Wallpaper Underlayments: A Thermodynamic Study of a New Energy, Time, and Money Saving Idea

Overview

Objectives/Goals Recent events in California and elsewhere increase the urgency of additional energy saving devices that will reduce the total demand and save the consumer money. Here a new idea was given and thermodynamic analysis was done for a novel underlaymnet for wallpaper that could offer additional insulation in a convenient new form. Methods/Materials An experiment was planned to design, construct and test both test apparatus and underlayment prototypes and evaluate performace using a Pasco Science Interface 500 computer program. Heat, from an infrared lamp was transferred through six different undelayments and computer recorded as temperature increased in a "model monitor room" fitted with an electronic temperature probe for 300 sec test periods. Wallpaper alone served as a control against experimental underlayments. Results Thermodynamic analysis was performed at three levels. First using change in temperature in monitor box where wallpaper control equaled .093 C/sec, compared to the best underlayment, foil bubble wrap, equaling .007 C/sec. Second, using density of air, and change in temperature from above the joules passing through the six inch by six inch underlayment was found indirectly using Q of the air equals M x C x change in temperature. Wallpaper control permitted 40.30 J per 300 second to leak through whereas experimental bubble wrap underlayment permitted only 8.88J. Third, dimensional analysis projected approximate dollar savings on a theoretical 10' x 10' x 10' room, based on a $.11 kilowatt per hour rate. Energy savings from experimental underlayment were $67.27 per year over wallpaper alone. Cost benefit and proposed actual product design are presented to help visualize how the product could be convenient for the consumer. Conclusions/Discussion Hypothesis is supported for a novel energy saving wallpaper underlayment that may present potential savings of energy and money for the consumer, and the state.

Competition history

• CSEF 2002 Physics & Astronomy · Entry S1509

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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