Title: 3D modelling and simulation of heat transfers in the building envelope for different local construction materials in the littoral area of Cameroon

Authors: Adeline Chugoua Njamen; Louis Monkam; Alexis Kemajou; Félix Junior Ngouem; Christian Leumassi Ngamaleu

Addresses: Mechanical Laboratory, University of Douala, B.P. 1872, Douala, Cameroon ' Technologies and Applied Sciences Laboratory, University of Douala, B.P. 8698, Cameroon ' Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Laboratory, Advanced Teachers Training College for Technical Education (ENSET), University of Douala, B.P. 1872, Cameroon ' Energy and Applied Thermal Laboratory of ENSAI, University of Ngaoundéré, B.P. 455, Cameroon ' Technologies and Applied Sciences Laboratory, University of Douala, B.P. 8698, Cameroon

Abstract: The building structure is a filter that controls the heat exchanges between the exterior and the interior of the building. It plays an important role for the thermal comfort of the residents and the energy consumption of the building. The objective of this work is to analyse the thermal behaviour of the building structure in humid climates for various local building materials: wood, cinder block and clay brick. To achieve this, a numerical code was written in the MATLAB 2014a software to solve by the finite difference method implicit scheme, the three-dimensional heat transfer equation. The simulation of our dynamic model takes into account the convection on the external and internal surfaces as well as the diffusion in the material constituting the structure. The particularity of this study is that in addition to being a 3D model, it allows to appreciate the behaviour in the thermal bridges and in the interior geometric centre. After analysis, we recommended an envelope made of wood material in the littoral region.

Keywords: envelope; three-dimensional modelling; thermal simulation; finite difference method; thermal bridges; indoor ambience; Cameroon.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSPM.2020.110916

International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling, 2020 Vol.15 No.5, pp.425 - 438

Received: 23 Nov 2018
Accepted: 17 Dec 2019
Published online: 01 Nov 2020 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article