Heating / Cooling Systems (B - books) Flashcards
One BTU is described as what?
The amount of energy it takes to raise 1 lb of water 1 degree Fahrenheit
What is the metric unit of energy
Joule (J)
Kilojoules (kJ)
1 BTU = how many kJ?
1.054
What is the metric equivalent of BTU?
Kilowatt (kW)
1 kilowatt = how many BTU/h?
3412 BTU/h
What are the 3 main processes of heat transfer?
1) Conduction
2) Convection
3) Thermal radiation
Heat transfer units (emitters) use the process of what to transfer heat to rooms or zones?
Conduction, convection and radiation
How does heat transfer between 2 materials (that are touching) with different temperatures?
Through conduction: Heat from warm material is conductive to cool material
What else is Convection called?
Gravity circulation
How does Radiation heat transfer occur?
Through electromagnetic heat rays emitted directly from a heat source –> receiving material
The amount of heat transfer by a radiator depends on what?
It’s surface area / temperature
What is the best type of radiators of heat?
Rough and black –> cast iron stoves
Light-coloured, smooth / shiny materials –> reflect heat
As the temp of radiating material increases, what happens to the amount of radiation?
Increases
In domestic / small commercial buildings, what is the max PRESSURE of steam?
Less than 15psig (200 kPa)
House Steam systems should not operate at pressures higher than what?
2 psi
What is a Hartford Loop?
A piping arrangement designed to prevent complete drainage of boiler should a leak develop in wet return.
What is the pitch in a counterflow system?
Pitch must be at least 1” in 10 feet
What is an advantage of forced-air system?
The movement of the return air via a filter that removes dust / airborne particles
What is the downside of forced air heating?
The difficulty in maintaining a comfort level in all areas of the house.
All furnaces consist of what?
- air filter
- blower
- heat exchanger/element/coil
- ductwork
- various operating / limit controls
All new installations of residential furnaces must have a min efficiency of what?
(As per the Canadian federal efficiency guidelines)
90%
Mid-efficiency furnaces have a category of what and use what type of venting material?
Category 1
Type B venting material
What category are High-efficiency furnaces and what type of venting material is used?
Category 4
Plastic Type BH Venting material
In-shot orientation allows mid/High-efficiency furnaces to be installed which way?
Upflow - common for multi-level homes
Downflow- rancher style w/ crawl space
Horizontal flow - mounting in a crawl space or attic
Known as convertible or multi position furnaces
All forced air furnaces require what?
Air filtration to operate safely / efficiently
How does a Heat pump extract heat from the environment?
By either the ground or outside air as the source through refrigeration
What does a Heat coil combine with?
Hydronic (hot water) heat source w/ forced air delivery
What is a Plenum?
It is the duct that connects directly to the furnace
True or False: There is a supply plenum and a return plenum.
True
What 2 places can an air filter be mounted
1) Inside the blower compartment
2) Onto the return air plenum (where it attaches to the furnace)
What are the different thermostate options?
- heat only
- heat / cool
- analouge
- digital
- digital/ programmable
- wi-fi enabled aka smart
Why are programmable thermostates the popular choice?
Due to air’s low thermal mass
What removes the heat in a Hydronic cooling system?
Cooling tower and Chiller
Why is Water ideal for heating and cooling?
It is non-toxic, non-flammable / readily available.
has a high heat storage capability
What princible did the early hydronic heating system use?
Eary hydronic heating system also called Gravity System
principle of buoyancy
How are convection currents created in boilers?
- water becomes less dense when heated
- The density differential (bn supply / return) creates a convection current
- Hot water gets carried up and through pipes –> Heat transfer unit (HTU)
How did electricity help with moving water?
Electricity created pump (eye roll) with helped move water bn heat source / emitters.
Resulted in better control / smaller diameter piping
What % of a person’s body heat is released by thermal radiation –> colder surface?
48%
What uses less energy: Hot water heating system or forced air heating system?
Hot water heating systems
What 2 categories do boilers fall under?
Low temp boilers
High temp boilers
What is the max temp and pressure of a low temp boiler?
Max temp = 120C / 250F
Max pressure = 1100kPa (160 psig)
Exception: cast iron boilers = max pressure: 207 kPa (30psig)
What is the max pressure / temp of a High temp boilers?
Everything that exceeds the low temp boilers max rates
What are the 2 types of boilers?
1) hot water
2) steam
What other classifications do boilers have?
(theres’s 5)
Heating method - fire tube / water tube
Material used in construction
High mass or low mass
non-condensing or condensing
high pressure and low pressure
True or False: Steam boilers need a pump.
False
but pumps are installed to return condensate back to boiler
What is the operating pressure of a low-pressure steam boiler?
105 kPa (15 psig) or less
In order to stay below water’s atm boiling point what temp do Hot water boilers normally operate at?
82 C (180 F)
What does a pressure reducing valve do and where is it located?
- maintains set pressure
- installed on boiler’s inlet water makeup
Steam creates what…
Pressure
What does ASME stand for?
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Steam for heating does not exceed what pressure?
105 kPa (15 psig)
How are fire-tube boilers identified?
By the number of “passes” that the heated gas makes
Ex: Three pass boiler = flue gases pass via firebox once / water chamber twice
What are cast iron boilers classified as?
High mass boilers (dt large water vol)
Holds 40-64L (10 - 16 gal)
Weighs 130 - 180kg (300 - 400 lb)
What temp do boilers heat water to?
bn 77 - 88 C (170 - 190F)
What temp does water drop to before returning to boiler?
6.5 C (20 F)
a non-condensing boiler cannot have return water be at what temp?
It cannot be any lower than 60 C (140 F)
What is the returning temp of a condensing boiler?
below 60 C (140 F)
Modern condensing boilers are designed to function how?
with low return water temp that condenses w/in combustion chamber of the boiler
What is the condensate put through before being drained via sanitary drainage system?
Acid neutralizer
Packaged boilers can be made out of what?
Cast iron
copper tube
steel tube
stainless steel
Packaged boilers come with what?
- Insulated jackets
- min size circulator
- electrical controls (all ready to go)
A circulator is removed from a packaged boiler and installed where?
Page 18
On the supply piping downstream on the expansion tank.
What is the formula for efficiency?
(output / input) x 100
Remember: you cannot have more than 100% efficiency
What are chillers in Commercial Cooling Equipment?
(pg 25)
Chillers are the heart of commercial cooling systems
True or False: In cooling systems: the refrigerant mixes with the cooling medium (aka chilled water)
False: refrigerant / colling medium never mix
The chilling of water (in a refrigerant system) is done how?
Done by the evaporator, once now chilled refrigerant, is pulled into a compressor where the temp and pressure is increased.
(page 25)
Air-to-water heat pumps require controls that monitor what?
The dew point –> in order to avoid condensation forming on cool surfaces (can create dampness –> mould)
What is another term for water-to-water heat pump?
ground source heat pump or Geothermal
What is the difference bn geothermal and ground source heat pump?
True geothermal = taps into heat emitted from underground hot springs
Ground source heat pump = conducts latent heat from below earth surface
What is a water-to-air heat exchanger?
Hot boiler water gets piped into W2A heat exchanger –> water circulates via heat exchanger –> fan pushes air via finned coils
(Acts like a radiator in a car)
What is the CSA B214 Code ?
It is the installation code for hydronic heating systems in Canada
Section 5 = heating equipment
All heating equipment must be installed according to what?
Codes / regulations specified by the region in which they were installed.
True or False: Multiple codes will have to be used when installing heating equipment.
True: Boilers must meet the requirements of applicable boiler / pressure vessel regulations (as well as boiler, building, plumbing, electrical , gas / fire codes)
page 42 B-2
What does the Canadian Electrical code state in regards to a branch circuit?
That all heating equipment must have a dedicated branch
How high does a boiler heater water to?
To temps as high as 88 C (190 F)
What are the 4 groups of emitters?
1) gravity circulating convectors
2) forced circulating convectors
3) Radiators
4) Radiant panels (in-floor heating)
How are gravity circulators installed?
- surfaced mounted
- recessed into the wall
(insulation installed behind prevents heat loss through wall)
How are gravity circulation convectors installed?
- Surfaced mounted
- Recessed into the wall
(installing insulation behind the wall –> prevents heat loss)
How are residential circulating convectors installed?
Mounted at baseboard level beneath windows
Where are commercial grade convectors located?
Normally found in stairwells / common areas
What happens to the cold air that moves downward from the window towards a convector?
The cool air mixes with the warm air from the convector => both drafts produce a more even room temp.
What is a Convector?
Baseboard heater…
Commercial wall mounted convectors are the modern day what?
Are the modern day cast iron radiator
Gravity convectors rely on what to transfer temp?
temp differences / air densities to create convection
Forced flow systems combine what 2 things to move air?
heating element and a fan (or blower)
What are the different names for a fan coil?
Unit heaters, duct heaters and kickspace heaters
How does a fan coil work?
The fan (placed on the upstream side of coil) pushes air across the coil –> air picks up heat and is pushed out towards room.