Assessment of the possibility of profiting from solar energy through the use of walls with external sheet metal cladding

University of Bielsko-Biala, Institute of Civil Engineering, Willowa 2, 43-309 Bielsko-Biala, Poland

^* Corresponding author: 1

Abstract

The possibility of profiting from solar radiation through external walls was studied for an experimental, windowless livestock building. Temperature measurements on the wall surfaces were taken during winter, in two measuring series. On the first day, the average sol-air temperature on the outer surface of the east-facing wall was 7.4 °C and was even up to 2.2 °C lower than temperature of the outdoor air which was 9.6 °C. With the averaged temperature of inner surface of the wall reaching 21.3 °C, heat transfer form the outside into the building was impossible. An identical tendency in temperature distribution on surfaces was noticed on the west-facing wall. In the second measuring cycle, the sun temperature on external wall surfaces increased significantly — 13.3 °C on the eastern side, and 14.1 °C on the western side. They were noticeably higher than the outdoor air temperature which was 9.1 °C. However, the high indoor surface temperatures on the eastern and western walls — 21.2 °C and 21.0 °C respectively, proved that in this case too, the transfer of heat generated by the sun’s radiation into the building was impossible. The tests results imply that we should exclude reheating the building with the heat from sun heat external walls during winter. However, a similar assessment including more measuring series and several objects, could be also be performed during interim seasons.