Numerical study on a low energy architecture based upon distributed heat storage system

Basic performance of a hybrid heating system was investigated numerically t hrough several case studies including examinations of effects of PCM as a h eat storing materials. A simple test room assuming passive utilization of s olar energy was used with a thermal storage wall (Trombe wall) inside it. U nsteady simulation was performed with a CFD code developed by authors. As t he outdoor conditions, standardized weather data of Sapporo city, a cold cl imate district in Japan, were used. In the simulation, the room air was con trolled with the heater operations setting the target air temperature at 18 degree Celsius. Simulated results indicate the effectiveness of PCM and su ggest the possibility of developing low energy houses with hybrid system in troduced in this study. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.