Adjustable Reflective Building Elements for Passive Thermal Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Buildings face challenges in managing energy consumption and temperature regulation due to high energy costs and environmental concerns, particularly in regions with high solar radiation, where conventional air conditioning is costly and inefficient, and existing passive ventilation methods are suboptimal.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of spatially adjustable functional elements with high reflectivity in the VIS and NIR ranges and adjustable thermal carrier medium panels to modulate electromagnetic irradiance and thermal energy distribution within enclosed spaces, reducing energy absorption and enhancing thermal management by dynamically altering the exposure of surfaces to radiation sources and sinks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional active air conditioning is used to cool buildings, then indoor temperature control is improved, but energy consumption and operational costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies high-reflectivity functional elements (with reflectivity >80% in VIS and NIR ranges) on the outer surfaces of building envelopes to reflect harmful solar radiation before it enters the building. This converts the harmful effect of solar radiation into a beneficial cooling effect, reducing the need for active air conditioning and lowering energy consumption while maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces thermal carrier medium panels as intermediary elements between the building envelope and the interior space. These panels contain phase change materials or thermal mass that absorb, store, and release thermal energy, acting as a thermal buffer that decouples external temperature fluctuations from indoor conditions, thereby reducing the load on active cooling systems
2Use of energy by moving object
If passive ventilation methods are used for thermal management, then energy consumption is reduced, but temperature control effectiveness is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs spatially adjustable functional elements that can dynamically change their position or orientation in response to varying solar radiation conditions. This dynamic adjustment optimizes the reflection of solar radiation throughout the day and across different weather conditions, enhancing passive thermal management effectiveness without requiring active energy input
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite building envelope structures combining multiple layers with different thermal properties: an outer layer with high-reflectivity functional elements for solar radiation reflection, an intermediate insulating layer for thermal isolation, and an inner layer with thermal carrier medium panels for thermal energy storage and release. This composite structure achieves superior temperature control through passive mechanisms
3Loss of energy
If high-reflectivity functional elements are added to building envelopes, then solar radiation absorption is reduced, but device complexity and initial costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the building envelope into modular sections, each equipped with adjustable functional elements that can be independently controlled. This segmentation allows for localized optimization of thermal performance and simplifies installation, maintenance, and adjustment, reducing the perceived complexity while maintaining high energy reflection efficiency
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively reduces energy input and stabilizes indoor temperatures, minimizing energy expenditure and enhancing thermal comfort by dynamically adjusting the thermal energy budget and spatial distribution within buildings, thereby reducing the need for external energy for heating and cooling.
Implementation Method 1
The predominantly outside facing surfaces of said functional elements have predominantly relatively high reflectivity at least at the VIS and NIR wavelength range whereby the relative amount of incoming radiative power is reduced, which is absorbed by said functional elements
Implementation Method 2
The predominantly inside facing surfaces of said functional elements has predominantly relatively high reflectivity at least in the NIR and MIR wavelength range, whereby the radiative thermal emissivity of said functional elements is reduced
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and functional elements for enhanced thermal management of predominantly enclosed spaces to enable the construction of buildings with reduced power requirements for heating and/or air-conditioning systems.The methods may be in part based on dynamically changing functional elements with variable properties, or effective properties, in terms of their electromagnetic radiative behavior and/or their thermal energy storage properties, or the spatial distribution of the stored thermal energy, which permits the application of methods to control the overall thermal behavior of the entire structure in such a way that desired levels of inside temperature can be reached with reduced consumption of external energy (typically electricity, gas, oil, or coal).In some instances no conventional heating of cooling is required at all. In some instances the invention reduces the time to reach desired temperatures inside such buildings, habitats, or other predominantly enclosed spaces.