Analysis of Thermal Performance of Trombe Wall of a Passive Solar Building

Introduction

The world is consuming so much energy and for over the years, the humanity realized that people are saturating or exploiting the natural resources and this might trigger to the great dangers where the people will suffer most. Apparently, the scientist and other environmentalist rediscover the power of nature most especially the sun. From the mere imagination of the scientist to find an alternative yet available source for the energy became true. Through the sun, the people can handle the electrical problem and avoid the saturation of the natural resources.

Background of the Study and Problem Statement

Solar energy may store and used in different forms from the variation of the standard thermal storage wall designs. It should only have to pass through different criteria such as resources which include money and other building supplies, heating requirements or facilities, building uses, and the appropriate geographical and climatic location for the site (Wilson, 1979). Through the passive solar heating systems, the natural methods of thermal conduction, natural convection, and thermal radiation can be utilized. However, the Trombe wall is a well designed sun-facing wall that purposely made to absorb the energy from the sun needs an analysis of the thermal performance to observe the effectiveness of the project.

Research Objectives

The first objective of the study is to analyze the thermal performance of Trombe wall of a passive solar building. Second is to identify or explain the functions of the wall to trap or store the needed amount of energy.

Research Questions

The discovery of the thermal energy is not new to the business sectors but it keeps the students to be fascinated with it, especially the impact that it may produce. The growing interest coming from the developers and researcher created a great push to examine thermal performance of the solar wall especially the Trombe wall.

1. What are the different functions of the wall where the performance can be measured?

2. What are the designs for the passive solar heating?

3. What are the facilities such as buildings where the energy can be fully utilized?

Literature Review

There are five basic designs for the passive solar heating and started in direct gain, solar greenhouse, convective, air loop, and thermal storage walls. The Tromeb walls can utilize the massive heat to store. Through the process of glazing, vents, and roof overhang, the thermal storage wall can function in heating a building. The performance of the storage walls can be based on the interior of the living space wherein the temperature may rise in 90°F (Wilson, 1979). Maximizing the solar gain in the use of the Trombe walls is the best attribute of the design. The investigations of the impact of the Trombe walls on the energy saving and thermal comfort purpose is proven and justified through the use of the different methods of energy analyses (Sami and Gassman, 2006). Different measurements were identified and formulated to achieve the thermal comfort within the space of the passive solar heating systems are employed even in the winter season. The variations of the operative temperature are primarily determined by the type of the passive energy that is strategically utilized with the direct gain and the by the thermal storage capacity of the system. During the daytime, where the type of the passive solar energies is mostly collected, it was then utilized in different energy swings (Gonzalez, 2006). The passive systems can perform through the three functions which is simply incorporated through the collection, storage, and distribution of the solar energy. The sunlight enters in the clear or translucent wall or called as the glazing that faced on the south side of the building. In this way, the collected solar radiation can be heightened into a maximum capacity. The solar radiation is absorbed by the storage medium behind the glazing and then the heat will be distributed into the living space.

Methodology

The applied method in the study is the comparative case study method wherein the current study can compare, examine, and review the different literatures that comprised in the past studies. The use of the comparative case studies is an advantage for the current study for it can view the different perspective came from the experts who literally evaluated the Trombe wall. Through that method, the study can generate its own analyses and conclusion.

Conclusion

The usefulness of the system can be measured through the performance and effectiveness of the distribution and availability for the users. The Trombe wall is one of the solar-absorbing walls that is slowly recognized by most of the developed countries.

References:

Gonzalez, A., 2006. Analysis of the Thermal Performance and Comfort Conditions Produced by the Five Different Passive Solar Heating Strategies in the United States Midwest, Natural Energies Advanced Technologies Laboratory. [Online] Available at: http://www.unlv.edu/labs/neatl/2030/neat_sej_afg.pdf [Accessed 22 Feb 2010].

Sami, V., & Gassman, J., 2006. A Simultaneous Modeling Methodology to Analyze the Passive Solar Performance of Trombe Walls, Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture [Online] Available at: http://www.unige.ch/cuepe/html/plea2006/Vol2/PLEA2006_PAPER817.pdf [Accessed 22 Feb 2010].

Wilson, A., 1979. Thermal Storage Wall Design Manual, New Mexico Solar Energy Association [Online] Available at: http://nmsea.org/lib/ThermalStorageWallDesignManual.pdf [Accessed 22 Feb 2010].