A test bed for thermal fluid dynamic analysis of double skin facade systems

The experimental analysis of the thermal fluid dynamic behavior of double skin facade (DSF) requires full scale prototypes or actual facade systems. Because of the crucial interaction with the solar irradiation, tests are usually carried out on facades that are outdoor exposed. However, such an approach has limitation when it comes to a systematic and parametric analysis of the performance of these technologies, as the (outdoor) boundary conditions can hardly be controlled. To overcome this limitation, a new test bed has been conceived and constructed to allow carrying out systematic and parametric analysis on DSF systems. The test bed is a full scale DSF, with the possibility to vary the cavity depths from a minimum value of 200 mm to a maximum value of 600 mm. The total height of the DSF sample is ca 3.6 m, with a transparent window area of approx. 1.4 m (W) x 2.8 m (H). The test bed is installed in a steel frame and is tested through a Climate Simulator facility (a hot-box like facility, with the possibility to irradiate the outside surface of the test sample through a solar simulator). In the paper, the concept of the test bed, the construction features, and its sensor/control set-up are presented, together with an overview of its potentials (and limitations) to carry out experimental analysis on the thermal fluid dynamic behavior of DSF systems. (paper)