building components

A double population Lattice Boltzmann is used to solve the problem of the diffrentially heated cavity The use of a non-uniform grid makes it possible to validate the approach for laminar and transitional flows and (10³≤R_a≤10⁸). The results obtained, concerning the heat and mass transfers are in concordance with those of the literature. This comparison makes it possible to validate this type of approach for the prediction of anisothermal flows.

The application of system identification techniques to the energy performance assessment of buildings and building components requires a high level of knowledgeof physical and mathematical processes. This factor,combined with the quality of the data, the descriptionof the monitoring procedure and test environment, together with the experience of the user of the analysis software itself, can produce varying results from differentusers when applying different models and software packages.

The European Research Area (ERA) in the field of energy in buildings continues to develop dynamically in response to both the market needs and to the ongoing technological and legislative developments. Various networking mechanisms can be applied by key actors in the field to enhance access to research activities and increase the coherence of the scientific community: one such mechanism was formulated in the early 90s by the grouping of research actors from the PASSYS and PASSYS II research and technical development projects funded in part by the European Commission.

The application of system identification techniques to the energy performance of buildings and building components requires a very high level of knowledge of physical and mathematical processes. This factor, combined with the quality of the data, the description of the monitoring environment and procedure, together with the experience of the user of the analysis software itself, can end up in varying results from different users when applying different models and software packages.

The operation of an outdoor test site requires very substantial efforts with respect to investments, maintenance, calibration and training staff. The existing documents dealing with quality procedures in principle guarantee that a good quality level is achieved at all test sites. This paper describes the existing quality manuals and the software tool PASLINKIT developed in the scope of IQ-TEST Thematic Network to make all this pertinent quality documents more practicable and feasible.

The thermal effects of air flows in building structures have been analyzed by computer simulation. Some laboratory experiments have also been carried out concerning natural convection in closed and semi-open cavities filled with fibrous insulating material. Three different flow systems in building structures have been studied: natural/forced convection in open/semi-open (permeable cold surface) 2-dimensional insulation structures, heating of infiltrating air in cracks and diffusive infiltration.

A method has been introduced for the analysis of the hygrothermal behaviour of building materials and construction. The model equations for coupled heat and mass transfer used in the computer code TRATMO and in the determination of hygrotherm

A method to analyze thermal and moisture physical behaviour of building components under transient conditions is introduced. The method is supported by the procedure TRATMO (Transient Analysis of Thermal and Moisture Physical Behaviour of Constr

A previous paper analysed a mathematical model of a non-condensing cavity. This paper extends the analysis of the first paper to analyse the seasonal moisture behaviour of a condensing building cavity. Climate statistics are used to calculate the duration of the winter wet-up period, and a rate of condensation formula is integrated to give total winter condensation. Although engineering design calculations cannot yet be attempted, some illustrative examples are given based on field data. The results give preliminary verification of the model analysed in both papers.