Numerical modelling of coupled heat, air and moisture transfer in building envelopes

¹ LCTPE Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Abdelhamid Ibn Badis, 27000 Mostaganem, Algeria
² Université Lille Nord de France, 59000 Lille, France
³ Laboratoire Génie Civil & Géo-Environnement (LGCgE- EA 4515), Université d’Artois/FSA Béthune, 62400 Béthune, France

^a Corresponding author: mus27000@yahoo.fr

Received: 26 March 2014
Accepted: 30 December 2014

Abstract

This paper reports on numerical modeling of heat, air, and moisture transfer through multilayered walls. Building materials are often subjected to temporal climatic variations, which can induce a transfer of heat and moisture through the walls of the building and the foundation soil. These materials are generally considered as porous media. The coupled heat, air and moisture transfer in building materials is of paramount importance in the construction area. In this way, a mathematical model has been elaborated and validated using a benchmark example. Here, we aim to determine the energy losses. The capillary pressure is considered as potential moisture which represents both the transport of vapor and liquid phases of the water. Basing on basic functions of partial differential equations (PDE’s), one can convert certain measurable properties of porous media as coefficients depending on the temperature and the capillary pressure. The results obtained compare favourably with other available in the literature.