Thermal delay simulation in multilayer systems using analytical solutions

This paper computes the thermal delay in multilayer systems. The heat transfer by conduction across multilayer systems under unsteady boundary conditions is simulated using analytical solutions. The solutions, obtained as Green's functions, are established by imposing temperature and heat flux continuity at the media interfaces of the various layers. The unsteady state conditions are dealt with by first computing the solution in the frequency domain and then applying (fast) inverse Fourier transforms into space-time. After validating the analytical formulation by comparing these results with those obtained experimentally, the thermal delay is computed for different multilayer systems. It is computed as the difference between the time the thermal variation is recorded in one of the system's surfaces and the time it appears at the opposite surface. The paper calculates the computed thermal delay for construction walls made of cork, mineral wood and extruded polystyrene panels. The thermal properties of these materials have been previously defined experimentally. In the simulations, the systems are subjected to temperature changes that vary according a sine function, with the aim of defining the environmental exterior temperature variation over a period of several days. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.