WATERWALL PROTOTYPE FOR PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING RETROFIT APPLICATIONS

摘要

This paper presents the experimental results obtained after measuring the thermal conditions produced by a water-wall prototype specifically designed for passive solar heating retrofits in suburban residential buildings. The water-wall prototype was installed into an existing test-cell for performance testing during the months of February - September of 2013. The water-wall test-cell was compared to a 'twin' test-cell running a direct gain strategy. During the period measured, daytime indoor operative temperatures within the direct gain spiked between 6 - 8 F° above those found inside the water-wall test-cell. Conversely, during the night, the direct gain strategy experienced indoor operative temperatures 5 - 7 F° cooler than those found inside the water-wall test-cell. The more stable indoor temperature conditions found within the water-wall test-cell produced a more comfortable environment when compared to the conditions found within the direct gain test-cell. Based on the experimental results and cost of the system, a return on investment of 9.5 years was calculated for a 2,000 ft~2 home in Las Vegas, NV.