@conference {11832, title = {Energy Performance of Evacuated Glazings in Residential Buildings}, booktitle = {ASHRAE 1996 Summer Meeting, June 22-26, 1996}, volume = {102, Part 2}, year = {1996}, month = {06/1996}, address = {San Antonio, TX}, abstract = {

This paper presents the results of a study investigating the energy performance of evacuated glazings or glazings which maintain a vacuum between two panes of glass. Their performance is measured by comparing results to prototype highly insulated superwindows as well as a more conventional insulating glass unit with a low-E coating and argon gas fill. We used the DOE-2.1E energy analysis simulation program to analyze the annual and hourly heating energy use due to the windows of a prototypical single-story house located in Madison, Wisconsin. Cooling energy performance was also investigated. Our results show that for highly insulating windows, the solar heat gain coefficient is as important as the windows U-factor in determining heating performance for window orientations facing west-south-east. For other orientations in which there is not much direct solar radiation, the windows U-factor primarily governs performance. The vacuum glazings had lower heating requirements than the superwindows for most window orientations. The conventional low-E window outperformed the superwindows for southwest-south-southeast orientations. These performance differences are directly related to the solar heat gain coefficients of the various windows analyzed. The cooling performance of the windows was inversely related to the heating performance. The low solar heat gain coefficients of the superwindows resulted in the best cooling performance. However, we were able to mitigate the cooling differences of the windows by using an interior shading device that reduced the amount of solar gain.

}, author = {Robert Sullivan and Fredric A. Beck and Dariush K. Arasteh and Stephen E. Selkowitz} } @conference {11761, title = {Edge Conduction in Vacuum Glazing}, booktitle = {Thermal Performance of the Exterior Envelopes of Buildings VI Conference }, year = {1995}, month = {03/1995}, address = {Clearwater Beach, FL}, abstract = {

Vacuum glazing is a form of low-conductance double glazing using an internal vacuum between the two glass sheets to eliminate heat transport by gas conduction and convection. An array of small support pillars separates the sheets; fused solder glass forms the edge seal. Heat transfer through the glazing occurs by radiation across the vacuum gap, conduction through the support pillars, and conduction through the bonded edge seal. Edge conduction is problematic because it affects stresses in the edge region, leading to possible failure of the glazing; in addition, excessive heat transfer because of thermal bridging in the edge region can lower overall window thermal performance and decrease resistance to condensation.

Infrared thermography was used to analyze the thermal performance of prototype vacuum glazings, and, for comparison, atmospheric pressure superwindows. Research focused on mitigating the edge effects of vacuum glazings through the use of insulating trim, recessed edges, and framing materials. Experimentally validated finite-element and finite-difference modeling tools were used for thermal analysis of prototype vacuum glazing units and complete windows. Experimental measurements of edge conduction using infrared imaging were found to be in good agreement with finite-element modeling results for a given set of conditions. Finite-element modeling validates an analytic model developed for edge conduction.

}, author = {Tom M. Simko and Richard E. Collins and Fredric A. Beck and Dariush K. Arasteh} }