SEDL / STP / STP1116-EB / STP16339S

A Stratified Air Model for Simulation of Attic Thermal Performance

Parker, DS
research scientist, deputy director, and graduate research assistant, Florida Solar Energy Center, Cape Canaveral, FL

Fairey, PW
research scientist, deputy director, and graduate research assistant, Florida Solar Energy Center, Cape Canaveral, FL

Gu, L
research scientist, deputy director, and graduate research assistant, Florida Solar Energy Center, Cape Canaveral, FL

Pages: 26    Published: Jan 1991

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Abstract

An improved computer simulation model for attics has been developed. The model accounts for detailed radiation, buoyancy and wind driven air flows and thermal stratification within the attic airspace. Through comparison with measured data, the paper examines the relative importance of the various modeling parameters and assumptions upon simulation accuracy. Stratification of the attic air was found to be a critical modeling characteristic which is typically ignored in building energy simulations. Both model and measurement results show that air stratification increases significantly when low-emittance surfaces are included.