REGISTER here to receive portfolio's of TP Graduates eligible for employment in your company

Collaboration with Land Transport Authority

Optimum Tunnel Air Temperature Criteria for Road Tunnel Ventilation System Design

The temperature in tunnels is one of the main considerations for the design of the tunnel ventilation system for road tunnels.  However, there are currently no well-established tunnel air temperature criteria for use in the tunnel ventilation system design during normal and congested traffic operating conditions.

The objectives of this project were two-fold:

• ·To establish the optimum temperature criteria for use in the design of the tunnel ventilation system, taking into consideration the requirements of the road users, vehicles and equipment inside the tunnels.
• ·To determine the heat rejection values from different vehicle types under different speeds for use in the tunnel ventilation system design.

Generally, it was found that engine capacity influences idling fuel consumption, which in turn affects the amount of heat dissipated from vehicle engines.

The amount of heat dissipated by an engine (calculated based on the estimated idling fuel consumption data), and the approximate condenser heat rejection data inferred from the literature, were used to calculate the ventilation airflow.  The tunnel air temperature could then be predicted with the help of CFD simulation.

Variable Chilled Water Flow in CACS of MRT Station/CD Shelter

This project aimed to study the feasibility of using VSD to control the speed of chilled water pumps in the central air-conditioning system (CACS) in order to control the chilled water flow-rate to meet the demand during normal revenue service.  The McPherson (MPS) station under CCL Stage 2 was the subject of the study.  Presently, the chiller plant design for this station is based on the concept of constant primary chilled water flow with variable secondary chilled water flow and common bypass.  The feasibility of this design vis-à-vis other alternatives was evaluated based on energy-efficiency and other technical criteria.

Three scenarios were considered:

(a) Baseline – LTA’s design for the MPS chiller plant i.e. constant primary chilled water flow with variable secondary chilled water flow and common bypass

(b) Alternative A – constant primary chilled water flow with variable secondary chilled water flow (primary and secondary pumping), and

(c) Alternative B – variable primary chilled water flow with common bypass.  

Each of the two alternatives was compared in turn with the baseline.  Without taking the additional plant-room space required into account, the payback of about 2.65 years for Alternative A suggests that it may be cost-effective.  Similarly, the payback of 1.58 years for Alternative B suggests that it may also be cost-effective, provided that its inherent disadvantages such as the complexity of bypass control and the complexity of chiller staging, especially at low loads, could be adequately addressed.

Collaboration with  SingHealth Services Pte Ltd

The scope of the energy and climate consultancy services in this project encompassed:

• Development of a virtual architectural model of the blocks, using REVIT software.
• Modeling the effect of daylighting on the interior spaces by varying the fenestration sizes, using 3D STUDIO VIZ software.
• Evaluating the energy savings resulting from the use of daylighting vs artificial (electrical) lighting, using EnergyPlus software.
• Modeling the airflow and temperature profiles for the proposed natural ventilation of a courtyard comprising a double-storey void and initially roofed over by a glass skylight.

The project was undertaken by 6 students from IBT as part of their SIP-MP.  The client, SingHealth Services, were evidently very impressed by the efforts of our IBT staff and students.  The Bowyer Redevelopment project was awarded BCA’s Green Mark Gold^Plus (http://www.bca.gov.sg/Newsroom/others/pr190406.pdf).

Collaboration with Rendezvous Hotel

A team of 3 students from IBT conducted an energy and water audit for the hotel and recommended conservation opportunities to the facility manager.  Complex data analysis with many parameters, such as equipment tweaking, set-point changes, chiller optimization and economic analysis, were carried out to estimate possible cost savings and cost effectiveness of the energy conservation measures.  In the process, the team developed a generic software using Microsoft Excel that can be used for all future audits.  This software helps compute the energy consumption and utility bills of air-conditioning chiller plants.  

Another team of 3 students (also from IBT) conducted an investigation of the airflow and temperature profile at the 2^nd storey of the hotel.  The team relied on on-site measurements, air-conditioning load estimation and Flovent computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to model the thermal environment of the hotel.  The findings were subsequently presented to the hotel’s facility manager.

Collaboration with Reuters Singapore

This project was carried out over 2 separate semesters, corresponding to the 2 phases of the project.  In Phase I, the objective was to design and develop a Visitor Information System for Reuters’ HQ at Science Park.  A field survey was conducted to establish the security issues relating to visitors entering Reuters’ building and to explore possible solutions to the problem.  Based on the field studies, a system was developed and implemented to process visitors entering the building, and thus enhance security.  

In Phase II, the objective was to design a security system for Reuters for their campus perimeter protection where there is no fencing provided. This would include sensing, alarming and management reporting of outdoor movements during odd hours.  A set of sensors would detect any movement based on which the camera system would be activated along with the lighting system. The features would include remote monitoring at FCC and also telemeter the alarm to pre-defined destinations. A suitable set of sensors, camera system, lighting system was selected and a prototype control system was developed to be test driven first in the lab and subsequently in the field.

Collaboration with Eltraco

Eltraco is the distributor for ‘Parsec Thermobrite’ aluminum radiant and vapor barrier.  This collaborative study investigated the feasibility of substituting this barrier for conventional expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam in wall and roof thermal insulation assemblies, in relation to the climate in mainland China.

Collaboration SMRT Corporation

The SMRT’s Signals Field Services staff had been carrying printed checklists with them, whenever they performed maintenance.  Upon completing the maintenance tasks, the completed checklists were submitted through their supervisors and forwarded to the Signals Quality and Safety Section for processing.  The checklists contain useful information such as equipment voltage/current readings and other useful data.  Such information is valuable for maintenance management and improvement.  In this project, the students developed a system to simplify the entire data acquisition process via the use of PDA for data collection and PC for data management.

Collaboration with Aljunied Town Council

This project involved the design and execution of a survey on service delivery, which was undertaken on behalf of Aljunied Town Council, in conjunction with its $160 million 5-year development plan for the Aljunied GRC that was announced on 9 Oct 2005.

Collaboration with Utopia-Aire

This collaboration involved 2 projects carried out in separate semesters.  The first involved the development of an IAQ program for office-type occupancies.  The students established the relevant guidelines, codes and/or standards to be used in the audit, developed appropriate plans for walk-through and diagnostic (clinical) audits, and implemented the developed plans in trial IAQ audits of actual buildings.  

The second involved the development of an air cleaner test methodology.  The students developed a procedure for testing a hybrid air cleaner to investigate its impact on the IAQ of the spaces served.  The procedure also aimed to assess the impact of the air cleaner on the energy-efficiency of the associated air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation system.

Sustainable Design

Lisbon Ideas Challenge

Lisbon Ideas Challenge is an organization of the Center for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research, IN+ at Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon, established on behalf of the IEA PVPS Task 10.  This was an international design competition aimed at fostering innovative ideas relevant to the development of urban structures integrating photovoltaic systems and technologies.  

In this project, the mixed use developments were chosen to be developed with energy-saving features comprising the latest PV technology.  The model was then further simulated in 3D MAX and Energy Plus environment to optimize the building design.

ASHRAE International Student Design Competition

This project was based on the Brewery Blocks development in Portland, Oregon, USA.  It encompassed 160,000 m2 of urban retail, office space and residential housing, plus parking, spread over 5 buildings and the project involved 2 aspects viz:

• Architectural Design:
  • Required the integration of retirement and assisted living facility, with new retail space, into the fabric of the urban setting (Block 5).
  • Features include multi-living dwelling design for aged persons, barrier-free access for all levels of commercial facilities, mixed-use residential & commercial retail facilities with public water play, indoor restaurant and al-fresco dining, sustainable façade design with double facades, etc.
• HVAC System Selection:

Involved the design & evaluation of district hot & chilled water system based on cogeneration and hybrid chillers, with energy-efficient features (eg. series-parallel chillers, variable speed pumping, non-chemical cooling tower water treatment), air-to-air heat recovery via enthalpy wheels, jet fan system for carpark mechanical ventilation, smoke control systems for all buildings and smoke management system for Armory Cold Store.