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Q:
What is the simple payback of a renewable energy heating system? a.
the installation cost divided by the annual operating cost savings b.
the number of years required for the investment to repay the higher initial cost using the savings it generates, relative to that of a conventional system c.
the number of years required for the annual operating cost savings to equal the installation cost d.
the installation cost divided by the difference between the installation cost of the system and a conventional system
Q:
What is the term of a loan? a.
the time period over which it must be repaid b.
the time period during which the interest rate remains constant c.
the maximum percentage the interest rate can rise, for a variable rate loan d.
the number of months elapsed until the principal and interest portions of the monthly payment are equal
Q:
What happens during the time after the simple payback point? a.
The conventional system produces a lower total cost. b.
The renewable energy system produces a lower total cost. c.
The conventional system and the renewable energy system have identical costs. d.
The conventional system becomes less reliable.
Q:
Which factor is of primary importance in deciding whether to purchase a renewable energy heating system? a.
installation cost b.
operating cost c.
desire to protect the environment d.
a variety of factors, depending on the individual
Q:
What type of water compartment is associated with nearly all outdoor wood-fired hydronic heaters? a.
unpressurized b.
pressurized c.
partially under pressure d.
under a vacuum
Q:
An increase in the cost of conventional fuel displaced by the renewable energy heat source increases the simple payback period of the renewable energy solution. a.
True b.
False Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
Q:
How is heat extracted from a natural draft wood-fired boiler? a.
mostly by release directly into the room b.
through stainless steel tubes at the upper sides and top of the combustion chamber c.
by radiation from the refractory bricks d.
through a heat exchanger positioned just beneath the combustion chamber
Q:
What factor causes the future value of an investment to differ from its present value? a.
return on investment b.
payback c.
interest rate d.
principal
Q:
Which is a primary factor in sizing a wood-gasification boiler? a.
the physical space available b.
the amount of available firewood c.
the number of firing cycles per day the owner is comfortable with d.
the availability and location of electricity at the site
Q:
What do straight lines on a simple payback curve imply? a.
The inflation of fuel cost was included. b.
The inflation of fuel cost was not included. c.
The fuel cost was not considered in the calculation. d.
The installation cost was not considered in the calculation.
Q:
For what load should a pellet-fired boiler be sized? a.
half the design load b.
60-70 percent of the design load c.
80-90 percent of the design load d.
full design load
Q:
How is total owning and operating cost used as a financial comparison tool? a.
The option with the lowest total owning and operating cost is the better financial investment. b.
The option with the lowest number of years of owning and operating cost is the better financial investment. c.
The point at which the owning and operating costs intersect when plotted on a graph is the return on investment. d.
The total owning and operating cost divided by the monthly operating cost savings is the return on investment.
Q:
What type of piping is recommended when combining a wood-fired boiler with an auxiliary boiler? a.
series b.
parallel c.
either series or parallel d.
neither series or parallel
Q:
What is annual compounding? a.
a chart showing interest rate fluctuations over the life of a loan b.
a list of varying monthly payments over the life of a loan c.
the sum of the monthly payments applied to a loan over a one year period d.
the assumption that accumulated interest is added to the principal once per year
Q:
Why is creosote dangerous? a.
It is difficult to clean up. b.
It is a product of incomplete combustion. c.
It decreases thermal efficiency. d.
It is toxic when touched.
Q:
How is return on investment calculated? a.
benefit divided by net cost b.
benefit minus net cost, divided by net cost c.
net cost minus benefit, divided by net cost d.
net cost divided by benefit
Q:
What is an example of a passive overheat protection subsystem? a.
uninterruptible power supply b.
fin-tube array positioned above the boiler c.
smart controller d.
AC powered circulator
Q:
What time frame is generally used to calculate lost opportunity cost? a.
10 years b.
the elapsed time until the loan is repaid c.
the design life of the system d.
the time duration until federal tax credits expire
Q:
What device feeds pellets into a pellet-fired boiler? a.
day hopper b.
auger system c.
burn pot d.
bag silo
Q:
What is the purpose of renewable energy tax credits or other rebates? a.
Temporarily stimulate market growth in a renewable energy sector. b.
Increase tax revenues. c.
Reduce tax revenues. d.
Immediately reduce underlying cost of the technology.
Q:
What is the function of a variable-speed setpoint circulator? a.
It protects a wood-fired or pellet-fired boiler from low inlet water temperature. b.
It protects a wood-fired or pellet-fired boiler against over-pressure conditions. c.
It senses when flue-gas condensation is occurring. d.
It allows automatic fuel dispensing into the boiler.
Q:
How is after-tax lost opportunity cost calculated? a.
total interest income earned multiplied by percentage of income retained by the owner b.
total interest income earned multiplied by income tax percentage c.
installation cost divided by annual operating cost savings d.
total cost of owning and operating a system on an annual basis
Q:
Which statement about wood as a renewable energy source is FALSE? a.
Wood is considered carbon-neutral b.
Wood is a form of biomass c.
Wood contains energy from sunlight d.
Wood is the least used renewable heating energy source in the U.S.
Q:
What is a typical temperature in the secondary combustion zone of a wood-gasification boiler? a.
500 F b.
1000 F c.
2000 F d.
4000 F
Q:
What is the most efficient operating condition for a wood-gasification boiler? a.
Small amounts of cordwood are continuously replenished. b.
Firebox full of cordwood is burned continuously. c.
Firebox full of cordwood is burned as a batch. d.
Firebox full of cordwood is burned halfway, then finished when there a is a concurrent heating load.
Q:
Smoke generation and increased creosote formation occurs when an outdoor wood-fired hydronic heater goes into stand-by mode. a.
True b.
False
Q:
Recurring expenses for operating a renewable energy heating system vary from year to year. a.
True b.
False
Q:
The same amount of chemical energy is contained in a given volume of wood, regardless of species. a.
True b.
False
Q:
The method used to determine monthly owning cost depends on how the installation will be paid for. a.
True b.
False
Q:
Outdoor wood-fired hydronic heaters have relatively high PM2.5 particulate emissions, which represent a human health concern. a.
True b.
False Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
Q:
A tax credit reduces tax liability more than a tax deduction of the same amount. a.
True b.
False
Q:
What value represents the actual amount of air supplied to the combustion process divided by the stoichiometric air requirement? a.
beta ratio b.
delta ratio c.
gamma ratio d.
lambda ratio
Q:
Federal subsidies of renewable energy in the form of tax credits greatly increased sales of solar thermal systems during the mid-1990s. a.
True b.
False
Q:
In the example at the end of the chapter comparing a geothermal heat pump installation to an air-to-water heat pump installation, which factor had the biggest influence on payback period? a.
COP b.
average outside temperature in winter c.
percent of heating load satisfied by an auxiliary heating source d.
installation cost
Q:
What performance characteristic determines whether fluid flow is laminar or turbulent? a.
coefficient of performance b.
EER c.
Reynolds number d.
Poisson number
Q:
Which component of the vapor compression refrigeration cycle significantly increases both temperature and pressure of the fluid? a.
evaporator b.
compressor c.
condenser d.
thermal expansion valve
Q:
What is the minimum flow velocity necessary to consistently carry air and low-density particles along piping oriented at an arbitrary angle? a.
2 feet per second b.
3 feet per second c.
5 feet per second d.
8 feet per second
Q:
For a heat pump system with diurnal heat storage, when is the most favorable time for the heat pump to operate during winter? a.
daytime b.
overnight c.
early morning d.
late evening
Q:
What type of tubing coil is typically used with horizontal earth loop installations? a.
slinky b.
u-tube c.
submersible d.
manifold
Q:
What is the low temperature material from which a heat pump absorbs heat? a.
sink b.
source c.
supply d.
storage
Q:
What type of joining method is typically used with HDPE piping in an earth loop? a.
no joining method is needed, since the tubing is fabricated in long single pieces b.
press fitting c.
mechanical coupling d.
heat fusion welding
Q:
Which parameter is typically NOT user-configurable in air-to-water heat pump performance simulation software? a.
owner setback schedules b.
off-peak electrical rates c.
installation cost d.
system location
Q:
Which factor is strongly influenced by head loss in design of an earth loop system? a.
minimum fluid temperature b.
serial or parallel piping layout c.
type of piping that may be used d.
required circulator power
Q:
What is used in some air-to-water heat pump combisystems to determine whether the system is enabled for heating or cooling, or remains off? a.
thermal storage buffer switch b.
mode selection switch c.
auxiliary boiler switch d.
diurnal switch
Q:
Which type of earth loop enables purging each circuit of a parallel, closed-loop system individually? a.
loops that include an expansion tank b.
loops that include a circulator c.
non-valved systems d.
valved systems
Q:
What is the heating capacity of a heat pump? a.
the ratio of heating load to total heating and cooling load b.
the percentage of total load it can meet c.
the rate at which it delivers heat to the load d.
ratio of beneficial heat output to input electrical energy
Q:
Besides HDPE, which material is commonly used in earth loop heat exchanger piping? a.
PEX b.
APEX c.
stainless steel d.
copper
Q:
In cooling mode, how is the energy efficiency ratio defined? a.
total cooling effect divided by amount of latent cooling b.
cooling capacity divided by electrical power input c.
cooling capacity divided by heating capacity d.
electrical power input divided by amount of sensible cooling delivered
Q:
Which is true of a submerged heat exchanger? a.
It is used to extract heat from lakes and exchanges water directly with the lake. b.
It is used to extract heat from lakes and does not exchange water directly with the lake. c.
It is used to extract heat from the ground as part of a pressurized system. d.
It is used to extract heat from the ground as part of an unpressurized system.
Q:
An automatic backwash filter uses permanent stainless steel filter media. a.
True b.
False
Q:
What type of antifreeze solution is most widely used in geothermal heat pump applications? a.
an alcohol-based solution b.
a salt-based solution c.
an inhibited propylene glycol solution d.
a noble-gas-based solution
Q:
The heating capacity of a water-to-water heat pump is highly dependent on the temperatures of the source and sink fluids. a.
True b.
False
Q:
Which two issues must be examined whenever ground water is considered for use with a water-source heat pump? a.
water quantity and average water pressure b.
water quantity and water quality c.
water quality and water hardness d.
water acidity and average water pressure
Q:
In mild climates where sub-freezing temperatures occur only a few days per year, it is acceptable to operate a self-contained air-to-water heat pump with water flowing through the outdoors. a.
True b.
False
Q:
Air-to-water heat pump system designs can often be adapted for use with water-to-water heat pumps. a.
True b.
False
Q:
A wood gasification boiler is a single-stage device. a.
True b.
False
Q:
In general, the larger the temperature difference between the source media and the load media, the higher the heat pumps COP. a.
True b.
False
Q:
Buffer tank sizing depends on the acceptable temperature rise of buffer tank water during the time the heat pump is off. a.
True b.
False
Q:
The purpose of refractory bricks in a welded-steel wood fired boiler is to protect the steel from high temperatures. a.
True b.
False
Q:
For an air-to-water heat pump, COP generally increases with increasing outdoor temperature. a.
True b.
False Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
Q:
Desuperheaters transfer more than 60 percent of the total thermal energy in the hot refrigerant gas leaving the compressor to domestic hot water. a.
True b.
False Indicate the answer choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
Q:
What is the primary purpose of thermal storage used as a buffer? a.
to provide additional space for thermal expansion of the fluid b.
to match the rate of heat production of the heat pump to the heat delivery rate from the distribution system c.
to allow diurnal operation of the heat pump d.
to prevent short-cycling of the heat pump
Q:
What type of flow allows for better heat transfer between the tube wall and the loop fluid? a.
laminar b.
turbulent c.
smooth d.
stagnant
Q:
Which type of system generally has a higher seasonal average COP when properly designed and installed? a.
air-to-water heat pump b.
geothermal heat pump c.
air-to-water and geothermal heat pumps typically have the same COPs d.
COP does not apply to geothermal heat pumps
Q:
Which factor does NOT generally influence undisturbed soil temperature? a.
depth b.
time of year c.
ground loop orientation (horizontal or vertical) d.
thermal properties of the soil
Q:
What component controls the direction of movement of a reversible heat pumps reversing valve? a.
pilot solenoid valve b.
check valve c.
auxiliary boiler valve d.
capillary tubing
Q:
What is the ground water temperature in most drilled wells? a.
about equal to the average annual outside air temperature b.
about equal to the average low summer air temperature c.
about equal to the average high winter air temperature d.
about 65 degrees F in most areas of North America
Q:
What solar performance estimating software was developed in the 1970s? a.
F-CHART b.
F-PERCENT c.
TRANS-SOLAR d.
TRNSYS
Q:
Which freeze protection design can be used on domestic water heating systems? a.
antifreeze-protection only b.
drainback-protection only c.
either antifreeze- or drainback-protection d.
neither antifreeze- or drainback-protection
Q:
Which value is generally the most constant over the year in a residential building? a.
the solar fraction b.
the space heating load c.
the auxiliary heating load d.
the water heating load
Q:
How can maximum siphon height be increased within a closed-loop drainback system? a.
increasing the water temperature b.
decreasing the pressure c.
increasing the pressure d.
increasing water levels
Q:
What units are associated with X and Y, as used in the f-Chart method? a.
Btu/hr/sq. ft b.
Btu/hr/sq. ft/degree F c.
fractional percent, expressed in decimal form d.
no units
Q:
What is the recommended flow velocity for establishing a siphon? a.
1 foot per second b.
2 feet per second c.
3 feet per second d.
5 feet per second
Q:
How does F-CHART software estimate economic values? a.
The user inputs relevant economic data. b.
It uses a large internal database of economic values. c.
It uses a historical model. d.
It does not estimate economic values, only solar fractions.
Q:
Practical solar combisystem designs minimize excess energy gain in summer. a.
True b.
False
Q:
How is solar fraction determined once the values of X and Y are known? a.
a nonlinear equation is applied b.
a linear equation with integer constants is applied c.
from the slope and y-intercept of the collector instantaneous efficiency graph d.
it cannot be determined without using software
Q:
The system of units used for inputs to the F-CHART software is not user-configurable. a.
True b.
False
Q:
What F-CHART result indicates the system is probably oversized? a.
more than one summer month in which the solar fraction is over 100 percent b.
less than one summer month in which the solar fraction is over 100 percent c.
any winter month in which the solar fraction is less than 10 percent d.
a consistent solar fraction over a 12 month period
Q:
F-CHART software contains a large internal database of weather data. a.
True b.
False
Q:
What is the recommended minimum spacing when two outdoor air-to-water heat pumps are installed with their air intake sides facing each other? a.
18 inches b.
2 feet c.
4 feet d.
6 feet