[en] Highlights: •Developed methods to cluster 24-h electric load shapes using smart meter data. •Developed new metrics for electric load shape benchmarking for commercial buildings. •Applied data analytics to interpret load shapes and infer building operations. •Analyzed smart meter data from more than 2000 commercial buildings in California. •Integrated the load shape benchmarking into the Commercial Building Energy Saver. -- Abstract: Small- and medium-sized commercial buildings owners and utility managers often look for opportunities for energy cost savings through energy efficiency and energy waste minimization. However, they currently lack easy access to low-cost tools that help interpret the massive amount of data needed to improve understanding of their energy use behaviors. Benchmarking is one of the techniques used in energy audits to identify which buildings are priorities for an energy analysis. Traditional energy performance indicators, such as the energy use intensity (annual energy per unit of floor area), consider only the total annual energy consumption, lacking consideration of the fluctuation of energy use behavior over time, which reveals the time of use information and represents distinct energy use behaviors during different time spans. To fill the gap, this study developed a general statistical method using 24-h electric load shape benchmarking to compare a building or business/tenant space against peers. Specifically, the study developed new forms of benchmarking metrics and data analysis methods to infer the energy performance of a building based on its load shape. We first performed a data experiment with collected smart meter data using over 2000 small- and medium-sized businesses in California. We then conducted a cluster analysis of the source data, and determined and interpreted the load shape features and parameters with peer group analysis. Finally, we implemented the load shape benchmarking feature in an open-access web-based toolkit (the Commercial Building Energy Saver) to provide straightforward and practical recommendations to users. The analysis techniques were generic and flexible for future datasets of other building types and in other utility territories.

[en] In order to investigate the distribution of copper particles in poly-4-methyl-1-pentene (PMP) low density foams, the high resolution X-ray computer tomography was used to scan PMP/Cu samples and the CCD camera to record the images. After image processing and 3D reconstruction, 3D spatial distribution of the copper particles in PMP/Cu foams was obtained. 3D visualization shows that copper particles are aggregated in the PMP foams, copper particle aggregates with different sizes have distinctly different morphologies, that is, small aggregates tend to be spherical while big aggregates are relatively longer and like a short stick, which agrees well with the results obtained by high resolution electron microscopy. The research results show that the high resolution X-ray computer tomography can be used to observe the high Z metal particles doped in low density porous materials without destructing the samples. (authors)

[en] To satisfy the ICF needs of predeuterated polymer foam, the preparation of predeuterated divinylbenzene, which is the requisite predeuterated monomer of fabricating the predeuterated polymer foam, has been studied in this year. By the preparation cost, the yield of final production, and the deuterated ratio, the synthesis route of deuterated divinylbenzene has been determined, which is composed of bromine replacing, hydrolyzing, and Witting alkene. And now by this route, the divinylbenzene cna be synthesized, and some deuterated semifinished products have been fabricated. (author)

[en] To improve the forming performance of low density polymer foams and to meet the requirement of ICF physical experiments, the forming control of low density polymer foams was studied using thermally induced phase-inversion technique combined with in situ molding or machining. The results indicate that the fine structure and homogeneity of the foam were preserved by quenching the liquid gel to liquid nitrogen under appropriate nitrogen pressure, and after the solvents being released, the resulted PMP foams had higher strength, more uniform microstructure and finer pore size. By using in situ moulding or machining, precision forming control of low density PMP foams could be achieved. (authors)

[en] The preparation of poly (vinylcyclohexane) (PVCH) foam has been investigated via the thermally-induced phase separation technique and the freeze-drying technique. Polystyrene was saturated using heterogeneous hydrogenation techniques to prepare PVCH. Then low density foams were successfully prepared with the cyclohexane/dioxane solvent and a series of PVCH solutions with different concentration, by the thermally-induced phase separation technique and the freeze-drying technique. The relation between polymer concentration and foam density was analyzed. The results show that polymer concentration has a good linear relationship with the actual density of PVCH foams and there is a fixed difference between the actual density and theoretic density, thus effectual control on the density of foams can be achieved from 0.04 to 0.15 g/cm³. The pore structure of foams was also analyzed. The results show that the average pore size increases and the pore size distribution tends to be uniform with the increase of foam density, and the range of pore radius is from 23.63 μm to 0.83 μm. (authors)

[en] Poly (vincylcyclohexane) (PVCH) was prepared with polystyrene (PS) saturated using heterogeneous hydrogenation techniques. The structure of the synthesized polymers was characterized by means of FT-IR, ¹H NMR spectroscopy and GPC, and the results show a good agreement with the proposed structure. The optimum condition for PVCH synthesis was obtained via many experiments. DSC and TG measurements show that PVCH possesses good thermal stability (T_g = 146 degree C, T_D > 345 degree C) compared with PS. The solubility of PVCH is improved, i. e. it can completely dissolve in petroleum ether and cyclohexane. (authors)

[en] The deuterated polymer foams for thermal nuclear fusion targets were prepared by high-internal-phase emulsion technique. The densities, compressive modulus, cell and pore diameters of the deuterated polymer foams are 20-100 mg/cm³, 1-8 MPa, 24-2 μm and 3-0.5 μm, respectively. This paper presents the fabrication procedures of deuterated polymer foams, and the main parameters which would influence the density, cell size, pore size and compressive stresses of the foam products are also discussed

[en] With metal alkoxide as precursor, Ta₂O₅ aerogels were prepared by sol-gel technique. The sol-gel process is found to be affected by water amount,catalyst amount and concentration of Ta (OC₂H₅)₅. The gelation can only happen in the presence of strong acid as catalyst,and with the increase of acid strength, the gelation time is obviously decreased. With the continuous increase of water, the gelation time lengthens and then tends to be constant. Additionally, the gelation time increases and the theoretical density of Ta₂O₅ aerogel decreases as the solvent amount increases. Through sol-gel process control along with supercritical drying technique, the Ta₂O₅ aerogel with a low density of 44 mg/cm₃ was prepared. (authors)

[en] Ultra-low density SiO₂ aerogel as a classic three-dimensional network nano-porous material is widely used in many fields such as thermal insulation and adsorption. In this manuscript, tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) is used as the silicon source and an acid-base two-step method is used. Ultra-low density SiO₂ aerogels were prepared by ethanol supercritical drying technology, and a series of studies were performed on the aerogels using SEM/TEM/BET and other characterization methods. When the aerogel density was 0.6 mg/cm³, it had the best comprehensive properties. In addition, this aerogel has the advantages of ultra-low density, high specific surface area, good formability, and short preparation cycle. Thus, it is expected to play a significant role as a frozen target in laser inertial confinement fusion experiments. (authors)

[en] With copper powders as dopant, Copper-doped poly-4-methyl-1-pentene(PMP) foams were prepared by thermal-induced phase inversion. Their skeleton, composition and element small area distribution were characterized by high resolution electron microscopy. The results show that the distribution of copper powders in the doped PMP foams is condensed, not uniform. Compared with PMP foams without doping, the size of pores and skeleton of the doped PMP foams is bigger. Copper particles in the doped foams are firmly enwrapped by carbon network, and there is oxygen besides copper and carbon, which is not anticipated during the foams synthesis. (authors)