Energy Conversion
For a device that converts energy from another form into thermal energy (such as an electric heater, boiler, or furnace), the thermal efficiency is
where the quantities are heat-equivalent values.
So, for a boiler that produces 210 kW (or 700,000 BTU/h) output for each 300 kW (or 1,000,000 BTU/h) heat-equivalent input, its thermal efficiency is 210/300 = 0.70, or 70%. This means that 30% of the energy is lost to the environment.
An electric resistance heater has a thermal efficiency close to 100%. When comparing heating units, such as a highly efficient electric resistance heater to an 80% efficient natural gas-fueled furnace, an economic analysis is needed to determine the most cost-effective choice.
Read more about this topic: Thermal Efficiency
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