Validation of Hygrothermal Simulations with Wall Performance Experiments in an Environmental Chamber

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is developing a web tool, built on a rule-based expert system, that aids stakeholders in designing energy-efficient moisture-durable walls. Currently, the tool’s expert system database is mostly populated with expert opinion, but work is being done to incorporate durabi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Salonvaara Mikael, Boudreaux Philip, Desjarlais Andre, Antretter Florian, Werling Eric
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: EDP Sciences 2020-01-01
Series:E3S Web of Conferences
Online Access:https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2020/32/e3sconf_nsb2020_04010.pdf
id doaj-44943e33faaa4e9887303724e986ef6a
record_format Article
spelling doaj-44943e33faaa4e9887303724e986ef6a2021-04-02T13:49:34ZengEDP SciencesE3S Web of Conferences2267-12422020-01-011720401010.1051/e3sconf/202017204010e3sconf_nsb2020_04010Validation of Hygrothermal Simulations with Wall Performance Experiments in an Environmental ChamberSalonvaara Mikael0Boudreaux Philip1Desjarlais Andre2Antretter Florian3Werling Eric4Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Building Envelopes and Urban SystemsOak Ridge National Laboratory, Building Envelopes and Urban SystemsOak Ridge National Laboratory, Building Envelopes and Urban SystemsFraunhofer Institute for Building PhysicsDepartment of EnergyOak Ridge National Laboratory is developing a web tool, built on a rule-based expert system, that aids stakeholders in designing energy-efficient moisture-durable walls. Currently, the tool’s expert system database is mostly populated with expert opinion, but work is being done to incorporate durability assessment based on stochastic hygrothermal modeling. Chamber experiments have been conducted to validate the hygrothermal models. The measured temperature and humidity have been compared with those predicted by the hygrothermal model. Experiments and comparison to one-dimensional hygrothermal modeling results were completed with two walls, a Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) based wall and a Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) based wall. The two walls were succumbed to typical Chicago weather in ORNL’s Heat, Air and Moisture chamber. The walls were sequentially exposed to different scenarios, including diffusion, wetting, air leakage and solar radiation. For the most part, the hygrothermal simulations can be successfully used to predict the performance of these wall systems for the moisture transport phenomenon. Errors between measured and simulated values decreased as measurements got closer to the interior side of the wall. The root mean square error was larger for relative humidity (up to 17.5%-RH for CMU) than for temperature (up to 4.5°C for CMU wall). The errors were larger for the CMU wall than the wood frame wall. The phenomenon, including liquid water, caused large discrepancies between measurement and simulation results, and simulated results showed slower drying of materials than measured results. The one-dimensional nature of the simulation model made simulating air leaks difficult but not impossible.https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2020/32/e3sconf_nsb2020_04010.pdf
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Salonvaara Mikael
Boudreaux Philip
Desjarlais Andre
Antretter Florian
Werling Eric
spellingShingle Salonvaara Mikael
Boudreaux Philip
Desjarlais Andre
Antretter Florian
Werling Eric
Validation of Hygrothermal Simulations with Wall Performance Experiments in an Environmental Chamber
E3S Web of Conferences
author_facet Salonvaara Mikael
Boudreaux Philip
Desjarlais Andre
Antretter Florian
Werling Eric
author_sort Salonvaara Mikael
title Validation of Hygrothermal Simulations with Wall Performance Experiments in an Environmental Chamber
title_short Validation of Hygrothermal Simulations with Wall Performance Experiments in an Environmental Chamber
title_full Validation of Hygrothermal Simulations with Wall Performance Experiments in an Environmental Chamber
title_fullStr Validation of Hygrothermal Simulations with Wall Performance Experiments in an Environmental Chamber
title_full_unstemmed Validation of Hygrothermal Simulations with Wall Performance Experiments in an Environmental Chamber
title_sort validation of hygrothermal simulations with wall performance experiments in an environmental chamber
publisher EDP Sciences
series E3S Web of Conferences
issn 2267-1242
publishDate 2020-01-01
description Oak Ridge National Laboratory is developing a web tool, built on a rule-based expert system, that aids stakeholders in designing energy-efficient moisture-durable walls. Currently, the tool’s expert system database is mostly populated with expert opinion, but work is being done to incorporate durability assessment based on stochastic hygrothermal modeling. Chamber experiments have been conducted to validate the hygrothermal models. The measured temperature and humidity have been compared with those predicted by the hygrothermal model. Experiments and comparison to one-dimensional hygrothermal modeling results were completed with two walls, a Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) based wall and a Concrete Masonry Unit (CMU) based wall. The two walls were succumbed to typical Chicago weather in ORNL’s Heat, Air and Moisture chamber. The walls were sequentially exposed to different scenarios, including diffusion, wetting, air leakage and solar radiation. For the most part, the hygrothermal simulations can be successfully used to predict the performance of these wall systems for the moisture transport phenomenon. Errors between measured and simulated values decreased as measurements got closer to the interior side of the wall. The root mean square error was larger for relative humidity (up to 17.5%-RH for CMU) than for temperature (up to 4.5°C for CMU wall). The errors were larger for the CMU wall than the wood frame wall. The phenomenon, including liquid water, caused large discrepancies between measurement and simulation results, and simulated results showed slower drying of materials than measured results. The one-dimensional nature of the simulation model made simulating air leaks difficult but not impossible.
url https://www.e3s-conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2020/32/e3sconf_nsb2020_04010.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT salonvaaramikael validationofhygrothermalsimulationswithwallperformanceexperimentsinanenvironmentalchamber
AT boudreauxphilip validationofhygrothermalsimulationswithwallperformanceexperimentsinanenvironmentalchamber
AT desjarlaisandre validationofhygrothermalsimulationswithwallperformanceexperimentsinanenvironmentalchamber
AT antretterflorian validationofhygrothermalsimulationswithwallperformanceexperimentsinanenvironmentalchamber
AT werlingeric validationofhygrothermalsimulationswithwallperformanceexperimentsinanenvironmentalchamber
_version_ 1721563809264435200