Heat Transfer in Buildings: Application to Solar Air Collector and Trombe Wall Design

The aim of this paper is to briefly recall heat transfer modes and explain their integration within a software dedicated to building simulation (CODYRUN). Detailed elements of the validation of this software are presented and two applications are finally discussed. One concerns the modeling of a flat plate air collector and the second focuses on the modeling of Trombe solar walls. In each case, detailed modeling of heat transfer allows precise understanding of thermal and energetic behavior of the studied structures. Recent decades have seen a proliferation of tools for building thermal simulation. These applications cover a wide spectrum from very simplified steady state models to dynamic simulation ones, including computational fluid dynamics modules (Clarke, 2001). These tools are widely available in design offices and engineering firms. They are often used for the design of HVAC systems and still subject to detailed research, particularly with respect to the integration of new fields (specific insulation materials, lighting, pollutants transport, etc.).