A novel tool for the prediction of earth-contact heat transfer: a multi-room simulation

This paper reports a new simulation method for the prediction of earth-cont act heat transfer. The new method claims to be fast, accurate and flexible by means of incorporating elements of the response factor method into a num erical method based on the finite volume technique. More specifically, the development of the method is presented and implemented for a general multi- room structure. Work undertaken so far shows that the current combination o f the finite volume and response factor techniques is at its most useful wh en the new tool is used in a parametric analysis process. Initially, a 'pre -processing' procedure is utilized to generate a certain number of simulate d hours for use as a time series by the response factor technique in the se cond stage of the method. Assuming that the earth-contact parameters then r emain constant, every subsequent simulation in which the non-earth-contact parameters are varied can incorporate the earth-contact heat transfer effic iently, by the use of the response factor technique. which takes a few seco nds. Very good agreement has been achieved between a three-dimensional fini te volume model and the present method, for a typical multi-room slab-on-gr ound floor, coupled with dramatically improved run times which is essential for the rapid parametric analysis of a structure.