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At least 847 records · Page 47

Strategic and Tactical Functions in an Autonomous Air Traffic Management System

This paper evaluates, by means of fast-time simulation, performance of a candidate system for autonomous air traffic management. Advancing towards autonomy in air traffic management may be necessary in order for new air vehicle types such as electric Vertical Take Off and Landing (eVTOL) to operate safely and efficiently in airspace shared with conventional traffic. To account for uncertain prediction, autonomous air traffic management was divided into two integrated and coordinated subsystems: strategic scheduling, performed at predeparture, and tactical conflict detection and resolution, performed throughout the flight. The conflict detection and resolution subsystem contained a second tactical scheduling function that applied to flights operating in the airspace near the destination airport. This paper compares and contrasts the two subsystems and uses fast-time simulation to demonstrate the comparisons. A scenario of 54 flights inbound to Newark Liberty International Airport was simulated multiple times with different parameters. The scenario was created using flight plans recorded from the National Airspace System on a low weather, average traffic day in April 2018. Whereas the routes were not changed, the departure times of the flights were modified to increase arrival rates at the Newark runway and arrival meter fixes. Results of the simulations showed that the autonomous air traffic management system was able to safely manage the traffic, even with prediction uncertainty. In addition, they showed the importance of including flight holding maneuvers, in addition to path stretching, in conflict detection and resolution and of coordinating strategic and tactical scheduling. Finally, a tradeoff between absorbing the delay calculated by strategic scheduling on the ground versus in the air showed that taking most of the delay on the ground is cost effective for a simple idealized cost function. However, taking a little of the delay in the air prevented throughput on the runway from dropping for short periods due to trajectory prediction uncertainty.

air traffic control↗

Initial Validation of a Simulation System for Studying Interoperability in Future Air Traffic Management Systems

Future air traffic management systems will need to accommodate large numbers of increasingly diverse air vehicles with different operating paradigms. To support this trend, they will digitally share copious amounts of information via a common communication architecture. Operators will deploy programs that create and negotiate flight plans via the architecture’s communication protocols. These programs will autonomously make decisions that must be arbitrated by the architecture and robust to uncertainty. To study interoperability in air traffic management, a new airspace simulation system was composed by integrating a legacy airspace simulation, an air traffic control model, and a new research communication architecture. It was used to evaluate air traffic management concepts by adapting it to handle congested arrival traffic at Newark Liberty International Airport and executing simulations. Results demonstrated the ability of the simulation system to model in detail strategic traffic flow management, predeparture flight planning, and air traffic control working in concert. Subsequent studies can use the simulation system to study interoperability, autonomy, digital communication, and uncertainty in future air traffic management systems.

air traffic control↗

Communicating Respiratory Health Risk Among Children using a Global Air Quality Index

Air pollution poses a serious threat to children’s respiratory health around the world. Satellite remote-sensing technology and air quality models can provide pollution data on a global scale, necessary for riskcommunication efforts in regions without ground-based monitoring networks. Several large centers, including NASA, produce global pollution forecasts that may be used alongside air quality indices to communicate local, daily risk information to the public. Here we present a health-based, globally applicable air quality index developed specifically to reflect the respiratory health risks among children exposed to elevated outdoor air pollution. Additive, excess-risk air quality indices were developed using 51 different coefficients derived from time-series health studies evaluating the impacts of ambient fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and ozone on children's respiratory morbidity outcomes. A total of four indices were created which varied based on whether or not the underlying studies controlled for co-pollutants and in the adjustment of excess risks of individual pollutants. Combined with historical estimates of air pollution provided globally at a 25x25 km2 spatial resolution from the NASA's Goddard Earth Observing System composition forecast (GEOS-CF) model, each of these indices were examined in a global sample of 664 small and 140 large cities for study year 2017. Adjusted indices presented the most normal distributions of locally-scaled index values, which has been shown to improve associations with health risks, while indices based on coefficients controlling for co-pollutants had little effect on index performance. We provide the steps and resources need to apply our final adjusted index at the local level using freely-available forecasting data from the GEOS-CF model, which can provide risk communication information for cities around the world to better inform individual behavior modification to best protect children's respiratory health.

Air Qualilty↗

A Synopsis of AIRS Global-Mean Clear-Sky Radiance Trends From 2003 to 2020

Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) aboard the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Aqua satellite has been operating since September 2002. Its information content, superb instrument performance, and dense sampling pattern make the AIRS radiances an invaluable data set for climate studies. The trends of global-mean, nadir-view, clear-sky AIRS radiances from 2003 to 2020 are studied here, together with the counterparts of synthetic radiances based on two reanalyzes, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis V5 (ECMWF ERA5) and NASA Goddard Earth Observing System V5.4.1 (GEOS-5.4.1; a reanalysis product without assimilation of hyperspectral radiances such as AIRS). The AIRS observation shows statistically significant negative trends in most of its CO2 channels, positive but non-significant trends in the channels over the window regions, and statistically significant positive trends in some of its H2O channels. The best agreements between observed and simulated radiance trends are seen over the CO2 tropospheric channels, while the observed and simulated trends over the CO2 stratospheric channels are opposite. ERA5 results largely agree with the AIRS observation over the H2O channels. The comparison in the H2O channels helps reveal a data continuity issue in the GEOS-5.4.1. Contributions from individual variables to the radiance trends are also assessed by performing separate simulations. This study provides the first synopsis of the global-mean trend of AIRS radiances over all its thermal-IR channels.

CO2↗

Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa - Summary for Decision Makers

Air pollution and climate change are a deadly duo for Africa, and must be tackled together. Air pollutants and greenhouse gases often share the same sources and can be even more dangerous when combined. Africa is particularly vulnerable to climate change, and currently, an estimated 1 million people per year die prematurely from air pollution on the continent. But there is a way to improve the situation: preventing emissions from short-lived climate pollutants, like methane and black carbon, is crucial for the world to stay below 1.5°C. Reducing SLCPs will help both save lives and protect the environment. Africa has a huge opportunity to continue developing sustainably, improve human well-being, and protect nature by investing in solutions to fight climate change and air pollution together. A new Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa from the African Union Commission, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and the UN Environment Programme, developed by African scientists in a process led by the Stockholm Environment Institute, shows how African leaders can act quickly across 5 key areas—transport, residential, energy, agriculture, and waste—to fight climate change, prevent air pollution, and protect human health.

Africa↗

Clean Indoor Air and Lower Environmental Impacts: Heat Recovery Ventilation in Cold Climates

Over half of Alaska homes are at risk of poor indoor air quality, which increases the risk of respiratory and other illnesses for people and animals. Heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) provide warm, fresh air to a building interior while minimizing energy use. They can be programmed to provide varying amounts of fresh air to ensure adequate ventilation for occupants and can be configured to filter air during wildfires or other events. In addition to improving the safety of indoor air and extending the life of a building, HRVs can improve surrounding outdoor air because they reduce the amount of fossil fuels needed to heat a building. Recent research by CCHRC has focused on lowering barriers to using HRVs in cold climates through laboratory evaluations and homeowner education. This poster will cover data on indoor air quality in Alaska, results of CCHRC research, and future research questions.

buildings↗

Energy and air quality implications of passive stack ventilation in residential buildings

Ventilation requires energy to transport and condition the incoming air. The energy consumption for ventilation in residential buildings depends on the ventilation rate required to maintain an acceptable indoor air quality. Historically, U.S. residential buildings relied on natural infiltration to provide sufficient ventilation, but as homes get tighter, designed ventilation systems are more frequently required particularly for new energy efficient homes and retrofitted homes. ASHRAE Standard 62.2 is used to specify the minimum ventilation rate required in residential buildings and compliance is normally achieved with fully mechanical whole-house systems; however, alternative methods may be used to provide the required ventilation when their air quality equivalency has been proven. One appealing method is the use of passive stack ventilation systems. They have been used for centuries to ventilate buildings and are often used in ventilation regulations in other countries. Passive stacks are appealing because they require no fans or electrical supply (which could lead to lower cost) and do not require maintenance (thus being more robust and reliable). The downside to passive stacks is that there is little control of ventilation air flow rates because they rely on stack and wind effects that depend on local time-varying weather. In this study we looked at how passive stacks might be used in different California climates and investigated control methods that can be used to optimize indoor air quality and energy use. The results showed that passive stacks can be used to provide acceptable indoor air quality per ASHRAE 62.2 with the potential to save energy provided that they are sized appropriately and flow controllers are used to limit over-ventilation.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Strategy Guideline: Compact Air Distribution Systems

This guideline discusses the benefits and challenges of using a compact air distribution system to handle the reduced loads and reduced air volume needed to condition the space within an energy efficient home. The decision criteria for a compact air distribution system must be determined early in the whole-house design process, considering both supply and return air design. However, careful installation of a compact air distribution system can result in lower material costs from smaller equipment, shorter duct runs, and fewer outlets; increased installation efficiencies, including ease of fitting the system into conditioned space; lower loads on a better balanced HVAC system, and overall improved energy efficiency of the home.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Modeling of coupled thermodynamic and geomechanical performance of underground compressed air energy storage in lined rock caverns

We applied coupled nonisothermal, multiphase fluid flow and geomechanical numerical modeling to study the coupled thermodynamic and geomechanical performance of underground compressed air energy storage (CAES) in concrete-lined rock caverns. The paper focuses on CAES in lined caverns at relatively shallow depth (e.g., 100 m depth) in which a typical CAES operational pressure of 5 to 8 MPa is significantly higher than both ambient fluid pressure and in situ stress. We simulated a storage operation that included cyclic compression and decompression of air in the cavern, and investigated how pressure, temperature and stress evolve over several months of operation. We analyzed two different lining options, both with a 50 cm thick low permeability concrete lining, but in one case with an internal synthetic seal such as steel or rubber. For our simulated CAES system, the thermodynamic analysis showed that 96.7% of the energy injected during compression could be recovered during subsequent decompression, while 3.3% of the energy was lost by heat conduction to the surrounding media. Our geomechanical analysis showed that tensile effective stresses as high as 8 MPa could develop in the lining as a result of the air pressure exerted on the inner surface of the lining, whereas thermal stresses were relatively smaller and compressive. With the option of an internal synthetic seal, the maximum effective tensile stress was reduced from 8 to 5 MPa, but was still in substantial tension. We performed one simulation in which the tensile tangential stresses resulted in radial cracks and air leakage though the lining. This air leakage, however, was minor (about 0.16% of the air mass loss from one daily compression) in terms of CAES operational efficiency, and did not significantly impact the overall energy balance of the system. However, despite being minor in terms of energy balance, the air leakage resulted in a distinct pressure increase in the surrounding rock that could be quickly detected using pressure monitoring outside the concrete lining.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Magnetic Resonance–Based Automatic Air Segmentation for Generation of Synthetic Computed Tomography Scans in the Head Region

Purpose: To incorporate a novel imaging sequence for robust air and tissue segmentation using ultrashort echo time (UTE) phase images and to implement an innovative synthetic CT (synCT) solution as a first step toward MR-only radiation therapy treatment planning for brain cancer. Methods and Materials: Ten brain cancer patients were scanned with a UTE/Dixon sequence and other clinical sequences on a 1.0 T open magnet with simulation capabilities. Bone-enhanced images were generated from a weighted combination of water/fat maps derived from Dixon images and inverted UTE images. Automated air segmentation was performed using unwrapped UTE phase maps. Segmentation accuracy was assessed by calculating segmentation errors (true-positive rate, false-positive rate, and Dice similarity indices using CT simulation (CT-SIM) as ground truth. The synCTs were generated using a voxel-based, weighted summation method incorporating T2, fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), UTE1, and bone-enhanced images. Mean absolute error (MAE) characterized Hounsfield unit (HU) differences between synCT and CT-SIM. A dosimetry study was conducted, and differences were quantified using γ-analysis and dose-volume histogram analysis. Results: On average, true-positive rate and false-positive rate for the CT and MR-derived air masks were 80.8% ± 5.5% and 25.7% ± 6.9%, respectively. Dice similarity indices values were 0.78 ± 0.04 (range, 0.70-0.83). Full field of view MAE between synCT and CT-SIM was 147.5 ± 8.3 HU (range, 138.3-166.2 HU), with the largest errors occurring at bone–air interfaces (MAE 422.5 ± 33.4 HU for bone and 294.53 ± 90.56 HU for air). Gamma analysis revealed pass rates of 99.4% ± 0.04%, with acceptable treatment plan quality for the cohort. Conclusions: A hybrid MRI phase/magnitude UTE image processing technique was introduced that significantly improved bone and air contrast in MRI. Segmented air masks and bone-enhanced images were integrated into our synCT pipeline for brain, and results agreed well with clinical CTs, thereby supporting MR-only radiation therapy treatment planning in the brain.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗

Stakeholder analysis for designing an urban air quality data governance ecosystem in smart cities

Cities, the world over, are fuelling economic growth. At the same time, rapid urbanization is a root cause of serious environmental damage. Recent WHO global air pollution guidelines highlight air pollution as a critical environmental threat along with climate change. To address these threats, smart cities and clean air programs are on a rise. In smart cities, data and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are major drivers of city transformations. The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing have the potential to accelerate these transformations toward urban resilience. However, the success of smart cities and clean air programs depends on cohesive multi-sector stakeholder contributions. This study conducted interdisciplinary participative stakeholder analysis to understand the data, and sectorial challenges, to outline the technological opportunities to facilitate clean air programs in Indian smart cities. The research highlights gaps due to siloed stakeholder operations, lack of data calibration, non-alignment of smart city and air quality management services, non-availability of health exposure data, and difficulty in translating scientific data into implementable actions. Stakeholders expressed potential ‘fit for the purpose’ use of IoT devices, satellites, smartphones, and mobility data augmented by AI methods in bridging these gaps. In conclusion, the analysis points toward a need to develop an easily accessible and ubiquitous urban data governance ecosystem enabling seamless cross-sector data exchanges to build trusting relationships among the stakeholders across the air quality management value chain.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Potential Air Pollutant Emissions and Permitting Classifications for Two Biorefinery Process Designs in the United States

Advanced biofuel production facilities (biorefineries), such as those envisioned by the United States (U.S.) Renewable Fuel Standard and U.S. Department of Energy's research and development programs, often lack historical air pollutant emissions data, which can pose challenges for obtaining air emission permits that are required for construction and operation. To help fill this knowledge gap, we perform a thorough regulatory analysis and use engineering process designs to assess the applicability of federal air regulations and quantify air pollutant emissions for two feasibility-level biorefinery designs. We find that without additional emission-control technologies both biorefineries would likely be required to obtain major source permits under the Clean Air Act's New Source Review program. The permitting classification (so-called 'major' or 'minor') has implications for the time and effort required for permitting and therefore affects the cost of capital and the fuel selling price. Consequently, we explore additional technically feasible emission-control technologies and process modifications that have the potential to reduce emissions to achieve a minor source permitting classification. Finally, our analysis of air pollutant emissions and controls can assist biorefinery developers with the air permitting process and inform regulatory agencies about potential permitting pathways for novel biorefinery designs.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Optimization of Secondary Air Injection in a Wood-Burning Cookstove: An Experimental Study

Nearly 40% of the world's population regularly cooks on inefficient biomass stoves that emit harmful airborne pollutants, such as particulate matter (PM). Secondary air injection can significantly reduce PM mass emissions to mitigate the health and climate impacts associated with biomass cookstoves. However, secondary air injection can also increase the number of ultrafine particles emitted, which may be more harmful to health. This research investigates the effect of secondary air injection on the mass and size distribution of PM emitted during solid biomass combustion. An experimental wood-burning cookstove platform and parametric testing approach are presented to identify and optimize secondary air injection parameters that reduce PM and other harmful pollutants. Size-resolved measurements of PM emissions were collected and analyzed as a function of parametric stove design settings. The results show that PM emissions are highly sensitive to secondary air injection flow rate and velocity. Although increasing turbulent mixing (through increased velocity) can promote more complete combustion, increasing the total flow rate of secondary air may cause localized flame quenching that increases particle emissions. As a result, biomass cookstoves that implement secondary air injection should be carefully optimized and validated to ensure that PM emission reductions are achieved throughout the particle size range.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Transboundary health impacts of transported global air pollution and international trade

Millions of people die every year from diseases caused by exposure to outdoor air pollution1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Some studies have estimated premature mortality related to local sources of air pollution6, 7, but local air quality can also be affected by atmospheric transport of pollution from distant sources8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. International trade is contributing to the globalization of emission and pollution as a result of the production of goods (and their associated emissions) in one region for consumption in another region14, 19, 20, 21, 22. The effects of international trade on air pollutant emissions23, air quality14 and health24 have been investigated regionally, but a combined, global assessment of the health impacts related to international trade and the transport of atmospheric air pollution is lacking. Here we combine four global models to estimate premature mortality caused by fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution as a result of atmospheric transport and the production and consumption of goods and services in different world regions. We find that, of the 3.45 million premature deaths related to PM2.5 pollution in 2007 worldwide, about 12 per cent (411,100 deaths) were related to air pollutants emitted in a region of the world other than that in which the death occurred, and about 22 per cent (762,400 deaths) were associated with goods and services produced in one region for consumption in another. For example, PM2.5 pollution produced in China in 2007 is linked to more than 64,800 premature deaths in regions other than China, including more than 3,100 premature deaths in western Europe and the USA; on the other hand, consumption in western Europe and the USA is linked to more than 108,600 premature deaths in China. Our results reveal that the transboundary health impacts of PM2.5 pollution associated with international trade are greater than those associated with long-distance atmospheric pollutant transport.

Zhang, Qiang↗

Comparison of multi-stage air treatment process divided by the same temperature and enthalpy difference

The multi-stage air treatment system has been proposed recently, and lower grade chilled/hot water could be used and energy efficiency could be improved. However, it has not been studied which division method of air treatment processes has higher energy efficiency. In this study, the model to calculate the energy consumption of multi-stage air treatment process is introduced, and the effects of two division methods, i.e. multi-stage air treatment process divided by the same temperature difference (ST method) or same enthalpy difference (SE method) between inlet and outlet at each stage, under 9 different air inlet parameters in the 2-stage and 3-stage air treatment processes are analysed and compared. The results show that (1) the system energy consumption of the SE method is generally lower than that of the ST method; (2) there is generally a larger energy consumption reduction rate of SE method when the air relative humidity is 70% compared to relative humidity of 50% and 90%; (3) the difference between ST method and SE method is not great, so both methods can be used for the design of multi-stage treatment system although SE method is normally recommended.

Wang, Wentao↗

Observation of inclined EeV air showers with the radio detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

With the Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) of the Pierre Auger Observatory, we have observed the radio emission from 561 extensive air showers with zenith angles between 60o and 84o. In contrast to air showers with more vertical incidence, these inclined air showers illuminate large ground areas of several km2 with radio signals detectable in the 30 to 80 MHz band. A comparison of the measured radio-signal amplitudes with Monte Carlo simulations of a subset of 50 events for which we reconstruct the energy using the Auger surface detector shows agreement within the uncertainties of the current analysis. As expected for forward-beamed radio emission undergoing no significant absorption or scattering in the atmosphere, the area illuminated by radio signals grows with the zenith angle of the air shower. Inclined air showers with EeV energies are thus measurable with sparse radio-antenna arrays with grid sizes of a km or more. This is particularly attractive as radio detection provides direct access to the energy in the electromagnetic cascade of an air shower, which in case of inclined air showers is not accessible by arrays of particle detectors on the ground.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Performance of a CO 2 sorbent for indoor air cleaning applications: Effects of environmental conditions, sorbent aging, and adsorption of co-occurring formaldehyde

Indoor air cleaning systems that incorporate CO 2 sorbent materials enable HVAC load shifting and efficiency improvements. This study developed a bench-scale experimental system to evaluate the performance of a sorbent under controlled operation conditions. A thermostatic holder containing 3.15 g sorbent was connected to a manifold that delivered CO 2 -enriched air at a known temperature and relative humidity (RH). The air stream was also enriched with 0.8-2.1 ppm formaldehyde. The CO 2 concentration was monitored in real-time upstream and downstream of the sorbent, and integrated formaldehyde samples were collected at different times using DNPH-coated silica cartridges. Sorbent regeneration was carried out by circulating clean air in countercurrent. Almost 200 loading/regeneration cycles were performed in the span of 17 months, from which 104 were carried out at reference test conditions defined by loading with air at 25°C, 38% RH, and 1000 ppm CO 2 , and regenerating with air at 80°C, 3% RH and 400 ppm CO 2 . The working capacity decreased slightly from 43-44 mg CO 2 per g sorbent to 39-40 mg per g over the 17 months. The capacity increased with lower loading temperature (in the range 15-35°C) and higher regeneration temperature, between 40 and 80°C. The CO 2 capacity was not sensitive to the moisture content in the range 6-9 g/m 3 , and decreased slightly when dry air was used. Loading isothermal breakthrough curves were fitted to three simple adsorption models, verifying that pseudo-first-order kinetics appropriately describes the adsorption process. The model predicted that equilibrium capacities decreased with increasing temperature from 15 to 35°C, while adsorption rate constants slightly increased. The formaldehyde adsorption efficiency was 80%-99% in different cycles, corresponding to an average capacity of 86 ± 36 µg/g. Formaldehyde was not quantitatively released during regeneration, but its accumulation on the sorbent did not affect CO 2 adsorption.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Technical Note: Spatial resolution of proton tomography: Impact of air gap between patient and detector

Purpose: Proton radiography and tomography were investigated since the early 1970s because of its low radiation dose, high density resolution, and ability to image directly proton stopping power. However, spatial resolution is still a limiting factor. In this note, preliminary results of the impact of an air gap between detector system and patient on spatial resolution are presented. Methods: Spatial resolution of proton radiography and tomography is governed by multiple Coulomb scattering (MCS) of the protons in the patient. In this note, the authors employ Monte Carlo simulations of protons traversing a 20 cm thick water box. Entrance and exit proton coordinate measurements were simulated for improved spatial resolution. The simulations were performed with and without a 5 cm air gap in front of and behind the patient. Loss of spatial resolution due to the air gap was studied for protons with different initial angular confusion. Results: It was found that spatial resolution is significantly deteriorated when a 5 cm air gap between the position sensitive detector and the patient is included. For a perfect parallel beam spatial resolution worsens by about 40%. Spatial resolution is getting worse with increasing angular confusion and can reach 80%. Conclusions: When proton radiographies are produced by measuring the entrance and exit coordinates of the protons in front of and behind the patient the air gap between the detector and the patient can significantly deteriorate the spatial resolution of the system by up to 80%. An alternative would be to measure in addition to the coordinates also the exit and entrance angles of each proton. In principle, using the air gap size and proton angle, images can be reconstructed with the same spatial resolution than without air gap.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗