Equivalent Wall as a Dynamic Model of a Complex Thermal Structure

Abstract

The idea of the "thermally equivalent wall," the plane mul tilayer structure of dynamic characteristics similar to those for complex structure, in which three-dimensional heat flow occurs, is presented. The notion of structure factors is introduced and the conditions they impose on response factors are derived. Examples of complex structures are analyzed. For the same examples, thermally equivalent walls were generated. Response factors for the nominal complex structures were compared with the response factors for equivalent walls. The good accuracy in reproducing the response factors indicates that the "thermally equivalent wall" may be used as a sub stitute of a wall with thermal bridges in building design energy simulations.