Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications

LAB REPORT#10

Name
Muhammad Ayyan Haider

Registration No
FA21-BEE-104

Section
BEE-6A
Instructor name
DR. Laeeq Riaz

Lab Assessment (To be filled by the lab-instructor)

Pre-Lab /5

In-Lab /5

Results /5

Viva /5

Critical Analysis /5
/25
 Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications

Lab 10-Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating

Applications
Pre-Lab Tasks
Question 1:Explain the operation of electric furnace. ANS:
The sequence of operation of an electric furnace:
 The thermostat calls for heat.
 The first furnace element comes on.
 The furnace fan comes on (either as a result of the furnace being energized or when the fan
control switch senses adequate temperature).
 The rest of the elements come on 30 to 90 second intervals, until all the elements are on.
 The fan moves house air across the elements, picking up heat and carrying it to the rooms
through the duct system.
 Heat is discharged through the registers.
 Cold air is collected from the rooms and returned to the furnace through the return ducts.
 The thermostat is satisfied.
 The elements shut off.
 The fan shuts off. The fan may shut off at the same time as the elements, a set amount of
time later (30 to 60 seconds is common), or when the fan control senses low temperature in
the plenum.

Question 2:
State the values of ‘k’ for concrete walls and oak-based wooden walls.
ANS:

MATERIAL VALUE OF ‘K’

Concrete Walls 0.4 - 0.7

Concrete light weights 0.1 – 0.3

Concrete stone 1.7

oak-based wooden walls 0.17

Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications

In-Lab Tasks
Task-1 – Creating the Parameter File for the Electric Heating
System being Studied.
1. Complete table 1.1 by filling in the dimensions of your house and some other details.

Parameter Value

House dimensions (ft x ft) 80 ft x 40 ft

House length (m) 24.384 m
House width (m) 12.192 m
Roof height (m) 3.048 m
Wall thickness (m) 0.2286 m
Number of windows 8
Window height (m) 1.5 m
Window width (m) 2m
Glass thickness (m) 0.01 m
Type of wall insulation (brick, concrete, Brick
fiberglass, etc.)
Insulation thickness (m) 0.2286 m
Thermal conductivity of insulation (W/m/K) 0.78 W/m/K
Thermal conductivity of glass (W/m/K) 0.7 W/m/K
Specific heat capacity of air (J/kg/K) 1007
Air flow rate of blower (kg/s) 1
Density of air (kg/m3) 1.2250 kg/m3
Theater (oC) 50 oC
Cost per unit of electricity $ 0.11
Initial room temperature (oC) 20 oC
Average outdoor temperature (oC) 13 oC
Table 1.1: Relevant Details for Model of House and Its Heating System

Task-2 – Modifying the Example Electric Heating System of

MATLAB: Simulink to Suit Our Space Heating Requirements
1. Open MATLAB help by typing ‘doc’ in MATLAB command window and write ‘heater’ in the
search field. You will be able to see multiple results. Click on the ‘Thermal Model of a House’
to open this file. In the opened window, click on the ‘Open this Example’ button to open the
Simulink model of this example. Click on ‘File’ menu in the opened model and click on ‘Save
as…’. Save this file in yourcurrent working directory as ‘Lab10_<your_roll_number>’.Delete
the
Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications

Simulation:
Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications

2. Save and execute the model file and write down the electricity bill in the
provided spaces.
Simulation:

Daily electricity bill: Rs.1057.

Simulation:

Monthly electricity bill: Rs.31620.

3. Double-click the ‘PlotResults’ block, study the plots, and report your observations in the
‘Critical Analysis/Conclusion’section of your post-lab reports.
Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications

Plot result for Daily:

Plot result for 2-Days:

Plot result for Monthly:

Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications

Lab Task-3 – Studying Electric Heating of a Single Room

1. Complete the table 3.1 below by filling in the data of your own room.

Parameter Value

Room dimensions (ft x ft) 30 ft x 20 ft

Room length (m) 9.144 m
Room width (m) 6.096 m
Roof height (m) 3.048 m
Wall thickness (m) 0.25 m
Number of windows 1
Window height (m) 1.2 m
Window width (m) 1.7 m
Glass thickness (m) 0.07632 m
Type of wall insulation (brick,
concrete, Brick
fiberglass, etc.)
Insulation thickness (m) 0.25 m
Thermal conductivity of 0.78 W/m/K
insulation (W/m/K)
Thermal conductivity of glass 0.7 W/m/K
(W/m/K)
Specific heat capacity of air 1007
(J/kg/K)
Air flow rate of blower (kg/s) 1
Density of air (kg/m3) 1.2250
kg/m3
Theater (oC) 50 oC
Cost per unit of electricity $ 0.11
Initial room temperature (oC) 20 oC
Average outdoor temperature 13 oC
(oC)
Table 3.1: Relevant Details for Room of a House and Its Heating System

2. Modify the code of step 3 of lab task-1 to reflect the dimensions of your room and
specifications of its heating system.
code in this m-file
clc
clear all
% Defining room geometry
% Room length = 30 feet or 9.144 m lenRoom =
9.144;
% Room width = 20 feet or 6.096 m widRoom =
6.096;
% Room height = 10 feet or 3.048 m htRoom =
3.048;
Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications

% Number of windows = 1
numWindows = 1;
% Height of windows = 1.2 m
htWindows = 1.2;
% Width of windows = 1.7 m
widWindows = 1.7;
windowArea = numWindows*htWindows*widWindows;
wallArea = 2*lenRoom*htRoom + 2*widRoom*htRoom + 2*widRoom*lenRoom - windowArea;
% Defining the type of insulation used

% k in units of J/sec/m/K is converted to J/hr/m/K by multiplying with 3600

% since hour is the base time unit in this lab.
% Ordinary brick wall, 0.25 m thick kWall =
0.7*3600;
LWall = 0.25;
RWall = LWall/(kWall*wallArea);
% Glass windows, 0.0762 m thick kWindow =
0.78*3600;
LWindow = 0.0762;
RWindow = LWindow/(kWindow*windowArea);
% Determining the equivalent thermal resistance for the whole building Req = RWall*RWindow/(RWall
+ RWindow);
% c = cp of air (323 K or 50 degree Celsius) = 1007 J/kg/K. c = 1007;
% Entering the specifications of electric furnace
% The air exiting the heater has a constant temperature which is a heater
% property. THeater = 50 degree Celsius THeater = 50;
% Air flow rate Mdot = 1 kg/sec = 3600 kg/hr Mdot = 3600;
% Determining the total internal air mass = M
% Density of air at sea level = 1.2250 kg/m^3 densAir = 1.2250;
M = lenRoom*widRoom*htRoom*densAir;
% Specifying the cost of electricity and initial internal temperature
% Assume the cost of electricity is $0.11 per kilowatt/hour and that all
% electric energy is transformed to heat energy.
% Since, 1 kW-hr = 3.6e6 J, therefore, cost = $0.11 per 3.6e6 J cost = 0.11/3.6e6;
% Initial indoor temperature = 20 degree Celsius TinIC = 20;

3. Save and execute the modified MATLAB script. You should be able to see the defined
parameters of the modified script in the MATLAB workspace.
4. Execute the Simulink model file and write down the electricity bill in the provided
spaces

Simulation:
Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications
Daily electricity bill: Rs.203.9.
Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications

Simulation:

Monthly electricity bill: Rs. 6108.

Plot result for Daily:

Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications
Plot result for 2-Days:

Plot result for Monthly:

 Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications

Post-Lab Tasks
Design an electric heating system for a 2-marla wooden cabin made of oak wood consisting
of three 1m x 1m glass windows located in Gilgit, Pakistan. Assume the cabin dimensions
like your room dimensions in lab task-3. Study the system during its operation in peak
winters. Give the complete diagram of the modified system (with reading of 2-day bill) as
well as relevant plots displayed in ‘PlotResults’ block. Also calculate the values of daily
and monthly electricity bills.

Code(m-file):
clc clear all
% Defining wooden cabin geometry
% Cabin length = 18 feet or 5.4864 m lenRoom = 5.4864;
% Cabin width = 25 feet or 7.62 m widRoom = 7.62;
% cabin height = 10 feet or 3.048 m htRoom = 3.048;
% Number of windows = 3 numWindows = 3;
% Height of windows = 1 m htWindows = 1;
% Width of windows = 1 m widWindows = 1;
windowArea = numWindows*htWindows*widWindows;
wallArea = 2*lenRoom*htRoom + 2*widRoom*htRoom + 2*widRoom*lenRoom - windowArea;
% k in units of J/sec/m/K is converted to J/hr/m/K by multiplying with 3600
% since hour is the base time unit in this lab.
% Oak wood wall, 0.05 m thick kWall = 0.17*3600;
LWall = 0.05;
RWall = LWall/(kWall*wallArea);
% Glass windows, 0.05 m thick kWindow
= 0.78*3600;
LWindow = 0.05;
RWindow = LWindow/(kWindow*windowArea);
% Determining the equivalent thermal resistance for the whole building Req =
RWall*RWindow/(RWall
+ RWindow);
% Density of air at sea level = 1.2250 kg/m^3 densAir = 1.2250; M =
lenRoom*widRoom*htRoom*densAir;
TinIC = 20;
Simulation:
Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications

Parameter Value

Cabin dimensions (ft x ft) 18 ft x 25 ft

Cabin length (m) 5.4864 m

Cabin width (m) 7.62 m

Roof height (m) 3.048 m

Wall thickness (m) 0.05 m

Number of windows 3

Window height (m) 1m

Window width (m) 1m

Glass thickness (m) 0.05 m

Type of wall insulation (brick, Oak wood
concrete,
fiberglass, etc.)
Insulation thickness (m) 0.05 m

Thermal conductivity of insulation 0.78 W/m/K

(W/m/K)
Thermal conductivity of glass (W/m/K) 0.17 W/m/K

Specific heat capacity of air (J/kg/K) 1007

Air flow rate of blower (kg/s) 1

Density of air (kg/m3) 1.2250 kg/m3

Theater (oC) 50 oC

Cost per unit of electricity $ 0.11

Initial room temperature (oC) 20 oC

Average outdoor temperature (oC) 13 oC

 Lab10 – Understanding the Application of Electric Power in Space Heating Applications
Plot result for 2-Days:

Daily electricity bill: Rs.558.5

Monthly electricity bill: Rs16750

Critical Analysis:
In this lab, we examined the use of electricity in space heating applications. We discovered that integrating

sustainable energy sources into space heating systems should be assessed not only based on the initial investment

cost but also in terms of annual energy savings and environmental impact. We also observed that, in many regions

worldwide, solar irradiance on the walls and roofs of buildings exceeds the corresponding heating requirements

annually. Therefore, it is crucial for building owners and space heating system designers to collaborate and agree on

the most appropriate solution.

Additionally, we modified an electric heating system in MATLAB Simulink to simulate heating for spaces of

various dimensions. We modeled electric heating systems for a house, a room, and a wooden cabin, each with

different parameters recorded in their respective tables. We calculated the daily and monthly electricity bills and

plotted the results for a two-day electricity bill for each scenario.