COMSOL Multiphysics validation as simulation software for heat transfer calculation in buildings: Building simulation software validation

Abstract

The main purpose of this article is a presentation of software validation for a calculation of heat transfer in buildings. The heat transfer calculation in the COMSOL Multiphysics is validated by using the analytical models, by the comparative verification provided by the International Energy Agency in the Task 34, and by the comparison with measured data in real building segment. The last model represents transient heat transfer process in an environment with complicated bindings. The similarity between the COMSOL Multiphysics results and other software tools for building simulations was investigated using the Task 34 results with minor dissimilarities. The comparison of simulation results with measured data is described in the paper with sufficient accuracy. The main deviation between the simulation and measured temperature data was caused by the precise calculation of the convective heat transfer coefficient value. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.All rights reserved.