Heat source
Heat is the energy that is transferred between different systems as a result of thermodynamic interactions. Heat differs from temperature, which is a measure of the average kinetic energy of molecules. Temperature will tend to vary throughout a body depending on its heat exchange with its surroundings
In the built environment, heat may be used to:
- Create comfortable conditions for occupants.
- To prevent condensation.
- For activities such as drying and cooking.
- For industrial processes.
A heat source is a system from which heat is ‘lost’ to a heat sink. For example, in the built environment, a radiator may be considered to be a heat source, whilst the space around it, which it heats by a process of radiation and convection, might be considered to be a heat sink.
Heat sinks might also refer more specifically to active devices that transfer heat from a system to a medium that dissipates that heat away from the system, and in so doing cooling it. Heat sink devices are commonly used to cool computers.
Anything may behave as either a heat source or a heat sink depending on its temperature compared to its surroundings, however, in the building environment a number of elements are exploited specifically for their characteristics as heat sources for functions such as helping create thermal comfort.
This might include:
- The sun.
- The ground (eg ground source heat pumps, geothermal piles).
- The air (eg air source heat pumps).
- Water (eg water source heat pumps).
- Thermal mass (such as an exposed concrete slab).
- Heating devices such as radiators, electric heaters, open fires, wood-burning stoves and so on.
Other items might act as inadvertent heat sources, which may not be desirable as they may cause overheating, such as people, computers, ovens and other equipment. These heat sources are sometimes referred to as heat loads.
Heat sinks might include air conditioning systems, refrigeration equipment, thermal mass and so on.
Heat sources and heat sinks such as thermal mass might be described as ‘passive’ in that they use the layout, fabric and form of a building to reduce or remove the need for ‘active’ systems such as heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Boiler.
- Building heating systems.
- Conduction.
- Convection.
- Ground source heat pumps.
- Heat.
- Heat interface units.
- Heat meter.
- Heat pump.
- Heat recovery.
- Heat transfer.
- National heat map.
- Overheating.
- Radiant heating.
- Radiation.
- Solar gain.
- Thermal comfort.
- Thermal mass.
- Types of domestic heating system.
Featured articles and news
The current and future global market dynamics of boilers
Significant challenges but adaptation to sustain for longer.
Designing sustainability and performance into buildings
Specifying and selecting sustainable resilient timber products.
Modifying wood to improve resistance to decay and movement.
A last minute, long look for built environment professionals.
The architecture of creative reuse. Book review.
Installing solar panels on listed structures.
Sustainable development global goals, history in progress?
"Unless we act now, the 2030 Agenda will become an epitaph for a world that might have been."
Mike Kagioglou FCIOB named CIOB President
'Sustainable Development Goals must be focus for construction'
BSRIA training; a look at what's on offer
From energy management to compliance training.
TESP video warns to beware of rogue trainers.
Highlighting the slippery tactics of non-approved providers.
New Building Safety Wiki launched
Boosting awareness and understanding of the new fire safety regime.
New playbook on AI in construction published by CIOB
How to get to grips with, and the best from AI.
Digital Construction Report NBS
BIM, cloud, off-site, immersive tech, AI, twins and sustainability.