Home Heating Efficiency Improvement

1. Home Heating Efficiency Improvement Trevor Thompson Senior Project II Vermont Technical College Spring 2011

2. Problem Statement • Inefficient heat distribution from the living room woodstove to other rooms in the house resulting in ~7 degree delta in temperature between the living room and the nursery (room 1). • Hot water heater stays on all day when no one is home and at night when not in use. Room 2 ~63 deg Room 3 Room 1 Room 5 Room 4 Living Room ~70 deg House Layout

3. Solution Statement • Design a heat distribution system that takes heat provided from the living room wood stove and distributes it to other rooms when called for. • If the temperatures are not being met the controller will trigger the furnace to turn on to compensate. • The controller will also shut down the hot water heater during late night hours and during the week when no one is home. room 5 V(T) Room 3 Room 2 Room 1 V(T) V(T) V(T) Furnace Actuator Controller Hot Water Heater Damper Damper Actuator Damper Actuator Damper Room 4 Damper Actuator Room 5 Living Room V(T)

4. Hot Air Control Vent System Level Diagram Room 1 Thermistor Room 2 Thermistor Room 3 Thermistor Room 4 Thermistor Room 5 Thermistor 10K Type 3 Ethernet Port Hot Water Heater Main Blower 24VAC 24VAC Computer Furnace 0-10V Signal Room 5 Relay Room 1 Actuator Room 2 Actuator Room 3 Actuator Room 4 Actuator Room 4 Damper Room 5 Damper Room 1 Damper Room 2 Damper Room 3 Damper

5. Electrical Design

6. Step 4: Design Returns to Circulate Air Flow Mechanical Design Step 1 Step 2 Step 3: Calculate Required Duct Size Main Trunk = 12 inch diameter Branches = 6 inch diameter 550 cfm

7. SolidWorks Modeling

9. Software Design • Controller will read thermistor temperatures for each room to determine when setpoints need to be met and open dampers to reach setpoints. • If multiple rooms are calling for heat the controller will reduce damper angles closer to the heat source by adjusting actuators so more air flow is allowed to reach end branches. • If temperature setpoints aren’t met the controller will turn on secondary heat source to compensate. • The controller will also shut down the hot water heater during hours not used ie – late at night, during working hours, while on vacation.

10. Assembly

11. Controllable Damper Assembly Actuator Flue Damper Assembly Controllable Damper Assembly Damper Duct

12. Project Plan

13. BOM (tentative)

14. House Floor Plan