Thermally Anisotropic Composites for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Building Envelopes
This article describes a novel application of thermal anisotropy for improving the energy efficiency of building envelopes. The current work was inspired by existing research on improved heat dissipation in electronics using thermal anisotropy. Past work has shown that thermally anisotropic composit...
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/19/3783 |
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doaj-e50498d5323744acbf18757000abd3df2020-11-25T01:25:26ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732019-10-011219378310.3390/en12193783en12193783Thermally Anisotropic Composites for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Building EnvelopesKaushik Biswas0Som Shrestha1Diana Hun2Jerald Atchley3Oak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USAOak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USAOak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USAOak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USAThis article describes a novel application of thermal anisotropy for improving the energy efficiency of building envelopes. The current work was inspired by existing research on improved heat dissipation in electronics using thermal anisotropy. Past work has shown that thermally anisotropic composites (TACs) can be created by the alternate layering of two dissimilar, isotropic materials. Here, a TAC consisting of alternate layers of rigid foam insulation and thin, high-conductivity aluminum foil was investigated. The TAC was coupled with copper tubes with circulating water that acted as a heat sink and source. The TAC system was applied to a conventional wood-framed wall assembly, and the energy benefits were investigated experimentally and numerically. For experimental testing, large scale test wall specimens were built with and without the TAC system and tested in an environmental chamber under simulated diurnal hot and cold weather conditions. Component-level and whole building numerical simulations were performed to investigate the energy benefits of applying the TAC system to the external walls of a typical, single-family residential building.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/19/3783thermal anisotropybuilding envelopethermal managementenergy efficiencypeak load reduction |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Kaushik Biswas Som Shrestha Diana Hun Jerald Atchley |
spellingShingle |
Kaushik Biswas Som Shrestha Diana Hun Jerald Atchley Thermally Anisotropic Composites for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Building Envelopes Energies thermal anisotropy building envelope thermal management energy efficiency peak load reduction |
author_facet |
Kaushik Biswas Som Shrestha Diana Hun Jerald Atchley |
author_sort |
Kaushik Biswas |
title |
Thermally Anisotropic Composites for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Building Envelopes |
title_short |
Thermally Anisotropic Composites for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Building Envelopes |
title_full |
Thermally Anisotropic Composites for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Building Envelopes |
title_fullStr |
Thermally Anisotropic Composites for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Building Envelopes |
title_full_unstemmed |
Thermally Anisotropic Composites for Improving the Energy Efficiency of Building Envelopes |
title_sort |
thermally anisotropic composites for improving the energy efficiency of building envelopes |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Energies |
issn |
1996-1073 |
publishDate |
2019-10-01 |
description |
This article describes a novel application of thermal anisotropy for improving the energy efficiency of building envelopes. The current work was inspired by existing research on improved heat dissipation in electronics using thermal anisotropy. Past work has shown that thermally anisotropic composites (TACs) can be created by the alternate layering of two dissimilar, isotropic materials. Here, a TAC consisting of alternate layers of rigid foam insulation and thin, high-conductivity aluminum foil was investigated. The TAC was coupled with copper tubes with circulating water that acted as a heat sink and source. The TAC system was applied to a conventional wood-framed wall assembly, and the energy benefits were investigated experimentally and numerically. For experimental testing, large scale test wall specimens were built with and without the TAC system and tested in an environmental chamber under simulated diurnal hot and cold weather conditions. Component-level and whole building numerical simulations were performed to investigate the energy benefits of applying the TAC system to the external walls of a typical, single-family residential building. |
topic |
thermal anisotropy building envelope thermal management energy efficiency peak load reduction |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/19/3783 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT kaushikbiswas thermallyanisotropiccompositesforimprovingtheenergyefficiencyofbuildingenvelopes AT somshrestha thermallyanisotropiccompositesforimprovingtheenergyefficiencyofbuildingenvelopes AT dianahun thermallyanisotropiccompositesforimprovingtheenergyefficiencyofbuildingenvelopes AT jeraldatchley thermallyanisotropiccompositesforimprovingtheenergyefficiencyofbuildingenvelopes |
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