Tessellated Window Insulation for Light Transmission and Heat Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fenestration devices, such as windows and skylights, face challenges in balancing thermal insulation with visible light transmission, as they often suffer from high thermal conductivity and varying optical transmission characteristics due to changing sunlight angles and material indices of refraction, leading to significant heat loss or gain in buildings.
Innovation Solution
A fenestration apparatus featuring a tessellated structure with reflective partitions, such as a honeycomb configuration, is positioned between glazing panes to reduce thermal energy transfer by absorbing and reradiating infrared radiation, while maintaining high visible light transmission through the use of highly reflective materials with luminous reflectance greater than 99%, thereby minimizing convection and radiation losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional glazing materials are used to allow light transmission, then visible light can pass into the building, but thermal insulation performance deteriorates due to high thermal conductivity
Solution Approach 1:
The space between glazing panes is segmented into multiple discrete cells by partition structures, creating a tessellated configuration. This segmentation divides the continuous thermal path into discrete thermal zones, reducing overall heat transfer while maintaining light transmission through the glazing materials.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the fenestration assembly are assigned different functional properties: glazing panes provide high light transmission, while partition structures provide thermal insulation. This local differentiation allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.
2Loss of energy
If partition structures are added between glazing panes to reduce heat transfer, then thermal insulation improves, but visible light transmission decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Partition structures serve as intermediary elements positioned between the glazing panes and the interior space. These partitions intercept and redirect thermal radiation while allowing visible light to pass through the glazing materials, mediating between thermal and optical requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The partition structures are designed with specific geometric parameters (cell size, depth, spacing) and material properties (reflectivity, emissivity) that optimize the balance between thermal insulation and light transmission. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves reduced heat transfer while maintaining adequate visible light transmission.
3Loss of energy
If the space between glazing panes is increased to reduce convection, then thermal insulation improves, but structural stability and manufacturing complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The gap between glazing panes is segmented into multiple small cells rather than leaving a single large continuous space. This segmentation suppresses convection currents by creating numerous small thermal zones, achieving thermal insulation performance comparable to much larger gaps without the associated structural and manufacturing complexities.
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
The tessellated structure significantly reduces heat transfer between glazing panes by up to 60%, while maintaining over 85% visible light transmission, effectively addressing the thermal insulation and light transmission balance in fenestration devices.
Implementation Method 1
reduce thermal energy transfer by absorbing and reradiating infrared radiation
Implementation Method 2
absorbing and reradiating infrared radiation
Implementation Method 3
highly reflective materials with luminous reflectance greater than 99%
Data Source
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AI summary
Some embodiments provide a fenestration apparatus including at least one glazing pane capable of being installed in an opening of a building envelope and a tessellated structure disposed adjacent to the at least one glazing pane. The tessellated structure can include at least one partition having a first face and a second face. The at least one partition can define a plurality of spatially separated cells within a substantially contiguous region of the opening. Each of the plurality of spatially separated cells can have a cell width and a cell depth. Each of the plurality of spatially separated cells can be at least partially surrounded by the first face of the at least one partition, the second face of the at least one partition, or a combination of the first face and the second face of the at least one partition.