含二氧化硅气凝胶和相变材料三层玻璃窗热性能分析

为了研究含二氧化硅气凝胶和相变材料三层玻璃窗对严寒地区建筑能耗的影响,建立了相变材料层与其他透明壁层结合发生的传热数值模型。分析了含二氧化硅气凝胶和相变材料三层玻璃窗在不同二氧化硅气凝胶厚度、导热系数和不同保温材料下的动态热调节性能,得到了含二氧化硅气凝胶和相变材料三层玻璃窗内表面热流密度和液相率随时间的变化规律。结果表明:随着二氧化硅气凝胶厚度增加,总传热量降低和液相率增加,当二氧化硅气凝胶厚度为20～30 mm时,可以实现有效的利用太阳能;随着二氧化硅气凝胶导热系数增加,总传热量升高和液相率降低;当二氧化硅气凝胶的导热系数从0.022降低到0.014 W/(m·K)时,最大液相率从0.83增加到1.00。二氧化硅作为保温层比相变材料作为保温层具有更好的保温隔热作用。     

Visual and energy performance of switchable windows with antireflection coatings

The aim of this project was to investigate how the visual appearance and energy performance of switchable or smart windows can be improved by using antireflective coatings. For this study clear float glass, low-e glass and electrochromic glass were treated with antireflection (AR) coatings. Such a coating considerably increases the transmittance of solar radiation in general and the visible transmittance in particular. For switchable glazing based on absorptive electrochromic layers in their dark state it is necessary to use a low-emissivity coating on the inner pane of a double glazed window in order to reject the absorbed heat. In principle all surfaces can be coated with AR coatings, and it was shown that a thin AR coating on the low-e surface neither influences the thermal emissivity nor the U-value of the glazing. The study showed that the use of AR coatings in switchable glazing significantly increases the light transmittance in the transparent state. It is believed that this is important for a high level of user acceptance of such windows.     

Performance and economic analysis of air flow windows in a tropical climate

An experimental study was conducted in Thailand to determine the thermal performance of twin glazed windows with dynamic insulation. The effects of blinds situated either between or outside the glazing were analysed. With an external blind, the heat transfer coefficient was 1–25 W/m²°C with natural convection and 0–6 W/m²°C for a flow of 20m³/h (glass area = 2–16m²). The solar flux transmitted was evaluated analytically and experimentally depending on the blind's position. An economic study was performed on a six-sotrey air-conditioned building in Thailand. It showed in tropical countries that it may be more economical to use air flow windows than to have tinted single or double glass windows.     

美国、加拿大窗户能耗等级评价体系综述

窗户带来的建筑能耗是巨大的。同时显著影响室内环境的热舒适程度。合理地进行住宅窗户材料选择和结构设计，可有效降低采暖或制冷能耗、节省费用。该文对加拿大、美国建立的窗户能耗等级评价体系的原理及应用进行概述，并对两者的评价结果进行比较；分析了太阳得热系数对降低能耗、提高热舒适性的重要性，为在中国建立相应的窗户能耗等级评价体系、设计开发节能新产品提供积极的参考。     

Reassessment of fenestration characteristics for residential buildings in hot climates: energy and economic analysis

This paper attempts to resolve the reported contradiction in the literature about the characteristics of high-performance/cost-effective fenestration of residential buildings, particularly in hot climates. The considered issues are the window glazing property (ten commercial glazing types), facade orientation (four main orientations), window-to-wall ratio (WWR) (0.2–0.8), and solar shading overhangs and side-fins (nine shading conditions). The results of the simulated runs reveal that the glazing quality has a superior effect over the other fenestration parameters and controls their effect on the energy consumption of residential buildings. Thus, using low-performance windows on buildings yields larger effects of WWR, facade orientation, and solar shading than high-performance windows. As the WWR increases from 0.2 to 0.8, the building energy consumption using the low-performance window increases 6.46 times than that using the high-performance window. The best facade orientation is changed from north to south according to the glazing properties. In addition, the solar shading need is correlated as a function of a window-glazing property and WWR. The cost analysis shows that the high-performance windows without solar shading are cost-effective as they have the largest net present cost compared to low-performance windows with or without solar shading. Accordingly, replacing low-performance windows with high-performance ones, in an existing residential building, saves about 12.7 MWh of electricity and 11.05 tons of CO₂ annually.     

含相变材料双层玻璃窗光热分析模型

建立了含相变材料双层玻璃窗的光热传输模型,考虑相变材料和玻璃半透明特性,采用有限差分求解方程。在通过实验数据验证模型准确的基础上,分析了相变材料的融化温度对含相变材料双层玻璃窗光热性能的影响。结果显示:建立的模型可模拟相变材料双层玻璃窗的光热传输过程;随融化温度升高,含相变材料双层玻璃窗温度衰减因子则逐渐增大,相变材料融化时间延后,相变材料呈液态的时间变短,但温度滞后值、热流密度和太阳透射能则呈不规则变化。     

Energy rating of different glazings for Indian climates

In this study, energy rating of different window glazings, available in the Indian market, has been carried out. This rating is helpful in selecting the best window for a given building and a given climate. It is shown that savings by a window w.r.t. the base window (single glazed, clear glass, 6 mm thick), depend upon window type, its orientation, climatic conditions of the place, buildings dimensions and thermal transmittance of its walls and roof. The study has been performed for five different climatic zones of India. Ten types of windows have been studied which include clear glass, tinted glass, low-e coated and solar control windows. Three types of buildings are considered with U-value of their walls ranging 0.52–2.07 W/m²K and U-value of their roof ranging 0.54–2.34 W/m²K. Finally, regression analysis is performed to develop energy rating equations for different glazings, buildings and climates.     

建筑形式对太阳能热利用的影响研究

以上海地区的住宅建筑为研究对象,通过模拟分析的方法,采用DeST软件计算确定建筑逐时的采暖、空调能耗,研究分析窗墙比对建筑全年采暖能耗、全年空调能耗以及全年采暖、空调总能耗的影响规律,研究分析太阳辐射热增加所导致采暖能耗的降低幅度与外围护结构保温性能两者之间的定量关系。计算结果表示在夏季外窗遮阳和夜间通风的条件下,加大南向窗墙比可增强太阳能的热利用效率,降低建筑全年的采暖、空调总能耗;而外围护结构保温性能的增强则可降低室内向室外散热的程度,相应提高对冬季太阳辐射的热利用程度,从而达到降低采暖能耗的目的。     

The passive solar heated school in Wallasey. V. Energy requirements for A passive school building

The near-south-facing glazed wall of the Wallasey School admits large solar gains in sunny weather, sufficient to meet in full the heat need in cold weather. It permits large heat losses, however, and during dull weather, and during the long winter nights there is little or no compensating solar gain. The net effect of such glazing over a season might be either to save, or to waste energy as compared with a windowless building, according to the sunniness and coldness of the climate and the window characteristics. To examine the action of the glazing, use was made of 50 years of daily mean ambient temperature, and contemporary sunshine hours, in conjunction with the solar gain factor for the translucent and pinboarded areas of the solar wall, and for certain values of design temperature and ventilation rate. It is concluded that such glazing leads to modest savings, of around 5 to 10 W/m² daily average. Most of the saving appears to be achievable by around 30 per cent glazing; further glazed area tends to supply unwanted solar gain in sunny periods while increasing the losses in sunless conditions. The annual electricity consumptions are noted for the 20 year life of the building. Their costs suggest that the building has been economical to heat.     

Integration of smart windows into building design for reduction of yearly overall energy consumption and peak loads

The purpose of this work is to investigate the potential of diminishing the energy consumed by typical low thermal mass office buildings for heating, cooling and lighting by using smart windows. The windows considered consisted of a double pane glazing unit in which a controllable absorbing layer is added on the interior surface of the exterior glass pane. This absorbing layer allows to change the optical properties of the window, resulting in a direct potential of control of the incident solar heat flux entering the building through the windows. A corresponding numerical model is developed showing that optimizing the solar heat flux absorption rate of the absorbing layer in regard of the necessary heating, cooling and lighting needs helps reducing significantly the total yearly energy consumption, and cooling peak loads. The simulations were done considering a building located in Quebec City, Canada.     

A study of the U-factor of a window with a cloth curtain

Heating and cooling energy calculations and building energy simulations need the overall heat-transfer coefficient (U-factor) of windows. This study focuses on the U-factor of a window with a cloth curtain indoors. Two side-by-side hot boxes are built in a laboratory for testing the window U-factors. The tested window systems are 100% glass area without frames which are equivalent to the center of glass of practical windows. The two types of tested window systems are the single glazing and the double glazing with a cloth curtain, respectively. The effect of curtain edge sealing conditions on U-factors is also studied. The empirical equations of the center-of-glass U-factors are derived from the experimental data. The corrections for the effects of window frames and outdoor wind velocity are made thereafter. The corrected empirical equations can be easily used to estimate the U-factor of a practical window with a cloth curtain.     

Collector cum storage solar water heaters with and without transparent insulation material

The integrated collector–storage solar water heaters are less expensive and can offer the best alternative for domestic applications particularly to small families to meet hot water requirements. The top heat losses of such solar water heaters are quite high during the night and the temperature of stored hot water is considerably reduced unless covered with extra insulating cover in the evening which is a cumbersome job. The transparent insulation material widely used in Europe for space heating can also minimize top heat losses, if used in such solar water heaters. For this purpose, two units of solar collector cum storage water heaters have been designed to study the relative effect of TI for retaining solar heated hot water for a night duration. Both units were identical in all respects except one of them was covered with TIM. The theoretical exercise was carried out to evaluate design parameters of ISC which revealed total heat loss factor (U_L) 1.03 W/m² K with TIM glazed against 7.06 W/m² K with glass glazed. The TIM glazed has been found to be quite effective as compared to glass glazed SWH and yielded hot water at higher temperature by 8.5 to 9.5°C the next morning. The storage efficiency of such solar water heaters has been found to be 39.8% with TIM glazed as compared to 15.1% without TIM. The TIM glazing means not having to cover the ISC solar water heater with a separate insulator cover in the evening and thus makes its operation much simpler.     

Energy savings of office buildings by the use of semi-transparent solar cells for windows

The study investigated a PV window that consists of a double glazed window with semi-transparent solar cells. The window provides natural light transmission as well as electricity production. The effect of the PV window on energy consumption of office buildings was analyzed in terms of heating and cooling loads, daylighting, and electricity production. The purposes of the study were to find the optimum solar cell transmittance and window to wall ratio (WWR), and to estimate energy savings of the building. A standard floor of an office building was modeled to run computer simulation, and annual energy simulation was performed with EnergyPlus. The results showed that the solar cell transmittance of 40% and WWR of 50% achieved the minimum electricity consumption in the building when artificial lighting was controlled with daylighting. The optimum solar cell transmittance for PV windows in different orientation was also presented. By using the optimum PV window, the electricity consumption was reduced by 55% compared to the single glazed window with WWR of 30% and no lighting control.     

Evaluation of the thermal performance indices of a ventilated double window through experimental and analytical procedures: Uw-values

Simulations to evaluate energy demand for heating and cooling and thermal comfort are becoming more and more common place in the building design process, at least in the most complex cases. In all detailed or simplified calculations, to analyse heat transfer to and from a building, several input parameters are needed. The inputs for the simulation of a whole building are at least the building geometry, the building envelope thermal indices (like thermal transmittance or the solar heat gain coefficient) and typical local climatic data. In a ventilated double window, the air flow through the channel between the two windows makes its thermal performance highly dynamic and dependent on the air flow characteristics. For a whole building simulation, single coefficients or easily calculated coefficients are needed for each facade system, including ventilated systems. In this paper, equivalent thermal transmittance coefficients for a ventilated double window are assessed and presented. For that, experimental measurements in the absence of solar radiation (night period) were used to identify tendencies and validate calculations. Furthermore, simulations were done in order to estimate the U_w-values of the ventilated double window under different windows configuration and different air flow rates. These values can then be used in whole building simulation programmes.     

Thermal performance of the exhausting and the semi‐exhausting triple‐glazed airflow windows

The thermal performance of the airflow window systems was studied numerically using the finite‐volume method. Effort was directed towards the reduction in space cooling load for the exhausting and the semi‐exhausting triple‐glazed airflow windows. The effects of various parameters such as exhausting airflow rate, solar insolation, and aspect ratio were presented. Some qualitative and quantitative comparisons between two systems were made. It was disclosed that the space‐heat gain was considerably reduced by increasing the exhausting airflow rate, and the decrease in the space‐heat gain of the semi‐exhausting airflow window was larger than that of the exhausting airflow window by about 10 W throughout most of the Re range (except the range of near Re = 0) of this numerical work. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Glazing edge-seal using foamglass as spacer and frameless window design

This article presents a new design for the edge-seal of multiple-glazings with spacers made of foamglass and a new concept for frameless windows to reduce the heat loss through windows significantly. Thus the energy demand for heating is reduced or covered by solar energy gains through the window to a higher extent. The thermal performance of window assemblies with foamglass spacers and with and without frames is compared with that of the common window design. For the calculations of the heat flux a finite element analysis computer program has been used to account for the 2D-effects in the glazing, edge-seal and frame heat transfer patterns. The total heat transfer through an example window with a glazing 1 m×1 m is reduced by 45% using the window design presented. The objective of this article is not only to quantify the heat fluxes for different combinations of glazing, edge-seal and frame. The major part of the article focuses on practical aspects that are important for the durability of edge-seals, such as mechanical stress within the materials, water vapour and gas tightness, as well as on new design concepts of window–wall joints. A frameless window construction is an important aspect to enhance the thermal performance of windows. The costs for this kind of frameless windows are estimated to be less than or equal to windows commonly used now.     

A test method to evaluate the thermal performance of window glazings

An apparatus and a methodology to evaluate the thermal performance of window glazing are presented. Single glazings commercially available in Mexico are currently tested. During the test sequence, the glass samples are mounted in a specially designed calorimeter apparatus. The test is conducted in controlled laboratory conditions at the National Centre for Research and Technology Development in Mexico using a solar simulator test lamp. The calorimeter apparatus and the solar simulator test lamp were characterised and the overall heat loss coefficient U_c measured was of 1.7±0.1 W/m²°C. Overall heat transfer and shading coefficients are derived from the experimental results. The test method described allows the testing of practically any kind of glazing array. Glasses under investigation were of the reflective, absorbing coloured and common ones. This test method can be adequate to evaluate film coating glazing or multiple solar control coating glazing. Also, it can be of assistance to researchers, glass manufacturers and building designers in the development of rating and comparing of glazing options.     

An optimum design on the triple‐glazed exhaust airflow window

The flow and heat transfer characteristics of a triple‐glazed exhaust airflow window system were studied numerically by using the finite‐volume method. Exhaust airflow rate, solar insolation and aspect ratio were considered important parameters. It was shown that space‐heat gain was reduced considerably by increasing the exhaust airflow rate. The optimum exhaust airflow rate and aspect ratio were suggested to be Re=600 and W/H=0.05, respectively. Some comparisons between the airflow window system and the enclosed window system were made qualitatively and quantitatively. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evaluation of the effect of nanocoated window glazing films on the thermal behavior of buildings

In this study, different coating samples of antimony tin oxide (ATO) films on clear glass were prepared and their optical and thermal properties were evaluated. Performance parameters such as glass U-factor, solar heat gain coefficient, temperature distribution, and net heat transfer gain using the glazed walls inside the test room were determined through numerical simulations. The results obtained indicate that the nanocoating thickness and doping level concentration of ATO films have a pronounced effect on the thermal insulation of the window glass. When compared with normal window clear glass, the transmittance of solar radiation for ATO thin-film coating of thickness 1140 nm reduced from 0.881 to 0.114 in the visible (VIS) region and 0.817 to 0.012 in the infrared (IR) region, whereas radiation in the ultraviolet (UV) region was almost completely blocked. Similarly, for the ATO films with doping level 15%, the transmittance value reduced from 0.742 to 0.432 in the VIS region and from 0.718 to 0.114 in the IR region, and radiation in the UV region was almost totally blocked. Finally from the analysis of results, it was observed that the ATO thin films show exceptional optical and thermal properties and exhibit improved solar blocking behavior when compared with commercially available glazing (eg, from Saudi Arabian glass companies).     

Passive building energy savings: A review of building envelope components

A significant portion of the total primary energy is consumed by today's buildings in developed countries. In many of these buildings, the energy consumption can be significantly reduced by adopting energy efficiency strategies. Due to environmental concerns and the high cost of energy in recent years there has been a renewed interest in building energy efficiency. This article strives to make an exhaustive technical review of the building envelope components and respective improvements from an energy efficiency perspective. Different types of energy efficient walls such as Trombe walls, ventilated walls, and glazed walls are discussed. Performance of different fenestration technologies including aerogel, vacuum glazing and frames are presented. Advances in energy efficient roofs including the contemporary green roofs, photovoltaic roofs, radiant-transmittive barrier and evaporative roof cooling systems are discussed. Various types of thermal insulation materials are enumerated along with selection criteria of these materials. The effects of thermal mass and phase change material on building cooling/heating loads and peak loads are discussed. Application of thermal mass as an energy saving method is more effective in places where the outside ambient air temperature differences between the days and nights are high. Air tightness and infiltration of building envelopes are discussed as they play a crucial role in the energy consumption of a building. Energy efficiency approaches sometimes might not require additional capital investment. For example, a holistic energy efficient building design approach can reduce the size of mechanical systems compensating the additional cost of energy efficiency features.