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Evaluation of a Solar Water and Thermal Energy Storage System for Zero Energy

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Evaluation of a Solar Water and Thermal Energy Storage System for Zero Energy Evaluation of a Solar Water and Thermal Energy Storage System for Zero Energy Housing By Ysabel Espinal Ismael George-Richard Nowick Leanne M. Sickles i Evaluation of a Solar Water and Thermal Energy Storage System for Zero Energy Housing This report represents the work of WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review. For more information about the projects program at WPI, please see: http://www.wpi.edu/academics/undergradstudies/project-learning.html Submitted by: Ysabel Espinal, Ismael George-Richard Nowick, and Leanne M. Sickles Project Advisors: Professor Steven Van Dessel, Director of Architectural Engineering Professor Ali Fallahi, Assistant Teaching Professor ii Abstract Residences account for 21% of the total energy demand in the United States, one-third of which is due to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. As such, there is great potential to reduce the consumption of HVAC systems thus decreasing the home’s overall energy demand. The company Unity Homes is working to address this concern by selling energy efficient homes to the general public. In collaboration with Unity Homes, we sought to re- innovate the design of a solar water and thermal energy storage (TES) system to be used within one of their homes. We recommend further investigation into the feasibility of the integration of our system as well as the potential for use as a cooling and domestic hot water system. iii Acknowledgements We would like to thank our advisors, Professor Van Dessel and Professor Ali Fallahi for guiding us through our research and system implementation. Both their ideas, support, and interests encouraged us to move forward throughout the academic year. We would also like to express our gratitude to our project advisor and sponsor, Ed Curtis, for providing the funds and necessary information to complete the construction of our system. Additionally, we would like to thank Russell Lang, Lab Manager of the Civil & Environmental Engineering Department at WPI, for aiding the group throughout the construction of the system and offering his support and guidance. This project would have not been done without you. Finally, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to following individuals, departments, institutions, and organizations for supporting us throughout the completion of this major qualifying project: Andrew Dey, Operations Director of Unity Homes, for giving us the opportunity to visit and evaluate their house platforms. Professor Kenneth M. Elovitz, Adjunct Teaching Professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, for helping us with the mechanical components of our project. Ted McCarty and his crew, Lead Electrician at WPI, for offering their skills and knowledge in wiring the trailer, and Professors James O’Rourke and Stephen Bitar of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at WPI, for offering their time and knowledge on the control schematics for our system. iv Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iv Authorship.................................................................................................................................... viii List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. x List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... xiii Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... xiv 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 1 2.0 Background ............................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 History of Heating New England Homes .............................................................................. 3 2.2 Net Zero Energy Design for Homes ...................................................................................... 3 2.3 Passive Methods for Zero Energy Design ............................................................................. 6 2.3.1 Optimizing Building Envelopes ..................................................................................... 7 2.3.2 Orientation and Effective Site Planning ......................................................................... 8 2.3.3 Passive Designs .............................................................................................................. 9 2.3.3a Thermal Energy Storage Methods and Systems ....................................................... 9 2.3.3b Trombe Wall ........................................................................................................... 11 2.3.3c Water Wall .............................................................................................................. 12 2.3.3d Basic Passive Solar with Thermal Mass ................................................................. 13 2.4 Active Methods for Zero Energy Design Systems within Homes ...................................... 14 2.4.1 Solar Water Heater Systems ......................................................................................... 14 2.4.1a Solar Collectors ....................................................................................................... 14 2.4.1b Variance in Evacuated Tube Collectors .................................................................. 18 2.4.1c Open-Loop and Closed-Loop Active Systems ........................................................ 19 2.4.2 Geothermal Heat Transferring Systems ....................................................................... 21 2.4.3 Electrical Systems......................................................................................................... 22 2.4.3a Traditional Electrical Systems ................................................................................ 22 2.4.3b Photovoltaic Cells ................................................................................................... 23 2.5 Unity Homes ....................................................................................................................... 24 2.5.1 Design ........................................................................................................................... 25 2.5.2 Construction Process .................................................................................................... 29 v 2.5.3 Materials ....................................................................................................................... 30 2.5.4 Mechanical Systems ..................................................................................................... 31 2.5.5 Passive House Standard ................................................................................................ 32 3.0 Problem Statement and Objectives ......................................................................................... 34 4.0 Experimental Set-Up and System Functionality ..................................................................... 35 4.1 Experimental Set-Up ........................................................................................................... 35 4.2 System Functionality ........................................................................................................... 47 5.0 Methodology ........................................................................................................................... 49 5.1 Objective 1: Improve the Design of a Unity Home Using Passive Methods ...................... 49 5.2 Objective 2: Design, Build, and Test an Innovative Heating System ................................. 50 5.2.1 Site Selection ................................................................................................................ 50 5.2.2 Peak Heating Load Profile ............................................................................................ 51 5.2.3 Materials, Equipment and Sizing.................................................................................. 55 5.2.3a Solar Collector ........................................................................................................ 55 5.2.3b Heat Pump ............................................................................................................... 56 5.2.3c Storage Drums ......................................................................................................... 56 5.2.3d Circulating Pumps ................................................................................................... 56 5.2.3e Expansion Tanks ..................................................................................................... 58 5.2.3f Piping ....................................................................................................................... 58 5.2.3g Valves ....................................................................................................................
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