Small things matter

[Joeboy]

Totally agree Stinsy.

There’s a lot that can be ‘measured’ but there’s always the feel of a home. How do you cheaply/easily incorporate thermal mass into modern homes - utilising building waste as a central core ? If it was a hardcore sort of waste, would need to be bound with some sort of concrete ?

This is just idle musings - love to hear others thoughts on thermal mass - think Joe is doing a sterling job In one direction.

Only one direction? Must try harder!!

[Bugtownboy]

You know what I mean

Think we all have anecdotal positives of thermal mass - how much real world, measured experience do we have ?

[Joeboy]

You know what I mean

Think we all have anecdotal positives of thermal mass - how much real world, measured experience do we have ?

I'll be happy with X amount of days when the GCH doesn't kick in. Will be interesting to see what X turns out to be. I am keeping an eye on the Hive temp charts too. There will be a sum for kg's of weight at a set temp and what that is in kW power. Might look it up. I reckon 300 kg's at 150 to 180 degs has to be a fair skelp?

[Bugtownboy]

There’s some merit in high mass, low temp rise in terms of stored energy - I’m not clever enough to understand the relationship (life sciences person).

Keep going back to how a place feels, which, I believe, has a relationship to thermal mass.

Your experiments and observations are great, Joe.

[Stinsy]

Totally agree Stinsy.

There’s a lot that can be ‘measured’ but there’s always the feel of a home. How do you cheaply/easily incorporate thermal mass into modern homes - utilising building waste as a central core ? If it was a hardcore sort of waste, would need to be bound with some sort of concrete ?

This is just idle musings - love to hear others thoughts on thermal mass - think Joe is doing a sterling job In one direction.

My suggestion would be a “spine” wall running through the middle of the house built with high-density bricks. Maybe with heating pipes running through its cavity. Another option is UFH run underneath a deep concrete slab (with even deeper insulation).

[Stinsy]

There will be a sum for kg's of weight at a set temp and what that is in kW power. Might look it up.

I think what you’re looking for is “specific heat capacity”. This is the measure of how much energy is taken to raise the temperature of a material. The bricks take in the energy when you heat them up and give it back when they cool down.

If I were you I’d measure the surface temperature of the bricks in the morning. If they’re warmer than the room they are still giving off heat. Whereas the stove on its own would be stone cold in the morning.

[Marcus]

There will be a sum for kg's of weight at a set temp and what that is in kW power. Might look it up.

I think what you’re looking for is “specific heat capacity”. This is the measure of how much energy is taken to raise the temperature of a material. The bricks take in the energy when you heat them up and give it back when they cool down.

If I were you I’d measure the surface temperature of the bricks in the morning. If they’re warmer than the room they are still giving off heat. Whereas the stove on its own would be stone cold in the morning.

If they're the old dark red storage heater blocks then they'll be magnetite (you can check with a strong magnet - it'll stick weakly): SHC 935 J/kg/°C (Iirc - I looked it up a few years back when I was doing some experiments) - I've got some blocks in the chest freezer at the mo' and have accumulated several old storage heaters over the years and may install the blocks in a DIY thermal store at some point if I have the time...

Anyway: 300kg * .935 * 150° = 42000 kj = 11.667 kwh

Assuming you can get all 300kg to an average temp of 150° above ambient.

[Joeboy]

There will be a sum for kg's of weight at a set temp and what that is in kW power. Might look it up.

I think what you’re looking for is “specific heat capacity”. This is the measure of how much energy is taken to raise the temperature of a material. The bricks take in the energy when you heat them up and give it back when they cool down.

If I were you I’d measure the surface temperature of the bricks in the morning. If they’re warmer than the room they are still giving off heat. Whereas the stove on its own would be stone cold in the morning.

If they're the old dark red storage heater blocks then they'll be magnetite (you can check with a strong magnet - it'll stick weakly): SHC 935 J/kg/°C (Iirc - I looked it up a few years back when I was doing some experiments) - I've got some blocks in the chest freezer at the mo' and have accumulated several old storage heaters over the years and may install the blocks in a DIY thermal store at some point if I have the time...

Anyway: 300kg * .935 * 150° = 42000 kj = 11.667 kwh

Assuming you can get all 300kg to an average temp of 150° above ambient.

Marcus, Look at you go! Thank you very much indeed. How ye doing? Welcome onboard! The bricks were down to 26 deg this morning with ambient being 17.7 deg or so. They are indeed the magnetite one's. Getting them smooth face to face will help in all respects. Away to collect in the morning and then these test units will go back into storage as they are a part of full spare storage heaters.

[Joeboy]

There’s some merit in high mass, low temp rise in terms of stored energy - I’m not clever enough to understand the relationship (life sciences person).

Keep going back to how a place feels, which, I believe, has a relationship to thermal mass.

Your experiments and observations are great, Joe.

I've always liked the idea of a lot of small things having a combined large impact. Either at my level in the house or other people morphing the idea for their own use. Doesn't have to be fancy or expensive, just each one moves the gauge a little to the better.

Gotta say I was well chuffed at the GCH being off this morning! Uncle Bulgaria would be proud! Glad to have been a boy in the 70's The Good Life & The Wombles, large influence.

[Marcus]

Hi Joeboy, you're welcome. . I'm OK thanks, or as well as anyone with wits can be whilst watching our glorious leaders avoid tackling climate change