BASIC CONCEPTS OF HEAT FLOW

Instructor Dr. Alma Cota Assistant to the instructor Ahmad Murtaza Ershad
Kabul University Renewable Energy Laboratory (KURE LAB) May, 2011

What is building envelope?

It is the exterior enclosure of a building which is consists of various materials and components such as windows, doors, floors, and roofs. The building envelope should make the transition between the inside and outside. Building components can act as filters, barriers, switches, connectors or TRANSFORMERS. An opaque wall is a filter against heat and cold and a PV roof is a transformer of solar radiation to electricity. Can a component be a filter and still a barrier?

Heat Flow Forms

1. 2.

Sensible Heat Latent Heat

Sensible Heat Flow

Flow of heat through a building envelope differs by season and by the path of the heat. It is critical to know the thermal performance of the buildings you design. It is important to conserve energy in a building while maintaining good indoor air quality. Architects and Mechanical Engineers should always try to avoid Sick Building Syndrome.

Continue
The form of energy that flows when there is a temperature difference is called SENSIBLE HEAT. Sensible heat that changes the state of water (evaporates or condenses) is called LATENT HEAT. Sensible heat flow results in a change in temperature. Latent heat flow results in a change in moisture content. Heat flow processes are conduction, convection, and radiation. Air rises when it warms up.

Thermal Properties of Components

Conductivity Conductance Emittance Resistance

Analysis of Heat Flow

Under static or steady state conditions
It is simpler and requires fewer variables They key determinant is the thermal resistant. It is presumed for winter losses.

Under dynamic conditions

Thermal conditions change rapidly. More variables are required. Heat storage within materials is of great importance. It is presumed for summer gains.

Thermal Classification of Materials

Insulators
Inorganic

fibrous products such as glass Organic fibrous products such as cotton Metallic reflective membranes

Conductors Air films and space films

Overall Coefficient of Thermal Transmittance (U-value)

U-value is the overall property that expresses the steady state rate of heat flow from architectural components. It is the overall coefficient of thermal transmittance. It is unit is W/m2K. It is easy to calculate the U-value of assemblies which are exposed to air on both sides like walls or roofs. However, in cases like slab-on-grade walls and floors or basement walls procedure differ.

Heat Storage
Is a function of the density of the material and its specific heat. Thermal capacity is the product of the density and specific heat. It can reduce heat flow via heat storage. Examples:
Thermal capacity for concrete: (2240 kg/m3)*(1 kJ/kg K)=2240 kJ/m3 K Thermal Capacity for Water: (1000 kg/m3)*(4.19 kJ/kg K)= 4190kJ/m3 K Thermal Capacity for Air: (1.2 kg/m3)*(1 kJ/kg K)= 1.2 kJ/m3 K

Latent Heat Flow

In addition to the sensible heat flow through building envelope, water also moves both in liquid and vapor forms. In summer, moisture flows in the air-conditioned space and needs to be dehumidified. In winter, water vapor needs to be added to the air in the space. Vapor pressure difference is vital to latent heat flow. Permeability is the property of material to let water vapor through them.

Moisture control in cold climates

In cold climates, the winter outside air has little moisture and higher relative humidity. In contrast, the inside air has more moisture and lower relative humidity. The temperature at which the water vapor condenses is called the dew point temperature. Moisture can create a lot of damage to the architectural components.

Solutions
1.

Installation of vapor retarders (plastic films with a few gaps and holes).
The

retarders should be installed very close to the interior surface. Why?

2.

Use of vinyl wallpapers or vapor retarder paints.

Moisture Control in Hot Humid Climates

The condensation of water droplets should be prevented in the cool inside surfaces. One of the solutions in order to avoid condensed water from coming inside is the use of drainage planes.

Heat Flow Through Transparent/Translucent Elements

Windows and Skylights These elements have the lowest thermal resistance which means the highest U-value. Transparent/translucent elements:
Infiltrate

outside air Admit solar heat Admit day lighting Provide ventilation

Transparent/Translucent and Opaque Material

Transparent Material:
Transmit

most of the visible radiation (e.g. clear glass)

Translucent Material:
Deflect

or scatter the radiation but are transparent material (e.g. milky plastic) not direct solar radiation transfer

Opaque Material:
Permits

Some properties of windows and skylights

U-Value Solar Heat Gain Coefficients Visible Transmittance (VT) Air Leakage Low Emittance (low ) coatings Selective Transmission films Argon and Krypton filling of the air gaps Shading Super windows