Short-term monitoring and performance evaluation of solar-heated farm buildings

Abstract The construction and data acquisition system of five solar-heated farm buildings constructed near Guelph, Ontario, Canada are described. Air-type flat plate collectors are attached to the rood or sidewalls of the buildings depending on their configuration. Results of the performance tests conducted during the winter of 1983 at various airflow rates are discussed. The average daily collector efficiency of different collectors varies between 0.21 and 0.55. The measured and simulated performance of these buildings using the transient system simulation (TRNSYS) program over various time periods and airflow rates are compared. The TRNSYS simulations predicted the room temperatures within 1.6 to 2.7 °C, and collector air exit temperatures within 3.0 to 3.8 °C, following temperature swings as large as 40 °C.