A Numerical Study to Determine the Effect of an Insulator Location on the Transient Heat Transfer
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Department of Mechanical Technology/Technical Institute of Karbala, Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, Kerbela University, College of Engineering, Mechanical Department, Kerbela, Iraq
Corresponding author
Hayder J. Kurji
University of Kerbala, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Department, Kerbala, Iraq
J. Ecol. Eng. 2023; 24(10):105-114
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ABSTRACT
Given the importance of thermal insulation in the walls of buildings to provide both electrical energy and thermal comfort in different weathers. In this research, the ANSYS-14 simulation program was used, considered one of the programs used to evaluate the thermal behaviour of buildings, considering the effect of weather changes and building components during the steady and unsteady heat transfer of a composite wall from several layers. The simulation program was used for four types of insulation inside the wall with different thermal properties (Glass-Fiber Slab, Polyurethane Board, Hardboard (Medium) and Softwoods). A model was built for a traditional wall without an insulator and a model for a traditional wall that contains an insulator in different locations (from the outside, in the middle, and from the inside). Also, the model was isolated from the top and bottom surfaces, and each insulation material was applied in three locations in the wall. The conventional composite wall was exposed to a constant thermal load of 60 ° C from the outside, and the inside wall was exposed to a thermal load of 25 ° C This study focused on three steps. The first step is to know the best type of the four thermal insulators used in this study.
The second step was to evaluate the best location of the insulator in the wall. The third step included the results of the previous two steps through which the best insulator was chosen and the best location in the wall. Three values of insulator thickness (2, 5 and 8) cm were used. Through the results of the study, it was found that placing the insulator on the outside of the wall plays a large role in reducing the rate of unsteady heat transfer and that its effect decreases by approaching the steady state, as it does not affect it in the case of the total steady state.