Abstract
Recently, in the field of preventive conservation, the use of accurate whole-building dynamic simulation models is becoming an effective approach for preventing degradation phenomena due to changes in indoor historic climate. Among microclimate parameters, the moisture plays a key role in the degradation of organic-hygroscopic artworks as well as in the durability of building components. Some simulation codes combine both heat and moisture transfer calculations, however their capability to accurately model the moisture transport is limited. The HMWall model coupled with IDA Indoor Climate and Energy (IDA ICE) software is one of those models.This study aims at comparing the performance of the HMWall model with respect to WUFI Plus, developed by Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP). Temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) provided by both codes in the case of a building envelope with no infiltration, windows and incoming solar radiation, are compared. This allows to assess whether both models calculate the moisture transport throughout walls in the same way. Dynamic simulations have been run over a year by using different T-RH outdoor conditions. Even if both models are based on the same heat and moisture transport equations, RH behaviour simulated by HMWall is significantly different from that by WUFI Plus. This mainly depends on the calculation of saturated vapour pressure (psat) inside the material. Then, the Common Exercise 3 has been applied to test if HMWall were capable to affect indoor RH when cladding materials with different sorption behaviour are used.The new HMWall implemented model is resulted more effective than the previous one, and in the case of simplified building, RHs modelled by both programs are highly correlated.
Highlights
In the last years, a commensurable interest on the use of accurate whole-building dynamic simulation models has been shown in preventive conservation studies, even though up to now this modelling approach has been extensively applied to determine energy efficiency of buildings [1,2,3] and thermal comfort optimization [4]
This study aims at comparing the performance of the HMWall model with respect to WUFI Plus, developed by Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP)
Even if both models are based on the same heat and moisture transport equations, relative humidity (RH) behaviour simulated by HMWall is significantly different from that by WUFI Plus
Summary
A commensurable interest on the use of accurate whole-building dynamic simulation models has been shown in preventive conservation studies, even though up to now this modelling approach has been extensively applied to determine energy efficiency of buildings [1,2,3] and thermal comfort optimization [4]. The whole-building dynamic simulation model is becoming an effective methodology to assess the microclimate risk on artworks when changes in indoor. Physical measurements and simulation provide a complete evaluation of the indoor climate and interactions among object-environment and building-environment. Both temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) can induce degradation phenomena [6]. RH is the main responsible of the deterioration in organic-hygroscopic artworks as well as in the durability of building components. For this reason, an accurate simulation and control of RH behaviour in these sites is of significant importance
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