Hot Humid Climatic Conditions Research Articles

Envelope thermal design for energy savings in mosques in hot-humid climate

Mosques, places of worship for Muslims, are used for five intermittent prayer periods a day with a duration of between 45 and 60 min each. Their unique function and pattern of operation result in unique energy consumption and demand. Although mosques can be characterized as high-occupancy buildings, the thermal design of the exterior envelope can play a major role in their thermal and energy performance particularly in hot-humid climates. The objective of this study is to investigate energy performance and potential energy savings associated with influencing envelope design parameters under hot-humid climatic conditions. The results revealed that envelope parameters such as wall and roof thermal resistance, and air leakage rate are major determinants of mosque energy performance and subsequently, considerable savings can be achieved when properly considered. Recommendations for envelope thermal design are presented to provide architects, engineers, planners, community developers and mosque operators with necessary guidelines for improving mosque energy performance.

Exergy, economic and environment (3E) analysis of absorption chiller inlet air cooler used in gas turbine power plants

Gas turbine (GT) output power is affected by temperature, gas turbine inlet air-cooling systems are used to solve this. In the present work, the effect of using absorption chiller in GT power plants for two regions in Iran, namely Tabas with hot–dry and Bushehr with hot–humid climate conditions is conducted. Therefore, output power, first and second law efficiencies, environmental and electrical costs for GT power plant with inlet air cooler are calculated for two mentioned regions, respectively. Results show that using this system in hot months of a year is economical. In addition, using absorption chiller leads to increasing the output power 11.5 and 10.3%, for Tabas and Bushehr cities, respectively. Moreover, by using this method the second law efficiency is increased to 22.9 and 29.4% for Tabas and Bushehr cities, respectively. In addition, the cost of electricity production for Tabas and Bushehr cities decreases to about 5.04 and 2.97%, respectively. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Some biochemical characteristics of porcine seminal plasma under stressful hot humid climatic conditions.

Summary Eight adult heat-adapted Large White boars raised and maintained in the humid tropics were ejaculated at 48-hourly intervals for three weeks, after which four of them were subjected to direct heat stress by exposure to direct tropical sunlight in the paddocks. Semen collection continued during this exposure and for another three weeks in all boars. The seminal plasma protein content was similar in all boars but the protein profile was different between heat-stressed (NS) and shaded (S) boars. In the NS boars, the proportion of basic albumin-like proteins increased, while gamma globulin-type proteins decreased in the week following heat stress. The proteins with the same electrophoretic mobility as α1 globulin increased in the second and third weeks after treatment. Lipid phosphorus and fructose levels remained unchanged, unlike cholesterol, which increased in the second week post-exposure. It is concluded that, immediately after heat stress, boar semen is unsuitable for preservation because of its increased basic nature. Zusammenfassung Biochemische Änderungen des Samenplasmas von Ebern unter Streß des feuchtheißen Klimas Bei 8 adulten Ebern der weißen Rasse, aufgezogen im feuchten Tropenklima, wurden während 3 Wochen jeden 2. Tag Spermaproben entnommen. Anschließend wurden 4 Eber täglich einem Hitzestreß (3 Tage direkte Sonnenbestrahlung im Auslauf während 45 min täglich) ausgesetzt. Bei alien Ebern wurden während weiteren 3 Wochen Spermaproben entnommen. Der Proteingehalt des Samenplasmas war bei alien Ebern ähnlich, hingegen zeigte das Proteinspektrum der sonnenbestrahlten Eber im Vergleich zu den im Schatten gehaltenen Tieren Unterschiede. Bei den bestrahlten Ebern erhöhten sich in der Woche nach dem Hitzestreß die basischen albuminartigen Proteine, während die Proteine des γ-Globulin-Typs abnahmen. Proteine mit der gleichen elektrophoretischen Wanderung wie das α1-Globulin erhöhten sich in der zweiten und dritten Woche nach dem Streß. Die Konzentration der Phosphorlipide und der Fructose veränderten sich nicht im Gegensatz zur Cholesterolkonzentration, die sich in der zweiten Woche nach der Hitzeexposition erhöhte. Folgerung: Unmittelbar nach einem Hitzestreß eignet sich Ebersamen wegen seines erhöhten basischen Charakters nicht für die Konservierung. Résumé Modifications biochimiques du plasma du sperme chez des verrats soumis au stress d'un climat chaud et humide Des échantillons de spermes ont été prélevés tous les 2 jours durant 3 semaines chez 8 verrats adultes de la race porc blanc élevés dans un climat tropical humide. 4 verrats furent exposés à un stress de chaleur quotidien (3 jours d'exposition directe aux rayons du soleil durant 45 minutes lors de leur sortie). Des échantillons des spermes furent encore prélevés pendant 3 semaines. Le taux de protéines du plasma du sperme fut semblable chez tous les verrats, par contre le spectre protéinique des verrats exposés au soleil montra des differences par rapport à ceux maintenus à l'ombre. Les protéines basiques du genre albumine augmentèrent dans la semaine suivant le stress de chaleur et les protéines du type γ-globuline diminuèrent chez les verrats exposés au soleil. Les protéines présentant un déplacement électrophorétique identique à l'α1-globuline augmentèrent durant la deuxième et la troisième semaine suivant le stress. La concentration des phospholipides et du fructose ne s'est pas modifiée mais par contre la concentration du cholestérol augmenta durant la deuxième semaine suivant l'exposition à la chaleur. Conclusion: le sperme de verrat ne se prête pas à la conservation après un stress de chaleur étant donné son caractère basique élevé. Resumen Modificaciones bioquímicas en el pasma seminal de verracos bajo el stress del clima húmedo-cálido Se recogieron muestras de semen de 8 verracos adultos pertenecientes a la raza Large White (gran cerdo bianco), recriados en el clima tropical húmedo, cada 2o día durante 3 semanas. A continuación se expusieron 4 de estos verracos cada día a un stress térmico (3 días irradiación solar directa diaria en el paseo exterior durante 45 min.). Se les tomaron a todos los verracos muestras de semen durante 3 semanas más. El contenido del plasma seminal en proteínas era similar en todos los machos, mientras que mostraba diferencias el espectro proteico de los verracos irradiados por el sol en comparación con los animales albergados en la sombra. En los verracos irradiados aumentaban en la semana posterior al stress térmico las proteinas básicas albuminoideas, mientras que disminuían las proteínas del tipo globulina γ. Las proteínas con la misma migración electroforética que la globulina α1 aumentaban en la segunda y tercer semana tras el stress. No se modificó la concentración de los fosfolípidos ni la de la fructosa, en contraste con la concentración de colesterol, la cual aumentaba en la semana segunda después de la exposición al calor. Conclusión: Inmediatamente después de un stress térmico no resultaba adecuado el semen de verraco para ser conservado, debido a que aumentó su carácter básico.

Energy analysis on VAV system with different air-side economizers in China

The economizer is admittedly considered as one of the popular energy conservation measures in VAV systems. To evaluate potential energy conservation brought by the economizer scheme, the year-round energy simulation program is developed. Two types of air-side economizers, i.e. the temperature-based economizer cycle (TEC) and the enthalpy-based one (HEC), are introduced in the year-round operation of VAV system. The potential energy savings of the two economizer cycles are investigated in a representative office building exposed to the six typical climatic conditions in China. Simulation results indicate that the air economizers will achieve a higher energy-saving ratio in the southern China typically having hot-humid climates than applied in the northern China characterized by dry-cold climatic conditions. The HEC scheme is proved to be much more energy-efficient than TEC under the hot-humid climatic conditions, but not necessarily better than TEC under the dry climates. Increasing the temperature set-point of indoor air is beneficial to further improve the energy-saving performance of the both air economizers.

Growth performance of Large White Yorkhsire Pigs under different feeding regimes in hot-humid climatic conditions of South India

Growth performance of Large White Yorkhsire Pigs under different feeding regimes in hot-humid climatic conditions of South India

Breed and sex influences on porcine haematological picture under hot humid climatic conditions.

An investigation was undertaken of some haematological characteristics of one indigenous and five exotic breeds of pigs kept on a farm in the hot, humid climate of Ibadan, Nigeria. The total white blood cell counts were not affected by breed and sex but the other parameters exhibited various degrees of response to these two variables, the males of each breed tending to have higher values than the females. The indigenous pigs generally had higher values than the exotic breeds. Of the latter, only the Landrace and Large White had haematological values somewhat similar to those of the West African indigenous pig. This suggests that the Landrace and Large White breeds may be more suited than the other exotic breeds investigated to the climatic conditions prevalent in Ibadan.

Genetic and sex influences on the histomorphometric characteristics of porcine adrenals under hot humid climatic condition.

Histomorphometric measurements of the adrenal glands of three straight-bred and two cross-bred lines of pigs maintained in hot humid climatic conditions showed that adrenal gland function is not affected by sex. Striking breed influences were however observed in the parameters studied. Paired absolute adrenal weight was higher in Large White (LW) pigs than in the others but the relative adrenal weight was similar and higher in LW, Landrace (LD), West African indigenous (WA) and two-way cross (2X) pigs than in three-way cross (3X) pigs. The adrenal cortex thickness was thinnest in WA pigs while the area of the cortical zone and the cortex/medulla ratio were respectively smaller in WA and 3X and WA and 2X pigs than in the others. Relative paired adrenal weight did not change during early pregnancy unlike the thickness and area of the cortex and the cortex/medulla ratio which were highly increased.