Energy Efficient Tunnel Solutions

Peeling, James; Wayman, Matthew; Mocanu, Isabela; Nitsche, Philippe; Rands, John; Potter, John

doi:10.1016/j.trpro.2016.05.221

Cited by 12 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…The integration of jet fan ventilation systems into car park and tunnel ventilation holds substantial promise for advancing the concept of carbon neutrality. These systems have been shown through empirical evidence to exhibit a heightened level of energy efficiency when compared to traditional methods [5,6]. This observation gains even greater significance within the current landscape, characterized by a discernible shift towards the replacement of conventional systems with environmentally conscious alternatives.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CFD Assessment of Car Park Ventilation System in Case of Fire Event

Rahif,

Attia

2023

Applied Sciences

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This scientific article presents the results of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations conducted using OpenFOAM to evaluate the effectiveness of a jet fan ventilation system in managing the dispersion of smoke resulting from a car fire incident within an underground car park spanning a total area of 21,670 m2, situated in Tabriz, Iran. The primary objective of the study is to determine the velocity fields and evaluate visibility conditions within a 10 m radius to gauge the efficiency and effectiveness of the system. The study employs a smoke concentration production rate of 5.49 × 10−4 kg/m3s for simulations involving fire scenarios. A total of 17 fire scenarios are examined, each extending 30 m in all directions from the initial location. The research findings demonstrate that the placement of jet fan components plays a significant role in the system’s efficiency, with fans positioned near the ceiling leading to back-layering. To mitigate this issue, the recommended design solution involves the strategic installation of multiple jet fan arrays in specific zones with the addition of 10 extra jet fans, effectively curbing lateral smoke dispersion. Furthermore, the analysis of air flow rates shows that when jet fans direct an excessive airflow towards the exhaust shafts (which have a designated flow rate of 22.5 m3/s), recirculating flows occur, leading to the dispersion of smoke throughout the car park. Consequently, the utilization of low-velocity jet fans (11.2 m/s) proves to be more effective in clearing smoke compared to high-velocity jet fans (22.3 m/s). The study also emphasizes the importance of optimal positioning of supply and exhaust shafts to achieve effective smoke control, highlighting the need for placing them on opposite walls or minimizing airflow turns. Additionally, the research underscores the significance of fire resistance in jet fan units, as their failure during fire incidents can have severe consequences.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

CFD Assessment of Car Park Ventilation System in Case of Fire Event

Rahif,

Attia

2023

Applied Sciences

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“…Since the 1970s, gas-discharge lamps, sodium lamps, and high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS) have been passed on until the introduction in 2000s of light-emitting diode lamps (LED). LED lighting systems, especially if solar powered [10], can improve the LCA results of the environmental and human health impacts is useful to understand and improve processes and technologies currently used in the road section to reduce its environmental burdens.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The most effective ones concern the tunnel lining and the road surface materials. Indeed, self-cleaning lining panels can produce 2.5% energy savings [12], while the use of a white and highly-reflective road surface materials can improve the driver visibility, and save more than 20% due to less luminaires required [10].Design options of a road infrastructure determine its sustainability and efficiency during the whole life cycle. For road tunnels and similar underground structures, in particular, there are both technical and economic constraints and opportunities to be considered [13,14].…”

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Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Lighting Systems and Road Pavements in an Italian Twin-Tube Road Tunnel

2018

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This work calculates and discusses the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of four scenarios composed of two types of road pavements and two types of lighting systems to be built in an Italian twin-tube road tunnel. A 20-year time horizon is adopted to assess the burdens of construction and maintenance of both flexible and rigid pavements and high-pressure sodium (HPS) and light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, traffic, and switching on of lamps. All considered scenarios are comparable with each other in terms of technical performances, but significantly differ regarding their environmental consequences. The geometrical and technical characteristics of the examined scenarios comply with current Italian standards for highways. In all the examined cases, LCA is carried out according to the European standard, EN 15804, and includes 19 impact categories (IC). The analysis demonstrates that the use of more reflecting surface pavement materials (i.e., concrete vs. asphalt) and more performing lighting systems (i.e., LED vs. HPS) can effectively mitigate the deleterious burdens related to road construction, maintenance, and use. For most of the examined ICs, the most environment-friendly scenario has LED lamps and concrete pavement.Sustainability 2018, 10, 4165 2 of 18 the efficiency of lighting systems during their service life. However, LEDs are not globally used for road lighting systems. Indeed, HPS lamps are currently one of the most used types of light source and the road lighting upgrade is still in progress [11].Many other complementary measures could contribute to operational energy efficiency in road tunnels. The most effective ones concern the tunnel lining and the road surface materials. Indeed, self-cleaning lining panels can produce 2.5% energy savings [12], while the use of a white and highly-reflective road surface materials can improve the driver visibility, and save more than 20% due to less luminaires required [10].Design options of a road infrastructure determine its sustainability and efficiency during the whole life cycle. For road tunnels and similar underground structures, in particular, there are both technical and economic constraints and opportunities to be considered [13,14]. In fact, these infrastructures require special attention due to their technical characteristics and performances that they must ensure, especially regarding the safety and comfort of users [15]. A road tunnel, in fact, is a complex infrastructure where a sensitive equilibrium is needed between the civil structures and the technical systems; among these components, an important role is played by the road pavement and the lighting system [16]. They determine the safety condition experimented by users, in terms of friction, stability, evenness, and visibility along the road section. At the same time, they significantly influence the economic, environmental, and energetic sustainability of the tunnel [17]. Recent research has highlighted that the use of lighter surfaced pavements can be a valid design solution to reduce lighting consumpt...

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“…Current efforts in sustainable infrastructure development focus on minimizing GHG emissions related to operational energy demand (e.g. for operating systems and equipment [2]) or energy demand and emissions caused by users (e.g. 1078 (2022) 012120 IOP Publishing doi:10.1088/1755-1315/1078/1/012120 2 for vehicles on roads or rail [3]).…”

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confidence: 99%

Reducing the carbon footprint of municipal infrastructures

Kytzia

Brändli²

2022

IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci.

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Developers of municipal infrastructures have focused so far mainly on the operation of infrastructure networks (e.g. roads) or facilities (e.g. district heating facilities) and their impacts on climate change. Only recently, the focus shifts to optimizing CO2 emissions embodied in building materials and caused by processes and transports related to construction, maintenance, overhaul and renewal of civil engineering works. The European standard EN 15643-5:2017 provides specific principles and requirements for the assessment of their environmental performance and a new standard for calculation methods will be published in 2022 including an assessment of embodied C02 emissions. But, how can this information be used to systematically reduce the carbon footprint for municipal infrastructures? In an ongoing research project, we want to answer this question and develop a management cycle for optimizing the carbon footprint of municipal infrastructures. In a first step, we used expert interviews with infrastructure operators, planers and builders focusing on roads to define use cases where information on embodied CO2 emissions is needed. In a second step, we studied construction projects (completed in the past) to analyze data availability at different stages of the planning process. Based on our preliminary results, a management cycle should include the following four use cases for using information on embodied CO2 emissions for decision support. First, it should be used for monitoring of infrastructure networks (as part of scope 3 accounting for operators). Second, it supports priority setting for renewal and overhaul planning when used to analyse representative project portfolios. And, it will help developing project specific benchmarks for optimization at early design stages as well as before public tender. In the next step of our project, we will adapt existing calculation methods in collaboration with operators of municipal road networks to meet information requirements in the identified use cases.

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Energy Efficient Tunnel Solutions

Cited by 12 publications

References 1 publication

CFD Assessment of Car Park Ventilation System in Case of Fire Event

CFD Assessment of Car Park Ventilation System in Case of Fire Event

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Lighting Systems and Road Pavements in an Italian Twin-Tube Road Tunnel

Reducing the carbon footprint of municipal infrastructures

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