Laboratory and Field Testing of Domestic Hot Water Systems

Speaker:

Moderator and speaker – Hugh Henderson, CDH Energy, DHW systems Field and Lab Results

Pete Skinner, E2G Solar, Solar DHW systems

Domestic Hot Water (DHW) Systems are the second largest energy user in NYS homes.  While furnaces and boiler have become much more efficient, water heaters still have relatively poor efficiency (50-60% for gas water heaters).  Federal standards to rate water heaters are several decades old and are based on usage patterns that might not apply in today’s homes.

Several high efficiency water heating options are now available — from solar thermal systems and heat pumps to gas-fired tankless units and condensing storage units.  Changes to the federal rating standards are also underway that will use more realistic usage patterns and change the relative performance of these different options.

This NYSERDA funded study at the SyracuseCoE is using side-by-side laboratory testing along with real-world field measurements to understand and climatic factors and usage patterns that affect the performance of these systems. The goal is to help consumers and contractors in New York State understand the best water heating options for homes.

Our discussion will include two presentations and a tour of the SyracuseCoE DHW Laboratory.

 

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