and MgO nanofluid raises the drug friction to 3.9% than the hybrid nanofluid. Also, the combination of Cu and Ag nanofluid increases skin friction by 19.58% than Cu nanofluid. This analysis was particularly useful in drug transportation and biomedical study.

Shape factor analysis of a magnetohydrodynamics mixed convective Nimonic 80A/water nanofluid flow over a moving wedge in the presence of thermal radiation

One of the most common problems faced in the industries is the lack of proper heat energy and temperature distribution management systems. The study of the effects of thermal radiation and magnetohydrodynamics on a water-based nanofluid flow with various shapes of the nanoparticle Nimonic 80A, over a moving wedge, is yet to be studied by any researcher. Being a superalloy of nickel–iron–chromium, Nimonic 80A is often used in exhaust systems and chemical plants as an anti-corrosive agent. The mathematical model presented in this article was transformed using similarity transformations and solved using MATLAB bvp4c code. All the results and graphs were formulated after a positive outcome of our results with that available in the existing literature. Increases in velocity and temperature were observed with the increase in empirical shape factors of the nanoparticle for various parameters. Local Nusselt number and skin-friction coefficients decreased under the influence of augmenting shape factors of the nanoparticles. The velocity profile decreased at a rate of 1.5% while the temperature profile augmented by 0.24% for an augmenting magnetic parameter from M = 0.6 to 0.8 while the velocity profile increased for an increase in radiation parameter. An increment in the nanoparticle concentration resulted in incrementing streamline values and skin friction coefficient by 0.38% and 6.83%, respectively.

Heat and Mass Transfer Characteristics of Oily Sludge Thermal Desorption

Oily sludge is a loose material containing solid and multiple liquid components. Thermal desorption is an efficient method of disposing of liquids from oily sludge. Most existing studies have mainly discussed the effect of some external process parameters on thermal desorption, with little discussion on the heat transfer characteristics and the variation in the wet component mass of oily sludge under heating. Small-scale experiments have been performed to measure the rise in temperature and liquid phase content change of the sludge during heating. The temperature rise rate increases with material density and increases faster during the initial heating stage, while it slows down as the liquid phase evaporates. The adhesive shear stress is determined by measuring the pulling force of the test rod, which decreases with decreasing water content and increases significantly with decreasing oil phase content. Heat transfer and energy distribution models have been developed to calculate the rise in the temperature of materials and the evaporation of contained liquids. The heat and mass transfer processes are obtained from simulation calculations by taking the initial material with a mass content of 25% water and 10% oil under a heating temperature of 500 °C. When the heating time reaches 135 min, the drying region reaches the boundary of the test container, at which the material temperature exceeds 350 °C. During the evaporation of different liquid-phase components, there are multiple segments in the corresponding temperature curves. The processing time and heat source temperature can be reasonably determined by analyzing the temperature rise of the material, and the effect of the disposal of liquids from oily sludge can be predicted by analyzing the changes in liquid content. The results may guide the formulation of process parameters for engineering project schemes for oily sludge disposal.

Ubiquitous acceleration in Greenland Ice Sheet calving from 1985 to 2022.

Nearly every glacier in Greenland has thinned or retreated over the past few decades1-4, leading to glacier acceleration, increased rates of sea-level rise and climate impacts around the globe5-9. To understand how calving-front retreat has affected the ice-mass balance of Greenland, we combine 236,328 manually derived and AI-derived observations of glacier terminus positions collected from 1985 to 2022 and generate a 120-m-resolution mask defining the ice-sheet extent every month for nearly four decades. Here we show that, since 1985, the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) has lost 5,091 ± 72 km2 of area, corresponding to 1,034 ± 120 Gt of ice lost to retreat. Our results indicate that, by neglecting calving-front retreat, current consensus estimates of ice-sheet mass balance4,9 have underestimated recent mass loss from Greenland by as much as 20%. The mass loss we report has had minimal direct impact on global sea level but is sufficient to affect ocean circulation and the distribution of heat energy around the globe10-12. On seasonal timescales, Greenland loses 193 ± 25 km2 (63 ± 6 Gt) of ice to retreat each year from a maximum extent in May to a minimum between September and October. We find that multidecadal retreat is highly correlated with the magnitude of seasonal advance and retreat of each glacier, meaning that terminus-position variability on seasonal timescales can serve as an indicator of glacier sensitivity to longer-term climate change.

Numerical analysis of plasma channel characteristics and dynamic effects on molten pool in electrical discharge machining

The plasma channel provides the fundamental energy source and acting forces for material removal in electrical discharge machining (EDM). At present, the research on the characteristics of plasma channel is still in the exploratory stage. In this study, to clearly understand the characteristics of plasma channel and its dynamic effects on molten material, the transient mathematical model of plasma channel is first attempted and computed based on magneto-hydrodynamics (MHD). The breakdown process of plasma channel, as well as its inherent characteristics (heat flux, electromagnetic force and expansion pressure) are studied, based on which the dynamic effects of thermal input and force actions on anode molten pool are analyzed. Results show that the plasma channel sequentially experiences diabolo-shaped, lantern-shaped and finally stabilized horn-shaped stages, and the diameter expansion is nearly completed within 2μs which is independent of discharge current. The plasma channel presents time-variant characteristics in terms of heat flux distribution and energy distribution ratio into electrodes and gap dielectric. The electromagnetic force and expansion pressure not only determine the geometry evolution of plasma channel but also provide acting forces, which influence the distribution of hydrostatic pressure in molten pool and shear force on the interface. For preliminary verification purpose, the appearance of plasma channel is observed by high-speed photography, and the dimensions between simulation and experimental craters are compared. The feasibility of established plasma channel model is confirmed to a certain extent by showing an approximated channel appearance, as well as the maximal deviations of 10.8 % and 8.9 % in diameter and depth, respectively.

Thermal activation of sewers and embedding in a heating-cooling network

The energy district approach is a crucial aspect of the transition to a more sustainable energy system in heating. This approach views individual users not as separate entities for energy optimization, but as a network of users within a specific district to leverage synergies. This requires an energy generation system that both utilises and distributes the energy resources available in the district. In the future, as a result of climate change, residential buildings as well as workplaces in Central Europe will have to be cooled more frequently. The energy supply system must must have the capability to transfer thermal energy of different levels through the network.
 For this purpose, the ´IWAES´ project aims to use the per se necessary infrastructure of urban wastewater management, which is supplemented by thermal absorbers as well as transport pipelines, to meet its objectives.
 The overarching goal of the heating network is to make an urban district completely energy self-sufficient. To achieve this, waste heat from individual users is balanced out, thermal surpluses are stored using phase change storage and all available heat and cooling sources in the quarter (borehole heat exchangers, photovoltaics, thermally activated foundation elements) are integrated into the network. In the ´IWAES´ project, the primary thermal energy source and sink is the thermal activation of the wastewater system, which is also used as thermal infrastructure. The thermal utilisation of the sewage network has the advantage that the temperature level of the sewage and the surrounding soil can be used for both heating and cooling.
 Common geothermal energy sources (borehole heat exchangers etc.) use the thermal energy available in the ground, which is replenished by solar inputs and the deep geothermal flow. The energy sources can therefore only be utilised efficiently for a certain number of hours per year and must then be regenerated either by time-intensive natural heat flows or energy-intensively by extra energy sources (solar thermal, etc.).Wastewater thermal plants regenerate themselves by the constant outflow of wastewater as well
 as through the flowing duct air. Investigations carried out proofed that the air in the sewer flows independently of the direction of the wastewater flow and consequently induces a convective heat transfer between the inner wall of the sewer and the sewer air. The thermally activated sewer, called "hybrid sewer", as designed in the project consists of helical absorber pipes installed outside and optionally additional absorber pipes installed inside. Additional transport pipes attached above the sewer allows a transportation and distribution of heat energy enabling a thermal balance between heat supply and demand and therefore between the individual users of the district (Figure 1).
 On the basis of real hybrid sewers installed and equipped with measurement technology, the performance of the hybrid sewers can be further investigated by means of three-dimensional hydrothermally coupled simulations and transferred into a simplified design approach. Furthermore, the material and operating parameters that have a decisive influence on the thermal performance of the activated sewer are investigated and the extent to which the geometry can be optimised with regard to performance and economic, manufacturing and ecological issues.In the ´IWAES´ project, the hybrid sewer is integrated into a specially developed multi-stage balancing concept, which is based on the principle of energetic subsidiarity and thus represents an innovative possibility for local heat and cold generation [1]. The concept represents a fifth-generation heat network [2], so that every consumer can also be a producer of thermal energy at the same time and is connected to the thermal network via a bidirectional acting house connection.
 The focus of this contribution is on the presentation of the developed technical components and the thermal activation of the sewers as well as their performance.
 Initial studies showed that up to 15 % of the thermal energy demand of an urban district can be obtained from the thermal energy of the wastewater alone. Furthermore, it has been shown that the thermal energy generated by the hybrid canal can be used efficiently for both heating and cooling, and that higher extraction rates can be achieved over a longer time than with conventional geothermal extraction systems. It was also found that the efficiency of the heating network increases significantly with the number of different types of use (server rooms, swimming pools, etc.) and differential energy sources. Furthermore economic and ecological studies have also shown that the developed concept is clearly advantageous compared to conventional thermal supply concepts.
 The research that is now pending represents the validation of the developed concept on the basis of real laid and measurement-equipped hybrid ducts. In addition, a functional, economic and legally permissible operating model will be investigated.

Effect of laser-arc synergy on melting energy in laser-CMT hybrid welding of aluminum alloy

The physical process of laser-arc synergy in laser-cold metal transfer (CMT) hybrid welding of aluminum alloys is extremely complex and difficult to observe, which limits our understanding of laser-arc synergy and the industrial application of laser-CMT hybrid welding. In this paper, the laser-arc synergistic effect is studied quantitatively by the change of melting energy. Therefore, the dimensionless parameter (ψ) is introduced to discuss the effect of heat source guidance, energy distribution and distance of laser and arc (DLA) on melting energy increment. The results show that the novel laser-arc simultaneous co directional hybrid welding (no-guided) process increases ψ by 4.3 times and 1.8 times compared to CMT-guided and laser-guided processes, respectively. The laser-arc synergy is strongest when the laser power is 80% of the total power and DLA is 2 mm. The quantitative analysis method in this paper can be extended to the study of other hybrid heat sources, and this research can facilitate the optimization of the welding process and a better understanding of the hybrid welding mechanism.

Performance Evaluation and Parametric Optimization of Coal-Fired Water Tube Boiler Using the Grey-Taguchi Method

Industries, district heating companies, and public institutions that use boilers for heating, processing, or power production find it challenging to run at peak efficiencies due to rising fuel prices. Insufficient heat energy production and distribution through boilers contribute to an overall increase in energy expenditure. The performance of a boiler is affected by various controlling parameters, including specific fuel consumption capacity, load, and heat losses. The current study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the coal-fired water tube boiler at D.G. Khan Cement Company Limited, Pakistan. The experimental results were validated with artificial neural network- (ANN-) based predictions, which were observed to have an error of 14% in the regression plot. In this study, the performance parameters of the boiler, including steam temperature (ST), steam pressure (SP), and specific steam flow rate (SSFR), were optimized against fuel consumption (FC) and load using the Grey-Taguchi method. The best-performing parameters, with the best criteria, were observed at an overall grey relational grade (OGRG) of 0.891 and a load of 66%. The findings indicated that the overall performance of the boiler was optimized with an FC of 3.09 kg/s, a load of 66%, ST of 532°C, SP of 9.93 MPa, and SSFR of 21.38 kg/s.

Supervised learning-based classification of acoustic emission and vibration signal for identifying condition change of district heating system

District heating pipes facilitate the distribution of heat energy across urban areas by utilizing high-temperature and high-pressure water. However, rigorous management is crucial due to the potential formation of sinkholes and the risk of human casualties. This study considered various pipe conditions and pipeline configurations and conducted pilot tests both above and below ground. Signals from the pipes were acquired using accelerometers and acoustic emission sensors, filtered based on specific frequency ranges, and compressed using statistical characteristic equations. The features extracted from the original and filtered signals were classified using a support vector machine. Individual classification models were developed and assessed under various conditions to compare their classification performance. The results indicated that the signals could effectively differentiate between abnormal pipe conditions in different states. The classification accuracy exceeded 90%, even without accounting for factors such as temperature, pressure, and pipeline arrangement. The experiments demonstrated a significant difference in signals between normal and damaged pipes.

Investigation of heat transfer and energy distribution inside dishwasher based on a coupled 3D-1D simulation method

Improving energy efficiency of dishwasher products is not only critical for their market competitiveness, but also vital for reducing global carbon emission. To enhance their energy performance, previous studies developed models to simulate dishwashers' operating processes, but most investigations focused on simulating only a partial operating cycle, which was not sufficient for fully understanding the whole-cycle energy distribution. Besides, many simulations assumed constant heat transfer coefficient between tableware and washing fluid, leading to simulation inaccuracies. This research studied the heat transfer and energy distribution inside dishwasher by developing a conjugate 3D-1D simulation strategy, which modeled energy consumption based on dynamic HTC values and was validated by measured data. The simulated temperature and energy consumption results deviated from measurement by less than 0.5 °C and 35.7%, respectively, during a 300s heating process. Results also showed that 35.7% of consumed energy was absorbed by tableware as heat. This study not only established a novel simulation strategy that could calculate whole-cycle energy consumption and energy distributions in dishwashers with good accuracy, but also demonstrated dishwashers’ energy consumption could be reduced via design optimizations. By increasing insulation thickness from 20 mm to 40 mm alone, the total energy consumption was reduced by 8.4%.

Experimental and modeling study on energy flow of 250 kW alkaline water electrolysis system under steady state conditions and cold start process

Improving the energy utilization efficiency of alkaline water electrolysis system (AWE) is one of the urgent problems at this stage. This study explores the heat flow and energy distribution under steady state and cold start processes by establishing a multi-physical field coupled AWE system model including heat transfer, mass transfer and electrochemistry, based on this, the methods to improve energy utilization efficiency are proposed. The system power consumption at full load is 272.7 kW, the electrolyzer accounts for up to 88.4%, of which, the useless heat production and parasitic current are the main factors that cause the electrolyzer energy loss, accounting for 21.2% and 3.1% of the total power consumption, respectively. The electrolyzer useless heat production also significantly contributes to the chiller energy consumption, which accounts for 5% of the system power consumption. Improving the electrolyzer performance and minimizing its heat production is essential to optimize the system efficiency. During the AWE cold start process, the constant voltage control has a shorter cold start time than the constant current control, but their power consumption differences in terms of heat and hydrogen production are small. Reducing the system thermal capacity is extremely effective in speeding up the cold start process compared to optimizing the power load type, which can cut the cold start time to less than 1 h.

Effect of graphene dispersed coconut biodiesel on the Micro ED milling characteristics of Inconel 718 alloy

Micro Electrical discharge milling is a familiar micromachining process for machining of complex microstructures using a cylindrical tool. In this research work, the influence of process parameters namely capacitance, voltage, threshold on response indicators during machining of Inconel 718 with coconut biodiesel and graphene nano powder dispersed coconut biodiesel is investigated in detail. Further, surface-topography of the machined surface was critically examined using scanning electron microscopy and three-dimensional non-contact roughness tester. Graphene nano powder concentration (0.3 g l−1) increased the MRR around 68% compared to coconut biodiesel (BD). A medium order of capacitance (10 nF) offered a maximum MRR irrespective of dielectric used. With higher order capacitance, the minimum TWR is obtained due to longer pulse off duration. High surface finish is achieved with graphene nano powder dispersed coconut BD due to uniformly distributed of craters on the machined surface. Recast layer thickness is 3.08 μm, 1.62 μm and 2.34 μm with coconut biodiesel, 0.3 g l−1 and 0.6 g l−1 graphene particles mixed coconut biodiesel, respectively. Minimum recast layer is observed with graphene particles mixed coconut biodiesel under considered parametric conditions due to lesser eroded particle deposition. EDS results confirm that the sedimentation of graphene nano powder (increase in carbon %) on work surface results in increase in hardness. Crater size, voids and cracks were reduced with graphene nano powder dispersed coconut BD due to uniform distribution of heat energy over machining region. Results showed that the graphene nano powder mixed coconut biodiesel can be the substitute for mineral oil.

Assessing the effect of volcano-tectonic activity on the spatial distribution of surface temperature in the Main Ethiopian Rift, using integrated approach of remote sensing data

ABSTRACT Heat energy continuously flows from the interior of the earth’s layers to the surface, usually associated with rifting and faulting the earth’s crust. So, the spatial distribution of heat energy in the earth’s crust differs laterally and vertically depending on several factors, such as radioactive isotopes in the area’s rock, volcano-tectonic, and hydrological nature. The study was conducted in the Northern segment of the Main Ethiopian Rift. Geological and volcanic structures have been considered to determine the effect of volcano-tectonic activity on the spatial variability of surface temperature. The surface kinetic temperature was retrieved from Landsat 8 imagery using the Emissivity Modulation method, resulting in minimum and maximum values of 21 and 45.9°C. The higher surface temperature anomalies (>45°C) has been found in the region of densely concentrated geological and volcanic structures. Based on this present study’s analysis, the effect of volcano-tectonic activity has been observed on the spatial distribution of surface temperature over the study area. Most of these areas have been found in Dofan to Fantale volcanic fields. Moreover, it is observed along the Main Ethiopian rift axis in which recent volcano-tectonic activity was found.

INDIVIDUAL DISTRIBUTION OF THERMAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN AN APARTMENT BUILDING: PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE

The cost of thermal energy production is constantly growing, on average, tariffs in the regions of Ukraine have tripled in recent years. The component of payment for heating in utility costs is the main one for most apartment buildings, but due to the peculiarities of district heating systems, residents do not have an impact on heat consumption, and there is a problem of uneven heat distribution: some rooms are overheated, others unheated. The normative documents of Ukraine indicate the installation of metering and regulation of energy consumption as one of the main measures to increase the level of energy efficiency of buildings. Modernization of heating engineering systems with the installation of thermostats and heat distributors is one of the most discussed energy saving measures at the general meeting of condominiums, which is of interest to most residents of buildings in operation. Experience shows that after the installation of such devices, the consumption of thermal energy by buildings is reduced, which leads to a reduction in heating costs.
 The relevance of the topic of this article is to study modern methods of individual distribution of thermal energy in apartment buildings, in particular in houses with a vertical heating system. The object of the study is an existing apartment building in Kyiv, where, starting in 2019, thermal energy distributors were put into operation. The subject of the study is the methods of heat distribution between apartments and the analysis of the practical results of the implementation of such a project in the existing serial building in Kyiv.
 The following research tasks were set: collection of general information about thermal energy distributors, their types and principles of operation; analysis of the current regulatory framework regarding the problem of individual accounting of thermal energy; analysis of the method of heat energy distribution adopted in Ukraine with identification of the main problems that arise during its application; analysis of practical results of thermal energy distribution in an apartment building in Kyiv.