CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Background of the Study Natural resources provided by the earth's geological sphere is finite.

Unlike other natural sustainable resources on earth, energy resources once gathered become depleted with time. Also, the process of gathering resources is often destructive and wasteful, resulting in harmful effects on the environment. Often, experts are of the view that energy resource excavation and its uses tend to create more pollution and harmful than provide benefits to mankind such as carbon dioxide and monoxide emission from petroleum. Consequently, today experts realizing the implication of such harmful effects have successfully experimented and introduced the concept of renewable energy. These are energy sources from biomass applications; rock geothermal energy; hydrogen fuel cells; tidal, waves and air energy; and crop waste cellulose gasified to obtain energy for heating, electric and transportation application etc. Thus the use of renewable has grown markedly in the past decades in developed and under developed countries. In under developed countries the focus is on renewable energy to generate power for domestic and industrial uses. On the other hand developed countries in the recent years have experimented to generate renewable energy for the purpose of better and cleaner living (Ottinger and Williams, 2002). Primarily, the researchers targets to investigate thermal mass as a renewable energy resource in providing electricity to residential houses. This study seeks to analyze the various aspects of renewable energy, particularly thermal mass energy, in providing electricity from heat. Statement of the Problem The main problem of this study is to use thermal mass renewable energy of concrete as heat source using thermoelectric generator in producing electricity to support lighting loads of a single family dwelling.

Specific Problem: 1. How much electricity will a thermoelectric generator produce using thermal mass as heat source?

Significance of the Study The research aims to provide an alternative source of electricity to residential houses using thermal mass as heat source. It aims to reduce the electricity bill off these residential houses that uses thermal mass as one alternative source of electricity. With the use of a thermoelectric device, the heat provided by thermal mass will be directly converted to electricity. Thermoelectric device is commonly used on electronic devices that release heat considered to be a waste. With this device and concept, the problem on electricity will be solved, particularly on residences. It will be the substitute to solar panels already used to date. Solar panels are quite expensive compared to the thermoelectric device which is cheaper and much simple to install.

Objective of the Study The main objective of this study is to use thermal mass renewable energy of concrete as heat source using thermoelectric generator in producing electricity to support lighting loads of a single family dwelling. Specific Objective: 1. To generate enough electricity with thermal mass as heat source with the use of thermoelectric generator. Scopes and Delimitations of the Study The research concern is to generate electricity with a renewable energy, thermal mass. The study includes creating sufficient and efficient electricity. The electricity produced will be used as an alternative source of power for residential houses which will make the electrical bill of the residential houses lower than usual. The electricity that will be produced will depend on the design of the building, the position of the thermoelectric device and the material used in the walls and ceilings.

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE Basic Concepts and Related Literature Thermal mass is a property that enables building materials to absorb, store, and later release significant amounts of heat. Buildings constructed of concrete and masonry have a unique energy-saving advantage because of their inherent thermal mass. These materials absorb energy slowly and hold it for much longer periods of time than do less massive materials. According to PCA (Portland Cement Association) Thermal mass delays and reduces heat transfer through a thermal mass building component, leading to three important results. 1. There are fewer spikes in the heating and cooling requirements, since mass slows the response time and moderates indoor temperature fluctuations. 2. A massive building uses less energy than a similar low mass building due to the reduced heat transfer through the massive elements. 3. Thermal mass can shift energy demand to off-peak time periods when utility rates are lower. Since power plants are designed to provide power at peak loads, shifting the peak load can reduce the number of power plants required. When any electrical conductor is subjected to a thermal gradient, by heating one end while maintaining the other end at a low temperature, it will generate a voltage between the hot and cold ends. This is known as the Thomson effect and is principle used for the direct conversion of heat energy into electrical energy.

Figure 2.1 The phenomenon of thermoelectricity was first observed in 1821 by by the German physicist Thomas Johann Seebeck who noticed that when a loop was made from
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wires using two dissimilar metals, a voltage appeared between the junctions of the wires if one junction was hotter than the other. Such a loop made with dissimilar metals became known as a thermocouple and the phenomenon was named the Seebeck effect in his honor. The voltage generated by the thermocouple is very small and many thermocouples are required to make a practical thermoelectric generator. In practice, to extract useful current from the ends of a conducting rod requires the connection of wires to the end points, essentially forming a second conductor in parallel between the heat source and the heat sink. The voltage generated in the wires will thus oppose the voltage generated across the rod and the net voltage generated will be the difference between the voltages generated across the rod and across the wires. The circuit arrangement containing two dissimilar metals forms a thermocouple. The thermoelectric voltage generated in a single conductor is already very small. The connection of wires across the conductor to extract the electrical energy introduces an opposing voltage in the circuit so that the net useful voltage available is even smaller. The diagram below illustrates the voltage developed by the thermocouple.

Figure 2.2 The voltage difference, V, produced across the terminals of an open circuit made from a pair of dissimilar metals, A and B, whose two junctions are held at different temperatures, depends on the temperature difference between the hot and cold junctions, (Th - Tc). Because both conductors are subject to the same temperature difference the net voltage generated will be the difference between the voltage generated across each conductor.

Thus the net voltage developed is given by: V = TcTh (Sb(T) - Sa(T)) dT where Sa and Sb are the Seebeck coefficients of the metals A and B, and Th and Tc are the temperatures of the hot and cold junctions. For small temperature differences the Seebeck coefficients are effectively constant over the temperature range and the above formula can be approximated as: V = (Sb - Sa) x (Th - Tc) This is the physical basis for a thermocouple, which is used often for temperature measurement and in special circumstances for power generation. Related Studies Because conversion efficiencies are very low, thermocouple applications are limited mostly to low power devices. Costs are also very high which further limits their potential uses. Higher electrical outputs can be achieved in Seebeck applications at the expense of using more heat by increasing the temperature difference between the hot and cold surfaces. The limiting factors here are the thermal and chemical stability of the thermoelectric material at high temperatures and the ability to remove the surplus heat from the cold surface. Similarly the cooling performance of Peltier devices can be
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improved by using higher currents but the same limiting factors apply, except that in this case, the surplus heat must be removed from the hot surface. Low power Applications Typical thermocouple applications using the Seebeck effect are temperature measurement, heat sensing and the detection of radiation in bolometers. Thermoelectric batteries powered by body heat are also used in portable medical monitoring devices.
y

Thermopile Since the energy available from a single thermocouple is very small, arrays of thermocouples must be used to construct thermoelectric devices capable of handing practical amounts of power. Higher power devices can be made by connecting thermocouples in series to increase the voltage capability and in parallel to increase the current capacity. Such an array of thermocouples is called a thermopile.

Figure 2.3 Thermoelectric generators can be used in much the same way as photovoltaic devices and the same electrical ancillary circuits can be used. For example higher voltage outputs can be achieved by using the array to drive a DC/DC converter.


Peltier effect thermopiles are essentially heat pumps which pump heat from one side of the device to the other. They are used to provide thermoelectric cooling however the efficiencies of Peltier effect devices are typically around 5% to 10%, much less than the 40% to 50% achievable with compressor based refrigeration units which limits their use to small portable refrigerators and cooling plates. Seebeck effect thermopiles are used to convert heat energy into electrical energy in thermoelectric generators (TEGs) with electrical power outputs of 1000 Watts or more.

TEGs have been used for some time in Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) to provide portable power in spacecraft applications using the heat from the decay of radioactive isotopes such as Plutonium 238. More recently the possibility of using thermocouple arrays in automotive applications to recover waste heat from engine exhaust gases is being investigated. With an exhaust gas temperature of 250C and a coolant temperature of 50C, power outputs of over 300 Watts have been achieved but this drops to 150 Watts when the coolant temperature increases to 90 C. The University of Arizona research team, headed by Charles Staffor, the associate professor of physics, worked on harvesting energy from waste. The teams findings were published in the September 2010 issue of the scientific journal, ACS Nano.

Justin Bergfield who is an author and a doctoral candidate in the UA College of Optical Sciences shares his opinion, Thermoelectricity can convert heat directly into electric energy in a device with no moving parts. Our colleagues in the field tell us that they are confident that the device we have designed on the computer can be built with the characteristics that we see in our simulations. It seeks to eliminate Ozone Depleting materials. Using the waste heat as a form of electric power has multiple advantages. Whereas on one hand, using the theoretical model of molecular thermoelectric helps in increasing the efficiency of cars, power plants factories and solar panels, on the other hand efficient thermoelectric materials make ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs, outdated. Though having worked on the molecule and thinking about using them for a thermoelectric device, Bergfield and Stafford had not found anything special till an undergraduate discovered that these molecules had special features. A large number of molecules were then sandwiched between electrodes and exposed to a stimulated heat source. The flow of electrons along the molecule was split in two once it encounters a benzene ring, with one flow of electrons following along each arm of the ring. The benzene ring circuit was designed in such a way that the electron travels longer distance round the rings in one path, which causes the two electrons to be out of phase when they reach the other side of the benzene ring. The waves cancel out eachother on meeting. The interruption caused in the flow of electric charge due to varied temperature builds up voltage between electrodes. The effects seen on molecules are not unique because any quantum scale device having cancellation of electric charge will show a similar effect if there is a temperature difference. With the increase in temperature difference, energy generated also increases. Thermoelectric devices designed by Bergfield and Stafford can generate power that can lit a 100 Watt bulb or increase cars efficiency by 25%. Conceptual Framework Independent Variable Heat from the sun Temperature Difference Intervening Variable Weather / Climate Weather / Climate Dependent Variable Heat Produced by the Thermal mass Electricity Produced

Hypothesis The use of thermal mass as a heat source for thermoelectric generator will provide a useful alternative source of electricity that can be use for lighting loads of a single family dwelling. Definition of Terms Junction The act of joining, or the state of being joined. The boundary between two physically different materials, especially between conductors, semiconductors, or metals (en.wiktionary.org). That which is built by a mason; anything constructed of the materials used by masons, such as stone, brick, tiles, or the like. Dry masonry is applied to structures made without mortar (en.wiktionary.org). That which remains when use or need is satisfied, or when a limit is reached; excess; overplus (en.wiktionary.org). a physical quantity that describes in which direction and at what rate the temperature changes the most rapidly around a
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Masonry

Surplus Temperature gradient

Thermal Mass

Thermocouple

Thermoelectricity

Thermopiles

particular location (en.wikipedia.org) a concept in building design which describes how the mass of the building provides "inertia" against temperature fluctuations, sometimes known as the thermal flywheel effect (en.wikipedia.org) The ability of the material to store heat. (Green Living) a junction between two different metals that produces a voltage related to a temperature difference (en.wikipedia.org) direct conversion of heat into electricity or electricity into heat through two related mechanisms, theSeebeck effect and the Peltier effect (Encyclopdia Britannica) an electronic device that converts thermal energy into electrical energy (en.wikipedia.org) CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY

Research Design This study will make use of quantitative descriptive design. In this study, the phenomena or the association between the variables will be examined. This study intends to investigate the direct conversion of heat to electricity. The researchers will also define the relationship of the temperature change with the electricity that will be produced. It will verify that the combined thermal mass and thermoelectric generator will provide a cheap alternative source of electricity. Subjects The subjects of this study are single family dwellings with specified design for thermal mass. This study will deal on the direct conversion of heat to electricity through thermal mass and thermoelectric generators, thus, having an alternative source of electricity. This research will give benefit to the environment in such a way that this research would give a way in a new alternative source of energy that is safe and environment friendly. Data Gathering Instruments The researcher will use concrete cement as the material for the thermal mass and thermoelectric generators which is generally made from thermopiles to convert heat into electricity. The researcher will use one piece of digital multi-meter to measure voltage and power generated by the thermoelectric .The temperature stored by the thermal mass material will be measured by ordinary thermometer. The Lighting system of the residential houses will be replaced by high quality and cheap dc lamps as part of the study. For energy conservation purposes, a battery will be used to store the power generated by the thermoelectric generator until it is ready for use. The residential houses will use 12V DC lamps to light up their houses. Data Gathering Procedure The researcher will use make use of a concrete cement as a thermal mass material for the roof of residential houses as a part of the study. Heat will be stored in the thermal mass material and will be stored for energy conversion. The degree of hotness of the thermal mass material can be measured using a thermometer. The researcher will try to take into consideration the weather condition in measuring the temperature of the thermal mass material. After the intervening variables are consider, the temperatures measured at different time of the day will be recorded by the researcher so that the average or the
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most frequently occurring temperature will be further analyze in the statistical treatment. The heat stored in the concrete cement will be converted by the thermoelectric generator into electricity. The researcher will make use of a digital multi-meter to monitor and measure the power generated by the thermoelectric generator. Output voltage of the heat engine will be recorded daily and these output voltages taken at different times will be use to get the average output voltage generator. The researcher may use a resistor so that the output power will be measure. The output power will also be record together with the output voltage of the thermoelectric generator. Procedure
Start

Consider the unpredicted conditions that may occur unexpectedly.

Record the thermal mass material temperature periodically and get the average temperature.

Record the output voltage and power of the thermoelectric generator.

System Design

Is the temperature of the thermal mass material enough for electricity generation?

Add an additional thermoelectric generator to compensate the amount of temperature.

Y Feed the output of the thermoelectric generator to the battery and DC lamps

End

Figure 3.1 System Flow The researcher will use make use of a concrete cement as a thermal mass material for the roof of residential houses as a part of the study. Heat will be stored in the thermal mass material and will be stored for energy conversion. The heat stored in the concrete cement will be converted by the thermoelectric generator into electricity. The thermoelectric generator must be placed in a fitted hole or space that is intentionally carved under the concrete roof for efficient transfer of heat from the concrete to the thermoelectric generator. The dimensions of these holes under the concrete roof must be the same as the dimensions of the thermoelectric generator so that heat to electricity conversion will be more efficient. At the other side of the thermoelectric generators, roof ventilators will be used to ensure that the temperature difference between the two sides of the generator will be enough for the thermoelectric generator to generate electricity. Simple roof ventilators shall be use and design in such a way that cold air will enter these ventilators so that this ventilator can be use as the heat sink of the thermoelectric generator. The air will only be allowed to enter at night time when the inside room temperature is cooler than the temperature of the thermal mass material. The output of the thermoelectric generator will be fed to a battery which will store the electricity produced by the thermoelectric generator for later usage. The lighting system will be connected to the battery and so the heat from the thermal mass material that will be converted to electricity shall be used efficiently. It will then serve as an alternative source of energy that helps shave off the electricity bill of residential houses. If the energy stored in the battery is not yet enough to drive the DC lamps in the house, then the power from the Commercial electricity provider will be use to light the dc lamps and the battery will then continue to charge until it reaches the minimum power required to supply power to the DC lamps.

System Flow
Start

Sun heats the roof and thermal mass material absorbs heat.

Thermal mass material releases heat to thermoelectric generator. Heat to electricity conversion is made in the generator.

Electricity is stored in the batter for further usage.

Is the energy in the battery enough to drive DC lamps?

N Electricity from Commercial electricity suppliers is use.

Y s Electricity from the battery is fed to DC lamps.

DC power supply from AC source

DC power supply drives Athe DC Lamps

End

Statistical Treatment The statistical technique used in analyzing and interpreting the data and testing the hypotheses of the study will be t-test. The t-test technique will determine if the measured temperature of the thermal mass material and the output power of the thermoelectric generator will be enough to drive DC lamps that would be used in the residential houses that would benefit the study. The formula to be use in this test is as follows:
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 where x stands for the weighted arithmetic mean. The x in this study will be the mean temperature of the thermal mass material and the mean output power of the thermoelectric generator. The x corresponds to the temperature and the power output of the thermo electric generator. The researchers will solve for the variance of the each variable through the formula: Such that SD2 stands for the variance, N as the total number the researcher has taken the temperature and the power output of the thermo electric generator. The t-test will be used to determine if there is a significant difference between the successive recorded temperatures and output power of the thermoelectric generator that will be taken in different days of the year . The t-value will be computed by using the formula: 

where, x1 stands for the mean of the first day the temperature and output power will be record , x2 , mean of the second day the temperature and output power will be record,SD12, variance of x1 , SD22, variance of x2 ; N1, total; number of operations of the first variable and N2, total number of operations of the second variable. In this study, the researchers will use 5 percent level of probability with 95 percent reliability to determine the degree of significance of the findings. References: - Staffor, Charles et. Al (September, 2010). ACS Nano Retrieved on January 13, 2011, 1:33pm http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/ - Thermocouples: Theory. Retrieved on February 1, 2011, 8:37am http://www.efunda.com/ - Hyatt, Craig (September 24, 2009). Retrieved on February 1, 2011, 1:28pm http://sites.google.com/site/edwardcraighyatt/CraigsProjects - Portland Cement Association. Thermal Mass. Retrieved on January 13, 2011, 11:40am http://www.concretethinker.com/ - Thermal Mass Renewable Energy in Building. Retrieved on January 7, 2011, 8:48pm http://www.ukessays.com/essays/engineering/renewable-energy.php - Electropaedia. Battery and Energy Technologies. Retrieved on January 13, 2011, 7:38pm http://www.mpoweruk.com/index.htm

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