From gcp@taynet.co.uk Mon Mar 25 22:47:31 EST 1996
Article: 640 of alt.solar.thermal
Path: newz.oit.unc.edu!concert!rutgers!news.iag.net!news.math.psu.edu!news.cac.psu.edu!psuvm!news.cuny.edu!news.sprintlink.net!news-dc.gsl.net!news-paris.gsl.net!news.taynet.co.uk!usenet
From: gcp@taynet.co.uk (gcp)
Newsgroups: sci.energy,sci.engr.heat-vent-ac,alt.solar.thermal,alt.architecture.alternative,alt.home.repair,bit.listserv.geodesic
Subject: Re: A zero-fossil-fuel studio?
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 1996 20:21:26 GMT
Organization: Taynet
Lines: 38
Message-ID: <4icjc7$d0i@homer.taynet.co.uk>
References: <4gv6k9$gt3@vu-vlsi.ee.vill.edu> <4hoe41$om5@newsbf02.news.aol.com> <4hvgot$148@nntp.interaccess.com> <4i2i02$2ro@spot.y
NNTP-Posting-Host: modem86.taynet.co.uk
X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.0.82
Xref: newz.oit.unc.edu sci.energy:47432 sci.engr.heat-vent-ac:5671 alt.solar.thermal:640 alt.architecture.alternative:6436 alt.home.repair:20459 bit.listserv.geodesic:4415

nick@vu-vlsi.ee.vill.edu (Nick Pine) wrote:

>And when you mention "successful" direct gain solar mass walls do you mean
>Trombe walls?

>A few years ago, I spent some time explaining to a local architect, a more
>technical person than most, who had taken a few engineering courses on the
>way to architecting, that a "Trombe wall" with some dark-colored insulation
>on the outside and an air gap between the insulation and glazing and some
>to the inside of the house that opened up during the day was a lot more
>efficient at collecting and keeping solar heat in the house than a plain old
>"traditional" Trombe wall, with masonry right behind the glass, with no
>insulation.

An alternative method is to use transparent insulation material (TIM).
This is a honeycomb structure of transparent polycarbonate, somewhat
like drinking straws at right angles to the wall stuck together  to
form a slab, but stoppered to prevent air convection (sounds like
polar bear fur!).
There is no air flow - heat flow to interior is by conduction - and
temperature control is by external blinds (to stop overheating on
summer days and reduce losses at night).

Construction goes:

low-iron content glass/cavity with motorised blind/TIM/backing sheet
of transparent polycarbonate/cavity (to minimise conduction, closed
horizontally at intervals to minimise air circulation/dense wall with
heat absorbing surface.

This is a bit complex;  however direct solar radiation is not
necessary. It is indicated a well insulated house could have its
entire space heating demand met by a 50m2 TIM wall.

There were several papers presented on this at the
2nd European Conference on Architecture, 4-8 Dec '89, Paris.





