THERMAL AND HEAT

CONCEPTS: AN
INTRODUCTION
CVNG 1008
Lecture objectives
 PART 1
 ·     To define heat and temperature.
 ·     To introduce principal mechanisms of heat
flow/transfer.
 ·  To underline the importance of heat and temperature
measurement in the built environment.
 PART 2
 ·     To provide practical examples of heat transfer in a
construction context. Examples will be reinforced with
relevant calculations.
 ·     To examine the process of structural and ventilation
heat loss rates and their prediction.
Nature of Heat
 Heat is the form of energy called
thermal energy

 . Thermal energy is the energy portion

of a system that increases or decreases
with its temperature.
What is Thermal energy??
 Heat Transfer is the transfer of thermal
energy from one body to another due
to a temperature difference between
the bodies
What is temperature???
 On the microscopic scale, temperature is
defined as the average energy of microscopic
motions of a single particle in the system per
degree of freedom.
 On the macroscopic scale, temperature is the
unique physical property that determines the
direction of heat flow between two objects
placed in thermal contact.
Source of thermal energy in buildings

Source of energy:
 Coal

 Crude oil

 natural gas

 Petrol

 Wood chips and pellets

 sun
Three mechanisms by which
thermal energy is transported

Conduction

Convection and

Radiation
 Three mechanisms by which
thermal energy is transported
  1.  Convection
Some examples of natural convection are;
 1. The domestic hot water system inside the hot water
    

cylinder.
 2. The draught up a chimney.
    

 3. The heating of rooms by convector heaters and

    

radiators.
 4. The draught under a window.
    

    
  
 What is heat conduction
  Conduction
   When heat is transferred through a solid
substance, the molecules are unable to move
and start to vibrate. This vibration is passed to
the next molecule by a chain reaction. In this
way heat is transferred through a material and
the process of CONDUCTION takes place  
  
 Convection                          
          
   

Latin:  com (together) + vehere (to carry);

the
bulk movement of thermal energy in fluids
 Heat Conduction          

          H = kA (T2 - T1)/L  
                (joules/second)
Example
Answer
Steel:  k = 14  J/s-m-C
How much energy is
conducted in 40 seconds?
--------------------------
H= kA (T2 - T1)/L
H= 14 (2)(475)/10
    = 1330 J/s
Q= Ht = 1330 (40)
   = 5.32 x 104 J
 How many joules of thermal energy
flow through the wall per second?
-----------------------------------------------
k (insulation) = 0.20 J/(s-m-C)
k (wood)      = 0.80 J/(s-m-C)
Solution
 Across insulation:
Hins = (0.20)(40)(25 - T)/0.076                 (1)
     = 2631.6 -105.3 T                                 (2)
Across wood:
Hwood = (0.80)(40)(T - 4)/0.019
      = 1684.2 T - 6736.8
Heat is like a fluid:  whatever flows through the
insulation must also flow through the wood:

Hwood  =  Hins  
1684.2 T - 6736.8 = 2631.6 -105.3 T        (3)
1789.5 T = 9368.4                                       (4)
            T = 5.235 C                                      (5)
H= Hwood = Hins                                            (6)
H= 1684.2 (5.235) - 6736.8 = 2080 J/s     (7)
H= 2631.6 - 105.3 (5.235)   = 2080 J/s     (8)  
Radiation Heat
   Radiation Heat can be transferred through
a vacuum from one body to another.
 A good example of this is the heat from the
sun, which passes through space to reach
the earth.
 This process is neither convection nor
conduction.
  
 Radiation Heat

 The heat is carried in waveform in the same

way as light is carried.

 This is called electromagnetic radiation.

 Other forms of electromagnetic radiation are

infrared, ultra-violet, X-rays and gamma rays.
Important to know on Radiation Heat

 Heat radiation is part of the same spectrum as

light radiation, it obeys approximately the
same rules, the most important ones being:
 1.    It does not require a medium for
transmission
 2.    It travels in straight lines.
 3.    It can be reflected and refracted in the
same way as light.
Radiation
 Energy radiated per second: 
        H = esAT4
e = emissivity (0-1)
s = Stefan-Boltzmann constant
    = 5.67 x 10-8 J/(s-m2-K4)
A = surface area of object
T = Kelvin temperature
Emissivity

Energy out = Energy in

 Emitted energy/Incident energy = Emissivity = e.  
Radiation (Exercise)
 How much energy is radiated by this
 object in ten minutes?

 -------------------------------------------------
--

      H = esAT4 
answer
  t = 10 x 60 seconds = 600 s
  Q = radiant energy = H t
  H =  esA T4
  Q = (0.8)(5.67x10-8)(5)(500)4 x (600)
     = 8.5 x 106 J
 THERMAL COMFORT
 According to ASHRAE (American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers) Human
thermal comfort is defined as the state of
mind that expresses satisfaction with the
surrounding environment
 Human thermal comfort is governed by many
physiological mechanisms variable for each
individual
 Based on Basal metabolic rate (BMR) (energy measure when
completely at rest) Muscular metabolic Rate (MMR):

See you notes and available literature

LOSS of EXCESSIVE HEAT
Skin Surface
Temperature
Convection 32C
30% Conduction

Radiation Losses
Evaporation About 45% of
25% our Energy
 Excessive body heat
 i) Conduction: A temperature gradient
thus occurs between the body core and
the body surface.
 ii) Radiation: About 45% of body heat is
lost in this way.
 iii) Convection: Some 30% of body heat is
dissipated by convection.
 iv)Evaporation: About 25%
perspiration(breathing sweating etc)
Factors affecting thermal
comfort
 Personal variables (activity, clothing, age, gender)

and

 Physical variables (air temperature, surface

temperature, air movement and Humidity)
Factors influencing thermal
comfort
 The parameters that must be
measured are those which affect
energy loss such as:
Source of heat into the building
Solar radiation is transmitted into buildings
through;
 windows,

 walls,

 roof,

 floor and

 by admitting external air into the building.

Heat transfer on roofs
THERMAL: HEAT BALANCE

 Thermal balance occurs when the sum

of all the different types of heat flow
into and out of a building is zero. That
is, the building is losing as much heat
as it gains so it can be said to be in
equilibrium.
THERMAL: HEAT BALANCE
Effects of excessive
temperature
If the core temperature varies from
37C;
 ·      Productivity and efficiency

falls
 ·      Errors occur much more

frequently
 ·      The ability to do work

generally decreases.
 Insulating materials
 A thermal insulator is a material which
opposes the transfer of heat between areas
of different temperatures
 Thermal insulator should have low density
(why?)
 Importance of Thermal Insulation
within a Building
 To maintain constant temperature by restriction on
the exchange of heat energy
 Conservation of energy and natural environment
(Sustainability)
 Reduce cooling/heating cost
 Unlike heating and cooling equipment, insulation is
permanent and does not require maintenance,
upkeep, or adjustment.
 Absorb noise and vibration, both coming from the
outside and from other rooms inside the building,
thus producing a more comfortable occupant
environment.
What you must know

 Q1: If vacuum and air are the best

insulators why are they not used as
Thermal insulator?
 Q2: Comment on the applications of
Aluminum as an insulator while is a
good conductor of heat.
 Answers
 Vacuum provides perfect insulation against
conduction but is not practical for every
purpose
 Air is the mixture of gases with atom widely
spaced therefore can provide good insulation
against conduction but must be held still. The
movement of air transfers heat by convection
method.
 Solution is to trap and hold air still used other
materials i.e. fibres, aerated structures etc
Construction related insulators

  Rigid preformed materials - aerated

concrete blocks
 Flexible materials - fibreglass quilts
 Loose fill materials - expanded
polystyrene granules
 Site formed materials - foamed
polyurethane
 Reflective materials - aluminium foil
 Ceramics and Insulative paints which
contain ceramic micro-spheres.
 Thermal resistant must have
 Strength and rigidity for the purposes
 Moisture resistant
 Fire resistant
 Resistance to pests and fungi
 Compatibility with adjacent materials
 Harmless to human and environment
 Must be sustainable
Solar Gain Through
Fenestration

When solar radiation strikes on an unshaded

window,
 (a) part of the radiant energy is reflected back

outdoors,
 (b) part of the radiant energy is absorbed

within the glass,

 (c) the remainder is transmitted directly

indoor, and
 (d) the absorbed portion comes out again and

flows either outward and inward.

Distribution of Solar Radiation
Falling on 3mm Clear Plate
 Type of Window Glasses
Clear Plate or Sheet Glasses

 These are the types of glass which provide

fine visual qualities and also a greater
transmittance of solar radiation.
 
Tinted Heat Absorbing Glasses
 These types of glass are manufactured to

have bronze, grey and blue-green colours.

Tinted heat absorbing glasses absorb a
greater amount of infra-red with some
reduction of visible light.
Type of Window Glasses

Reflective Coated Glasses

 These types of glasses have a microscopically thin

metallic layer of ceramic layer coated on one of the
surfaces

Insulating Glasses

These are made of two or three pieces of glasses

separated by metal or rubber spacer around the
edge and sealed in a stainless steel structure. The
dehydrated airspace (6-12 mm) between the glass
panes enhances the thermal insulation of the unit.
  
Glass windows VS Greenhouse Effect
 Window glass allows short-wave solar
radiation get into an interior space.
 This radiation is absorbed by the interior
of the building.
 The interior then radiates long-wave,
thermal radiation.
 Glass is opaque (not transparent) to this
long wave radiation.
 Thus heat energy is trapped in the
building and the indoor air temperature
rises.
Radiation energy emitted by a
human being
 The sun provides about 1000 watts per
square meter at the Earth's surface.  30 % is
reflected by human skin.  

 How much do the human body absorb the

energy from the sun?
 
 If heat energy due to radiation is measured using H = esA T4.
Find irradiative energy emitted by healthy human being If
estimated surface area of human being is 1.5 m2
Example:  How much does the
human body radiate?

 -----------------------------------------------------------------
-------
Body temperature = 37 C = 37 +273 = 310 K,
Estimate surface area A = 1.5 m2        e = 0.70

H = esA T4
        = (0.70)(5.67 x 10-8)(1.5 m2)(310)4
        = 550 watts (5 light bulbs)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-------
Excercise
 Example 1 :  Standing
outdoors temperature 370C:

 Example 2:  Standing
outdoors temperature20
degrees centigrade:
 Examples radiation

Example 1 :  Standing outdoors on hot day:
Body temperature: 37 C = 37 +273 = 310 K,
Air temperature:     37 C = 310 K
   Hnet = esA [T4 - T04]  =  esA [3104 - 3104]
     =0
 Example 2:  Standing outdoors on morning:
Body temperature = 37 C = 37 +273 = 310 K,
Air temperature = 20 C = 293 K
A = 1.5 m2     e = 0.70
Hnet = esA [T4 - T04]  
        = (0.70)(5.67 x 10-8)(1.5 m2)(3104 - 2934)
    = watts 
 Sources of Humidity in the air
 The amount of water produced from normal household
activities can be quite considerable.
 using bottled gas and paraffin heaters add significant amounts
of water to the air
 Drying clothes over radiators will also significantly add water
vapour.
 The surface area of your lungs is in excess of 75 square metres
and warm air is passing over this wet surface as we breathe
15-20 times per minute; this is being breathed back into the
environment!
 Animals such as a large dog can give off even more water
vapour than the average adult!
measures which can be adopted to
reduce solar radiation in buildings.
 External and internal shading and by careful
building design.
 Natural vegetation such as tall trees can also
reduce solar heat gains.
 Window areas can be reduced although natural
day lighting is important in northern latitudes in
winter so there is a limit to glass reduction.
 Buildings can be orientated so that there is less
window area facing west
References
 Randall McMullan (2002) Environmental
Science in Building fifth Edition
PelgraveMacMillan
