Reference temperature: o PTC 4.1: The user may select any temperature to use as a reference temperature.

The average air temperature entering the boundary is commonly used as the reference temperature in accordance with the Abbreviated Test Form. This eliminates the credit for energy in entering air and energy in moisture in entering air. Credits for other streams would then be calculated, or sometimes neglected in the case of the Abbreviated Test Form. Note that comparisons of gross efficiency values based on different reference temperatures are meaningless. o PTC 4: The code establishes a fixed reference temperature of 77F (25C) for use in all calculations. With a fixed reference temperature, it is necessary to calculate both credits and losses. If the temperature of a stream entering the steam generator boundary (such as the entering air) is lower than the reference temperature, the credit is negative. With a fixed reference temperature, all results are on the same basis and are directly comparable. In the new PTC 4 Code, unmeasured losses must be estimated. The calculation forms in the Appendix list losses and credits on two pages. The losses and credits listed on the first page are considered significant and should be calculated from measured parameters (except for residue splits, which may be estimated rather than measured) for all tests. Of particular note, the Surface Radiation and Convection loss is now to be calculated based on actual steam generator surface area and specific measured or estimated parameters, rather than by use of the ABMA radiation loss curve. The losses and credits on the second page are referenced as Other Losses and should be estimated (individually) if not measured, with appropriate uncertainty values. In PTC 4, to meet the criteria of an ASME test, a test uncertainty level must be agreedto, the uncertainty of the test results must be calculated and the agreed upon limit must be met. In PTC 4, Output is defined as the energy absorbed by the working fluid that is not recovered within the steam generator envelope. For example, energy supplied by the steam generator to the air preheater coils to heat the entering combustion air is not considered to be Output because the energy is recovered within the steam generator envelope. In PTC 4.1, Output was defined simply as the energy absorbed by the working fluid. PTC 4 has expanded on the performance parameters (test objectives) covered by the Code (reference Section 1.1). In PTC 4, corrections to design conditions are more comprehensive and well-defined. In PTC 4, energy credits/losses are calculated based upon enthalpy, rather than on specific heat as in PTC 4.1. In PTC 4, the enthalpy of dry air, dry flue gas, moisture vapor, and fuels are defined by equations (curve fits) as opposed to difficult-to-read figures. In PTC 4, measured flue gas oxygen content is the basis for the combustion calculations as opposed to measured O2 and CO2 in PTC 4.1. Calculations allow both dry and wet (in-situ) oxygen measurement.