Thermal Efficiency of External Walls Steel Buildings with Balconies

Abstract

The vertical enclosing structures of modern buildings are complex multilayer systems with inhomogeneous inclusions, which are “cold bridges” through which heat loss occurs from the building, significantly reducing its energy efficiency. In buildings with a steel frame, powerful “cold bridges” in the external fencing system are steel beams of balconies that extend beyond the warm contour of the building. This article presents the results of a study of the thermal efficiency of a multi-layer building enclosure based on a steel frame with a balcony. A fragment of the structure of a wall made of aerated concrete blocks and a hinged ventilated facade with cladding made of porcelain tiles at the location of the balcony console is examined. In the attachment point of the cantilever beam to the steel frame, a load-bearing heat-insulating connecting element developed by the authors is used. The assessment of the thermal properties of the wall structure under study was carried out based on a numerical calculation in a three-dimensional temperature field using the TEPL computational package. The analysis of 3D temperature fields allows to determine the temperature on the inner surface of the envelope and take account of its design features and heat-conducting inclusions, in the locations of which condensation may occur. Based on the results of numerical calculations in the TEPL computational package, the temperature distribution pattern in the structure was identified and the value of heat transfer resistance was obtained, considering heat loss on the selected heat exchange surfaces. It has been established that the use of a load-bearing thermal insulation structure in the “console-column” assembly makes it possible to eliminate the “cold bridge” in the wall and reduce the overall heat loss through the fence by (17–20) %.