Numerical analysis of combined heat transfers through concrete hollow bricks in a hot climate of Morocco

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the thermal conductance of concrete hollow bricks, which is crucial for assessing the energy efficiency of buildings. The study focuses on three types of concrete hollow bricks that are frequently used to build walls in Morocco. The three modes of heat transfer by convection, conduction and radiation are taken into account. The thermal behavior of the three types was simulated using a computational model created with the finite volume method. The effect of internal surfaces emissivity and solid wall thermal conductivity on overall heat transfer is investigated using practical values of the thermal excitations. Simulation results of the three types were compared and showed that the concrete hollow brick of Type (C) is the best performing configuration. Indeed, it reduces the thermal conductance (U-value) by 40% compared to hollow brick of Type (B), which will contribute to improve the thermal resistance of the building walls.