Evaluating Water-Based Trombe Walls as a Source of Heated Water for Building Applications

Abstract

In this chapter the potential to use water-based Trombe walls to provide heated water for building applications during the summer months is investigated. Design Builder software is used to model a simple single-story building with a south-facing Trombe wall. The effects of using different thermal storage mediums within the Trombe wall on building heating loads during the winter and building cooling loads during the summer are modeled. The amount of thermal energy stored and temperature of water within the thermal storage medium during hot weather conditions were also simulated. On a sunny day on Toronto, Canada, the average temperature of the water in a Trombe wall integrated into a single-story building can reach ∼57°C, which is high enough to provide for the main hot water usages in buildings. Furthermore, the amount of water heated is three times greater than that required in an average household in Canada. The results from this work suggest that water-based Trombe walls have great potential to enhance the flexibility and utility of Trombe walls by providing heated water for building applications during summer months, without compromising performance during winter months.

Citation

Singh, H., Massah, F. and O'Brien, P.G. (2023), "Evaluating Water-Based Trombe Walls as a Source of Heated Water for Building Applications", Ting, D.S.-K. and Stagner, J.A. (Ed.) Pragmatic Engineering and Lifestyle, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 61-90. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80262-997-220231004