A Second-Law Analysis of the Energy Consumption in Heating and Cooling Systems

냉난방에 소비되는 에너지절약에 관한 열역학 연구

From the point of view of the second law of thermodynamics, house heating and cooling systems were analysed for saving energy. The analysis provides a theoretical basis for the heat-pump application. Also the efficiency of energy use is defined more rigorously by comparing the thermodynamic availability actually consumed in heating and cooling with the minimum thermodynamic availability required to do the same heating and cooling. It was found that the present 'Ondol' heating system has a heating efficiency of around $8\%$ according to the definition described here. Several schemes to inprove the efficiency are presented.