Consultancy Software for Heating Flux Optimization

Babe-Bolyai University, Faculty of Economic Science and Business Administration

E-mails: podaremi@j.academicdirect.ro

Emilia-Margareta PODAR

Supervisor: Lucia RUSU, PhD Abstract. Taking under consideration that the quality of our life is conditioned by the comfort of our homes and the comfort of our homes is given first of all by heat comfort, the present paper proposes the implementation of a Decision Support System (DSS) for choosing the heating system of a household. Nowadays the standards of requirements impose an economical strategy along with the Sustainable Development directives. The client-server application presented emphasizes the importance of the materials used in the construction of a building along with the heating system in order to optimize the heat flux demand for choosing the adequate heating system with renewable energy sources. The software also helps user calculate their hot water and heating expenses. Keywords: DSS, heating system, sustainable development, economical strategy.

1. Introduction
Sustainable development designates a balance between using the natural resources to cover present human needs without jeopardizing the future generations life comfort. Nowadays, this term is commonly used not only for environmental meaning but for economical and social too. The software implemented proposes an optimum way for solving the problem of sustainable development, the economic strategy and the social part by developing a DSS system. A DSS is an interactive computer-based system or subsystem intended to help decision makers use communications technologies, data, documents, knowledge and/or models to identify and solve problems, complete decision process tasks, and make decisions. Decision Support System is a general term for any computer application that enhances a person or groups ability to make decisions. Also, Decision Support Systems refers to an academic field of research that involves designing and studying Decision Support Systems in their context of use. In general, Decision Support Systems are a class of computerized information systems that support decision-making activities. [1] The algorithm for computing data was built in PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) scripting language because it offers a total control of the web-based applications, is easier to use, allows dynamical applications on-line at hand of users, has a maximum portability, application development takes a minimum of time, they are easy to modify ensuring the protection of the code. [4]

PHP programs are put on a web server data folder and executed by them using PHP module. The output of the PHP program is in HTML style and can be viewed by any web client (Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozzilla, Opera, Netscape, Konkueror).[5]

2. Calculus model
For studying the heat flux requirement of a household it is necessary to know the possible heat flux losses. According to [3], the heat balance is calculated with the formula: = 1 + 2 + 3 (1) Where: - is the total heat flux lost through a building (W); 1is heat flux losses through transmission (W);2is heat losses through ventilation (W);3is the heat flux needed for heating the hot water (W). Heat flux losses through transmission is distributed between the constructive elements of the house: walls, floor, ceiling and windows. Thus, the next relations exist: 1 = 1.1 + 1.2 + 1.3 + 1.4 + 1.5 2 = 1, 3 = nVcp(tWi - tWe)/ (2) (3)

where xx are the heat flux losses through: 1.1 walls, 1.2 ceiling, 1.3 windows, 1.4 floor, 1.5 basement; is appreciated function with global isolation of the building: 0.7 without insulation, 0.8 minimal insulation, 0.9 good insulation, 1 very good insulation (buildings with low energy consumption and passive buildings regarding the energy consumption); n number of lodgers, working time per day of equipment for water heating (s), V volume of hot water per person per day (m3), density of water (1000kg/m3), cp specific heat of water (4.186 kJ/kgK), tWi the wanted temperature of hot water (K), tWe water temperature from outside (K). The expression of heat fluxes demand lost through walls (1.1), ceiling (1.2), windows (1.3), floor (1.4), basement (1.5), is expressed function to the total surface (S1.i taking under consideration only those elements that are connected with exterior), global heat transfer coefficient (k1.i), temperature from the outside of the building (text), temperature from the inside of the building (tint), soil temperature (tsol) and the temperature of the basement (tsub): 1.i = S1.iki(t1-t0) where: t1 = tint (i = 1..5), t0 = text (i = 1..3), t0 = tsol (i = 4), t0 = tsub (i = 5). Heat transfer coefficient function to the convective heat transfer from interior (1.i.1=8 W/m2.K) and from the exterior (1.i.2=25 W/m2.K), heating conductivity (1.i.1 for the resistance structure, and 1.i.2 for the insulation structure) is given by the relation: k1.i-1 = 1.i.1 -1 + 1.i.2-1 + 1.i.1/1.i.1 + 1.i.2/1.i.2 (5) In case of floor the heat transfer coefficient is specific for the exterior or for the interior. We can consider that the outside environment is the soil or the basement (depending on the construction of the building) and if the building has no basement we consider that the value of 1.i.2-1 is zero. For calculating the costs for the heating system I have used the values of the prices for electricity according to Electrica S.A. tariff scheme, conforming with the ANRE Order nr. 6/21/march/2007 published to Official Gazette, 1st Part, nr.218/30.III.2007, valid since 1/April/2007. The tariff scheme that where taken under consideration are: Social Type, 2 (4)

Monomial Type, Monomial Type with Reservation, Optionally Monomial and Monomial with Included Consumption. The costs are calculated with the formula: C=Pi ci hp (6) Where: C the total electricity cost for heating the building (lei), ci electricity cost according with the tariff scheme chosen by user (lei/kW) and i=1..5; h the time period that the heating system works (h/day); p number of days. According to [2] the cost for biomass and gas resources are conforming with the tariff scheme of E-On Gaz Romania S.A. and the prices are calculated with the formula: C= (/H)cihp (7) Where C-total cost for heating the building (lei); H-inferior specific heat [kJ/kg] or [kJ/m3]; -system efficiency; ci cost of the heating source (lei/kg) or (lei/m3); h - the time period that the heating system works (h/day); p number of days.

3. Design and Implementation Method

According to the mathematical model previously presented, software was created for consultancy of the heating flux optimization. The software has a HTML interface (Figure 1) for best connection with the user as it is for a client-server application. This DSS system consists of a set of PHP programs all placed in an on line directory along with the html files: form.php, calc.php, formular.php, calcule.php, formur2.php, calcule2.php, Start formular.htm, detalii_calcule.htm and copyright.htm, all of the accomplishing different tasks.

Figure 1. Form interface

This application has 3 parts: the first one designated for heat flux demand calculus, the second one to produce the statistics that point out constructive characteristics for increasing the performances of building isolation and the last one, for calculating the cost for water and house heating. The DSS system starts running from Start formular.htm, a frameset with two rows and the first row is divided by two columns.

The input dates (wanted temperature, exterior temperature, time for hot water heating, type of the heating system, variables that concern the house design, and constructive variables) are introduced with the help of the form contained in form.php program, displayed in the first frame and the directives for completing the form are displayed in the right frame with the detalii_calcule.htm design. Results are displayed, as shown in figure 2, in the right frame after submitting the form, along with the details about the statistics that I have made in order to point out the importance of the type of materials used and the thickness of the buildings structure layer, insulating layer and windows, task accomplished by calc.php program.

Figure 2. Results display image

like:

The sequence used for calculating and displaying the total heat flux demand looks function flux_total(){ return flux_pierderi_transmisie()+flux_aer_ventilat()+flux_apa_calda();} echo "Flux total = ",sprintf("%.2f",flux_total()), " (W)", "<br>";

To come in the support of the user the input dates are commonly used (time-hours, temperature-C and thickness-cm) and transformed into fundamental measure units (times, temperature-K and thickness-m) for implementing them into formulas. The statistical view is very useful to determine the heat flux losses through every building envelope, which, at the end is very important for the heat flux demand in order to determinate the costs that involve heating and hot water. The results are displayed with the help of the graphics generated by server. A graphical nucleus available at the address is being used: http://vl.academicdirect.org/applied_statistics/graphic_kernel/ The input dates and the results of the calculus are displayed in a table at the Detalii section, as the one shown for the window parameters in figure 3:

Figure 3. Table containing the input and result dates for window calculation

The sequence used for heat loses through window is: for($i=0;$i<count($geam_sticla);$i++){ $_GET["geam_sticla"]=$geam_sticla[$i][1]; $series_name[$i]=$geam_sticla[$i][0]; $series_x[$i]=$geam_sticla[$i][1]; $series_y[$i]=trim(sprintf("%.0f",pierderi_geam())); } Where geam_sticla is the array declared in order to define the type of the window associated with the global heat transfer coefficient and the pierderi_geam() function is the calculated heat flux losses through window. Diagrams are of two types: diagrams that represent the influences of one variable on one component (figure 4) and diagrams designed to mark up multiple dependences (figure 5).

Figure 5.Heat flux loses through walls function Figure 4.Heat losses through window vs. type to the thickness(X axes) and the type(Y axes) of isolating layer of window

After calculating the heating demand, which is very specific for everyones needs and choosing the adequate outer cover configuration in order to have a minimum heat loss, user could calculate the costs that involve hating, depending on the system that they use for heating. There are two possibilities that this software offers, and that imply heating with biomass and gas (figure 6), and systems that use renewable energy sources (figure 7).

Figure 6 .Cost calculation form

Figure 7. Cost calculation form

The input dates for this calculus could be introduced with the help of the form (formular.php and formular2.php), displayed in the left frame of the page, and the variables considered are total heat flux losses (W), hours needed (h), number of day and the type of the biomass or gas used, or for the renewable energy source used the tariff scheme chosen. The calculated values are displayed in lei with calcule.php and calcule2.php programs. Because there are a lot of conditions imposed by the tariff scheme and the type of the heating source, the elseif instruction is a little hard to use, the instruction utilized for calculating the cost function is switch, instruction created specially for testing multiple conditions.

4. Conclussions and future perspectives

The aim of the paper work is to point out the huge work and time volume of calculating which could be reduced very much (at a simple click) with the help of such a complex Decisional Suppo rt System. Also could be eliminated a lot of possible calculating error by implementing this kind of system. This decisional system was created not only for inexperienced user, but also for scientific studies based on statistics with graphical displaying results. The server generated graphics are not easy to use, they are recommended for scientifically use. Concerning that this DSS comes to help of those who want to build something (decision makers), but also for those who help users make a decision (consulting work), this application could be as well attached to a site designated to resistance structure and isolating materials producers. According to the implemented simulation, it could be pointed out that utilization of 5 cm of expanded polystyrene (for example), reduces to more than half of the heat flux losses through transmission (through outer cover of the building) along with the costs that heating implies. The system helps users to have the best choice in order to acquire the most profitable heating system, to optimize the parameters that are involved in a heating system based on renewable energy resources. So now it could be considered a best economy strategy along with a sustainable development system concerning an improvement of the performances that the renewable energy sources have according with the economical development. Acknowledgments. At this point I would like to underline the precious help of PhD Eng. Mugur BALAN, PhD Eng.Chem. Lorentz JNTSCHI and Mircea MOCA.

Bibliography: [1]. Power, D. J. Decision Support Systems Glossary, DSSResources.COM, World Wide Web, http://DSSResources.COM/glossary/, 2007. Last updated February 25, 2007; [2].Emilia-Margareta PODAR, Study of the Heating System for a Household with Low Energetic Consumption and Renewable Energy Sources Utilization (in Romanian) [3].Teodor Mdran, Mugur Blan, Technical thermotechnics, (in Romanian) Ed. Sincron ClujNapoca 1999; [4]. Emilia-Margareta PODAR, Software for Study of a Household Heating Flux Requirement, International Conference on Automation, Quality&Testing, Robotics (THETA 15), Junior Section, Cluj-Napoca 2006;