Characterization of residential chimney conditions for flue gas flow measurements

A literature survey and a theoretical study were performed to characterize residential chimney conditions for flue gas flow measurements. The focus is on Pitot-static probes to give sufficient basis for the development and calibration of a velocity pressure averaging probe suitable for the continuous dynamic (i.e. non steady state) measurement of the low flow velocities present in residential chimneys. The flow conditions do not meet the requirements set in ISO 10780 and ISO 3966 for Pitot-static probe measurements, and the methods and their uncertainties are not valid. The flow velocities in residential chimneys from a heating boiler under normal operating condi-tions are shown to be so low that they in some conditions result in voiding the assumptions of non-viscous fluid justifying the use of the quadratic Bernoulli equation. A non-linear Reynolds number dependent calibration coefficient that is correcting for the viscous effects is needed to avoid significant measurement errors. The wide range of flow velocity during normal boiler operation also results in the flow type changing from laminar, across the laminar to turbulent transition region, to fully turbulent flow, resulting in significant changes of the velocity profile during dynamic measurements. In addition, the short duct lengths (and changes of flow direction and duct shape) used in practice are shown to result in that the measurements are done in the hydrodynamic entrance region where the flow velocity profiles most likely are neither symmetrical nor fully developed. A measurement method insensitive to velocity profile changes is thus needed, if the flow velocity profile cannot otherwise be determined or predicted with reasonable accuracy for the whole measurement range. Because of particulate matter and condensing fluids in the flue gas it is beneficial if the probe can be constructed so that it can easily be taken out for cleaning, and equipped with a locking mechanism to always ensure the same alignment in the duct without affecting the calibration. The literature implies that there may be a significant time lag in the measurements of low flow rates due to viscous effects in the internal impact pressure passages of Pitot probes, and the significance in the discussed application should be studied experimentally. The measured differential pressures from Pitot-static probes in residential chimney flows are so low that the calibration and given uncertainties of commercially available pressure transducers are not adequate. The pressure transducers should be calibrated specifically for the application, preferably in combination with the probe, and the significance of all different error sources should be investigated carefully. Care should be taken also with the temperature measurement, e.g. with averaging of several sensors, as significant temperature gradients may be present in flue gas ducts.

Testing of combined heating systems for small houses: Improved procedures for whole system test methods : Deliverable 2.3

Dynamic system test methods for heating systems were developed and applied by the institutes SERC and SP from Sweden, INES from France and SPF from Switzerland already before the MacSheep project started. These test methods followed the same principle: a complete heating system – including heat generators, storage, control etc., is installed on the test rig; the test rig software and hardware simulates and emulates the heat load for space heating and domestic hot water of a single family house, while the unit under test has to act autonomously to cover the heat demand during a representative test cycle. Within the work package 2 of the MacSheep project these similar – but different – test methods were harmonized and improved. The work undertaken includes:  • Harmonization of the physical boundaries of the unit under test. • Harmonization of the boundary conditions of climate and load. • Definition of an approach to reach identical space heat load in combination with an autonomous control of the space heat distribution by the unit under test. • Derivation and validation of new six day and a twelve day test profiles for direct extrapolation of test results.   The new harmonized test method combines the advantages of the different methods that existed before the MacSheep project. The new method is a benchmark test, which means that the load for space heating and domestic hot water preparation will be identical for all tested systems, and that the result is representative for the performance of the system over a whole year. Thus, no modelling and simulation of the tested system is needed in order to obtain the benchmark results for a yearly cycle. The method is thus also applicable to products for which simulation models are not available yet. Some of the advantages of the new whole system test method and performance rating compared to the testing and energy rating of single components are:  • Interaction between the different components of a heating system, e.g. storage, solar collector circuit, heat pump, control, etc. are included and evaluated in this test. • Dynamic effects are included and influence the result just as they influence the annual performance in the field. • Heat losses are influencing the results in a more realistic way, since they are evaluated under "real installed" and representative part-load conditions rather than under single component steady state conditions.   The described method is also suited for the development process of new systems, where it replaces time-consuming and costly field testing with the advantage of a higher accuracy of the measured data (compared to the typically used measurement equipment in field tests) and identical, thus comparable boundary conditions. Thus, the method can be used for system optimization in the test bench under realistic operative conditions, i.e. under relevant operating environment in the lab.   This report describes the physical boundaries of the tested systems, as well as the test procedures and the requirements for both the unit under test and the test facility. The new six day and twelve day test profiles are also described as are the validation results.