In insulated structures, air voids and cracks allow for airflows driven by temperature differences, i.e., natural convection. The airflow paths often exist in structures built with bad workmanship, but sometimes even with the best workmanship they are difficult to avoid. Air paths within new types of loose-fill insulation may also occur. For horizontal structures, critical channel flow Rayleigh numbers can be identified for the onset of convection. In this paper, the increase in heat loss through the structure due to convection is analyzed, and both critical channel flow Rayleigh numbers and the increase in heat loss are presented.

AUTHOR: Carl-Eric Hagentoft, D.Sc.
CITATION: Thermal Performance of the Exterior Envelopes of Buildings VII
KEYWORDS: December, Florida, 1998
YEAR: 1998