Ventilated Active Thermoelectric Envelope (VATE): Analysis of its energy performance when integrated in a building

Abstract Nowadays, there have appeared a lot of innovative strategies that one way or another try to improve the overall energy performance of buildings. There is no doubt that all of these new strategies are really great for that purpose, but, in some occasions, some of the results achieved when they are installed in a building are not as expected. The vast majority of the times this is because of problems with the integration of the new strategies instead of a problem with the technology itself. Besides, with the imminent arrival of the NZEB (Near Zero Energy Building) this kind of integration problems are the ones that will make the difference in order to reach the required energy demands limits. This work presents the energy performance analysis of the integration of a VATE (Ventilated Active Thermoelectric Envelope) in a building. A VATE is an industrial-scale modular active ventilated facade prototype with a new thermoelectric system, designed to be located in the building envelope and provide a high comfort level. The system integrates a passive design strategy VAF (Ventilated Active Facade) and an active one (TCHU: Thermoelectric Cooling and Heating Unit) in one solution. It deals with the natural phenomenon that takes place inside the ventilated air cavity of the facade, taking advantage when heat dissipation is needed and avoiding it when heat losses are not welcomed, and the thermoelectric unit which works as a HVAC heat pump. One of the main goals is to evaluate how this symbiosis affects in energy terms, so a prototype of the new system has being built in Pamplona (Spain) and its energy performance has been analysed during a year. The research enhances the out-standing role that solar radiation and insulation have in the energy performance and the great importance of making a careful analysis of the system when it comes to integration of different strategies. In this case, the symbiosis, without taking into account the insulation and the thermal inertia, has implied a thermal bridge. The results prove and measure the great influence that the implementation of the active strategy (TCHU) in the passive one (VAOF) has in the heat transfer of the overall prototype.

[1]  E. Blanco,et al.  Energy performance of an open-joint ventilated façade compared with a conventional sealed cavity façade , 2011 .

[2]  Valentina Serra,et al.  Experimental assessment of the energy performance of an advanced responsive multifunctional façade module , 2012 .

[3]  Gian Luca Morini,et al.  Empirical validation and modelling of a naturally ventilated rainscreen faade building , 2011 .

[4]  Fu Xiao,et al.  Investigation of a novel thermoelectric radiant air-conditioning system , 2013 .

[5]  Limei Shen,et al.  A study on thermoelectric technology application in net zero energy buildings , 2016 .

[6]  Francesco Leccese,et al.  Ventilated facades energy performance in summer cooling of buildings , 2003 .

[7]  Jie Ji,et al.  Theoretical and experimental investigation on a thermoelectric cooling and heating system driven by solar , 2013 .

[8]  Dorota Chwieduk,et al.  Towards sustainable-energy buildings , 2003 .

[9]  Steven Van Dessel,et al.  Active thermal insulators: Finite elements modeling and parametric study of thermoelectric modules integrated into a double pane glazing system , 2010 .

[10]  D. Fuks,et al.  Phase separation and antisite defects in the thermoelectric TiNiSn half-Heusler alloys , 2013 .

[11]  André De Herde,et al.  Optimal operation of a south double-skin facade , 2004 .

[12]  F. Peci López,et al.  Sensitivity study of an opaque ventilated façade in the winter season in different climate zones in Spain , 2015 .

[13]  Achille Messac,et al.  Design of thermoelectric heat pump unit for active building envelope systems , 2005 .

[14]  H. G. Schuster.  Interdisciplinary development of a modular façade system with decentralised building services , 2007 .

[15]  Y. Gelbstein,et al.  Highly efficient functional GexPb1-xTe based thermoelectric alloys. , 2014, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[16]  César Martín-Gómez,et al.  Thermoelectric cooling heating unit performance under real conditions , 2017 .

[17]  Gian Luca Morini,et al.  Experimental analysis of the summer thermal performances of a naturally ventilated rainscreen façade building , 2014 .

[18]  Xu Xu,et al.  Study of the performance of thermoelectric modules for use in active building envelopes , 2007 .

[19]  Gülten Manioğlu,et al.  Economic evaluation of the building envelope and operation period of heating system in terms of thermal comfort , 2006 .

[20]  César Martín-Gómez,et al.  Development and construction of a thermoelectric active facade module , 2015 .

[21]  Ling Zhang,et al.  Experimental evaluation of an active solar thermoelectric radiant wall system , 2015 .

[22]  Xu Xu,et al.  Evaluation of an Active Building Envelope window-system , 2008 .

[23]  Jlm Jan Hensen,et al.  Climate adaptive building shells: state-of-the-art and future challenges , 2013 .

[24]  César Martín-Gómez,et al.  Thermoelectric cooling heating unit prototype , 2016 .

[25]  Mark Husband,et al.  Physical, Mechanical, and Structural Properties of Highly Efficient Nanostructured n- and p-Silicides for Practical Thermoelectric Applications , 2014, Journal of Electronic Materials.

[26]  César Martín-Gómez,et al.  Opaque Ventilated Façades: Thermal and energy performance review , 2017 .

[27]  César Martín-Gómez,et al.  Theoretical Design of an Active Façade System with Peltier Cells , 2014 .

[28]  Lingai Luo,et al.  An experimental and numerical study of a thermoelectric air-cooling and air-heating system , 2008 .

[29]  Enrico Fabrizio,et al.  A model to design and optimize multi-energy systems in buildings at the design concept stage , 2010 .

[30]  Robert F. Boehm,et al.  Passive building energy savings: A review of building envelope components , 2011 .

[31]  André De Herde,et al.  Are energy consumptions decreased with the addition of a double-skin? , 2007 .

[32]  Xu Xu,et al.  Evaluation of a prototype active building envelope window-system , 2008 .