Abstract
A numerical model of a solar wall (SW) with transparent insulation (TI) is proposed in this article. The model is based on the finite-difference method and thermal conductivity equation, with a heat source term for the absorber. Using this model, the energy efficiency of a solar wall with transparent insulation (SW-TI) with honeycomb insulation made of modified cellulose acetate was analyzed in the case of different climatic conditions prevailing in Poland, different orientations of the envelope, and different insulation thicknesses. Simulations were carried out throughout the whole heating period. Monthly energy balances and temperature distributions for the analyzed envelopes at individual moments of the heating period are the basic results of the simulations. It was found that the use of 108 and 88 mm thick insulation was the most recommended in the considered temperate climate. Placing transparent insulation on a wall with an eastern or western orientation caused the annual heat balance of the envelope to decrease by 24–31% in relation to the value of this balance in the case of a southern orientation. The monthly heat balances obtained using the proposed model give results consistent with the method of calculating heat gains for opaque building envelopes with transparent insulation included in the PN-EN ISO 13790:2008 standard.
Highlights
Buildings currently account for around 40% of the global energy use
Transparent insulation is a material characterized by high solar radiation transmission and increased thermal insulation
The program for thermal calculations was written by the authors in the Matlab environment
Summary
Buildings currently account for around 40% of the global energy use. In this balance, it should be taken into consideration that residential buildings consume around 35% for heating and ventilation, and public buildings consume up to 45% for heating [1]. In order to reduce the energy consumption of buildings and increase the thermal comfort in rooms, the requirements for the energy efficiency of buildings are becoming increasingly stringent. This is connected to the successive reduction of permissible heat transfer coefficients of building envelopes and increasing their airtightness. The solar wall is used to convert solar radiation energy, based on a passive system employing a heat-accumulating layer for indirect energy gain. This layer is made of high-density material (e.g., ceramic bricks, sand-lime blocks, and ordinary concrete). TI performs the same function as conventional insulation, reducing heat loss from rooms, and allows solar radiation
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