Using Fourier series to obtain cross periodic wall response factors

Abstract

Wall periodic response factors are a very usual calculation method of transient heat transfer through building envelope elements (walls, roofs …) in steady periodic conditions, used in popular heat load calculation procedures as ASHRAE’s RTS method [Spitler, Jeffrey D., Daniel E. Fisher, and Curtis O. Pedersen. 1997. “The Radiant Time Series Cooling Load Calculation Procedure.” ASHRAE Transactions 103 (2): 503–515]. This response factors, time sampled heat flux responses of a multi-layer wall to a 24h-periodic unit triangle function, can be obtained by means of multiple methods: Laplace’s method, state space method, frequency domain methods, etc. These methods are numerical since there is no analytical way of obtaining these response factors. The aim of this work is, taking advantage of the periodic nature of excitations, use Fourier series to represent boundary conditions, and this way find an easier and less computationally demanding procedure to calculate these response factors. Additionally, the convergence of these Fourier series will be analysed to determine the minimum set of frequencies needed to ensure a fixed admissible error for wall periodic response factors.