Design and CFD Modeling of a Guarded Hot Box for Thermal Performance of Building Assemblies

Abstract

In building elements, substantial energy is wasted by heat losses due to higher values of overall heat transfer coefficient. Hence an estimation of the same is important for making decisions in uencing the energy savings in buildings and structures. For measuring this value of overall heat transfer coe cient and other important thermal properties of the building elements, a Guarded hot box can be utilized. A hot-box measures either thermal transmittance (or U-value) which determines the overall heat transfer through a structure; or it measures thermal conductance and thermal resis- tance, which are concerned with heat ow within the structure. The present study undertaken the CFD analysis of a Guarded Hot Box using FLU- ENT software and comparing the results of those obtained experimentally by Fang et al[1]. The numerical values obtained by CFD analysis of the Guarded Hot Box using FLUENT validate the experimental results within 10%.