Showing posts with label Energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Energy. Show all posts
Sunday, February 07, 2010
How Air Conditioners & Heat Exchangers Work
Check out this video. It shows how Air Conditioners & Heat Exchangers Work. Very interesting and from it, you can have better comprehension on all the heat transfer process involving these two types of unit operations.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Gas Quench with External Heat Exchange Vacuum Furnaces
Looking for a multi-purpose vacuum furnaces?
This versatile series of multi-purpose vacuum furnaces offers a wide variety of sizes and configurations, including horizontal or vertical designs. As users have a choice of hot zones, pumping systems and gas cooling options, the MetalMaster™ is ideal for almost any heat treating, brazing or other thermal processing application. The gas quench system features a specially engineered heat exchanger and turbine blower designed to optimize gas flow for more efficient cooling. In addition to Ipsen's standard computer control systems, MetalMaster™ furnaces may be ordered with other high-productivity options, including specialized instrumentation, increased pumping capability, and material handling systems. Standard features include:
This versatile series of multi-purpose vacuum furnaces offers a wide variety of sizes and configurations, including horizontal or vertical designs. As users have a choice of hot zones, pumping systems and gas cooling options, the MetalMaster™ is ideal for almost any heat treating, brazing or other thermal processing application. The gas quench system features a specially engineered heat exchanger and turbine blower designed to optimize gas flow for more efficient cooling. In addition to Ipsen's standard computer control systems, MetalMaster™ furnaces may be ordered with other high-productivity options, including specialized instrumentation, increased pumping capability, and material handling systems. Standard features include:
- Specially engineered external heat exchanger and gas blower
- Choice of hot zone insulation packages
- 360° gas cooling nozzles and heating elements for precise control
- Selection of value-added options
Monday, April 27, 2009
USB Heat - Cost-Effective Energy-Efficient Infrared Heat
Do your hands get cold when you are using the computer? Not all people have cold hands, but many of us do. Cold hands may be the cause of poor circulation or arthritis. Whatever it is, when the chill hits, we feel it to the bones. Especially, when we are sitting still inactive at the computer with only our fingers doing the surfing.
Instead of cranking up the furnace for heat, there are economical ways to use the computer to generate warm heat for you while you are using the computer. Does your mouse hand get cold? Do your keyboard hands and fingers get cold? If so, USB infrared heat computer accessories may be the answer.
For a cost-effective approach to heat, use the computer to generate warmth for you. Plug an USB warm mouse into a socket and within a few minutes the mouse is warm and heat is delivered to your mouse hand. For keyboard hands, wrists and arms, plug an USB heated keyboard pad into a socket and rest your keyboard hands and wrists on a warm, soft, ergonomically supported pad in front of the keyboard.
There's more. An USB heated mouse pad creates a warm smooth soothing surface for your mouse and mouse hand. The warm mouse pad definitely takes the cold edge off a cold pad's surface. And, if you've ever crawled under the covers of an electric blanket on a cold winter's night, you'll appreciate the warmth of the USB heated mouse hand warmer blanket. It's a fleece mini-electric blanket pouch to hold the warm mouse and warm mouse pad.
Together the USB heated ergonomic computer accessories serve a wonderful cost-effective and energy-efficient purpose and when used together, they create the perfect warm, mouse hand environment.
The next time you are sitting at the computer and you feel a chill, think about the warming devices available to keep you warm using the heat from the computer. It will save you money and provide a convenient source of warmth.
Anna Miller: ValueRays® USB Heated Ergonomic Computer Accessories -- http://IGMproducts.com & http://Warm-Mouse-Heated-Keyboard.com
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Swimming Pool and Spa Electric Heat Pumps
Swimming in a cold pool got you down? Now is the time to invest in a new efficient electric heat pump.
These are questions which should be asked when thinking about purchasing a new electric heat pump for your swimming pool or spa.
- How many BTUs will you need?
- Do you have the electric service required for a heat pump?
- Is there sufficient space available to install a heat pump?
- What type of features do I need?
- Plastic or metal cabinet?
- Titanium heat exchanger?
- Digital controls or analog?
Let's try to answer the questions above thus allowing for an educated purchase of your new pool heater.
- How many BTUs will you need? - The size of your pool (amount of gallons and surface area square footage will dictate the BTUs required to heat the pool or spa in the most efficient manner. Also take into consideration the amount of strong wind which will effect your pool and whether or not you will be using a pool blanket to help hold the heat into the pool. Check the manufactures recommended sizing chart to help determine the correct size and model for your application.
- Do you have the electric service required for a heat pump? - Most heat pumps required 220Volts of electric and many require separate 50 to 60 amp breakers. Check with your electrician to make sure you have sufficient electrical power to operate your new heat pump.
- Is there sufficient space available to install a heat pump? - Most heat pumps will require a "footprint" area of about 40" x 40" and about 40" in height. Heat pumps need good air circulating space area around the units to allow for peak operation.
- What type of features do I need? Today's heat pumps are manufactured with many different features, some are, Dual thermostats (great for a pool and spa combination), Scroll compressors, Extra quiet fan motors, Extended warranties, Built in water bypass valves, Ability to operate motorized valve actuators, Easy to see readouts with diagnostic trouble shooting messages, and many more. Check the manufactures literature to make sure you are choosing the heat pump with the features best suited for your application.
- Plastic or metal cabinet? Is you pool located in a location which would be better suited for a plastic cabinet?
- Titanium heat exchanger? The heat exchanger is the piece of equipment located inside the heater which the pool water flows through. Titanium is a forgiving material in that it allows for a greater tolerance of water chemistry problems. Other types of heat exchanger material is much more susceptible to problems with poor water chemistry. Please note: Proper water chemistry is a must when using any type of pool heater.
- Digital controls or analog? The controls on the heater can be digital electronic or analog. Once again it is best to consult the manufactures literature to gather which would be best for your application.
A swimming pool or spa heat pump is a large investment and should be researched carefully. Purchase the correct unit and you can expect many years of warm enjoyable water to swim and relax in.
Ron Burr is the owner of One Stop Pool Supplies and also a State of Florida licensed swimming pool contractor actively building swimming pools and spas in South Florida. Ron has been involved in the swimming pool industry for over 30 years. Visit our web site http://www.onestoppoolsupplies.com to learn more about all the items which have been mentioned to make your new or existing pool more exciting
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Energy Related Terms Explained
Below are some terms you may encounter while researching energy related products, heating and efficiency:
AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency): an efficiency rating that measures the efficiency with which gas and other fossil-fuel-burning appliance use their primary fuel source over an entire heating season. It does not take into account the efficiency with which any component of the system, such as a furnace fan motor, uses electricity. AFUE is expressed as a percentage that indicates the average number of Btu worth of heating comfort provided by each Btu worth of fuel consumed by the system. For instance, a gas furnace with an AFUE of 80% would provide 0.8 Btu of heat for every Btu of natural gas it burned.
Air infiltration: the introduction, usually unintentional, of unconditioned outdoor air into a mechanically heated and/or cooled building. Air infiltration can occur through any opening in the home's structure, including seams where walls meet other walls, window or door frames, or chimneys; holes where wires or pipes penetrate walls, floors or ceilings/roofs; and between the loose-fitting meeting rails of double-hung windows or a door bottom and door threshold. It is one of the major causes of unwanted heat gain and loss, and personal discomfort in buildings.
Alternating Current (AC) - An electric current that reverses its direction at regular intervals or cycles; In the U.S. the standard is 120 reversals or 60 cycles per second; typically abbreviated as AC
Amp - short for "ampere" - this measures the amount of electricity moving through a wire. Most household appliances use 15 or 20 amps of power. Amps are what give electricity its "shock."
Biomass Fuel: Any organic (plant or animal) material which is available on a renewable basis, including agricultural crops and agricultural wastes and residues, wood and wood wastes and residues, animal wastes, municipal wastes, and aquatic plants
BTU (British thermal unit): a measurement of the energy in heat. It takes one Btu of heat to warm one pound of water by 1° Fahrenheit. Btu can be used either to define an air conditioner's cooling capacity (i.e., the number of Btu of heat that can be removed by the system) or a furnace's heating capacity (i.e., the number of Btu of heat that can be supplied by the system).
Chemical Energy - Energy stored in a substance and released during a chemical reaction such as burning wood, coal, or oil.
Combustion - Chemical oxidation accompanied by the generation of light and heat.
Conduction is the transfer of heat through solid objects such as glass, dry wall, brick and other building materials. The greater the difference between the outdoor and indoor temperatures, the faster conduction can occur, increasing a building's energy gain or loss.
Convection is the transfer of heat to or from a solid surface via a gas or liquid current. Where home heat loss and gain are concerned, heat convection is caused by air (gas) currents that carry heat from your body, furniture, interior walls and other warm objects to windows, floors, ceilings, exterior walls and other cool surfaces.
Conversion- A number that translates units of one measurement system into corresponding values of another measurement system.
Cord of Firewood: a tightly stacked pile of wood logs measuring 4' x 4' x 8' (128 cubic feet).
Daylighting is the technique of using natural light from windows, skylights and other openings to supplement or replace a building's artificial lighting system. When applied properly, daylighting can reduce lighting costs. When applied improperly, however, it can not only lead to inappropriate light levels but can also raise the building's cooling costs by introducing high levels of solar heat into the interior of the building. Also see SOLAR GAIN to see how sunlight can affect heating costs.
Direct Current - An electric current that flows in only one direction through a circuit, as from a battery. Efficiency is the degree to which a certain action or level of work can be effectively produced for the least expenditure of effort or fuel. BTU of energy consumed (input) x efficiency = BTU output.
Energy: The ability to do work or the ability to move an object. Electrical energy is usually measured in kilowatthours (kWh), while heat energy is usually measured in British thermal units (Btu).
Energy Efficiency - Refers to activities that are aimed at reducing the energy used by substituting technically more advanced equipment, typically without affecting the services provided. Examples include high-efficiency appliances, efficient lighting programs, high-efficiency heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems or control modifications, efficient building design, advanced electric motor drives, and heat recovery systems.
Emission- A discharge or something that is given off; generally used in regard to discharges into the air. Or, releases of gases to the atmosphere from some type of human activity (cooking, driving a car, etc). In the context of global climate change, they consist of greenhouse gases (e.g., the release of carbon dioxide during fuel combustion).
Heat Content - The gross heat content is the number of British thermal units (Btu) produced by the combustion, of a volume of gas under certain with air of the same temperature and pressure as the gas, when the products of combustion are cooled to the initial temperature of gas and air and when the water formed by combustion is condensed to the liquid state.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh): 1000 watts used for one hour - or any combination of energy multiplied by time that is equivalent to that rate of electrical consumption, such as one watt used for 1000 hours, 10 watts used for 100 hours, or 50 watts used for 20 hours. For example, a 100-watt light bulb left on for five hours each day would consume one kWh every two days. Kilowatt-hour is the primary measure on which U.S. electric companies base most customer billing.
Load Estimate is series of studies performed to determine the heating or cooling requirements of your home. An energy load analysis uses information such as the square footage of your home, window and door areas, insulation quality and local climate to determine the heating and cooling capacity needed by your furnace, heat pump or air conditioner.
Mercaptan - An organic chemical compound that has a sulfur like odor that is added to natural gas before distribution to the consumer, to give it a distinct, unpleasant odor (smells like rotten eggs). This serves as a safety device by allowing it to be detected in the atmosphere, in cases where leaks occur.
Methane -A colorless, flammable, odorless hydrocarbon gas (CH4) which is the major component of natural gas. It is also an important source of hydrogen in various industrial processes. Methane is a greenhouse gas.
Operating Cost is the day-to-day cost of operating an appliance, based on energy use.
Payback period is the amount of time it takes to achieve a full return on an investment. For instance, if a high-efficiency direct vent gas fireplace costs $1000 more than a purely decorative fireplace but would save $500 a year in gas usage, the payback period is 2 years.
Propane (C3H8) - A normally gaseous straight-chain hydrocarbon. It is a colorless paraffinic gas that boils at a temperature of -43.67 degrees Fahrenheit. It is extracted from natural gas or refinery gas streams.
Radiation is a method of heat transfer in which heat is transmitted from surface to surface via infrared waves. Radiant heat warms the surfaces it touches without increasing the temperature of the air through which it travels. All warm bodies radiate infrared energy.
R-value is a measurement of a material's ability to resist heat transfer. Insulation products are rated according to the R-value. The higher its R-value, the greater the product's ability to resist heat flow will be.
Solar Gain is the heat that builds up inside a structure as a result of sunlight that enters through transparent or translucent surfaces, such as windows, and is converted to heat after striking other surfaces inside the building.
Space Heating - The use of energy to generate heat for warmth in housing units using space-heating equipment. The equipment could be either the primary or secondary source of heating.
Thermal Energy - The total potential and kinetic energy associated with the random motions of the molecules of a material.
Thermostat - A device that adjusts the amount of heating and cooling produced and/or distributed by automatically responding to the temperature in the environment. Watt: a unit of electric power. The amount of power required by electric appliances is expressed in watts. Watt-hour is a unit of electric energy, equal to one watt used over a period of one hour.
Volt (V) - The volt is the International System of Units (SI) measure of electric potential or electromotive force. A potential of one volt appears across a resistance of one ohm when a current of one ampere flows through that resistance. Reduced to SI base units, 1 V = 1 kg times m2 times s-3 times A-1 (kilogram meter squared per second cubed per ampere).
Voltage - The difference in electrical potential between any two conductors or between a conductor and ground. It is a measure of the electric energy per electron that electrons can acquire and/or give up as they move between the two conductors. This is how electricity gets from the power plant to your house: high-voltage transmission lines carry the electricity under greater pressure to carry it long distances, while lower-voltage power lines serve individual homes and businesses.
*Article contributed by Karen Duke, Victorian Fireplace Shop
Karen Duke is a fireplace, chimney and hearth industry expert of over 25 years in both the retail and service sectors. She is a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep and has numerous hearth industry certifications. She is the founder and webmaster of http://www.TheFireplaceChannel.com and she is the co-founder and webmaster of http://www.TheVictorianFireplace.com , which is one of the largest online fireplace retailers in the world. She makes her home in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Karen's contact information can be found on either of the above sites.
AFUE (annual fuel utilization efficiency): an efficiency rating that measures the efficiency with which gas and other fossil-fuel-burning appliance use their primary fuel source over an entire heating season. It does not take into account the efficiency with which any component of the system, such as a furnace fan motor, uses electricity. AFUE is expressed as a percentage that indicates the average number of Btu worth of heating comfort provided by each Btu worth of fuel consumed by the system. For instance, a gas furnace with an AFUE of 80% would provide 0.8 Btu of heat for every Btu of natural gas it burned.
Air infiltration: the introduction, usually unintentional, of unconditioned outdoor air into a mechanically heated and/or cooled building. Air infiltration can occur through any opening in the home's structure, including seams where walls meet other walls, window or door frames, or chimneys; holes where wires or pipes penetrate walls, floors or ceilings/roofs; and between the loose-fitting meeting rails of double-hung windows or a door bottom and door threshold. It is one of the major causes of unwanted heat gain and loss, and personal discomfort in buildings.
Alternating Current (AC) - An electric current that reverses its direction at regular intervals or cycles; In the U.S. the standard is 120 reversals or 60 cycles per second; typically abbreviated as AC
Amp - short for "ampere" - this measures the amount of electricity moving through a wire. Most household appliances use 15 or 20 amps of power. Amps are what give electricity its "shock."
Biomass Fuel: Any organic (plant or animal) material which is available on a renewable basis, including agricultural crops and agricultural wastes and residues, wood and wood wastes and residues, animal wastes, municipal wastes, and aquatic plants
BTU (British thermal unit): a measurement of the energy in heat. It takes one Btu of heat to warm one pound of water by 1° Fahrenheit. Btu can be used either to define an air conditioner's cooling capacity (i.e., the number of Btu of heat that can be removed by the system) or a furnace's heating capacity (i.e., the number of Btu of heat that can be supplied by the system).
Chemical Energy - Energy stored in a substance and released during a chemical reaction such as burning wood, coal, or oil.
Combustion - Chemical oxidation accompanied by the generation of light and heat.
Conduction is the transfer of heat through solid objects such as glass, dry wall, brick and other building materials. The greater the difference between the outdoor and indoor temperatures, the faster conduction can occur, increasing a building's energy gain or loss.
Convection is the transfer of heat to or from a solid surface via a gas or liquid current. Where home heat loss and gain are concerned, heat convection is caused by air (gas) currents that carry heat from your body, furniture, interior walls and other warm objects to windows, floors, ceilings, exterior walls and other cool surfaces.
Conversion- A number that translates units of one measurement system into corresponding values of another measurement system.
Cord of Firewood: a tightly stacked pile of wood logs measuring 4' x 4' x 8' (128 cubic feet).
Daylighting is the technique of using natural light from windows, skylights and other openings to supplement or replace a building's artificial lighting system. When applied properly, daylighting can reduce lighting costs. When applied improperly, however, it can not only lead to inappropriate light levels but can also raise the building's cooling costs by introducing high levels of solar heat into the interior of the building. Also see SOLAR GAIN to see how sunlight can affect heating costs.
Direct Current - An electric current that flows in only one direction through a circuit, as from a battery. Efficiency is the degree to which a certain action or level of work can be effectively produced for the least expenditure of effort or fuel. BTU of energy consumed (input) x efficiency = BTU output.
Energy: The ability to do work or the ability to move an object. Electrical energy is usually measured in kilowatthours (kWh), while heat energy is usually measured in British thermal units (Btu).
Energy Efficiency - Refers to activities that are aimed at reducing the energy used by substituting technically more advanced equipment, typically without affecting the services provided. Examples include high-efficiency appliances, efficient lighting programs, high-efficiency heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems or control modifications, efficient building design, advanced electric motor drives, and heat recovery systems.
Emission- A discharge or something that is given off; generally used in regard to discharges into the air. Or, releases of gases to the atmosphere from some type of human activity (cooking, driving a car, etc). In the context of global climate change, they consist of greenhouse gases (e.g., the release of carbon dioxide during fuel combustion).
Heat Content - The gross heat content is the number of British thermal units (Btu) produced by the combustion, of a volume of gas under certain with air of the same temperature and pressure as the gas, when the products of combustion are cooled to the initial temperature of gas and air and when the water formed by combustion is condensed to the liquid state.
Kilowatt-hour (kWh): 1000 watts used for one hour - or any combination of energy multiplied by time that is equivalent to that rate of electrical consumption, such as one watt used for 1000 hours, 10 watts used for 100 hours, or 50 watts used for 20 hours. For example, a 100-watt light bulb left on for five hours each day would consume one kWh every two days. Kilowatt-hour is the primary measure on which U.S. electric companies base most customer billing.
Load Estimate is series of studies performed to determine the heating or cooling requirements of your home. An energy load analysis uses information such as the square footage of your home, window and door areas, insulation quality and local climate to determine the heating and cooling capacity needed by your furnace, heat pump or air conditioner.
Mercaptan - An organic chemical compound that has a sulfur like odor that is added to natural gas before distribution to the consumer, to give it a distinct, unpleasant odor (smells like rotten eggs). This serves as a safety device by allowing it to be detected in the atmosphere, in cases where leaks occur.
Methane -A colorless, flammable, odorless hydrocarbon gas (CH4) which is the major component of natural gas. It is also an important source of hydrogen in various industrial processes. Methane is a greenhouse gas.
Operating Cost is the day-to-day cost of operating an appliance, based on energy use.
Payback period is the amount of time it takes to achieve a full return on an investment. For instance, if a high-efficiency direct vent gas fireplace costs $1000 more than a purely decorative fireplace but would save $500 a year in gas usage, the payback period is 2 years.
Propane (C3H8) - A normally gaseous straight-chain hydrocarbon. It is a colorless paraffinic gas that boils at a temperature of -43.67 degrees Fahrenheit. It is extracted from natural gas or refinery gas streams.
Radiation is a method of heat transfer in which heat is transmitted from surface to surface via infrared waves. Radiant heat warms the surfaces it touches without increasing the temperature of the air through which it travels. All warm bodies radiate infrared energy.
R-value is a measurement of a material's ability to resist heat transfer. Insulation products are rated according to the R-value. The higher its R-value, the greater the product's ability to resist heat flow will be.
Solar Gain is the heat that builds up inside a structure as a result of sunlight that enters through transparent or translucent surfaces, such as windows, and is converted to heat after striking other surfaces inside the building.
Space Heating - The use of energy to generate heat for warmth in housing units using space-heating equipment. The equipment could be either the primary or secondary source of heating.
Thermal Energy - The total potential and kinetic energy associated with the random motions of the molecules of a material.
Thermostat - A device that adjusts the amount of heating and cooling produced and/or distributed by automatically responding to the temperature in the environment. Watt: a unit of electric power. The amount of power required by electric appliances is expressed in watts. Watt-hour is a unit of electric energy, equal to one watt used over a period of one hour.
Volt (V) - The volt is the International System of Units (SI) measure of electric potential or electromotive force. A potential of one volt appears across a resistance of one ohm when a current of one ampere flows through that resistance. Reduced to SI base units, 1 V = 1 kg times m2 times s-3 times A-1 (kilogram meter squared per second cubed per ampere).
Voltage - The difference in electrical potential between any two conductors or between a conductor and ground. It is a measure of the electric energy per electron that electrons can acquire and/or give up as they move between the two conductors. This is how electricity gets from the power plant to your house: high-voltage transmission lines carry the electricity under greater pressure to carry it long distances, while lower-voltage power lines serve individual homes and businesses.
*Article contributed by Karen Duke, Victorian Fireplace Shop
Karen Duke is a fireplace, chimney and hearth industry expert of over 25 years in both the retail and service sectors. She is a CSIA Certified Chimney Sweep and has numerous hearth industry certifications. She is the founder and webmaster of http://www.TheFireplaceChannel.com and she is the co-founder and webmaster of http://www.TheVictorianFireplace.com , which is one of the largest online fireplace retailers in the world. She makes her home in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Karen's contact information can be found on either of the above sites.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)