[BLDG-SIM] How to model Snowmelt System in eQUEST?

[Xiaobing Liu]

Calculate snow melting energy may not be a easy task. Snow melting is a transient process and the energy consumed by a snow melting systems is affected by many factors, such as the control strategy, layout of the heating elements, and the targeted snow melting performance. If the snow melting system uses stored solar energy or coupled with geothermal heat pump system, it will be even more complicated to calculate the energy consumed for snow melting.
 
ASHRAE handbook of Application has a whole chapter dedicated for snow melting. The snow melting loads provided in the handbook may be good for design but not suffice for energy calculation. Just like the peak cooling loads can not be directly used to calculate cooling energy consumption. The snow flags in weather data is not enough for estimating the running hours of a snow melting system because of the requirement of pre-heating (because of the thermal mass of the concrete pavement) and post-heating (to prevent refreezing of the snowmelt)
 
There has been at least two ASHRAE research projects focusing on developing simulation model for snow melting on heated pavement. 
 
Ramsey, J.W, et al. 1999. Updated Design Guidelines for Snow Melting Systems. ASHRAE 926-RP Final Report.

 

Rees, S.J., et al. 2001. Development of a Two-Dimensional Transient Model of Snow-Melting System, and Use of the Model for Analysis of Design Alternatives. ASHRAE 1090-RP Final Report.

 

There has also several papers published recently on modeling snow melting, experimental validation, and effects of design parameter and control strategies on the performance of snow melting systems.

 

Liu, X., et al. 2007. "Modeling snow melting on heated pavement surfaces. Part I : Model Development",  Applied Thermal Engineering. 27(5-6):1115-1124.

 

Liu, X., et al. 2007. "Modeling snow melting on heated pavement surfaces. Part II : Experimental Verification",  Applied Thermal Engineering. 27(5-6):1125-1131. 

 

Liu, X. , et al. 2004. A Simulation Tool for the Design of the Hydronic Bridge Snow Melting System. 12th International Road Weather Conference, Bingen (on Rhine), Germany.

 

In addition, there are several very interesting papers discussing innovative snow melting systems, some of them using renewable energy.

Waler J Eugster, Jurg Schatzmann. Harnessing Solar Energy for Winter Road Clearing on Heavily Loaded Expressways[C]. Proceeding of Xith PIARC International Winter Road congress, Sapporo, Japan, January,2002.

KojiMorita, Masashi Ogawa. Geothermal and Solar Heat Used to Melt Snow on Roads[R]. Technical Brochure, CADDET Center or Renewable Energy, IEA, Oraganization for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD), Harwell, United Kingdom,1998.

Mariuse Owczarek, Reman Demeanski. Application of heat extraction from the road bridge[C]. 9th International Conference on Thermal Energy Storage. Warsaw in Poland, Vol.?, 2003.

Kojimorita, Makoto Tago. Operational Characteristics of The Gain Snow-Melting System in Ninohe Iwate Japan: Development of a Snow-Melting System Which Utilizes Thermal Functions of the Ground[C]. Proceedings World Geothermal Congress 2000, Kyushu-Tohoku, Japan, May 20-June 10, 2000.

Kinya Iwamoto, Shigeyuki Nagasaka, Yasuhiro Hamada, Makoto Nakamura, Kiyoshi Ochifuji, Katsunori Nagano. Prospects of Snow Melting Systems (SMS) Using Underground Thermal Energy Storage(UTES) in JAPAN[C]. The Second Staockon International Geothemal Conference, March, 1998.

Yasuhiro Hamada, Makoto Nakamura, Hideki Kubota. Field Measurements and analyses for a hybrid system for snow storage/melting and air conditioning by using renerable energy[J]. Applied Energy, 2007, 84(2).

Kazuhide TSUJI, Iisamu YOSHITAKE, senji NAGAI, Sunio HAMADA. Cost Performance of Pipe Heating System by Thermal Energy in Mountain Tunnel[C]. 12th International Road Weather Conference, Bingen, Germany, 2004.

It seems that snow melting systems start gaining more attentions from the public... It is really not far way to integrating a snow melting model into eQUEST/DOE-2.2 or E+ but not sure the availability of any funding for this work.

Xiaobing

-----Original Message-----
From: BLDG-SIM at gard.com [mailto:BLDG-SIM at gard.com]On Behalf Of Yoko Matsuyama
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 12:57 PM
To: BLDG-SIM at gard.com
Subject: [BLDG-SIM] How to model Snowmelt System in eQUEST?


Ryan,
 
Yes, I am modeling for LEED. It might be simpler and easier if Calculating the annual energy consumption for snowmelting system separately, and somehow adding it to heating load from eQUEST. 
Did you know ASHRAE 90.1-2004 Appendix G mentions anything about snowmelting? I haven't found yet...
 
 
Yoko M
 


 
On 10/25/07, Ryan Lacey < ryan at petersenengineering.com> wrote: 

Yoko 

Wow I am in the same exact boat as you are in.  I have a snow melt system that I need to model and am not sure how to go about doing it.  Are you energy  modeling for LEED? 

 

Ryan Lacey

Petersen Engineering, Inc.

PO Box 4774

6 Market Square

Portsmouth , NH 03801

Phone 603.436.4233

Fax 603.436.4294

www.petersenengineering.com <http://www.petersenengineering.com/> 

ryan at petersenengineering.com


  _____  


From: BLDG-SIM at gard.com [mailto: BLDG-SIM at gard.com] On Behalf Of Yoko Matsuyama 
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2007 1:05 PM
To: BLDG-SIM at gard.com
Subject: [BLDG-SIM] How to model Snowmelt System in eQUEST?

 

Hi, everyone! 

Does anyone know how to model Snow-melt System with eQUEST?

The building I am modeling has radiant snowmelt systems at the basement floor.

Please let me know if anyone has modeled before or has any idea.

 

Thank you

 

 

Yoko M 

Graduate Mechanical Engineer

 

 




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