Zonal air exchange rate of a passive solar house and resultant sensible air heat transfer

Abstract

A passive solar house was constructed in Alice, South Africa as a prototype for low-cost energy-efficient housing. Minimum air exchange rate was adopted to minimise heat transfer between the inner and ambient environment of the house. The aim of this study is to investigate the air exchange rate and sensible air heat transfer in a passive solar house. The tracer gas technique was used where CO2 was consecutively injected into the various zones of the house. The CO2 concentration was measured using a Non-Dispersion Infrared gas sensor, and the air change rate (ACH) in each zone was evaluated via the CO2 decay rate. Auxiliary parameters were also monitored, such as indoor air temperature, ambient air temperature, wind speed and direction. Zone 1 had the maximum ACH of 2.27 h−1 with all ventilation components open. The corresponding sensible air heat transfer was 275.59 W. With all ventilation components closed, the whole house’s ACH was found to be within the recommended domestic level. The windows were also found to have a significant impact on the ACH, resulting in a daily cumulative heat loss of 0.196 kWh/m2. Hence, proper operation of windows is recommended to minimise indoor thermal load without compromising comfort.

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