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COE_10

The document analyzes the heat loss of a passive solar house maintained at 22 °C during a winter night and calculates the operational time of an electric heater. With the aid of 50 water containers heated to 80 °C, the heater needs to run for 4.8 hours to maintain the temperature, while it would run for 9.3 hours without the water tanks. The calculations are based on the first law of thermodynamics and the specific heat capacity of water.

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Shaheryar Siddiqui
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12 views3 pages

COE_10

The document analyzes the heat loss of a passive solar house maintained at 22 °C during a winter night and calculates the operational time of an electric heater. With the aid of 50 water containers heated to 80 °C, the heater needs to run for 4.8 hours to maintain the temperature, while it would run for 9.3 hours without the water tanks. The calculations are based on the first law of thermodynamics and the specific heat capacity of water.

Uploaded by

Shaheryar Siddiqui
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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COE_10

A passive solar house that is losing heat to the outdoors at an average rate of 50,000 kJ/hr is maintained at
22 °C at all times during a winter night for 10 hr. The house is to be heated by 50 glass containers each
containing 20 L of water that is heated to 80 °C during the day by absorbing solar energy. A thermostat-
controlled, 15 kW back-up electric resistance heater turns on whenever necessary to keep the house at
22 °C.
a. How long will the electric heating system need to run during the night?
b. How long would the electric heater run during the night if the house did not incorporate solar heating?

heat loss of
50,000 kJ/hr

house
maintained at 22 °C

50 glass containers filled with 20 L of water


each at an initial temperature of 80 °C

Page 1 of 3
COE_10

SOLUTION:

Apply the 1st Law to the house.


Qinto
house

house
maintained at 22 °C

Won
house

DEsystem = Qinto + Won (1)


system system

The change in total energy of the house will consist of the change in the internal energy (potential and
kinetic energy changes will be negligible). Furthermore, the total internal energy change will include the
total energy change in the house structure, house air, and water tanks.
DEsystem = DU system = DU house + DU air + DU water (2)
structure

Since the house structure and air are maintained at a constant temperature, DUhouse = DUair = 0. Hence, Eqn.
(1) can be re-written as:
DU water = Qinto + Won (3)
system system

Page 2 of 3
COE_10

The total change in the internal energy of the water (assuming an incompressible fluid) is given by:
DU water = mwater cwater (T f ,water - Ti ,water ) (4)

The total heat added to the house is:


Qinto = ( -50, 000 kJ/hr )(10 hr ) = -500, 000 kJ (5)
system

and the total work done on the house by the electric heater is:
Won = (15 kW ) Dt (6)
system

where Dt is the time over which the heater operates.

Substitute Eqns. (4)-(6) into Eqn. (3).


mwater cwater (T f ,water - Ti ,water ) = -500, 000 kJ+ (15 kW ) Dt (7)

Using the given parameters in Eqn. (7).


mwater = 50(20 L)(0.001 m3/L)(1000 kg/m3) = 1000 kg
cwater = 4.179 kJ/(kg×K) (from a thermodynamics table)
Tf,water = 22 °C
Ti,water = 80 °C
Þ Dt = 4.8 hrs Hence, the heater must be on for 4.8 hrs at night with the water tanks.

If the water containers were not present, then the left-hand side of Eqn (7) would be zero (DUwater = 0) and:
Þ Dt = 9.3 hrs Hence, the heater must be on for 9.3 hrs at night without the water tanks.

Page 3 of 3

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