Estimation of Heating Load for A11-1B
classroom
Chirag B23433
Sahil Sheoran B23462
Eric B23438
Department of Mechanical Engineering Indian
Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi
Contents
Abstract 3
1 Introduction 4
2 Theory of Heating Load 5
2.1 Transmission Heat Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.2 Infiltration Heat Loss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.3 Internal Heat Gains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.4 Room Sensible and Latent Heat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3 Classroom Description 7
3.1 Location and Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.2 Geometry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.3 Surface Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3.4 Openings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4 Design Conditions 9
4.1 Temperature Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.2 U–Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.3 Infiltration Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.4 Internal Gains............................................................................................................ 10
5 Calculations 11
5.1 Transmission Heat Loss..............................................................................................11
5.2 Infiltration Heat Loss................................................................................................. 11
5.3 Ventilation (outside air)
calculations…………………………………………………………………… 11
6 Room Heat Calculations 12
6.1 Room Sensible Heat (RSH).........................................................................................12
6.2 Room Latent Heat (RLH)............................................................................................ 12
6.3 Total Room Heat........................................................................................................ 12
7 Final Heating Load 13
Final Result......................................................................................................................... 13
References 14
Abstract
This project presents a detailed heating load estimation for a single–storey Jawans Bar- rack
located in Tandi, Himachal Pradesh. The building experiences extremely cold winter
conditions, making heating essential for occupant comfort. The methodology follows Sec-
tion 21.15 of C.P. Arora’s Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.
The total heating load consists of conduction losses through the building envelope,
infiltration heat losses due to cold outside air entering the room, and internal heat gains
from occupants and lighting. Sensible and latent contributions are evaluated separately as
Room Sensible Heat (RSH) and Room Latent Heat (RLH).
The detailed calculations show that the building requires a final design heating capacity
of approximately 33 kW, including a 5% safety factor.
1. Introduction
Heating load estimation is essential for designing an HVAC system capable of maintaining
thermal comfort during winter conditions. In cold regions such as IIT Mandi, Himachal
Pradesh, indoor spaces can experience significant heat losses due to low outside
temperatures and cold air infiltration. For this reason, a precise assessment of heating
requirements is necessary to ensure efficient system selection and comfortable indoor
environments. In heating mode, the HVAC system must compensate for these losses.
Therefore, the heating load estimation for this study includes:
● Heat loss through building envelope components (walls, roof, floor, windows, and
doors),
● Heat loss due to infiltration of cold outdoor air,
● Heating required for outdoor ventilation air, and
● Reduction in heating requirement due to internal sensible and latent gains from
occupants and lighting.
This work focuses on estimating the heating load of an academic classroom at IIT Mandi,
based on the actual room dimensions provided, assumed occupancy of 50 persons, and
standard HVAC engineering practices recommended by C.P. Arora. The analysis provides a
detailed breakdown of conduction, infiltration, outdoor air loads, and internal heat gains to
determine the total heating requirement for maintaining indoor comfort at 25°C during
winter.
2. Theory of Heating Load
Heating load is defined as the heat energy that must be supplied to maintain the indoor air
temperature at the desired level despite external losses. The total heating load is:
Qtotal = Qtransmission + Qinfiltration − Qinternal gains
2.1 Transmission Heat Loss
Heat escapes from a heated room mainly through the building envelope—walls, roof, floor,
windows, and doors. Under steady-state winter conditions, this loss is governed by simple
conduction physics and is evaluated using:
Q=U A ΔT
where:
● U = overall heat-transfer coefficient of the surface (W/m²·K),
● A = exposed area of that surface (m²),
● ΔT = difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures (K)
2.2 Infiltration Heat Loss
Cold outdoor air entering the building must be heated to indoor temperature:
where:
● m˙ = mass flow rate of infiltrating air (kg/s),
● cp= specific heat of air (≈ 1005 J/kg·K),
● Ti−To= indoor–outdoor temperature difference.
Qinf = m˙ cp(ti − to)
2.3 Internal Heat Gains
Internal gains reduce heating load.
For occupants:
Qpeople,sens = N × 75 W
Qpeople,lat = N × 55 W
For lighting:
Qlights = N · 40 W
2.4 Room Sensible and Latent Heat
RSH = Qtrans + Qinf − Qsens,gain
RLH = Qlat,gain
Both quantities contribute to the total heating load.
Chapter 3
Classroom Description
3.1 Location and Climate
The room analyzed in this project is part of an academic building at IIT Mandi, located in the
mountainous region of Himachal Pradesh.
3.2 Geometry
The conditioned space considered in this heating load calculation is a single academic hall at
IIT Mandi, with the following dimensions:
● Length: 32.00 m
● Width: 10.36 m
● Height: 3.6576 m
3.3 Surface Areas
• Floor area = 331.52 m² , Volume = 1212.57 m³
• Gross wall area = Perimeter×H = 309.87 m²
• Opaque wall area = 309.87-14.864-11.1484 = 283.86 m²
3.4 Openings
• Total windows= 4 (Height = 5 ft , length = 8 ft)
• Windows total area = 14.864 m²
• Total doors= 3 (Height = 8 ft , length = 5 ft)
• Doors total area = 11.1484 m²
4. Design Conditions and assumptions
4.1 Temperature Conditions
Indoor (heating) design temperature = 25.0 °C
Outdoor (winter) design temperature = 10.0 °C
Temp. Difference = 15.0 K
Floor assumed temperature = 18.0 °C, Temp. Difference (floor) = 7.0 K
4.2 Overall heat-transfer coefficient values
• Walls U = 1.5 W/m²K
• Glass U = 5.9 W/m²K
• Roof U = 2.5 W/m²K
• Floor U = 0.7 W/m²
• Doors U = 1.5 W/m²K
4.3 Infiltration Conditions
• ACH = 0.5 = 10.10 cmm
• Air density = 1.2 kg/m3
• cp = 1005 J/kgK
4.4 Internal Gains
Number of persons = 50
People sensible = 50 × 75 W = 3750.0 W = 3.750 kW
People latent = 50 × 55 W = 2750.0 W = 2.750 kW
Lights sensible = 27 × 40 W = 1080.0 W = 1.080 kW
Total internal sensible gain = 4.830 kW
Total internal latent gain = 2.750 kW
5. Calculations
5.1 Transmission Heat Loss
Using Q = U × A × ΔT
Walls: Q_walls = 1.5 × 283.86 × 15.0 = 6386.8 W = 6.387 kW
Glass: Q_glass = 5.9 × 14.864 × 15.0 = 1315.5 W = 1.315 kW
Roof: Q_roof = 2.5 × 331.52 × 15.0 = 12432.0 W = 12.432 kW
Floor: Q_floor = 0.7 × 331.52 × 7.0 = 1624.4 W = 1.624 kW
Doors: Q_doors = 1.5 × 11.1484 × 15.0 = 250.8 W = 0.251 kW
Total transmission = Q_trans_total = 22009.6 W = 22.010 kW
5.2 Infiltration Heat Loss
Infiltration (cmm) = 10.105 cmm
Infiltration mass flow = ρ × V̇_inf = 1.2 × 0.168412 = 0.2021 kg/s
Q_Infiltration_sensible = 0.0204 × cmm × ΔT = 0.0204 × 10.105 × 15.0 = 3.092 kW
Q_Infiltration_latent = 50× cmm × Δw = 50 × 10.105 × 0.00530 = 2.6777 kW
5.3 Ventilation (outside air) calculations
OA volumetric flow = 335 L/s = 0.335 m³/s (mass flow m = ρ × V = 1.2 × 0.335 = 0.402
kg/s)
● OASH = 0.0204 × 20.1 × 15 = 6.15 kW.
● OALH = 50 × 20.1 × 0.00530 = 5.3265 kW.
6. Room Heat Calculation
6.1 Room Sensible Heat (RSH)
RSH_net = Q_trans_total + OASH + Q_Infiltration_sensible - Q_internal_sensible
= 22.010 + 6.060 + 3.092 - 4.830 = 26.332 kW
6.2 Room Latent Heat (RLH)
RLH_net = Q_internal_latent + OALH - Q_Infiltration_latent
= 2.750 + 5.3265 - 2.677 = 5.3989 kW
7. Final Heating Load
Apply safety factor (5%):
Design RSH = RSH_net × 1.05 = 27.741 kW
Design RLH = RLH_net × 1.05 = 5.668 kW
Design Heating Capacity = Design RSH + Design RLH
= 33.409 kW
References
• C.P. Arora, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning.
• ISHRAE Handbook, Heating Load Calculations.