Final Design Exam

Yesterday we had our final exam for our J(0) project. The sauna team went first, scheduled at 9:00 a.m. The reason for the exam was to prove what we learned during our time working on the project. We were asked to explain certain competencies that we were expected to have gained knowledge in. Some of these competencies included the explanation of the difference between heat and temperature, and we also did an impromptu heat loss problem. The problem asked us to calculate how much it would have cost to heat Ron's house to 71 degrees for the winter, if it had cost $1000 to heat it to 68 for the winter. We ended up making lots of assumptions and calculation heat losses and BTU values. It took us a long time, but we ended up getting the right answer. Then, Ron explained to us a way to do it that took less than 3 minutes. It showed us how much we over analyzed the problem, but taught us how to step back and look at the problem as a whole and see where we want to go with it so we can simplify it from the beginning. After the meeting we were sent out to the commons to work separately on some heat transfer problems. The problem dealt with a cast iron heater with 1100 degree temps on the inside. We were to find the temps on the inside and outside walls, and the amount of heat flux. The next problem asked us to calculate how thick of insulation we needed to wrap the heater with to cut the heat loss in half, and then find the new temps, inside and out. After finishing all this it was about 3 p.m. It was a long final exam, but we learned and reviewed a lot of info that will stick with us.