RESUMEN
This study investigated the impact of individual and combination of different sources of heating (passive solar heating, electric oil-heater, and solar air heater) in a pilot-scale building containing phase change material (PCM) for a potential reduction in energy consumption while maintaining thermal comfort. Unlike most of the recent simulations and modelling studies, this impact was tested experimentally using two identical control and test huts located at the University of Auckland. The control hut was equipped with standard gypsum boards while the test hut had gypsum boards containing PCM (PureTemp 20, PT20). The study found that combining both active and passive solar heating with a temperature-controlled electric oil heater demonstrated the ability to provide significant energy savings and maintain thermal comfort in the test hut, most notably overnight. The suggested combination was tested over different weather conditions and with different temperature constraints to maintain thermal comfort and achieve energy savings ranging from 33% to 87.5%.
RESUMEN
Rice, consumed by most people across the world, serves as a great mode for carrying nutrients. The processed, starch-rich white rice is mostly devoid of nutrients. High-pressure processing (HPP) is a technology known to produce cold gelatinizing effects in starch. This work shows the application of HPP in fortification of two types of white rice through high pressure gelatinization. The rice grains were impregnated with vitamin B1, calcium, and zinc. HPP treatment was carried out at the temperatures of 50 °C and 70 °C for up to 20 min. The samples were analysed for thiamine using the fluorometric method and minerals using ICP-MS. Results showed that the transfer of nutrients increases with treatment temperature and time, producing high level of nutrient uptake. HPP-fortified rice also showed stability after storage of two months. The moderate-temperature HPP has a great potential to be used as a method to produce a ready-to-eat variety of rice.