Thermal performance of clean horizontal radiant barriers under winter conditions: Laboratory measurements and mathematical modeling

Conference · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:6963070

Wilkes, K E; Childs, P W

Several field experiments have been performed on attic radiant barriers under winter conditions; however, most of them have been confined to the fairly mild climates of Florida, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Only one field experiment in a very cold climate (Canada) has been performed. In addition, no previous laboratory experiments under winter conditions have been performed on an attic both with and without a radiant barrier. This paper presents the results of laboratory measurements of the thermal performance of clean horizontal radiant barriers in a simulated residential attic module under nighttime or low solar gain daytime winter conditions. Comparing tests under the same conditions with and without a radiant barrier shows that the addition of a clean horizontal radiant barrier to insulation at the R-22 to R-25 level decreases the ceiling heat flow by 6 to 8%. The experimental results were found to be in very good agreement with predictions made with a mathematical model for the thermal performance of attics.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6963070
• Report Number(s): CONF-930118-1; ON: DE92017132
• Resource Relation: Conference: Winter meeting of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers, Chicago, IL (United States), 23-27 Jan 1993
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
PERFORMANCE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
THERMAL BARRIERS
ATTICS
CEILINGS
COMPILED DATA
CONVECTION
FLORIDA
HEAT TRANSFER
LOAD ANALYSIS
OKLAHOMA
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
TENNESSEE
THERMAL CONDUCTION
THERMAL INSULATION
BUILDINGS
DATA
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ENERGY TRANSFER
FEDERAL REGION VI
INFORMATION
MASS TRANSFER
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
USA
320107* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Building Systems- (1987-)