Modeling of Thermal Mass in a Small Commercial Building and Potential Improvement by Applying TABS

Abstract

With a resistor-capacitor model built in Matlab/Simulink, the role of envelope/interior thermal mass (eTM/iTM) in a small commercial building is investigated systematically. It concludes that light-weight concrete is a little worse than normal-weight concrete but much better than wood as eTM or iTM for controlling operative temperature variation in the building. In order to combine the advantages of radiant cooling/heating with the heat storage of massive building structure, an attractive technique called TABS (thermally activated building systems) is applied to the building to investigate the potential improvement. Simulations demonstrate that TABS can keep the operative temperature level around the comfort zone with small variations. As TABS is a low-temperature heating and high-temperature cooling technique, it suggests that natural energy gradient driven low-power equipment, such as cooling tower and rooftop solar thermal panels, can be used to achieve free cooling/heating combining photovoltaics.