I. Simões

In-Situ Thermal Resistance Evaluation of Walls Using an Iterative Dynamic Model

This paper proposes and validates, numerically and experimentally, an iterative model to evaluate the thermal resistance of multilayer walls in a dynamic state. The paper first presents the analytical solution for simulating heat conduction in the frequency domain. The model is then modified by assuming a single-layer wall with unknown thermal properties. A nonlinear system is obtained by imposing temperatures and fluxes on the external surfaces. This is solved using an iterative approach based on the Newton–Raphson method. Finally, the model is applied to evaluate the thermal resistance of a wall in real conditions.

Experimental Validation of Numerical Solutions Using the Explicit Green's Approach to Simulate Transient Heat Conduction in Multilayer Systems

This article presents an experimental validation of numerical solutions using the explicit Greens approach (ExGA) for transient heat conduction in multilayer systems. The ExGA is an efficient recurrence relationship for the temperature in the time domain, based on the Greens matrix, which allows explicit time marching with a larger time step than is required by other methods found in the literature without losing accuracy. The multilayer system used in the experimental validation is built by overlaying different materials. The systems were subjected to heat variations that were recorded over time using thermocouples, and these results were used for comparison.

Green’s Functions for Heat Conduction for Unbounded and Bounded Rectangular Spaces: Time and Frequency Domain Solutions

This paper presents a set of fully analytical solutions, together with explicit expressions, in the time and frequency domain for the heat conduction response of homogeneous unbounded and of bounded rectangular spaces (three-, two-, and one-dimensional spaces) subjected to point, line, and plane heat diffusion sources. Particular attention is given to the case of spatially sinusoidal, harmonic line sources. In the literature this problem is often referred to as the two-and-a-half-dimensional fundamental solution or 2.5D Green’s functions. These equations are very useful for formulating three-dimensional thermodynamic problems by means of integral transforms methods and/or boundary elements. The image source technique is used to build up different geometries such as half-spaces, corners, rectangular pipes, and parallelepiped boxes. The final expressions are verified here by applying the equations to problems for which the solution is known analytically in the time domain.

Thermographic inspection of external thermal insulation systems with mechanical fixing

An External Thermal Insulation Composite System (ETICS) kit may include anchors to mechanically fix the insulation product onto the wall. Using this option increases safety when compared to a simple bonded solution, however, it is more expensive and needs higher labor resources. The insulation product is then coated with rendering, which applied to the insulation material without any air gap. The rendering comprises one or more layers of coats with an embedded reinforcement. The most common multi-coat rendering system presents a base coat applied directly to the insulation product with a glass fiber mesh as reinforcement, followed by a second base coat, before a very thin coat (key coat) that prepares the surface to receive the finishing and decorative coat. The thickness of the rendering system may vary between around 5 to 10 mm. The higher thicknesses may be associated with a reinforcement composed by two layers of glass fiber mesh. The main purpose of this work is to apply infrared thermography (IRT) techniques to 2 ETICS solution (single or double layer of glass fiber mesh) and evaluate its capability in the detection of anchors. The reliability of IRT was tested using an ETICS configuration of expanded cork boards and a rendering system with one or two layers of glass fiber mesh. An active thermography approach was performed in laboratory conditions, in transmission and reflection mode. In the reflection mode halogen lamps and air heater were employed as the thermal stimulus. Air heater was also the source used in the transmission mode tests. The resulting data was processed in both time and frequency domains. In this last approach, phase contrast images were generated and studied.