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Energy Technologies Area (ETA) researchers are continually building on the strong scientific foundation we have developed over the past 50 years. We address the world’s most pressing climate challenges by bringing to market energy-efficient innovations across the buildings, transportation, and industrial sectors. ETA is at the forefront of developing better batteries for electric vehicles; improving the country's aging electrical grid and innovating distributed energy and storage solutions; developing grid-interactive, efficient buildings; and providing the most comprehensive market and data analysis worldwide for renewable technologies like wind and solar.
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The Energy Technologies Area (ETA) is unique in translating fundamental scientific discoveries into scalable technology adoption. Our approach combines an understanding of the marketplace and the role of state and federal regulation and policies. ETA's research drives real-world, practical results that affect and improve the everyday lives of Americans and those across the globe. Saving energy and battling the Climate Crisis are key to the foundation of our research, which is driven by technoeconomic analysis and in-lab experimentation and discovery.

Design and Construction of Large-Area Heat-Flow Sensors for Measuring Building Heat Flow

Publication Type

Journal Article

Authors

Abstract

The problem of measuring area-averaged heat flows in room-sized spaces in the presence of solar radiation is discussed in the context of a room-sized calorimeter facility (MoWiTT). Development of a new type of heat-flow sensor suitable for making such measurements is described, and test results for moderate-sized prototypes 1 ft (0.3 m) square are reviewed. Construction of full-sized units - up to 2 ft x 4 ft (1.2 m x 0.6 m) - is described, and problems encountered during development are discussed. It is concluded that this approach represents a viable method for determining net energy balances in rooms.

Journal

ASHRAE Transactions

Volume

Year of Publication

1982