Prediction of indoor sol-air temperature in an atrium space with a vertical distribution

This study suggests a computer model capable of predicting thermal environment of an atriumand calculating indoor sol-air temperature, which can evaluate the influence of heat loads thatthe atrium space puts on the adjoining rooms. The computer model is based on zonal modelcombined with the solar radiation model using the Monte Carlo method and ray-tracingtechnique. The accuracy of computer model was validated through scale model test and fieldmeasurement. The average relative error of solar radiation model for predicting solar radiationintensity in atrium space was 11.8%. The average relative error of zonal model to calculatevertical air temperature in atrium space was 1.71%, and in all zones the relative error rangedfrom 1.34 to 2.5%.