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Internally "conditioned" Cavity Windows (not double skin facade)

asked 2017-09-26 17:04:51 -0500

updated 2017-09-27 19:20:52 -0500

We have a case to model where the office windows will have 1-2 inch cavity between 2 glass panels, and instead of a glass fill (like Argon or anything) we will have supply air pipes through the mullions. These pipes will basically act as "air curtains" where they will supply the cold air during the summers, and hot air during the winters.

I already have looked into the previous (as per my knowledge), and I wasn't able to find anything like this.

If anyone has any experience, comments, feedback etc, please feel free to share. I am not able to figure out how to model this either in Openstudio or EnergyPlus. Any feedback on "work around" will also be helpful.

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What is supplying the air through the mullions?

yungahhh's avatar yungahhh  ( 2017-09-26 17:36:52 -0500 )edit

Mullions will act as diffusers.

Harshul Singhal's avatar Harshul Singhal  ( 2017-09-26 17:50:57 -0500 )edit

What's significantly different about this design than a double facade? It seems the same in principal.

Jim Dirkes's avatar Jim Dirkes  ( 2017-09-26 18:59:42 -0500 )edit

I'd suggest updating your initial question with more detail as you laid out in the unmet hours slack channel.

mdahlhausen's avatar mdahlhausen  ( 2017-09-28 15:51:22 -0500 )edit

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answered 2017-09-29 14:43:10 -0500

kwalkerman's avatar

It sounds like you are trying to accomplish something similar to return air integrated into lighting systems. In those systems, the conductive heat from the lights is captured by the return airstream, and does not enter the space. With your window system, you will be doing the same thing. The major difference is that by using the cavity between the two panes of glass, you are eliminating the insulating properties of this air gap. If you would otherwise use single pane glass, then you might see some energy benefits.

In regards to how to model it - you can use EnergyPlus's "airflow windows" to model airflow. See the example file AirflowWindowsAndBetweenGlassShades.idf

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Thanks @kwalkerman
Yes, I have used this airflow windows component by moving my energy model from OS to EnergyPlus. Much appreciated!

Harshul Singhal's avatar Harshul Singhal  ( 2017-09-29 14:45:27 -0500 )edit

EP 8.7 documentation http://bigladdersoftware.com/epx/docs... Also, as of OpenStudio 2.3.0, this object is not available in the API so would require an EnergyPlus measure to add to an OS model.

MatthewSteen's avatar MatthewSteen  ( 2017-09-29 14:52:30 -0500 )edit
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answered 2017-09-28 08:16:02 -0500

Dinosaver's avatar

Regardless of design question "why on Earth do you need to do this..?" the only thing you do is controlling the temperature of the air between the panes. What in return changes the U-value of the window. If the flow is enough to neglect the changes in air temperature: U'=Uglas(Tglas-Tin)/(Tout-Tin) This equation represents the energy balance from space point of view - we don't consider the amount of energy to support needed Tglas. Then, as I see, there is only one way to model variable U-value - to change surface convection coefficient by EMS actuator. Or to create a set of simple glazing systems with a range of possible U-values and apply their constructions by the same EMS actuator for construction stage. In any way you will have much more research tasks than real results.

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I appreciate your feedback. For your question "why on Earth do you need to do this..?", I will reach back on the forum when I am done with it.

Harshul Singhal's avatar Harshul Singhal  ( 2017-09-28 08:55:07 -0500 )edit

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Asked: 2017-09-26 17:04:51 -0500

Seen: 2,981 times

Last updated: Sep 29 '17