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Energy
Management and Infrared Thermography
Energy
management concerns often involve quality of workmanship
issues. In this case a residential client had
concerns over the construction of a second story
sun-room, with north and west exposure. The builder
had insisted that the building envelope was sound.
Many times during the winter, the owner noticed
water puddling on the window sill and soaking
the carpet at exposed wall joints. An infrared
inspection of the sun-room, later that winter
confirmed the owner's suspicions of inadequate
window and joint seals. The outdoor temperature
at the time of inspection was -20 degrees Celsius
and the indoor air temperature was 23 degrees
Celsius. In the thermograms to the right (Fig.
1 & 2), the pink areas inside the blue regions
represent temperatures of -17 degrees Celsius.
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Fig.
2 |
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There
was only a 3 degree difference between the outside and
inside surfaces (quite a poor R-Value by any standards).
This of course explained the source of the water. The
sub-zero interior surface temperatures were causing
water in the warm moist interior air to condense and
freeze during the night. When the outdoor temperature
warmed during the day, the ice would melt, leaving the
water to pool. Sound building envelopes will save on
energy costs over the long term. Nowhere is this more
important than with large commercial and industrial
facilities.
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Fig.
3 |
An
industrial coffee roaster (Fig. 3) is here inspected
thermographically for insulation deficiences,
heat loss at seals, and safe operating temperatures.
Proper furnace insulation will increase the efficiency
and lower the energy costs of the operation. Confirming
temperature and uniformity of heat distribution
will insure a consistent product.
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Inspecting
ductwork (Fig. 4) for leaks and deficient insulation
should be a part of any comprehensive energy management
program. Regular IR-monitoring of steam and HVAC
systems helps reduce energy costs.
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Fig.
4
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GlencoMetrics
Inc.
16 Sims Cres., Unit # 28, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada,
L4B 2P1
Tel: (905) 764-9297, Fax: (905) 764-8084
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