Energy-saving window based on spatial combination structure and application thereof
By designing an energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure, and utilizing triangular array glass and a high solar reflectivity coating, dynamic regulation of solar radiation was achieved, solving the problem of unbalanced energy-saving demand in winter and summer for existing smart windows, and improving the energy-saving effect throughout the year.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HEBEI UNIV OF TECH
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing smart windows have limitations in their intrinsic material properties when regulating spectral changes, resulting in reduced solar radiation in summer and insufficient heat gain in winter, making it difficult to achieve a balance between energy-saving needs in winter and summer.
Design an energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure. Utilize a cavity structure composed of a first glass and a second glass. One side of the second glass is a triangular array with a high solar reflectivity coating. By adjusting the angle and spacing of the triangles, dynamic regulation of solar radiation can be achieved to adapt to changes in solar altitude angle in different seasons.
It effectively reflects sunlight to reduce cooling load in summer, maximizes solar radiation absorption in winter, balances light transmittance and observation capability, adapts to different regional climate characteristics, and achieves maximum energy saving throughout the year.
Smart Images
Figure CN122446972A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of building energy conservation technology and relates to an energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure and its application, specifically based on the spatial angular distribution of spectral selectivity optimized and controlled by surface superstructure. Background Technology
[0002] Windows play a crucial role in architectural design. They serve as channels for the transfer of substances between indoors and outdoors, and are key components for introducing natural light into interior spaces, fulfilling people's basic visual needs. Heat loss from windows is far greater than that from walls, making them a weak link in the building envelope's thermal insulation, directly hindering the improvement of overall building energy efficiency. To address this challenge, current common solutions focus on optimizing the glass structure. Adding an air layer (or inert gas layer) between the glass panes significantly increases the window's thermal resistance, thereby enhancing its thermal insulation performance to some extent. To combat intense solar radiation in summer, buildings often employ shading devices such as louvers and awnings, or use low-emissivity (Low-E) glass to mitigate the rise in indoor temperature caused by solar radiation. The problem is that these measures, designed to improve summer comfort, can have negative effects in winter—they reduce the amount of solar radiation entering the building, leading to insufficient building heat gain and thus increasing the heating load during winter. Therefore, windows in building envelopes face a core challenge: how to effectively reduce sunlight entering the interior during the hot summer, while maximizing the acquisition and utilization of sunlight during the cold winter, thus achieving a balance between the needs of both seasons.
[0003] Many physical behaviors and chemical reactions exhibit reversible spectral changes. Based on this, various active / passive dynamic energy-saving windows have been developed and applied in various scenarios. According to the control mechanism, existing energy-saving window designs can be broadly categorized into four types: phase change and phase separation, thermochromism, electrochromism, and electrodeposition. Limited by the intrinsic properties of existing materials, the energy-saving effect of smart windows based on spectrally reversible functional materials differs significantly from the theoretical optimal value. Furthermore, when in a low-transmittance state, smart windows reduce the amount of solar radiation entering the room at the expense of natural light and observation capabilities. Faced with complex and diverse usage needs, the development of new types of smart windows has become inevitable.
[0004] In view of the above problems, this invention is proposed. Summary of the Invention
[0005] To overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings, this invention proposes an energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure and its application. The energy-saving window can dynamically regulate the amount of solar radiation that can pass through it according to the change of the solar altitude angle, thereby achieving the purpose of dynamic thermal management.
[0006] The first objective of this invention is to provide an energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure, which is composed of a first glass and a second glass. The first glass is a flat glass, and the second glass is a glass with one side being flat and the other side containing a triangular array structure. A cavity is formed between the first glass and the second glass, and the distance d between them is greater than the height h of the triangle.
[0007] Preferably, the hypotenuse surface of the triangle in the second glass is coated with a high solar reflectivity coating, while the remaining surface remains transparent.
[0008] Preferably, the solar high reflectivity coating is made of metal and has a thickness of 50 nm-10 μm, exhibiting high reflectivity within the solar spectrum.
[0009] Preferably, the metal material is silver or aluminum.
[0010] Preferably, the distance 'a' between adjacent triangles in the second glass is 1-100 mm.
[0011] Preferably, the angle between the hypotenuse and the base of the triangle is 5°-85°, and the angle can be changed according to regional needs.
[0012] Preferably, the length of the hypotenuse of the triangle is 1-100mm.
[0013] Preferably, in the triangular array structure, the array period length is 1-100mm, and the distance 'a' between adjacent triangles is less than the array period length.
[0014] Preferably, the characteristic spectral angular distribution of the energy-saving window exhibits asymmetric spectral angular distribution characteristics.
[0015] Preferably, the asymmetric spectral angular distribution features are as follows: low-angle incidence, i.e., incidence angle from 0° to 45°, exhibits low solar radiation reflection, with reflectivity varying from 0% to 80% with the angle; high-angle incidence, i.e., incidence angle from 45° to 90°, exhibits high solar radiation reflection, with reflectivity varying from 80% to 100% with the angle.
[0016] The first objective of this invention is to provide the application of the above-mentioned energy-saving window based on spatial combination structure in building energy conservation, which achieves dynamic regulation of the transmittable solar radiation as the solar altitude angle changes, thereby achieving the purpose of dynamic thermal management.
[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are:
[0018] (1) The present invention has a simple structure and is easy to mass-produce in large sizes. It achieves thermal management while also considering light transmittance and observation capability. Replacing windows in existing buildings, it can effectively reduce temperature fluctuations caused by changes in direct sunlight, while ensuring bidirectional observation capability. By changing the angle between the reflective surface and the bottom surface, the length of the hypotenuse of the triangle, the distance between two adjacent triangles, and the array period length, the angular distribution characteristics of the spectral selectivity of the energy-saving window can be adjusted. The thermal management performance and lighting effect of the energy-saving window design can be optimized according to the climate conditions of different regions, thereby achieving the effect of building energy conservation.
[0019] (2) The solar transmittance regulation of this invention is achieved by changing the solar altitude angle (incident angle), which itself does not require dynamic change and exhibits zero energy consumption throughout the process. Specifically, in summer, the solar altitude angle (incident angle) is high, and most of the direct sunlight will be reflected off the reflective coating and cannot enter the room. Compared with ordinary windows, this effectively reduces the cooling load while ensuring a certain degree of bidirectional observation capability. In winter, the solar altitude angle (incident angle) is low, and a large amount of direct sunlight will directly enter the room or be reflected by the coating to indirectly enter the room, thereby ensuring the building's solar radiation absorption in winter. That is, the solar transmittance exhibits an asymmetric angular distribution characteristic. At low solar altitude angles, the solar transmittance is >80%; at high solar altitude angles, the solar transmittance is <20%.
[0020] (3) This invention can be designed from different angles to adapt to the climate characteristics of different regions, thereby maximizing the energy-saving effect throughout the year. This invention is not only applicable to residential buildings, but also to various types of buildings such as commercial and office buildings. It is beneficial to reduce building energy consumption and is of great significance to promoting the development of green and low-energy buildings and promoting energy conservation and emission reduction in buildings. Attached Figure Description
[0021] Figure 1 This is a side view of the energy-saving window based on the spatial combination structure of the present invention.
[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the energy-saving window based on the spatial combination structure of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of the energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure according to the present invention.
[0024] Figure 4 The photothermal conversion efficiency of the energy-saving window based on the spatial combination structure of this invention varies with the solar incident angle.
[0025] Figure 5 This invention establishes a characteristic room model for the energy-saving window based on spatial combination structure and assesses its annual energy-saving potential based on historical meteorological data from typical cities.
[0026] Figure 6 This is a design diagram of a triangular array structure for the energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure in the Tianjin area.
[0027] Figure 7 This is a design diagram of a triangular array structure for the energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure in the Shanghai area.
[0028] In the diagram: 1 - First glass, 2 - Second glass, 3 - Triangle. Detailed Implementation
[0029] To make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.
[0030] This invention provides the following technical solution:
[0031] An energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure is composed of a first glass 1 and a second glass 2. The first glass 1 is a flat glass, and the second glass 2 is a glass with a flat side and a triangular array structure on the other side. A cavity is formed between the first glass 1 and the second glass 2, and the distance d between them is greater than the height h of the triangle 3.
[0032] In some embodiments, a solar high-reflectivity coating is deposited on the hypotenuse surface of the triangle 3 in the second glass 2, while the remaining surface remains transparent.
[0033] In some embodiments, the solar high reflectivity coating is made of metal and has a coating thickness of 50 nm-10 μm (non-limiting examples: such as 50 nm, 100 nm, 500 nm, 800 nm, 1 μm, 5 μm, 10 μm, etc.), and has high reflectivity characteristics within the solar spectrum band.
[0034] In some embodiments, the metal material is silver or aluminum.
[0035] In some embodiments, the distance a between adjacent triangles 3 in the second glass 2 is 1-100mm (non-limiting examples: such as 1mm, 25mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, etc.).
[0036] In some embodiments, the angle between the hypotenuse and the base of triangle 3 is 5°-85° (non-limiting examples: such as 5°, 10°, 25°, 35°, 50°, 60°, 80°, 85°, etc.), and the angle can be changed according to regional needs.
[0037] In some embodiments, the length of the hypotenuse of triangle 3 is 1-100mm (non-limiting examples: such as 1mm, 25mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, etc.).
[0038] In some embodiments, in the triangular array structure, the array period length is 1-100mm (non-limiting examples: such as 1mm, 25mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm, etc.), and the distance a between adjacent triangles 3 is less than the array period length.
[0039] In some embodiments, the characteristic spectral angular distribution of the energy-saving window exhibits asymmetric spectral angular distribution characteristics.
[0040] In some embodiments, the asymmetric spectral angular distribution features are as follows: low-angle incidence, i.e., incidence angles from 0° to 45°, exhibits low solar radiation reflection, with reflectivity varying from 0% to 80% with respect to angle; high-angle incidence, i.e., incidence angles from 45° to 90°, exhibits high solar radiation reflection, with reflectivity varying from 80% to 100% with respect to angle.
[0041] The above-mentioned application of energy-saving windows based on spatial combination structure in building energy conservation achieves dynamic regulation of transmittable solar radiation according to changes in solar altitude angle, thereby achieving the purpose of dynamic thermal management.
[0042] Example 1: Tianjin area
[0043] An energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure is composed of a first glass 1 and a second glass 2. The first glass 1 is a flat glass, and the second glass 2 is a glass with a flat side and a triangular array structure on the other side. A cavity is formed between the first glass 1 and the second glass 2, and the distance d between them is greater than the height h of the triangle 3.
[0044] In this embodiment, the hypotenuse of triangle 3 in the second glass 2 is coated with a 10 μm metallic silver coating, while the rest of the surface remains transparent.
[0045] In this embodiment, the distance a between adjacent triangles 3 in the second glass 2 is 7.5 mm.
[0046] In this embodiment, the angle between the hypotenuse and the base of triangle 3 is 60°.
[0047] In this embodiment, the hypotenuse of triangle 3 is 5mm long.
[0048] In this embodiment, the array period length in the triangular array structure is 10mm.
[0049] Example 2: Shanghai Area
[0050] An energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure is composed of a first glass 1 and a second glass 2. The first glass 1 is a flat glass, and the second glass 2 is a glass with a flat side and a triangular array structure on the other side. A cavity is formed between the first glass 1 and the second glass 2, and the distance d between them is greater than the height h of the triangle 3.
[0051] In this embodiment, the hypotenuse of triangle 3 in the second glass 2 is coated with a 10 μm metallic silver coating, while the rest of the surface remains transparent.
[0052] In this embodiment, the distance a between adjacent triangles 3 in the second glass 2 is 5mm.
[0053] In this embodiment, the angle between the hypotenuse and the base of triangle 3 is 45°.
[0054] In this embodiment, the hypotenuse of triangle 3 is 7.8 mm long.
[0055] In this embodiment, the array period length in the triangular array structure is 10mm.
[0056] The functional principle of this invention is as follows:
[0057] Operating mode of energy-saving windows in summer: Refer to Figure 3 (Left image) In summer, the solar altitude angle (incident angle) is high, and most of the direct sunlight will shine on the reflective coating and be reflected away, unable to enter the room. Compared with ordinary windows, it effectively reduces the cooling load while ensuring a certain degree of two-way observation capability.
[0058] Operating mode of energy-saving windows in winter: Refer to Figure 3 (Right image) In winter, the solar altitude angle (incident angle) is low, and a large amount of direct sunlight will directly enter the room or be reflected by the coating and indirectly enter the room, thus ensuring the building's solar radiation absorption in winter.
[0059] Figure 4 The above-mentioned typical energy-saving window design based on a spatial combination structure demonstrates how the photothermal conversion efficiency varies with the incident angle. At a high solar altitude angle, most of the direct sunlight is reflected, resulting in low photothermal conversion efficiency and less heat intake, thus reducing indoor cooling energy consumption in summer. At a low solar altitude angle, most of the direct sunlight enters, resulting in more heat intake and high photothermal conversion efficiency, thus reducing the need for indoor heating in winter.
[0060] This invention features a simple structure, making it easy to mass-produce large-size samples using assembly line processes. Furthermore, its design, with varying angles, can adapt to different regional climates, maximizing energy savings throughout the year. This invention is not only suitable for residential buildings but also for various other types of buildings, including commercial and office buildings. It helps reduce building energy consumption and is of great significance for promoting the development of green, low-energy buildings and facilitating energy conservation and emission reduction in the building sector.
[0061] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or basic characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims be included within the present invention.
[0062] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.
Claims
1. An energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure, characterized in that, It is composed of a first glass (1) and a second glass (2). The first glass (1) is a flat glass, and the second glass (2) is a glass with a flat side and a triangular array structure on the other side. A cavity is formed between the first glass (1) and the second glass (2), and the distance d between them is greater than the height h of the triangle (3). A solar high reflectivity coating is deposited on the hypotenuse surface of the triangle (3) in the second glass (2).
2. The energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The solar high reflectivity coating is made of metal and has a thickness of 50 nm-10 μm.
3. The energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The metal material is silver or aluminum.
4. An energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The distance a between adjacent triangles (3) in the second glass (2) is 1-100mm.
5. An energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The angle between the hypotenuse and the base of the triangle (3) is 5°-85°.
6. An energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The hypotenuse of the triangle (3) is 1-100mm long.
7. An energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In the triangular array structure, the array period length is 1-100mm, and the distance a between adjacent triangles (3) is less than the array period length.
8. An energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The energy-saving window exhibits an asymmetric spectral angular distribution.
9. The application of an energy-saving window based on a spatial combination structure as described in any one of claims 1-8 in building energy conservation.