Modeling thermal performance of exterior walls retrofitted from insulation and modified laterite based bricks materials

• Published in: Heat and mass transfer 2017-12, Vol.53 (12), p.3487-3499
• Main Authors: Wati, Elvis, Meukam, Pierre, Damfeu, Jean Claude
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air conditioners; Bricks; Concrete blocks; Configurations; Cooling; Energy conservation; Energy consumption; Engineering; Engineering Thermodynamics; Heat and Mass Transfer; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Insulation; Original; Retrofitting; Thermal conductivity; Thermodynamics; Thickness; Time lag; Tropical environments; Walls
• ISSN: 0947-7411; 1432-1181
• DOI: 10.1007/s00231-017-2059-7

Uninsulated concrete block walls commonly found in tropical region have to be retrofitted to save energy. The thickness of insulation layer used can be reduced with the help of modified laterite based bricks layer (with the considerably lower thermal conductivity than that of concrete block layer) during the retrofit building fabrics. The aim of this study is to determine the optimum location and distribution of different materials. The investigation is carried out under steady periodic conditions under the climatic conditions of Garoua in Cameroon using a Simulink model constructed from H-Tools (the library of Simulink models). Results showed that for the continuous air-conditioned space, the best wall configuration from the maximum time lag, minimum decrement factor and peak cooling transmission load perspective, is dividing the insulation layer into two layers and placing one at the exterior surface and the other layer between the two different massive layers with the modified laterite based bricks layer at the interior surface. For intermittent cooling space, the best wall configuration from the minimum energy consumption depends on total insulation thickness. For the total insulation thickness less than 8 cm approximately, the best wall configuration is placing the half layer of insulation material at the interior surface and the other half between the two different massive layers with the modified earthen material at the exterior surface. Results also showed that, the optimum insulation thickness calculated from the yearly cooling transmission (estimated only during the occupied period) and some economic considerations slightly depends on the location of that insulation.