Numerical Analysis of the Preheating Performance of a Glazed Corridor in an Office Building

摘要

One of the solutions traditionally employed to reduce the energy consumption of a building is to collect solar radiation. The so-called "suspended glazed corridor" has been developing such task for many years, but nowadays new challenges (climate change and fossil-fuel sources depletion) arise, increasing the need for reviewing its "green-building" capabilities. This element makes use of both direct and indirect solar gain. It is formed by a south-facing glazed wall, exposed to solar radiation, and an intermediate space (corridor) where an air mass flow is established. This air draft can be used to heat the adjacent rooms. In this paper, a numerical simulation of the flow field inside a glazed corridor is presented. From the results, several trends can be drawn out, establishing valuable design criteria that could help to improve the energy efficiency of buildings conceived with a corridor.