A simple procedure for selection and sizing of indirect passive solar heating systems

Abstract Equivalent sol-air temperatures have been defined for four indirect gain passive solar heating concepts, namely, mass wall, water wall, Trombe wall and solarium. Steady state thermal efficiencies have also been defined as a measure of the ability of each system to deliver heat into the living space. Design curves have been developed which relate the average instantaneous solar radiation incident on the passive element to thermal efficiency for different values of ambient temperature. These curves are useful in selection of an appropriate passive heating concept for a particular location. It is inferred that a solarium is most effective at very low levels of incident radiation and low ambient temperature. Water walls and Trombe walls are most efficient at higher levels of incident radiation. A simple procedure has been developed for a first approximation of sizing the selected system using these design curves and a minimum of meteorological information, namely, monthly average of daily global solar radiation, monthly average maximum and minimum ambient temperatures.