Convective Processes in Loose-Fill Attic Insulation—Metering Equipment PDF

A large-scale model of an attic construction has been built in a climatic chamber. The purpose of the attic test model is to investigate heat transfer-in particular, heat transfer by convection-in loose-fill attic insulation. The influence of a number of factors on heat flows can be investigated using the attic test model; for example, insulation thickness, attic ventilation, ceiling construction, roof slopes, and the quality of installation workmanship. The heat flow through the attic ceiling construction is measured with a metering box. The design and calibration of the metering box is described in detail in this paper. During calibration of the metering box, the thermal conductivity of the calibration board was determined within 0.6% of that determined at the Swedish National Testing and Research Institute, SP. Computer simulations carried out to help design the attic test model and to predict the function of the metering box are presented. The location of convection cells in the loose-fill insulation will be determined by investigating the temperature variations on the surface of the insulation by using thermocouples and an infrared camera. The preliminary test program for the attic test model is also presented.

AUTHOR: Mark D. Lawton, P.Eng.
CITATION: Thermal Performance of the Exterior Envelopes of Buildings VII
KEYWORDS: December, Florida, 1998
YEAR: 1998