Numerical study on the effect of optimizing the Trombe wall structure with built-in fins on improving building energy efficiency in severe cold region

Abstract

In order to save heating energy and reduce carbon emission intensity, a floor heating room with built-in finned Trombe wall in Xining, Qinghai, a severe cold area, was taken as the research object. And ANSYS 2021 R1 was used to numerically investigate the effects of several major factors, such as fin height, fin transverse distance, fin longitudinal distance, fin inclined angle, fin shape, perforated shape and perforation ratio of perforated fin, on the average heat transfer coefficient (h) between the absorptive surface and the air in the interlayer. The results show that for fins with low heights, the enhancement effect of horizontal fins on the convective heat transfer of the absorptive surface of Trombe wall is greater than that of vertical fins. The enhancement effect of vertical fins on the convective heat transfer of the absorptive surface is more affected by fin transverse distance, while the enhancement effect of horizontal fins on the convective heat transfer of the absorptive surface is more affected by fin longitudinal distance. Besides, h shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing with the increase of fin inclined angle, and reaches its maximum value of 5.89 W/(m2·K) at 45°. The fins with different shapes are equilateral triangular fins, semicircular fins, isosceles triangular fins and rectangular fins in descending order of their enhancement effect on the heat transfer of wall. Compared with solid fins, fins with circular holes can obtain a better convective heat transfer effect only when the open area ratio is 1:6. While fins with equilateral triangular holes can obtain better convective heat transfer effect as long as the open area ratio is greater than 1:7. Fins with elliptical holes do not significantly improve the heat transfer effect. On the basis of optimizing the fin layout and structure, the thermal performance of the improved Trombe wall during the 8:00∼16:00 period and its impact on indoor thermal comfort of the building were studied, and the energy-saving performance of the plan was discussed. Compared with the Trombe wall room with no fins, the improved Trombe wall can improve the heat teransfer efficiency and the building energy saving rate by 68.50 % and 53.57 %, respectively. The improved Trombe wall can only ensure the indoor thermal comfort in limited several hours, in the rest of time, the residents should add clothing to keep warm. These conclusions have an important effect of engineering guidance and great realistic meanings for promoting the process of solar building integration and achieving the “carbon peak and carbon neutrality” target.