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Thermal Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Buildings

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A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 7370

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jiying Liu

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Guest Editor

School of Thermal Engineering, Shandong Jianzhu University, Jinan 250101, China
Interests: building energy conservation; CFD; ground source heat pump; radiant floor heating/cooling system; urban thermal environment; building energy use; indoor air quality; ventilation; HVAC; outdoor thermal environment; air pollution; thermal comfort
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Dr. Jie Deng

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil Engineering, Surveying and Construction Management, School of Engineering and the Environment, Kingston University London, Penrhyn Road, Surrey, Kingston Upon Thames KT1 2EE, UK
Interests: building and construction technology; low-carbon and sustainable building designs; building performance modelling and simulation; building thermal energy systems; low-temperature solar thermal applications; solar collector dynamic models; solar seasonal thermal storages; PCM heat storage; solar PV potential assessment; urban thermal environment; urban tree cooling effects; air-source and ground-source heat pumps; compact heat exchangers

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The built environment is closely related to our daily lives with the provision of shelter, comfort of occupants, spaces for work, leisure, and living. To develop sustainable built environments in terms of energy cost efficiency and comfort of occupants, it is imperative to focus on thermal fluid flow and heat transfer in buildings, which is now a topical theme in this context. This involves an in-depth understanding of thermo-physical processes via building envelopes, heat dissipation by internal heat sources, air infiltration and ventilation in buildings, efficiency and operation strategies of building energy supply systems, occupants behavior, and so on. The fundamental principles of related thermal fluid flow and heat transfer need to be addressed, with a view to optimizing the thermal conditions and reducing energy consumption in building operation.

The Special Issue seeks to offer valuable insights into the related areas through brainstorming. It is expected to showcase effective integrated design solutions that can enhance energy efficiency and the well-being of occupants for sustainable development, as well as to address the challenges in some potential solutions. We welcome various types of articles reporting original, pioneering research that reveals pertinent aspects of Thermal Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Buildings by experimental tests, theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. Topics of interests for publication include, but are not limited to:

Modeling and simulation of heat transfer in buildings;
Sustainable building designs;
Energy-efficient HVAC systems;
Building performance tests and simulations;
Thermal comfort in buildings;
Indoor air quality in buildings;
Integration of renewable energy systems in buildings;
Innovative materials and technologies for thermal enhancement;
Building thermal energy system and management;
Case studies on energy-efficient building retrofits or new construction projects.

Dr. Jiying Liu
Dr. Jie Deng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

thermal fluid
fluid flow
heat transfer
conduction
convection
radiation
built environment
energy efficiency
sustainable building
ventilation
air distribution
thermal comfort
occupant well-being
HVAC
building retrofit
building envelope
thermal management
CFD
building simulation
case studies

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 7729 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Fast-Calibrated Computational Fluid Dynamic Model for Timber–Concrete Composite Ventilated Façades

by Sofia Pastori, Mohammed-Sadegh Salehi, Stefan Radl and Enrico Sergio Mazzucchelli

Buildings 2024, 14(11), 3567; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113567 - 9 Nov 2024

Viewed by 538

Abstract

Timber–concrete composite (TCC) systems join the positive aspects of engineered wood products (good seismftaic behaviour, low thermal conductivity, environmental sustainability, good behaviour under fire if appropriately designed) with those of concrete (high thermal inertia, durability, excellent fire resistance). TCC facades are typically composed of an internal insulated timber-frame wall and an external concrete slab, separated by a ventilated air cavity. However, there is very limited knowledge concerning the performance of TCC facades, especially concerning their thermal behaviour. The present paper deals with the development and optimization of a 2D Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model for the analysis of TCC ventilated façades’ thermal behaviour. The model is calibrated and validated against experimental data collected during the annual monitoring of a real TCC ventilated envelope in the north of Italy. Also, a new solver algorithm is developed to significantly speed up the simulation (i.e., 45 times faster simulation at an error below 3.5 °C compared to a typical CFD solver). The final model can be used for the time-efficient analysis (simulation time of approximately 23 min for a full day in real-time) and the optimization of the thermal performance of TCC ventilated facades, as well as other ventilated facades with external massive cladding. Our simulation strategy partially avoids the expensive and time-consuming construction of mock-ups, or the use of comparably slow (conventional) CFD solvers that are less suitable for optimization studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Buildings)

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24 pages, 57405 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Field Study on Winter Thermal Comfort of Occupants of Nursing Homes in Shandong Province, China

by Ninghan Sun, Xin Ding, Jialin Bi and Yanqiu Cui

Buildings 2024, 14(9), 2881; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14092881 - 12 Sep 2024

Viewed by 471

Abstract

The increasing population aging in China has led to a growing demand for nursing homes. The indoor thermal comfort of nursing homes affects the occupants’ quality of life, building energy consumption, and carbon emissions. This study used thermal comfort questionnaires, environment tests, and physiological parameter tests to conduct a field survey of 954 occupants (including the elderly and the adult staff) in nursing homes in Shandong Province, China, and analyzed the thermal comfort of occupants. Results showed that in Shandong Province, there was a significant difference in thermal sensation between the elderly and adults under the same conditions. The neutral temperatures for the elderly and adults were 21.7 and 20.5 °C, the comfort temperature ranges were 19.4–24.0 °C and 18.6–22.5 °C, and the preferred temperatures were 23.8 and 23.1 °C, respectively. The elderly prefer higher temperatures than adults. Personal clothing insulation was significantly negatively correlated with operative temperature. Occupants’ average skin temperature was significantly positively correlated with operative temperature and mean thermal sensation votes. Based on the simulation results of building energy consumption and carbon emissions, this paper proposes design strategies for nursing homes that balance thermal comfort and energy savings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Buildings)

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16 pages, 9994 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Numerical Investigation of the Influence of Diffuser Vane Height on Hydraulic Loss in the Volute for a Centrifugal Water Supply Pump

by Zhen Liu, Xiangyuan Zhu, Jiying Liu, Moon Keun Kim and Wei Jiang

Buildings 2024, 14(8), 2296; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14082296 - 24 Jul 2024

Viewed by 671

Abstract

The energy efficiency of water supply systems in high-rise residential buildings has become a significant concern for sustainable development in recent times. This work presents a numerical investigation on the influence of diffuser vane height on flow variation and hydraulic loss in the volute for a water supply centrifugal pump. Experiments and numerical simulations were conducted with four different vane height ratios. The numerical results were validated against experimental data. The hydraulic losses of different flow components were numerically evaluated at varying guide vane blade heights. The changes in flow patterns within the volute and the resulting discrepancies in hydraulic losses due to variations in the inlet flow conditions at different blade heights were studied. The findings indicate that the total pressure drop within the volute is affected significantly. Compared to traditional guide vanes, the reduced height vanes can reduce the hydraulic loss in the volute by nearly 75%. Once the vane height is reduced, the high-pressure gradient is improved, and the small-scale vortex vanishes. The influence area of the large-scale vortex in the volute outlet pipe decreases, leading to a weakening of the deflection of the main flow and ultimately resulting in reduced hydraulic loss. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Buildings)

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12 pages, 2678 KiB

Open AccessArticle

System Optimization and Operating Strategy of Single-Stage Air Source Heat Pump with Thermal Storage to Reduce Wind Power Curtailment

by Qianyue Ren, Chuang Gao and Jie Jia

Buildings 2024, 14(7), 1993; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14071993 - 1 Jul 2024

Viewed by 759

Abstract

Wind power generation has increased in China to achieve the target of decreasing CO₂ emissions by 2050, but there are high levels of wind curtailment due to the mismatch between electricity supply and demand. This paper proposes a single-stage air source heat pump coupled with thermal storage for building heating purposes. The main objective is to find the proper system designs and operating strategy, which can help to avoid peak demand periods while obtaining minimized running costs and reduced wind energy curtailment. Dynamic simulations were performed using TRNSYS to investigate its use in a typical office building based on an actual electricity tariff, wind power, and meteorological data. The proper system designs, including the tank size and thermal storage temperature, were determined to maximize the system’s performance. It was found that a proper combination of the two parameters exists for a specific application. Further, results showed that the use of auxiliary electric heating is necessary for single-stage air source heat pumps to participate in a wind curtailment reduction. The operating strategy of the system was also studied. Results indicate that by implementing a proper operating strategy, non-renewable power consumption can be reduced by 11% for the studied building, with a total wind power utilization of 3348 kWh during the heating season while still satisfying the heating demands of users. These findings can contribute to the green and low-carbon development of the building industry and further enhance the grid’s accommodation capacity for renewable energy sources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Buildings)

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17 pages, 9238 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Slope on Smoke Characteristics of Natural Ventilation Tunnel with Shafts

by Chenchen Liang, Zhongyuan Yuan, Haoyu Qu and Nanyang Yu

Buildings 2024, 14(7), 1963; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14071963 - 28 Jun 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 713

Abstract

Tunnels with natural ventilation and extraction have become the focus of ventilation research in recent years. It is significant to study the characteristics of smoke in tunnel fires to ensure the safety of people and the tunnel structure. Previous research has mainly focused on natural ventilation in horizontal tunnels, and there are few studies on sloped tunnels. In this paper, we studied the smoke characteristics of natural ventilation extraction in slope tunnel fires both experimentally and theoretically. The small-scale experimental results showed that the position of the fire source, heat release rate (HRR), and the size of the shaft had little effect on the deflection angle of the fire plume. The deflection angle of fire plume was only related to the tunnel slope and increased with the tunnel slope. The slope had no effect on the smoke temperature distribution on the downside of the tunnel, while the smoke temperature on the upside decreased with the increase in the slope. The calculation models of the maximum smoke temperature rise and the smoke temperature distribution were obtained based on the experimental results and theoretical analysis. Compared with the experimental data, the developed semi-empirical models could provide a reliable prediction of smoke temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Buildings)

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21 pages, 5912 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Modified Ventilation Network on the Ventilation Effect and Ozone Migration Characteristics in Grain Pile

by Kaimin Yang, Fengjiao Chu, Jiabin Li, Yuancheng Wang, Xiaoqian Dong, Jiying Liu and Yudong Mao

Buildings 2024, 14(3), 604; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030604 - 24 Feb 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 971

Abstract

Grain is an important material for human survival. However, the expanding world population is contributing to a growing grain shortage. In order to reduce the loss of grain due to pests and mold during storage, mechanical ventilation as the main method of ventilation has crucial research significance. This article proposed and analyzed the ventilation effect and the migration characteristics of ozone in the grain pile under the modified ventilation network (MVN) and compared it with the original ventilation network (OVN). The study found that the temperature, moisture, and ozone concentration in the grain pile of the two ventilation networks are not evenly distributed in the vertical direction, showing a layered pattern. That is, with an increase in grain stack height, the temperature and moisture content of the grain stack are higher, and the ozone concentration is lower. Moreover, in the pre-ventilation period, the average temperature decline rate of the MVN was 1.25 °C/d, which was better than that of the OVN (0.84 °C/d), and the maximum temperature difference between the MVN and the OVN was 0.89 °C. The vertical ducts added to the MVN improved the ventilation effect, maintaining high ozone concentrations within the grain pile. Notably, on the sixth day of fumigation, the average ozone concentration of the MVN exceeded that of the OVN. The MVN can solve the shortcomings of the OVN, where air intake and fumigation gas rise slowly in the vertical direction. These findings hold substantial significance for optimizing ventilation network structures, devising effective fumigation strategies, and enhancing the insecticidal effects of grain storage. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Buildings)

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22 pages, 12346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

CFD Analysis for a New Trombe Wall Concept

by Alexandru Mihai Bulmez, Alin Ionuț Brezeanu, George Dragomir, Mariana Fratu, Nicolae Fani Iordan, Sorin Ionuț Bolocan, Lucian Rozorea, Eugen Călin Popa and Gabriel Năstase

Buildings 2024, 14(3), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030579 - 21 Feb 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1374

Abstract

The envelope (façade) of a building is the first barrier between the exterior and the interior of the building and withstands the highest variation in temperature and solar radiation. Trombe walls are used to take advantage of that and contribute to the heating of interior air, helping the heating system. In this study, a new Trombe wall design is presented to contribute significantly to the indoor ventilation of residential buildings. For this, an exterior wall equipped with a proposed Trombe system was studied in a numerical simulation analysis. The proposed systems consist of two important sections, an exterior one and an interior one. The air cavities on the exterior of the wall, covered with silica glass, are the first heat-transfer layer. The secondary layer used for heat transfer, on the interior, is comprised of a MPCLB wall of 115 mm. The air circulation from the exterior to the interior was established as forced convection with a ventilator. The air circulates through the first heating layer on the exterior air cavities and then passes through the second heating layer on the interior MPCLBs. Two cities in Romania were considered to represent the coldest and hottest climates in Romania. Brașov represents the cold climate and Constanța represents the hot climate. In the investigation, both the presence and absence of solar radiation were taken into account. In total, four cases were established. For all four cases, monthly research was made using monthly mean temperatures, and direct and diffuse solar radiation. The results are promising and illustrate that the system works best during the transitional seasons of spring and autumn. The lower the outdoor temperature, the higher the temperature can be increased. Overall, solar radiation accounted for an average 2 °C increase. The temperature increase varied between 3.4 °C and 15.99 °C for Brașov and between 6.42 °C and 12.07 °C in Constanța. This study presents an alternative way to use the Trombe wall for indoor ventilation purposes throughout the year, compared to traditional uses for the Trombe wall for indoor heating. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Buildings)

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15 pages, 3989 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phonon Transport Characteristics of Nano-Silicon Thin Films Irradiated by Ultrafast Laser under Dispersion Relation

by Yudong Mao, Shouyu Liu, Jiying Liu, Mingzhi Yu, Xinwei Li, Moon Keun Kim and Kaimin Yang

Buildings 2024, 14(1), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010210 - 13 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1138

Abstract

The gray model simplifies calculations by ignoring phonon polarization, but sacrifices a certain level of computational accuracy. In effect, the frequency and wavevector of phonons form complex polarization patterns, which means their propagation modes and vibrational directions have different influences. Therefore, based on the phonon dispersion relations in silicon, the lattice Boltzmann method is used to analyze the phonon transport characteristics in nano-silicon films under ultrafast laser excitation. The results show that the total energy density distribution obtained by superimposing acoustic and optical branches exhibits multiple wave-like behaviors. Among them, the acoustic branch has excellent transfer capability, dominating the rate at which the total energy density reaches a steady state distribution, while the optical branch has stronger heat capacity characteristics, with a greater impact on the peak value of the total energy density. When the heat transfer approaches a steady state, the longitudinal optical branch surprisingly contributes up to 52.73%. This indicates that the often-neglected optical phonons should also receive sufficient attention. Additionally, compared to the results of the gray model, it is found that the dispersion model is preferred when more attention is paid to the propagation characteristics during phonon transport. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thermal Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Buildings)

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