• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.429-435
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• 1996

A wind tunnel consisting of two air flow conditioners with polycarbonate pipes, a plant growth room, a suction fan and fan controller, and fluorescent lamps, was designed to investigate the interactions between the growth of plug seedlings under artificial light and their Physical environments. Light transmissivities in the plant growth room based on the photosynthetic photon flux density and photosynthetically active radiation was appeared to be 96.3% and 96.8%, respectively. Measurement showed a uniformity in the vertical profiles of air current speed at the middle and rear regions of plug trays in wind tunnel. This result indicated that the development of a wind tunnel based on the design criteria of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers was adequate. Air current speed inside the plug stand was significantly decreased due to the resistance by the leaves of plug seedlings and boundary layer developed over and below the plug stand. Driving force to facilitate the diffusion of gas inside the plug stand might be regarded as extremely low. Aerodynamic characteristics above the plug stand under artificial light were investigated. As the air current speed increased, zero plane displacement decreased but roughness length and frictional velocity increased. Zero plane displacement linearly increased with the average height of plug seedlings. The wind tunnel developed in this study would be useful to investigate the effects of air current speed on the microclimate over and inside the plug stand and to collect basic data for a large-scale plug production under artificial light in a semi-closed ecosystem.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.160-166
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• 1996

Objective of this study was to investigate the effects of all current speed on the microclimates above and inside the plug stand under artificial light. Maximum air temperature appeared near the top of the plug stand. Difference in air temperature inside the plug stand increased with the decreasing air current speed. Difference in relative humidity(DRH) to the relative humidity at the Inlet of the main air flow conditioner Inside and above the plug stand decreased with the increasing air current speed. Relative humidity inside the plug stand was 10-15% higher than that above the plug stand. DRH inside a stand of plug at air current speed of 0.3m s$^{-1}$ was about two times as many as that at air current speed of 0.9 m s$^{-1}$ . DRH inside the plug stand was 2.8-6.5% higher at LAI of 2.6 than that at LAI of 0.5. Gradient for the vapour pressure deficit was distinctly appeared at the low air current speed. Direction of vapour pressure flux is from the medium surface upwards. Difference in vapour pressure(DVPD) to the vapour pressure deficit at the inlet of the main air flow conditioner inside and above the plug stand decreased with the increasing height above the medium surface. DVPD inside the plug stand was 0.3-0.4㎪ higher at air current speed of 0.9m s$^{-1}$ than that at air current speed of 0.3m s$^{-1}$ . Results for the effects of air current speed on the relative humidity and vapour pressure deficit indicated that the microclimates above and inside the plug stand at the rear region in plug trays were slightly unfavorable compared to those at middle region.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.2 no.6
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• pp.441-460
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• 2002

In the design of bridges, it is important to consider the thermal stresses induced by the non-linear temperature distribution as well as the variation of effective temperature in the bridge deck. To cope with this, design temperature profiles are provided by design codes, which are normally based on extensive research work. This paper presents the results of a comprehensive investigation on the thermal behaviour of bridges in Hong Kong with special emphasis on composite bridges. The temperature distribution in bridges depends primarily on the solar radiation, ambient air temperature and wind speed in the vicinity. Apart from data of the meteorological factors, good estimates of the thermal properties of material and the film coefficients are necessary for the prediction of temperature distribution. The design temperature profiles for various types of composite bridge deck with bituminous surfacing and concrete slab of different thicknesses are proposed. The factors affecting the design effective temperature are also reviewed and suitable values for Hong Kong are proposed. Results are compared with recommendations of the current local code. The method facilitates the development of site-specific temperature profiles for code documents, and it can also be applied to create zoning maps for temperature loading for large countries where there are great climatic differences.