What is a Zero Energy Device

[gpaul]

I was taking the Texas HVACR exam and there was a question asking "What is a zero energy device?" Does anyone have any ideas what this might be in the Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning text book?

gpaul

[BigBacardi]

what were choices for answers?

and zero energy???? me thinks impossible?

[XcelTech]

[gpaul]

I was taking the Texas HVACR exam and there was a question asking "What is a zero energy device?" Does anyone have any ideas what this might be in the Modern Refrigeration and Air Conditioning text book?

gpaul

The question was "What is a zero energy device?" Two of the answers were: Thermal Pile, Solid-state electronics or condenser. Can't recall the last choice.

gpaul

[jtrammel]

No such thing, energy cannot be created or destroyed and is either potential (static) or kinetic (in motion) so there is no such thing as zero energy any object has energy

[jtrammel]

Thermopile a use the energy of the flame, solid state electronics use an electronic/electrical signal and a condenser transfers heat(energy)

[jtrammel]

This might be a question for Albert Einstein

[madhat]

Are you sure it wasn't "Net Energy Design?" Our more modern building have a net energy design rating, which means how much energy do they produce verses what they use, ours are all at 0% which means they don't produce any energy, and all the used energy is from outside sources. If a building is 50% it would produce half of it's energy, 110% it would produce more energy than it uses.

[welling service]

I think it might be a device that outputs energy without any energy input.

[tipsrfine]

The question doesn't seem to require that you name a particular device that is a zero energy device, so I would just answer it is a device that operates without consuming power. If I had to name a device I would answer a pressure switch. Still, sounds like a trick question.

[DeltaT]

There are such things as zero energy homes that are being built. All that means is that the energy that is being used by the home is being produced by the home with such things as solar panels and whatever else the designers have come up with.

[gpaul]

Thanks for the input, I agree that's it's not a literal question and that it's somewhat evasive and you have to figure out the puzzle.

thanks again, gpaul

[zxcb]

I am a zero energy device every morning until I get my coffee.