Showing papers by "Rex Britter published in 2011"

Quality assurance and improvement of micro-scale meteorological models

Abstract: Models have begun to play an important role in environmental assessment and urban climate studies. Their increasing use, however, is paralleled by a growing awareness that the majority of these models have never been the subject of rigorous evaluation. Consequently there is a lack of confidence in the modelled results. The paper reports on a European initiative (COST 732) which was launched 2005 with the purpose of establishing a generally accepted procedure for the improvement and quality assurance of micro-scale meteorological models that are applied for predicting flow and transport processes in urban or industrial environments.

Combining a Detailed Building Energy Model with a Physically-Based Urban Canopy Model

Abstract: A scheme that couples a detailed building energy model, EnergyPlus, and an urban canopy model, the Town Energy Balance (TEB), is presented. Both models are well accepted and evaluated within their individual scientific communities. The coupled scheme proposes a more realistic representation of buildings and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, which allows a broader analysis of the two-way interactions between the energy performance of buildings and the urban climate around the buildings. The scheme can be used to evaluate the building energy models that are being developed within the urban climate community. In this study, the coupled scheme is evaluated using measurements conducted over the dense urban centre of Toulouse, France. The comparison includes electricity and natural gas energy consumption of buildings, building facade temperatures, and urban canyon air temperatures. The coupled scheme is then used to analyze the effect of different building and HVAC system configurations on building energy consumption, waste heat released from HVAC systems, and outdoor air temperatures for the case study of Toulouse. Three different energy efficiency strategies are analyzed: shading devices, economizers, and heat recovery.

COST 732 in practice: the MUST model evaluation exercise

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to describe the use of a general methodology tailored to the evaluation of micro-scale meteorological models applied to flow and dispersion simulations in urban areas. This methodology, developed within COST 732, has been tested through a large modelling exercise involving many groups across Europe. The major test case used is the Mock Urban Setting Test (MUST) experiment representing an idealised urban area. It is emphasised that a full model evaluation is problem-dependent and requires several activities including a statistical validation that requires a careful choice of the metrics for the comparison with measurements.

Numerical Model Inter-comparison for Wind Flow and Turbulence Around Single-Block Buildings

Abstract: Wind flow and turbulence within the urban canopy layer can influence the heating and ventilation of buildings, affecting the health and comfort of pedestrians, commuters and building occupants. In addition, the predictive capability of pollutant dispersion models is heavily dependent on wind flow models. For that reason, well-validated microscale models are needed for the simulation of wind fields within built-up urban microenvironments. To address this need, an inter-comparison study of several such models was carried out within the European research network ATREUS. This work was conducted as part of an evaluation study for microscale numerical models, so they could be further implemented to provide reliable wind fields for building energy simulation and pollutant dispersion codes. Four computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models (CHENSI, MIMO, VADIS and FLUENT) were applied to reduced-scale single-block buildings, for which quality-assured and fully documented experimental data were obtained. Simulated wind and turbulence fields around two surface-mounted cubes of different dimensions and wall roughness were compared against experimental data produced in the wind tunnels of the Meteorological Institute of Hamburg University under different inflow and boundary conditions. The models reproduced reasonably well the general flow patterns around the single-block buildings, although over-predictions of the turbulent kinetic energy were observed near stagnation points in the upwind impingement region. Certain discrepancies between the CFD models were also identified and interpreted. Finally, some general recommendations for CFD model evaluation and use in environmental applications are presented.

Urban Energy Fluxes in Built-Up Downtown Areas and Variations across the Urban Area, for Use in Dispersion Models

Abstract: Surface energy fluxes, at averaging times from 10 min to 1 h, are needed as inputs to most state-of-the-art dispersion models. The sensible heat flux is a major priority, because it is combined with the momentum flux to estimate the stability, the wind profile, and the turbulence intensities. Because of recent concerns about dispersion in built-up downtown areas of large cities, there is a need to estimate sensible heatflux in the midst of tall buildings. In this paper, the authors work with some high-quality and relevant but arguably underutilized data. The results of analysis of urban heat flux components from 10 locations in suburban and built-up downtown areas in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, during the Joint Urban 2003 (JU2003) field experiment are presented here. At street level in the downtown area, in the midst of tall skyscrapers, the ground heat flux and the sensible heat flux are relatively large and the latent heat flux is relatively small when compared with concurrentfluxesobservedinthe upwindsuburbanareas.Inconfirmation ofmeasurementsin othercities,the sensible heat flux in the downtown area is observed to be slightly positive (10‐20 W m 22 ) at night, indicating nearly neutral or slightly unstable conditions. Also in agreement with observations in other cities is that the ground heat flux in the downtown area has a magnitude that is 3 or 4 times that in suburban or rural areas. These results should permit improved parameterizations of sensible heat fluxes in the urban downtown area with tall buildings.

Integrated Urban Sensing: A Geo-sensor Network for Public Health Monitoring and Beyond

Abstract: Pervasive environmental monitoring implies a wide range of technical, but also socio-political challenges, and this applies especially to the sensitive context of the city. In this paper, we elucidate issues for bringing out pervasive urban sensor networks and associated concerns relating to fine-grained information provision. We present the Common Scents project, which is based on the Live Geography approach, and show how it can overcome these challenges. As opposed to hitherto sensing networks, which are mostly built up in monolithic and closed systems, the Common Scents approach aims to establish an open, standards based and modular infrastructure. This ensures interoperability, portability and flexibility, which are crucial prerequisites for pervasive urban sensing. The implementation – a real-time data integration and analysis system for air quality assessment – has been realised on top of the CitySense sensor network in the City of Cambridge, MA US together with the city’s Public Health Department responding to concrete needs of the city and its inhabitants. The second pilot using mobile sensors mounted on bicycles has been deployed in Copenhagen, Denmark. Preliminary results show highly fine-grained variability of pollutant dispersion in urban environments.

Standardised Geo-Sensor Webs for Integrated Urban Air Quality Monitoring

Abstract: ‘In the next century, planet earth will don an electronic skin. It will use the Internet as a scaffold to support and transmit its sensations. This skin is already being stitched together. It consists of millions of embedded electronic measuring devices: thermostats, pressure gauges, pollution detectors, cameras, microphones, glucose sensors, EKGs, electroencephalographs. These will probe and monitor cities and endangered species, the atmosphere, our ships, highways and fleets of trucks, our conversations, our bodies – even our dreams.’ (Gross, 1999) Following this comprehensive vision by Neil Gross (1999), it can be assumed that sensor network deployments will increase dramatically within the coming years, as pervasive sensing has recently become feasible and affordable. This enriches knowledge about our environment with previously uncharted real-time information layers. However, leveraging sensor data in an ad-hoc fashion is not trivial as ubiquitous geo-sensor web applications comprise numerous technologies, such as sensors, communications, massive data manipulation and analysis, data fusion with mathematical modelling, the production of outputs on a variety of scales, the provision of information as both hard data and user-sensitive visualisation, together with appropriate delivery structures. Apart from this, requirements for geo-sensor webs are highly heterogeneous depending on the functional context. This chapter addresses the nature of this supply chain; one overarching aspect is that all elements are currently undergoing both great performance enhancement combined with drastic price reduction (Paulsen & Riegger, 2006). This has led to the deployment of a number of geo-sensor networks. On the positive side the growing establishment of such networks will further decrease prices and improve component performance. This will particularly be so if the environmental regulatory structure moves from a mathematical modelling base to a more pervasive monitoring structure. Of specific interest in this chapter is our concern that most sensor networks are being built up in monolithic and specific application-centred measurement systems. In consequence, there is a clear gap between sensor network research and mostly very heterogeneous end user requirements. Sensor network research is often dedicated to a long-term vision, which tells a compelling story about potential applications. On the contrary, the actual implementation is mostly not more than a very limited demonstration without taking into account well-known issues such as interoperability, sustainable development, portability or the coupling with established data analysis systems.

Towards a model evaluation protocol for urban scale flow and dispersion models

Abstract: This paper reports on the stages forming a model evaluation protocol for urban flow and dispersion models proposed within the COST Action 732 on “Quality Assurance and Improvement of Micro-Scale Meteorological Models”. It discusses the different components forming model evaluation with emphasis on validation and implementation of the protocol for the test case Mock Urban Setting Test (MUST). The protocol was proposed with building-resolving models in mind, but integral models have also been included. The suggested approach can be used for further micro-scale model evaluation and for the standardisation of their applications.

The sustainable development of Heathrow Airport: model inter-comparison study

Abstract: Air quality modelling near airports has received attention due to the impact of emissions from aircrafts near ground level. This work is part of the model inter-comparison study undertaken for the Department of Transport in connection with air quality near Heathrow Airport. Results formed part of a submission to the UK government in July 2006. The Emissions and Dispersion Modelling System (EDMS) was used. Our contribution required the setting up and running of EDMS for Heathrow Airport and its surroundings to simulate the year 2002. NOX, NO2 and PM10 were chosen for the study; these being of particular concern.

Understanding dispersion of nanoparticles in vehicle wakes combining field measurements and wind tunnel simulations

Abstract: This work presents selected results of an EPSRC-funded project investigating the dispersion of nanoparticles in the wake of moving vehicles. The aims were to study the changes in particle number distribution (PND) due to the competing effects of dilution and transformation processes (e.g. coagulation, nucleation, condensation) over the travel time from tailpipe to roadside, and to model the fate of these particles in the near and the far wake regions of a moving vehicle. To achieve these objectives, firstly ground-fixed and on-board measurements of PNDs were performed using a fast response (sampling frequency up to 10Hz) differential mobility spectrometer (Cambustion DMS50) in the wake of a diesel engined car moving at a range of speeds from 20 to 50 km h -1 . Secondly, wind tunnel simulations were carried out on reduced scale (1:5 and 1:20) models of the car used for the field experiments. The flow and turbulence fields were characterised both in the near and far wake of the modelled vehicle by using a two component laser Doppler anemometer. Concentration measurements were obtained by using a fast response (frequency >350 Hz) flame ionisation detector and a hydrocarbon tracer gas released from the modelled tailpipe. A high resolution experimental data base was obtained from both the field and wind tunnel measurements for formulating the basis of fast mathematical parameterisations that can be used with operational nanoparticle dispersion models.

Urban Energy Fluxes in Built-Up Downtown Areas and Variations across the Urban Area, for Use in Dispersion Models

Abstract: Surface energy fluxes, at averaging times from 10 min to 1 h, are needed as inputs to most state-of-the-art dispersion models. The sensible heat flux is a major priority, because it is combined with the momentum flux to estimate the stability, the wind profile, and the turbulence intensities. Because of recent concerns about dispersion in built-up downtown areas of large cities, there is a need to estimate sensible heatflux in the midst of tall buildings. In this paper, the authors work with some high-quality and relevant but arguably underutilized data. The results of analysis of urban heat flux components from 10 locations in suburban and built-up downtown areas in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, during the Joint Urban 2003 (JU2003) field experiment are presented here. At street level in the downtown area, in the midst of tall skyscrapers, the ground heat flux and the sensible heat flux are relatively large and the latent heat flux is relatively small when compared with concurrentfluxesobservedinthe upwindsuburbanareas.Inconfirmation ofmeasurementsin othercities,the sensible heat flux in the downtown area is observed to be slightly positive (10‐20 W m 22 ) at night, indicating nearly neutral or slightly unstable conditions. Also in agreement with observations in other cities is that the ground heat flux in the downtown area has a magnitude that is 3 or 4 times that in suburban or rural areas. These results should permit improved parameterizations of sensible heat fluxes in the urban downtown area with tall buildings.