Numerical Investigation of the Impact of Integrating Solar Collectors Under Stagnation

• Published in: 2020 5th International Conference on Renewable Energies for Developing Countries (REDEC) pp. 1 - 6
• Main Authors: Salem, Talal, Metni, Najib, Kazma, Mohamad, Hanna, Hala
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01.06.2020
• Subjects: Atmospheric modeling; Building integrated solar thermal; Buildings; Built-in self-test; Insulation; Numerical modeling; Solar energy; Solar heating; TRNSYS; Water heating
• ISSN: 2644-1837
• DOI: 10.1109/REDEC49234.2020.9163872

Energy consumption is a prominent issue for achieving sustainability within the built environment. A significant portion of the energy consumed is the building's need of hot domestic water, space heating and cooling. Whereby a promising solution for the reduction of fossil fuel energy consumption and its consequent greenhouse gas emissions is the use of solar energy systems. Being an important renewable energy source, façade integration technology such as, building integrated solar thermal (BIST) system enables the use of renewable solar energy within the building envelope. Thus, allowing a high coverage and enhanced energy efficiency under a Mediterranean climate. The façade is the main architectural feature; hence, the collectors cannot be added as a technical element only, aesthetic integration should be satisfactory. BIST systems also affect heat exchange through the building's envelope in particular, when the operational condition is stagnation of water in the pipes. The aim of this paper is to study the impact of utilizing a BIST system on the façade of a building that is under stagnant conditions using a numerical simulation software TRNSYS-18. The model evaluates the performance of a flat plate solar collector (FPSC) by performing a parametric analysis of effective variables such as insulation thickness, angle of inclination, emissivity, and absorptivity. The main goal is to assess indoor air temperatures and wall temperatures of a modular room that represents a Lebanese office building. The prospect of this study is to validate the developed model with experimental data gathered under outdoor conditions for two experimental rooms built, one being the control room and the other room that is equipped with a FPSC.