The decremented average ground-temperature method for predicting the thermal performance of underground walls

Conference · Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983 · ASHRAE Trans.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6772042

Ackridge, J M; Poulos, J F.J.

At present, the only accurate method for predicting the thermal performance of underground structures is through the use of large computer models and finite difference equations. Due to the prohibitively high cost of setting up and running these computer models, thermal analysis of subsurface buildings is inaccessible to many prospective users. The existing manual methods for calculating loads on underground buildings provide only rough estimates of thermal performance. All of the existing manual methods ignore the effect of the building on the adjacent ground temperature during an annual cycle, resulting in conservative estimates of the building's heating performance and optimistic estimates of the cooling performance. This paper presents a manual calculation method for accurately predicting the thermal performance of underground walls and gives a table of DECREMENT FACTORS which account for the decreasing thermal loss from underground walls over time.

• Research Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
• OSTI ID: 6772042
• Report Number(s): CONF-830640-
• Journal Information: ASHRAE Trans.; (United States), Vol. 89; Conference: ASHRAE conference, Washington, DC, USA, 26 Jun 1983
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
BUILDINGS
WALLS
HEAT LOSSES
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
CALCULATION METHODS
COMPUTER CALCULATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
THERMAL INSULATION
UNDERGROUND
EFFICIENCY
ENERGY LOSSES
ITERATIVE METHODS
LEVELS
LOSSES
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
SIMULATION
320103* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- School
Municipal
& Other Public Buildings- (-1987)