Mapping of bioclimatic comfort for potential planning using GIS in Aydin

People are relaxed (satisfied or well-off) in what is described as comfortable climatic conditions. In such conditions, a person’s energy balance is not disturbed because of stresses from extreme heat or cold. Bioclimatic structure has been well researched and should be a consideration in the planning process for arranging comfortable spaces. It represents the understanding that energy balance is one of the basic elements of a sustainable landscape design. The goals of this study have been to create ideal places for human thermal comfort and to advance objectives focused on the importance of sustainable and ecological landscape planning and design work, along with their accompanying economic benefits. In this study, which focuses on the climate of the Province of Aydin, the most suitable areas for bioclimatic comfort have been identified. The climate values for the Aydin Province have been taken from a total of 22 meteorological stations. Stations at altitudes ranging from 11 to 871 m were used to note the climate changes that occurred. The average temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed from each station, including data collected using Geographic Information System (GIS) software, were transferred. GIS maps were then created from the imported data, and areas of optimal comfort around the city of Aydin were determined. The results show the range that is suitable for a bioclimatic comfort zone in Aydin. The bioclimatic comfort range was determined to be roughly 17 °C for Aydin, and the city of Aydin demonstrated a comfort range between 14 and 19 °C. As a result, the city of Aydin was shown to be a suitable area for bioclimatic comfort.     

The impact of pretreatment and inoculum to substrate ratio on methane potential of organic wastes from various origins

Biochemical methane potentials (BMP) of two different substrates from macroalgae (MA) and market place wastes (MPW) were investigated using anaerobic granulated sludge from food industry with different ratios of substrate to inoculum (S/X). The substrates were used as MA only, MPW only, MA–MPW mixture, pretreated MA, and pretreated MA–MPW mixture. Research involved investigation of the effects of parameters such as temperature (35, 45, and 55 °C), substrate to inoculum ratio (S/X = 0.5, 2.0, 4.0, and 6.0 as g VS_substrate/g VS_inoculum), and the type of pretreatment (by microwave, thermal, and ultrasonic) on BMP. BMP assays were performed for all substrates. The highest cumulative biogas production (and BMP) were obtained for MA only at an S/X ratio of 4.0 g VS/g VS as 357 L_biogas/kg VS (197 L CH₄/kg VS) and 33 L_biogas/kg VS (17 L CH₄/kg VS), respectively, at 35 and 55 °C. For pretreated substrates, the highest cumulative biogas production and BMP were observed as 287 L_biogas/kg VS and 146 L CH₄/kg VS using pretreated macroalgae at 35 °C. Results suggested that MA only and MA–MPW mixtures are suitable substrates for biogas production. It is also concluded that any type of pretreatment has adverse effects on biogas and methane productions.     

The effects of external costs on the system selection for treatment and disposal of municipal solid wastes: a deterministic case study for a pre-assessment

Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management - Selecting a system for treatment and disposal of municipal solid wastes (i.e., selection of the capacity, location and type of the processes and...     

Global solar radiation and energy yield estimation from photovoltaic power plants for small loads

Daily global solar radiation on a horizontal surface and duration of sunshine hours have been determined experimentally for five meteorological stations in Saudi Arabia, namely, Abha, Al-Ahsa, Al-Jouf, Al-Qaisumah, and Wadi Al-Dawaser sites. Five-years of data covering 1998–2002 period have been used. Suitable Angstrom models have been developed for the global solar radiation estimation as a function of the sunshine duration for each respective sites. Daily averages of monthly solar PV power outputs have been determined using the Angstrom models developed. The effect of the PV cell temperature on the PV efficiency has been considered in calculating the PV power output. The annual average PV output energy has been discussed in all five sites for small loads. The minimum and maximum monthly average values of the daily global solar radiation are found to be 12.09 MJ/m²/d and 30.42 MJ/m²/d for Al-Qaisumah and Al-Jouf in the months of December June, respectively. Minimum monthly average sunshine hours of 5.89 hr were observed in Al-Qaisumah in December while a maximum of 12.92 hr in Al-Jouf in the month of June. Shortest range of sunshine hours of 7.33–10.12 hr was recorded at Abha station. Minimum monthly average Solar PV power of 1.59 MJ/m²/day was obtained at Al-Qaisumah in the month of December and a maximum of 3.39 MJ/m²/day at Al-Jouf in June. The annual PV energy output was found to be 276.04 kWh/m², 257.36 kWh/m², 256.75 kWh/m², 245.44 kWh/m², and 270.95 kWh/m² at Abha, Al-Ahsa, Al-Jouf, Al-Qaisumah, and Wadi Al-Dawaser stations, respectively. It is found that the Abha site yields the highest solar PV energy among the five sites considered.     

Energy and exergy analysis of a heat storage tank with a novel eutectic phase change material layer of a solar heater system

Solar energy is one of the most important renewable energy sources, but it is not available every time and every season. Thus, storing of solar energy is important. One of the popular methods of heat storage is use of phase change materials (PCMs) which have large thermal energy storage capacity. In this study, the heat storage tank in a domestic solar water heating system was chosen as control volume. The experiments were performed in the province of Elaz?g, Turkey, in November when solar radiation was weak due to cloudy sky. The heat storage tank of the system was modified to fill PCM between insulation and hot water part. A few PCMs which are Potassium Fluoride, Lithium Metaborate Dihydrate, Strontium Hydroxide Octahydrate, Barium Hydroxide Octahydrate, Aluminum Ammonium Sulfate, and Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate were analyzed to proper operating conditions using a Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and the best PCM was obtained with the Aluminum Ammonium Sulfate and Sodium Hydrogen Phosphate mixture. Thus, eutectic PCM was obtained and used in a heat storage tank of the solar water heating system. Energy and exergy analysis of heat storage tank was performed with and without the PCM. Energy and exergy analysis has shown that the heat storage tank with the PCM is more efficient than without the PCM and the maximum exergy efficiency was obtained as 22% with the heat storage tank with the PCM.     

Sequencing diurnal air flow patterns for ozone exposure assessment around Houston,Texas

Understanding the human health impacts of ground level ozone requires detailed knowledge of its spatial–temporal distribution beyond that provided by surface monitoring networks. Here, a novel methodology based on unsupervised multivariate statistical techniques has been developed and used to identify the transport and dispersion patterns of tropospheric ozone. The hierarchical clustering method is used to visualize air flow patterns at two time scales relevant for ozone buildup. Sequentially executed statistical methods consider hourly 1-h surface wind field measurements. First, clustering is performed at the hourly time scale to identify 1-h surface flow patterns. Then, sequencing is performed at the daily time scale to identify groups of days sharing similar diurnal cycles for the surface flow. Selection of appropriate numbers of air flow patterns allows inference of regional transport and dispersion patterns for understanding population exposure to ozone. The methods are applied to the Houston, Galveston, and Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX study domain. Representative hourly wind field patterns are determined for the entire 2004 ozone season. Then, sequencing is performed for the 32 days in exceedance of the NAAQS for 8-h ozone. Four diurnal flow patterns capturing different ozone exceedance scenarios are isolated; each scenario is associated with a distinct spatial distribution for atmospheric pollutants.     

Influence of marble wastes on soil improvement and concrete production

Waste marble dusts are obtained by different methods of cutting marble in marble manufacturing companies. However, environmental damage can occur from the uncontrolled spill of these waste materials in natural habitats. In this study, we investigated the utilization of waste marble in the soil improvement of clayey soils, and as a fine aggregate in concrete production. Specifically, we determined the physical, mechanical and physicochemical characteristics of clayey soils with marble dust (MD) additive. The test results showed that some improvement occurred in the behavior of clay soil. Also, the cutting waste of marble sludge can be used as a filler material instead of fine aggregate in concrete production. This will reduce the porosity of the concrete due to the filling of the pores by MD.     

Indoor and outdoor airborne bacteria in child day-care centers in Edirne City (Turkey), seasonal distribution and influence of meteorological factors

This paper presents information about airborne mesophilic bacteria in the indoor and outdoor air of child day-care centers (CDCCs) in the city of Edirne, Turkey. Air samples were collected using the Petri plate gravitational settling method from the indoor and outdoor air of CDCCs. Counts of airborne bacteria were measured as colony forming units (CFU) collected by gravity onto Brain Heart Infusion Agar plates (with 5% sheep blood). Samples were taken monthly over a period of 12 months between January and December 2004. A total of 3,120 bacteria colonies were counted on 192 Petri plates. Four groups of culturable bacteria were identified: Gram-positive cocci, Gram-positive bacilli, endospore-forming Gram-positive bacilli, and Gram-negative bacteria. Airborne Gram-positive bacteria were the most abundant at more than 95% of the measured population. While Gram-positive cocci were more common in indoor environments, Gram-positive bacilli were more dominant in outdoor air. Bacteria commonly isolated from CDCCs were identified at a genus level. Staphylococcus (39.16%), Bacillus (18.46%), Corynebacterium (16.25%), and Micrococcus (7.21%) were dominant among the genera identified in the present study. The dominant genera identified in the day-care centers were Staphylococcus, Micrococcus, and Corynebacterium for indoor air and Bacillus, Corynebacterium, and Staphylococcus for outdoor air. Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Bacillus, and Corynebacterium genera were found in samples from every month. Bacterial colony counts were compared by sampling location (indoors and outdoors), seasons, and meteorological factors. We found negative correlations between the monthly total outdoor bacterial counts and the sampling day’s average relative humidity and average rainfall, and the monthly average rainfall. Fluctuations in bacterial counts in different seasons were observed.     

A study of background radioactivity level for Canakkale, Turkey

This study assesses the level of background radiation for Canakkale province of northwestern Turkey. Radon concentrations in indoor air were determined using CR-39 nuclear track detectors and ²²²Rn activity was found to be 167 Bq m^???3 (equivalent to an annual effective dose of 4.2 mSv). Measurements of outdoor gamma radiation (of terrestrial and cosmic origin) in air were performed using plastic scintillators, and the average absorbed gamma dose rate was found to be 66.4 nGy h^???1 (corresponding to an annual effective dose of 81.4 μSv). The radionuclide activity concentrations in soil samples collected from the study area were measured through gamma-ray spectrometry, and the average activities were determined as 94.55, 110.4, and 1,273 Bq kg^???1 for the natural radionuclides ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K, respectively, and 19.39 Bq kg^???1 for the fission product ¹³⁷Cs. The natural radioactivity sources resulted in an annual effective dose of 184 μSv. The radioactivity levels of drinking water samples were measured as 0.0599 Bq l^???1 for gross-alpha activity and 0.0841 Bq l^???1 for gross-beta activity using a low-background counting technique (equivalent to an annual effective dose of 12.25 μSv). The results of this study show that the activity levels of radon in air, radionuclides in soil, and alpha activities in drinking water are higher compared to the data available for other Turkish cities and the world averages. On the other hand, the outdoor gamma dose rates in air and beta activities in drinking water are within natural limits.     

Effect of vegetation change from native broadleaf forest to coniferous plantation on selected soil properties

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of vegetation change from a native broadleaf forest to a coniferous plantation on selected soil properties, including soil texture, pH, organic matter, total nitrogen (N), total phosphorus (P), exchangeable cations (Ca²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺), and cation exchange capacity (CEC). Results showed that the amount of clay particles, Ca²⁺, and K⁺ values significantly increased, whereas Na⁺, total N, and organic matter and soil pH values decreased on the treatment plot after vegetation change. Soil acidity also increased and soil textural group changed from moderately fine-textured soils (clay loam) to medium-textured soils (loam) under both control and treatment plots. Organic matter, total N, and Na⁺ values increased, whereas Ca²⁺ concentration decreased through time on the control plot. Soil pH, total P, K⁺, and CEC did not show significant changes through time on the control plot.