Wall heat loss from intermittently conditioned spaces—The dynamic influence of structural and operational parameters

Abstract

The intermittent daily operation of the HVAC equipment is currently a method usually adopted for reasons of proper building energy management in geographical regions with temperate climatic conditions. Under these conditions, the influence of the building envelope and the specific operational schedule of the mechanical equipment under the effect of time-varying ambient temperature and incident solar radiation is responsible for the development of complex transient heat transfer phenomena, which leads to continuous heat exchange with the environment. The heat exchange through the building envelope, which determines its energy efficiency, is strongly influenced by several parameters along with the thermal characteristics of the building elements like the wall thermal resistance and heat capacity as well as the thermal time constant and operational conditions of mechanical equipment. In the present investigation, an analysis is developed for the evaluation of the daily quasi steady-state energy losses from composite walls under the effect of time-varying meteorological driving forces, when heating at the room side is intermittent. The effect of various significant design and system operational parameters like wall heat capacity, thermal time constant and the insulation layer configuration, daily heating cycle duration and phase, as well as room heat capacity and net heating power input are investigated on the quasi steady-state energy loss and daily room temperature swing under typical winter conditions.