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Author
Baker, D. W. | Kao, J. Y. | Didion, D. A.
Title
Performance Evaluation of A Typical Energy Monitoring System for Steam Flow in Buildings.
Coporate
National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC
Sponsor
Naval Construction Battalion Center, Port Hueneme, CA
Report
NBSIR 81-2313
July 1981
Distribution
Available from National Technical Information Service
Keywords
buildings; steam heating; steam flow; flow measurement; differential pressure; pressure measurement; probability theory; errors
Identifiers
energy consumption
Abstract
Some important design features and measurement techniques are discussed for determining energy rates in building systems flowing steam. Emphasis is on use of differential pressure (delta P) type flowmeter systems where delta P pressure and temperature instrumentation only can receive direct calibration. The role of systematic and random type errors in measurement of building energy is discussed and an appropriate method is given for estimating the uncertainty in the energy consumed. An example calculation of uncertainty in accumulated energy used for a 1 year period is given from typical operating data for one of the NBS laboratory buildings. The uncertainty is estimated to be 3.2% for a two-meter (series) configuration and 4.3% for a single meter (high range meter) configuration.