Abstract:
This research on the thermal behavior of high mass building evaluates factors in time lag and their magnitudes to discover the best construction for high mass building walls. The current factors examined heat capacity and sol air temperature. Testing models were divided into two stages as controlled environment and actual condition. Collected data included (1) non air-condition of 10, 20 and 30 cm thick of concrete wall with and without direct sun, black and white outside paint, (2) air condition of the same concrete walls during 8 am-6pm, 6 am-8pm and 24 hours. Results illustrated that (1) heat capacity affects a rise of time lag; walls of high mass have higher heat capacity and heat transfer. A 30 cm wall has the highest, followed by 20 cm and 10 cm walls respectively. Time lag of 30 cm wall was 1-2.5 hours longer than 20 cm and 10 cm walls. (2) Sol air temperature affects time lag; wall surface without direct heat radiation has average inside temperature less than with direct heat radiation as 0.6-1.8 degree celsius. White paint wall has average inside temperature less than black paint as 3-4 degree celsius. Increasing wall thickness makes average inside temperatures similar. (3) For air-conditioning model, 30 cm wall required less energy to reduce heat transfer than 20 cm and 10 cm walls as 8 and 10.7 Btu-hr/day, respectively. Thus, thicker mass wall has less heat transfer. For 24-hour air-condition, walls consumed energy less than 8am-6pm as 0.3-0.5 Btu-hr. It is meant that outside heat stores inside wall mass during non air-condition period, which requires more energy to reduce inside temperature. (4) High mass is suitable to be used during daytime without air-condition. Outside wall surface without direct heat radiation and with white paint have average inside temperature as 30-32 degree celsius during daytime which less than outside air temperature as 0.5-2.7 degree celsius. Therefore, high mass wall is not suitable during night time since the average inside air temperature is higher than outside air temperature as 3.7-8.3 degree celsius. It can be concluded thatn (1) a building with high mass wall is appropriate for daytime use without air condition since average inside air temperature is less than outside air temperature affecting from higher time lag. However, inside temperatures remain outside comfort zone, which could be reached by using other factors such as increasing air velocity. (2) High mass wall building without air condition should not be use during the night and 24-hour use since inside temperature is higher than outside temperature. (3) Only 24-hour air condition is suitable for high mass while the others consume more energy causing by heat storage inside wall mass.