Green Heating

Alikianos Lyceum,Crete, Hellas

Kelvin William
Georgiakakis Eftychios
Dimitroulakis Ioannis
Katzaki Maria
Karagkezidi Veronika
Kourgiantaki Konstantina

Green Heating
Energy sources:
renewable and environmentally
benign
cost effective
minimum waste

The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Infrared radiation provides more

heating

Light Wave Interactions

When a light wave strikes an object,
it could be:
reflected

absorbed
transmitted

Light Absorption
If a light wave is absorbed when it
strikes an object, its energy is
converted to heat
Absorption

Heat

Does the same apply to both

matte and glossy surfaces?

Light Reflection
It involves two rays:
an incoming or incident ray and
an outgoing or reflected ray
When a light wave
strikes a
glossy surface,
it is partly reflected.
Some of the energy is lost.

Colour and Light

The colour of an object is not actually
within the object itself
Each frequency corresponds to a
specific colour
Colour is a sensation

Why Black?
Different colours absorb different
amounts of light
The more light a colour absorbs, the
more thermal energy it produces
Black is good absorber of light, it
absorbs all colours

Heat Transfer
Exchange of thermal energy between
physical systems depends on
temperature

conduction
convection
radiation

Our Hypothesis
A matte black surface should absorb
more radiation than a glossy black one
as the latter should reflect light to
some extent

Objective
To determine:
Which surface absorbs more radiation?

A black matte surface?

or
A black glossy surface ?

Light Absorption from Coloured

Materials

Light Absorption from Colored

Materials
No Filter
Red filter
Dark Blue filter

100

% Transmittance

80
60
40
20
0
-20
400

500

600

700

800

Wavelength (nm)

900

1000

1100

Matte or Glossy?
Experimental setup

Matte

Glossy

Variables
Some Problems:
Water quantity not the same

Temperature measurements were not

taken simultaneously
Unstable weather conditions

Temperature Measurements of
Water
Under sunlight and incandescent
bulb

Parameters

Equal amount of water

Two same thermometers and a timer
Two different heat sources

Temperature Measurements of Water

Results
Incandescent bulb

Sunlight

Time
(min)

Glossy
Surface (C)

Matte
surface (C)

Time
(min)

Glossy
Matte
Surface (C) surface (C)

0'

19,8 C

19,1 C

0'

16 C

16 C

5'

20,7 C

20,1 C

10'

18,5 C

19 C

10'

21,3 C

21,3 C

20'

20,5 C

21,5 C

15'

22,2 C

21,7 C

30'

21,5 C

24 C

20'

22,8 C

22,2 C

40'

24 C

27 C

25'

24,0 C

23,5 C

50'

26 C

28,5 C

Temperature Measurements of Water

Results
Sunlight

Incandescent bulb

Glossy Surface

Matte surface

Matte surface

30

30

Temperature (C)

Temperature (C)

Glossy Surface

T = 4.2oC

25
20

T = 4.4oC

15

25
20
15

0'

5'

10'

15'

Time (min)

20'

25'

0'

10'

20'

30'

Time (min)

40'

50'

Temperature Measurements
of Water
Under Infrared and Halogen bulb

Parameters

Equal quantity of water

Use of two thermometers
Use of timer
Infrared and Halogen light bulbs

Temperature Measurements of Water

Results
Infrared bulb

Halogen bulb

Time
(min)

Glossy
Surface (C)

Matte
Surface
(C)

Time
(min)

Glossy
Surface (C)

Matte
Surface
(C)

0'

12 C

12 C

0'

16 C

16 C

5'

13 C

14 C

5'

17 C

18 C

10'

14 C

17 C

10'

17,5 C

19,5 C

15'

16 C

20 C

15'

19 C

21 C

20'

17,5 C

23 C

20'

21 C

23 C

Temperature Measurements of Water

Results
Infrared bulb
30
25
20
15
10
0'

5'

10'
Time (min)

15'

Glossy surface

Matte surface

Temperature (C)

Temperature (C)

Glossy surface

Halogen bulb

20'

Matte surface

30
25
20
15
10
0'

5'

10'
Time (min)

15'

20'

Conclusions
Based on our results we concluded that:

A matte surface
absorbs more radiation than
a glossy one

Our Classmates
Team : Food for Thought
Surfaces that absorb and reflect visible
light absorb and reflect infrared too

Team: X-Rays
Black colour absorbs infrared radiation
better than others

Team: Little Explorers

A 70 degree tilt is more effective for solar
radiation absorbance

All Together
Taking all these conclusions into
account we set up our own solar panel

Applications

matte surface
e.g. building facades and
solar water heaters

glossy surface
e.g. tanks with flammable
and sensitive content

Whats next?
As a follow up, we could further explore
heat absorption

References
Marianne C. Lancaster Ebenezer Middle School Rincon Georgia
http://www.effinghamschools.com/cms/lib4/GA01000314/Centricity/Domain/702/573-579.pdf

Tom Henderson Glenbrook South High School, Glenview, Illinois

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/light/Lesson-2/Light-Absorption,-Reflection,-and-Transmission

Holman, J.P. (1986), Heat Transfer, 6th ed., McGraw-Hill, Inc.

http://www.efunda.com/formulae/heat_transfer/home/overview.cfm

University of Waikato Science learning Hub 2012

http://sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/Light-and-Sight/Science-Ideas-and-Concepts/

Tom Henderson Glenbrook South High School, Glenview, Illinois

http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/refln/Lesson-1/The-Law-of-Reflection

April Koch

http://study.com/academy/lesson/color-white-light-reflection-absorption.html

Matt Williams, 2011 Absorption of Light

http://www.universetoday.com/87943/absorption-of-light/

G. Nellis , S. Klein Cambridge Engineering

http://www.cambridge.org/us/engineering/author/nellisandklein/

Thank you
for your attention!