An analytical model is developed to predict the annual variation of soil surface temperature from readily available weather data and soil thermal properties. The time variation is approximated by a first harmonic function characterized by an average, an amplitude, and a phase lag. A parametric analysis is presented to determine the effect of various factors such as evaporation, soil absorptivity, and soil convective properties on soil surface temperature. A comparison of the model predictions with experimental data is presented. The comparative analysis indicates that the simplified model predicts soil surface temperatures within ten percent of measured data for five locations.
Following several successful applications of feedforward neural networks (NNs) to the building energy prediction problem (Wang and Kreider, 1992; JCEM, 1992, 1993; Curtiss et al., 1993, 1994; Anstett and Kreider, 1993; Kreider and Haberl, 1994) a more difficult problem has been addressed recently: namely, the prediction of building energy consumption well into the future without knowledge of immediately past energy consumption. This paper will report results on a recent study of six months of hourly data recorded at the Zachry Engineering Center (ZEC) in College Station, TX. Also reported are results on finding the R and C values for buildings from networks trained on building data.
pages; 549.50.The handbook represents the collected wisdom of at least forty-nine named engineers, scientists, economists and attorneys, for each of whom a short biography is appended. The majority have many years of practical solar energy related experience in the private sector. it emphasizes established applications and avoids areas less well documented. One could argue that lesser developed fields should receive some mention, if only to stimulate continuation and expansion of the solar technological momentum. However, the editors conservatively intended the book to be of archival nature, and this is the principal reason for exclusion of some of the newer, evolving developments. On the other hand, the neophyte to the area will find many new and interesting concepts introduced and explored in an informative, straight-forward fashion.The material is divided into six categories:(1) Perspective and Basic Principles (six chapters) in which are presented the history of solar energy uses and the scientific principles upon which the entire field rests. Solar irradiance, optical properties of materials, heat transfer, thermodynamics, and energy storage all receive concise but quite adequate coverage and referencing to the original literature.(2) Solar-Thermal Collection and Conversion Methods (four chapters) considers nonconcentrating and concentrating collectors, as well as nonconvecting solar ponds. The latter represents a fascinating, if complex, system to retrieve solar radiation inexpensively on a large scale without elaborate fabricated collectors. The interactions which can occur between the heat and salinity transfers in such a collector provide a delightful study for all chemical engineers.(3) Low-Temperature Solar Conversion Systems (nine chapters) details systems which maintain temperatures less than 100°C. These include solar water heating; air and liquid space-heating; space-cooling; performance, design and modeling methods; passive systems; ocean thermal energy conversion; agricultural drying; solar distillation and cooking systems.(4) High Temperature and Process Heat Systems (three chapters) is devoted to solarthermal electric power, process heating and solar-powered heat engines. These chapters provide excellent overviews of the technical, economic, societal, equipment and design considerations which shape the decisions being made respecting our energy future. Every engineer interested in the industrial applications of solar energy certainly should read carefully these chapters.(5) Advanced and Indirect Solar Conversion Systems (three chapters) examines wind energy converters and systems, photovoltaic devices, and biomass energy conversions. Considerable recent effort has gone into these specialized areas of solar conversion. Technical understanding is improving, but the unfavorable economics continue to plague these areas as far as large scale, general use goes. The biomass area may well be a discipline to watch in the 1980's, especially as problems with oil, fossil fuels and nuclear energy continue t...
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