Study of different configurations of solar chimney to improve comfort inside shipping containers
Thales de Freitas Villas-Bôas1; Felipe Person Malta1; Jose Luiz Furtado Gouveia2; Cyro Albuquerque1
1 Centro Universitário da FEI; 2 Contain'it
doi:10.20906/CPS/COB-2015-0661
Resumo
Shipping containers become an easy way to build an internal environment. If occupied in warm climates, thermal discomfort usually occurs. The wall of a container is folded, and if a flat plane is placed against the inner side of it, cavities can be formed. These cavities can be used as solar chimneys if the bottom is opened to the inner side, and the top is opened to the outside. The aim of this work is to investigate some design parameters. One is the difference between using a metallic plate with an insulation to form the cavity or just an insulation in the air flow and heat transfer. Other is the influence of the air inlet and outlet dimensions in the air flow. To answer these questions, an experimental apparatus was built with one cavity. Electric heaters were used to warm the outside wall. Air velocity and temperature were measures at several heights. The results revealed that the use of a metallic plate while forming the cavity reduces the heat lost through the insulation in about 41%, and increases the air flow in about 15%. For the outlet, the results show that the height of the exit might be as small as 50 mm without affecting the air flow. For the inlet, no significant difference in the air flow was found even with the smaller tested height of 20 mm.
Palavras-chave: Solar Chimney; Shipping Container; Natural Convection; Solar Energy; Thermal Comfort