| Abstract: | An approximate method is presented for predicting the effect of a louvered blind on the centre‐glass thermal performance of a fenestration. The method combines a one‐dimensional heat transfer model with data from a numerical simulation of the window and blind. Sample results for a blind mounted on the indoor surface of a window show the effect of blind slat angle on heat transmission. Both summer and winter conditions are considered. The results show that a louvered blind can improve the U‐value of a standard double‐glazed window by up to 37%. Also, the radiation heat exchange with the room can be dramatically reduced (by up to 60%), which will improve the level of occupant comfort. However, there was found to be a trade‐off between U‐value and occupant comfort; placing the blind closer to the window improves the U‐value, but increases the radiation heat exchange with the room. The predictions from the present simplified method compare well with results from a full two‐dimensional computational fluid dynamics solution of the conjugate blind/window interaction. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
