Conjugate Heat Transfer Analysis in a Glazed Room Modeled as a Square Cavity

A numerical study of conjugate heat transfer by turbulent natural convection in a room with three different glazed configurations is presented. The room is modeled as a square closed cavity, where the lower wall is adiabatic, the right wall is semitransparent, and the upper and left walls are opaque conductive surfaces. Governing equations of mass, momentum, and energy were solved by the finite volume method with a two equation turbulence model. The results are presented in terms of streamlines, isotherms, heatlines, turbulent viscosity isolines, and thermal parameters, such as indoor temperatures and heat transfer coefficients. From the three cases considered in this study, the reflective glass window was the optimal configuration from the thermal comfort point of view for both design days. On the contrary, the glass-film configuration showed the worst indoor thermal performance inside the cavity despite of being the configuration that allows lower energy transferred into the room through the glazed surface. A set of useful heat transfer correlations are obtained for building design applications and energy codes in temperate climates.