Development of a spectral integral method for analyzing solar effects through windows on indoor thermal comfort

Nan Wang, Yanxiao Feng, Julian Wang

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

The interaction among the spectral characteristics of solar radiation, windows, and human skins may affect indoor thermal comfort. For analyzing such shortwave solar effects through windows on indoor thermal comfort, a more explicit method taking spectral features into account is indispensable. We built this new calculation methodology, called spectral integral method, upon a previous work that was mainly used to transfer the shortwave solar effect into the equivalent longwave effect to calculate indoor thermal comfort with the Predicted Mean Vote. Compared with the previous ones centered in the constant and simplified radiometric quantities, the uniqueness of this method is to provide the underlying radiometric calculation with the detailed and precise spectral contents and their variations of radiation sources, mediums, and receivers details. We adopted solar irradiance data from 8:00 to 18:00 with an interval of one hour in Denver, Colorado in a case study to verify the necessity of the spectral integral method relative to the constant method. The Predicted Mean Vote values with constant and spectral integral methods were then compared. The result of this work shows that using the spectral integral method could lead to quite different decisions of estimating indoor thermal comfort in some circumstances in terms of solar intensities and solar positions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAmerican Solar Energy Society National Solar Conference 2020 Proceedings
EditorsPaulette Middleton, Elaine Hebert, Dara Bortman, Robert Foster, Carly Cipolla, Carly Rixham
PublisherInternational Solar Energy Society
Pages74-79
Number of pages6
ISBN (Electronic)9783982040844
StatePublished - 2020
Externally publishedYes
EventAmerican Solar Energy Society National Solar Conference 2020, SOLAR 2020 - Virtual, Online
Duration: Jun 24 2020Jun 25 2020

Publication series

NameAmerican Solar Energy Society National Solar Conference 2020 Proceedings

Conference

ConferenceAmerican Solar Energy Society National Solar Conference 2020, SOLAR 2020
CityVirtual, Online
Period6/24/206/25/20

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment

Keywords

  • Building windows
  • Indoor thermal comfort
  • Mean radiant temperature
  • Solar radiation
  • Spectral integral method

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