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Application of thermally anisotropic composite materials coupled with a heat sink/source can redirect and reduce heat flows through a building envelope (walls and roofs). This has the potential to significantly reduce envelope-generated heating and cooling energy consumption in buildings.
Description
In building envelope systems, thermal management is important from energy conservation and thermal comfort perspectives. Thermal management to reduce or eliminate unwanted heat flows through the opaque building envelope sections (walls, roof and foundation) has traditionally been done via insulation, thermal mass, solar control and shading, for example. This technology optimizes design for an anisotropic thermal management system for building envelopes to significantly reduce heating and cooling loads and peak demand. The design sandwiches high conductive material in between resistive insulation layers, then connects that conductive layer to a heat source or heat sink. This redirects the heat. Rather than the heat going all the through the building envelope, part of it will be diverted through these metal layers, because that is the least resistive path for heat flow. So instead of going through the wall, the heat transfer goes through the metal layer to the sink or source. This saves on energy use and cost, and will work for the whole wall or roof assembly of a building.
Benefits
- Dynamic control of heating and cooling loads
- Does not require additional space, as does insulation
- Reduces energy use, peak demand, and cost
- Potential to store thermal energy under various weather conditions
Applications and Industries
- Building and construction industries
- Metal industry
- Prefabricated building industries
