Optimum Trombe wall thickness in the Mediterranean Tunisian context: An energetic and economic study

Abstract

Trombe walls figure among many passive devices used in the Mediterranean climate to minimize heating demands in residential buildings. The thickness of this massive wall is a critical parameter that influences the effectiveness of the system. Insufficient wall thickness conducts to an important interior temperature fluctuation, and huge wall thickness will increase costs and thermal resistance. In this paper, the optimum thickness of four different construction materials (concrete, stone, adobe, and brick), which can be used in the Trombe wall, was determined using an energetic and economic analysis. The energetic results with TRNSYS software show that the best materials, which can contribute to a reduction by 50% in heating loads of a single room, are stone and concrete. For the economic analysis, the life cycle cost and the payback period were calculated for each construction material. The results show that the optimum thickness for stone and concrete are, respectively, 34 and 32 cm with a payback period of 2.85 and 2.65 years.

Investigation of thermal and air efficiency in trombe wall of modular building

“…Although the operation of such devices is affected by external factors, such as wind pressure [39], the intensity of solar radiation, they still remain quite effective from the point of view of energy saving, since they do not require additional mechanisms for transporting the coolant. This is confirmed by a number of scientific works devoted to the modeling of thermal processes in the Trombe Wall [40][41][42][43][44], as well as the results of experimental studies that testify to the effectiveness of such structures throughout the year [45][46][47][48]. Currently, the use of such technologies in modular construction remains quite relevant, especially when there is a need to accommodate temporarily displaced people from regions of military operations or natural disasters.…”