Thesis-1998-Ho.pdf (15.98 MB)
The potential of covered profiled steel cladding as a building-integrated solar collector for the UK climate
thesis
posted on 2010-11-11, 14:24 authored by Kam Ting K. HoProfiled steel cladding can be modified to act as an air heating solar collector
by the addition of a transparent cover system. A mathematical model of the
thermal performance of such an arrangement has been derived for the
situation of a building-integrated solar collector facade, allowing for the
condition of differing temperatures at front and rear faces of the collector. By
introducing an equivalent ambient temperature, it is possible to quantify the
performance of such a collector arrangement in terms of existing parameters
as derived in the standard Hottel-Whillier-Bliss analysis. Using a purpose-built
solar simulator, a set of standard performance characteristics for the
proposed collector geometry is derived; these characteristics are used to
confirm the validity of the derived model for use in this application area, i.e. as
a building-integ rated system with the standard thickness of back insulation.
Those conditions of front/rear temperature difference and rear insulation
level for which the standard Hoftel-Whillier-Bliss analysis is no longer valid,
are identified.
The model has been encoded as a new subroutine within the thermal
simulation program TRNSYS in order to investigate the energy performance
of a typical profiled metal-clad building in the UK climate with and without the
assistance of such a collector system. The effects of orientation of the solarcollector
facade, together with collection area, steel-to-cover spacing and fan
power requirements were determined. Assessment of capital maintenance,
operating costs and energy savings permitted the cost-effectiveness of such a
system to be evaluated. Guidance for future designers of such buildingintegrated
systems is presented for UK conditions. It is concluded that the use
of such a collector system can approach cost-effectiveness in electrically fuelled
buildings, and that this is likely to be especially so if the building has a
significant requirement for pre-heated fresh air. The system is shown to be
not cost-effective at present for gas-fuelled installation in the UK, such as in
the case of a retrofit to a typically profiled-clad sports centre, though factors
other than that of payback alone may well influence such investment decisions in the future.
History
School
- Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering
Publisher
© Kam Ting Kenneth HoPublication date
1998Notes
A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.EThOS Persistent ID
uk.bl.ethos.300274Language
- en