SIMULATED THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF A SOLAR-HEATED FLOOR

A low cost, simple solar heating system consisting of an active collec tor with an In-Floor Heat Distribution and Storage (IFHDS) system was developed in response to the energy crisis of the 1970s. A two-dimensi onal finite difference model was developed and used to simulate the pe rformance of IFHDS system cross-sections. Simulation runs were conduct ed with a steady-periodic model for the temperature of the solar-heate d air in the IFHDS system cross-section. The steady periodic simulatio n results indicated IFHDS system energy efficiency increases with decr easing air temperature in the room above the IFHDS system, peak temper ature of the solar-heated air in the IFHDS system cross-section, and r equired temperature of the IFHDS system floor surface. The results als o indicated that energy efficiency increases as thermal storage mass t hickness decreases. The thermal storage mass thickness should be the m inimum necessary to meet the requirements for maximum permissible dail y floor surface temperature fluctuation, or time lag between time of p eak, solar-heated air temperature in the IFHDS system cross-section an d time of peak floor surface temperature.