Cooling season energy measurements of dust and ventilation effects on radiant barriers
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville, TN (USA)
Cooling season tests were conducted in three unoccupied ranch-style houses in Karns, Tennessee, to determine the effects on attic radiant barrier performance incurred by changes in attic ventilation area ratio, attic ventilation type, and the buildup of dust on horizontal radiant barriers. All three houses had R-19 fiberglass batt insulation in their attics. Horizontal radiant barriers were artificially dusted and the dusted barriers showed measurable performance degradations, although the dusted barriers were still superior to no radiant barriers. Dust loadings of 0.34 and 0.74 mg/cm{sup 2} reduced a clean radiant barrier surface emissivity of 0.055 to 0.125 and 0.185, respectively. Total house cooling load increases amounted to 2.3 and 8.4% compared to house loads with clean horizontal barriers, respectively. When compared to R-19 with no horizontal radiant barrier conditions, the dusted horizontal radiant barriers reduced cooling loads by about 7%. 18 refs., 18 figs., 30 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE/CE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 7074598
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/M-1067; ON: DE90007190
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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