Temperature conditions in three houses following simulated power shut-off

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Temperature conditions in three houses following simulated power

shut-off

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

CANADA

DIVISION O F BUILDING RESEARCH

TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS IN T H R E E HOUSES FOLLOWING SIMULATED POWER SHUT - O F F

by

G . O . Handegord, H. W. O r r and R.G. Nicholson I n t e r n a l R e p o r t NO. 291 of t h e Division of Building R e s e a r c h OTTAWA August

1964

P R E F A C E

The cooling r a t e s of Canadian h o u s e s under e m e r g e n c y conditions t h a t lead t o 10s s of n o r m a l heating in winter a r e of s o m e considerable i n t e r e s t . They have become of p a r t i c u l a r c o n c e r n in the planning of b a s e m e n t n u c l e a r fallout s h e l t e r s , a s well as in t h e a s s e s s m e n t of possible f r o s t d a m a g e t o t h e foundations of

h o u s e s during prolonged shut-down of the heating s y s t e m . P r e v i o u s studies showed that b a s e m e n t s might well fall t o t e m p e r a t u r e s

m u c h below f r e e z i n g within a week under t h e s e v e r e winter weather conditions of the P r a i r i e and N o r t h e r n r e g i o n s . T h i s r a i s e d f u r t h e r questions about the amount of e m e r g e n c y heating r e q u i r e d f o r a b a s e m e n t and the operation of g a s - f i r e d s y s t e m s without e l e c t r i c power. T h e s e f o r m the subj e c t of the e x p e r i m e n t a l investigation now r e p o r t e d .

T h e a u t h o r s a r e m e m b e r s of the staff of the P r a i r i e Regional Station of t h e Division. M r . Handegord, a m e c h a n i c a l e n g i n e e r , is the O f f i c e r - i n - C h a r g e , M r . O r r i s a r e s e a r c h officer and M r . Nicholson a technical officer with the Division.

Ottawa

August 1

9 64

N. B . Hutcheon A s s i s t a n t D i r e c t o r

TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS

LN

THREE HOUSES FOLLOWING SIMULATED POWER SHUT - O F F

G.

0.

Handegord,

H.

W. O r r and R. G. Nicholson

An investigation of t h e i n t e r i o r t e m p e r a t u r e conditions in two h o u s e s in Saskatoon following power shut -off in w i n t e r was undertaken in J a n u a r y of 1962 a s p a r t of a Divisional p r o g r a m on b a s e m e n t fall-out s h e l t e r s . The r e s u l t s of t h i s p r o g r a m indicate t h a t under s e v e r e P r a i r i e winter c l i m a t e s o m e additional e m e r g e n c y heating would be n e c e s s a r y t o maintain s h e l t e r t e m p e r a t u r e s a t an acceptable l e v e l . A second s e r i e s of t e s t s was t h e r e f o r e undertaken in Saskatoon in J a n u a r y of 1963 t o provide information on t h e effect of a s m a l l b a s e m e n t s p a c e h e a t e r a s a n e m e r g e n c y heating device.

N a t u r a l g a s i s the m o s t commonly u s e d fuel in the P r a i r i e s , m a n y f o r c e d w a r m a i r f u r n a c e s being equipped with self

-

powered c o n t r o l s y s t e m s o p e r a t e d through a t h e r m o p i l e in the pilot f l a m e . In the event of a n e l e c t r i c a l power f a i l u r e , such s y s t e m s a r e

s t i l l capable of operation on a g r a v i t y a i r c i r c u l a t i o n b a s i s , although l i t t l e information i s available a s t o t h e i r a c t u a l heating p e r f o r m a n c e under t h e s e conditions. It w a s f e l t t h a t such information might well be of i n t e r e s t in a study of e m e r g e n c y heating t e c h n i q u e s , and a t e s t of t h i s n a t u r e w a s included in the study.

DESCRIPTION O F HOUSES

The t h r e e h o u s e s shown in F i g u r e 1 , and in F i g u r e s 2, 3 _{and 4, w e r e l,-ade available t o the Station by Home Development}

Company, L i m i t e d , of Saskatoon. The h o u s e s f a c e w e s t n o r t h w e s t toward an open expanse of l e v e l ground and thus have a m o r e s e v e r e e x p o s u r e than would be experienced by m o s t u r b a n dwellings.

The f i r s t floor plan and b a s e m e n t plan of t h e m o s t n o r t h e r l y house, A , a r e i l l u s t r a t e d in F i g u r e 5. A s p a c e h e a t e r ( F i g u r e

6 )

having a nominal capacity of 20,000 ~ t u / h r w a s i n s t a l l e d in the b a s e m e n t a s indicated in the plan. F l o o r plans of the c e n t r e house, B , a r e i l l u s t r a t e d in F i g u r e 7 , and t h o s e f o r House C in F i g u r e 8. The f o r c e d w a r m a i r f u r n a c e in House B w a s o p e r a t e d on a g r a v i t y b a s i s during the t e s t p e r i o d , but no f o r m of e m e r g e n c y heating was employed in House C .

T h e t h r e e h o u s e s w e r e built t o N. H. A. r e q u i r e m e n t s , with 2-inch m i n e r a l wool batt insulation in t h e w a l l s and 4 - i n c h l o o s e f i l l m i n e r a l wool insulation in the ceiling. B a s e m e n t windows w e r e of a n i d e n t i c a l hopper type ( A n d e r s o n , No. 281 3), H o u s e s A and C having f o u r s u c h windows, and House B , five. F i r s t f l o o r windows in a l l house s we r e double, h o r i z o n t a l - sliding a l u m i n u m

s a s h .

The f o r c e d w a r m a i r heating s y s t e m s w e r e s u b j e c t e d t o d e s i g n and i n s t a l l a t i o n a p p r o v a l u n d e r the "Double Seal" s y s t e m

s p o n s o r e d by the National W a r m A i r Heating A s s o c i a t i o n . T h e

c a l c u l a t e d d e s i g n h e a t l o s s e s w e r e 6 6 , 6 0 0 , 8 5 , 4 0 0 and 8 1 , 9 0 0 ~ t u / h r f o r h o u s e s A, B and C , r e s p e c t i v e l y .

A b a s e m e n t plan, showing the ductwork d e t a i l s of t h e heating s y s t e m in House B , i s given i n F i g u r e 9. T h e w a r m a i r f u r n a c e w a s a " F u r n a s m a n " Model HG- 125- 3 having a r a t e d out- put of 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 ~ t u / h r a t 1026 c f m and 8 5 F deg t e m p e r a t u r e r i s e . Static p r e s s u r e m e a s u r e m e n t s on t h e s y s t e m u n d e r n o r m a l

o p e r a t i n g conditions showed a n o v e r -all y r e s s u r e d r o p of 0 . 1 5 in W . G . with the f i l t e r r e m o v e d ( 0 . 0 5 in W . G . on supply s i d e , 0 . 1 0 in W.G. on r e t u r n s i d e ) . T h e t e m p e r a t u r e r i s e t h r o u g h the unit with f i l t e r r e m o v e d w a s a p p r o x i m a t e l y 100

F

deg.

TEST PROCEDURES

r h r e e s e v e n - d a y r e c o r d i n g t h e r m o g r a p h s w e r e placed in e a c h house p r i o r t o t h e t e s t p e r i o d , one a t the 3- t o 4 - foot l e v e l in a f i r s t f l o o r r o o m , one a t the 4 - foot l e v e l in t h e c e n t r a l a r e a of the b a s e m e n t , and one a t b a s e m e n t f l o o r l e v e l in t h e m o s t l i k e l y location f o r a f a l l - o u t s h e l t e r . T h e s p e c i f i c plan l o c a t i o n s of t h e s e i n s t r u m e n t s a r e shown in F i g u r e s 5, 7 and 8. The h o u s e s had been u n d e r n o r m a l o p e r a t i o n d u r i n g t h e w i n t e r and a one - d a y r e c o r d of the e s t a b l i s h e d i n t e r i o r conditions w a s obtained p r i o r t o power

shut-off. All plumbing f i x t u r e s and p i p e s w e r e d r a i n e d and k e r o s e n e w a s u s e d t o f i l l f i x t u r e t r a p s . A d i a l t h e r m o m e t e r w a s i n s e r t e d in t h e one b a s e m e n t f l o o r d r a i n t r a p and o b s e r v e d d a i l y t o p r o v i d e a n indication of p o s s i b l e f r e e z i n g a t the footing l e v e l .

T h e s i m u l a t e d power shut-off w a s initiated in a l l t h r e e h o u s e s a t a p p r o x i m a t e l y 11 a . m. on J a n u a r y 15. G a s and e l e c t r i c a l s e r v i c e s t o t h e f o r c e d w a r r n a i r f u r n a c e in House A w e r e d i s c o n n e c t e d and the s p a c e h e a t e r put into o p e r a t i o n . E l e c t r i c a l s e r v i c e s t o t h e f u r n a c e in House B w e r e d i s c o n n e c t e d , e x c e p t f o r the power r e q u i r e d

f o r the 24-volt c o n t r o l s y s t e m . The f i l t e r w a s removed f r o m the unit and the f a n a c c e s s hatch left open a s shown in the photograph of

F i g u r e 10. The g a s supply t o the unit w a s controlled by the r o o m t h e r m o s t a t located on the f i r s t floor level and the l i m i t t h e r m o s t a t located i n the f u r n a c e plenum. All e l e c t r i c a l and g a s s e r v i c e s t o House C w e r e disconnected.

Infiltration m e a s u r e m e n t s w e r e c a r r i e d out, using helium t r a c e r techniques, in a l l t h r e e h o u s e s during the t e s t p e r i o d . The equipment f o r t h e s e t e s t s w a s located in the b a s e m e n t of House

R,

with 1/4-inch d i a m e t e r polyethylene sampling t u b e s connected t o t h e b a s e m e n t s in the two adjacent houses. Helium was introduced

d i r e c t l y f r o m the s t o r a g e cylinder a t the c e n t r e of the b a s e m e n t i n House B, and in Houses A and C the supply tubes t e r m i n a t e d a p p r o x i - m a t e l y 2 feet f r o m the b a s e m e n t wall. No s p e c i a l a i r c i r c u l a t i o n equipment was employed t o provide mixing, and the a i r s a m p l e s

subsequently taken w . e r e drawn f r o m the s a m e g e n e r a l location a s t h a t w h e r e the helium w a s introduced. The door between the f i r s t floor and b a s e m e n t was left open throughout the t e s t period in a l l t h r e e house s .

OBSERVATIONS

The weather r e c o r d s f o r the t e s t period a r e shown in F i g u r e 1 1, i n which instantaneous , v a l u e s of t e m p e r a t u r e and wind velocity a r e plotted a t 3-hour i n t e r v a l s , and the t o t a l s o l a r radiation in langleys was indicated f o r e a c h day. The a v e r a g e outdoor

t e m p e r a t u r e f o r the t e s t period f o r h o u s e s A and B w a s - 1 4 " F , and the a v e r a g e wind velocity was 10. 3 mph.

The t e m p e r a t u r e conditions e x p e r i e n c e d a t t h r e e

locations in House A ( s p a c e h e a t e r ) a r e plotted in F i g u r e 12, together with the a v e r a g e g a s input r a t e during m e a s u r e d p e r i o d s of

approximately 24 h o u r s . The h e a t e r operated continuously during the t e s t p e r i o d , with an a v e r a g e input of 17. 7 cu f t / h r f o r n a t u r a l g a s and a heating value of 1000 ~ t u / c u ft. The combustion efficiency of the unit w a s e s t i m a t e d a t 68 p e r cent on the b a s i s of a flue g a s a n a l y s i s . T h i s would indicate an a v e r a g e heat output r a t e of

12,000 ~ t u / h r , neglecting heat r e g a i n f r o m the chimney. The b a s e m e n t t e m p e r a t u r e r e a c h e d a m i n i m u m of 31 O F a f t e r s i x and

one -half days and r e m a i n e d a t o r slightly above t h i s value f o r the r e s t of the t e n - d a y p e r i o d . Corresponding t e m p e r a t u r e s a t the b a s e m e n t floor level and in the f i r s t f l o o r kitchen r e a c h e d m i n i m u m values of 2 8 ° F and 2 1 ° F , r e s p e c t i v e l y .

T e m p e r a t u r e conditions and fuel input d a t a f o r House

B

( g r a v i t y f u r n a c e operation) a r e shown in F i g u r e 13. The w a r m a i r f u r n a c e cycled continuously on l i m i t c o n t r o l , the a i r t e m p e r a t u r e in the w a r m a i r plenum varying between a m a x i m u m of 1 35" F and a minimum of 8 1 O F . The cycle during t h e f i r s t few d a y s was a p p r o x i -

m a t e l y 4 minutes on and 7 minutes off, but it changed t o a p p r o x i m a t e l y 2- 1/2 minutes on and 3- 1/2 minutes off a s t h e inside air t e m p e r a t u r e d e c r e a s e d . During the l a s t seven d a y s of the t e s t period t h e g a s input r a t e r e m a i n e d f a i r l y constant, the a v e r a g e being 48.7 cu f t / h r . The a v e r a g e r a t e of heat supply to the house, neglecting chimney r e g a i n and based on a combustion efficiency of 61 p e r cent ( u n d e r n o r m a l o p e r a t i o n ) , was e s t i m a t e d a t 30,000 ~ t u / h r f o r t h e s e l a s t seven days.

The a i r t e m p e r a t u r e at t h e 4-foot l e v e l in t h e b a s e m e n t of House B r e a c h e d a m i n i m u m of 4 2 ° F a f t e r eight d a y s , with the t e m p e r a t u r e s a t b a s e m e n t floor l e v e l and a t t h e 4-foot l e v e l on the f i r s t floor approximately t h e s a m e .

T h e air t e m p e r a t u r e conditions in House C (unheated) a r e shown in F i g u r e 14. After seven d a y s the b a s e m e n t a i r t e m p e r a t u r e r e a c h e d 23. 5 a t the 4-foot level and 20 O F a t the f l o o r . A i r t e m p e r a t u r e

a t the 4-foot level i n the living r o o m dropped t o 13. 5 O F i n the s a m e

period. At t h i s t i m e the water t e m p e r a t u r e in the b a s e m e n t floor drain r e a c h e d 3 2 ° F and the t e s t was discontinued. During t h e seven- day period the a v e r a g e outside a i r t e m p e r a t u r e w a s

-

1 3 " F , and t h e a v e r a g e wind velocity was 1 0 . 4 mph.

The b a s e m e n t ventilation r a t e s f o r t h e t h r e e h o u s e s , a s d e t e r m i n e d by a helium t r a c e r technique, a r e l i s t e d in T a b l e

I.

House A exhibited a b a s e m e n t ventilation r a t e of about 0. 5 a c h , t h a t of House B v a r i e d f r o m a low of 0.26 a c h t o 0 . 7 4 a c h during a high wind. The b a s e m e n t ventilation r a t e o b s e r v e d f o r House C w a s l o w e r , possibly a s a r e s u l t of t h e s m a l l e r i n s i d e t o outside t e m p e r a t u r e

difference experienced.

CONCLUSIONS

With due consideration f o r t h e specific n a t u r e and limited number of houses included in t h i s study, the following tentative

conclusions m a y be offered:

1 . B a s e m e n t t e m p e r a t u r e s in h o u s e s m a y f a l l to a l e v e l approaching 2 0 ° F i f heating i s discontinued f o r seven d a y s during winter p e r i o d s when the outside t e m p e r a t u r e a v e r a g e s -1 3 ° F .

2. If heating i s discontinued f o r p e r i o d s longer than a week under such conditions, f r e e z i n g of t h e s o i l beneath t h e floor and footings m a y o c c u r .

3. Under s i m i l a r c i r c u m s t a n c e s a b a s e m e n t s p a c e h e a t e r , having a n output of 1 2,000 ~ t u / h r o r m o r e , will maintain b a s e m e n t t e m p e r a t u r e s above f r e e z i n g .

4. A f o r c e d w a r m a i r heating s y s t e m , designed in

a c c o r d a n c e with NWAHA s t a n d a r d s , a p p e a r s capable of operation a t approximately 40 p e r cent of r a t e d capacity a s a g r a v i t y flow s y s t e m with f i l t e r and fan a c c e s s door r e m o v e d .

TABLE

I

BASEMENT VENTILATION MEASUREMENTS

House

Heating

B a s e m e n t

Fir

s t F l o o r

Outside

Wind

Basement

No.

S y s t e m

Air T e m p .

A i r T e m p .

A i r Temp.

Velocity

Ventilation

Date

T i m e

" F

"F

"F:

A

Sp. h t r .

4 4

Sp. h t r .

3 3

B

Gravity

5 1

Gravity

4 7

Gravity

4 3

C

None

2

8

None

2

9

FIGURE 1. H o u s e s T e s t e d in Saskatoon

FIGURE 3. House B

L . R . F I R S T F L O O R P L A N Spacehealer

1--.

-Thermahygrographs (Floor Level) B A S E M E N T F L O O R P L A N F I G U R E 5 P L A N OF H O U S E

I--

3 5 ' - 2" F I R S T F L O O R P L A N

BASEMENT F L O O R P L A N

F I G U R E 7 P L A N O F HOUSE'B'

L.R.

F I R S T FLOOR P L A N

B A S E M E N T F L O O R P L A N

F I G U R E 9 D U C T W O R K D E T A I L S

-

H O U S E " B "

S O L A R R A D I A T I O N ( L A N G L E Y S ) 114 127 58 136 131 62 76 T T T % T T T T T 118 T 154 T 148 T T88 E J A N U A R Y F I G U R E 1 1 W E A T H E R R E C O R D S FOR T E S T P E R I O D

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 J A N U A R Y 80 70 F I G U R E 1 3 H O U S E " 0 " 60 - I I

-

: L L I W Q: 5 0 - 3 I- 4 Q: W a

2

4 0 - I-

t

d PI:

-

1

4

1

1

30

-

U

-

C 0 0---0 Basement 4'-0"

.-

-,4 45 @--- Upstairs Hallway 5'-0" E 3 A - - - - 4 Basement Corner "'I 20 c a (Level Floor)

-

U

-

al 3 L 40 - 10 I 1 I I I I I I I 1 1 1 I @--.--C..- a ..,,

-

t a' I i

',

I I I I I I I I