Numerical simulation of the transient moisture transfer through porous insulation

This paper develops a numerical model for simulating heat and moisture transfer through a porous insulation, with impermeable, adiabatic vertical boundaries, and with one horizontal boundary facing a warm humid ambient and the other facing a cold impermeable surface. The problem is modeled as one-di...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	International journal of heat and mass transfer Vol. 39; no. 5; pp. 995 - 1004
Main Authors:	Wijeysundera, N.E., Zheng, B.F., Iqbal, M., Hauptmann, E.G.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1996 Elsevier
Subjects:	Applied sciences Buildings. Public works Computation methods. Tables. Charts Exact sciences and technology Structural analysis. Stresses Insulation Experimental result Physical model Humidity transfer Porous medium Thermal conductivity Numerical simulation Diffusivity Heat transfer
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Summary:	This paper develops a numerical model for simulating heat and moisture transfer through a porous insulation, with impermeable, adiabatic vertical boundaries, and with one horizontal boundary facing a warm humid ambient and the other facing a cold impermeable surface. The problem is modeled as one-dimensional, transient, multi phase flow with variable physical properties. The analysis has identified four phases of energy and moisture transport processes, and they are formulated by a system of transient intercoupled equations and several thermodynamic relations using the local volume averaging technique. The numerical model is validated by comparing with experimental data for different operating conditions and for times up to 600 h. The model predicts the temperature distribution, the heat transfer and the total moisture gain successfully. The predicted liquid distribution agrees with measured data for a period of up to 70 h. The interesting effects of pertinent parameters on the energy and moisture transfer in the porous insulation are investigated.
ISSN:	0017-9310 1879-2189
DOI:	10.1016/0017-9310(95)00187-5