FLOOR SLAB SYSTEM HEATS 'RESERVOIR' TO WARM PLANT

A FLOOR SLAB ELECTRIC HEATING SYSTEM THAT EXPLOITS THE GROUND BENEATH A BUILDING AS A GIANT HEAT RESERVOIR HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY THE SMITH-GATES CORP., FARMINGTON, CONN. THE SYSTEM STORES HEAT DURING OFF-PEAK HOURS FOR PERIODS WHEN POWER DEMANDS AND RATES ARE HIGH. THE SYSTEM, KNOWN AS DEEPHEAT, FEATURES DEEPLY EMBEDDED ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE CABLES THAT FEED HEAT FOR STORAGE INTO A SAND BLANKET AND THE NATIVE SOIL BENEATH A BUILDING. THE STORED HEAT YIELDS ITS SUPPLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH HEAT LOSS IN THE BUILDING, MAKING ITS WAY UP THROUGH THE SLAB FOR RELEASE. PREFORMED MATS OF ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE CABLE ARE USED. THERE ARE FOUR GROUPS OF TWENTY-TWO MATS WITH A SEPARATE THERMOSTAT FOR EACH GROUP. THE MATS WERE INSTALLED ON A LEVEL, STONE-FREE SAND BED, THEN WERE COVERED WITH A LAYER OF INEXPENSIVE PLASTIC SHEETING TO PROTECT THE MATS AGAINST DISTURBANCE. TESTS SHOW THAT THE TEST BUILDING REQUIRED 180,120 KWH, COSTING $1,240 COMPARED TO AN ADJACENT BUILDING OF THE SAME CONSTRUCTION BUT TWO-THIRDS THE VOLUME, COSTING $2,070 TO HEAT.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/08919526
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 179, No 19, P 73, 2 PHOT
• Publication Date: 1967-11-9

Media Info

• Serial:
  • Engineering News-Record
  • Publisher: McGraw-Hill, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0891-9526

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Building; Cables; Concrete; Economics; Electric heating; Floors; Handling and storage; Mat footings; Plastics; Resistance (Electricity); Sand; Slabs; Soils; Storage facilities; Thermostats
• Uncontrolled Terms: Mats
• Subject Areas: Construction; Economics; Freight Transportation; Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00218248
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 22 1994 12:00AM