Solar Atrium: a hybrid solar heating and cooling system

Technical Report · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6465889· OSTI ID:6465889

Solar Atrium is a hybrid system of solar heating and cooling consisting of a central atrium space having a south wall aperture with movable insulating/shading louvers and a rock thermal storage unit in the basement. In addition, the atrium contains an open pool which serves as thermal mass and a source of humidity. Back-up space heating and cooling is furnished by an air-to-air heat pump. Hot air is collected from the atrium ceiling and circulated by a fan through the rock bed and into the house duct system. A demonstration house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was designed, constructed, and monitored to test the concept. The project objective was to obtain thermal performance data for the house under normal occupancy conditions and to assess the concept with respect to functional and economic criteria. Temperatures, humidities, insolation, and electricity usage were monitored, and the results are discussed. Thermal performance is shown graphically. Construction cost for solar equipment is tabulated, and electric usage is tabulated month by month. Fuel consumption is compared to that for two conventional houses. (LEW)

• Research Organization: Ueland and Junker, Architects and Planners, Philadelphia, PA (USA); Drexel Univ., Philadelphia, PA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-77CS34135
• OSTI ID: 6465889
• Report Number(s): DOE/CS/34135-T4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140901* -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Space Heating & Cooling
AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS
AUXILIARY HEATING
BUILDINGS
COST
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
DESIGN
DIRECT GAIN SYSTEMS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
HEAT PUMPS
HEATING
HEATING SYSTEMS
HOUSES
HUMIDITY
INSOLATION
MONITORING
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
POWER DEMAND
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
ROCK BEDS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR HEATING
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
SOLAR SPACE HEATING
SPACE HEATING
TESTING