Title: Effect of base temperature and cooling degree day on optimum insulation thickness in building walls

Authors: Mohd Shahid; Munawar Nawab Karimi

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi – 110025, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi – 110025, India

Abstract: In the present work, degree day's method is used to get the optimum insulation thickness for different insulation materials. Some of the commonly used insulation materials available in the market are considered in the study. The study analyses the effect of CDD and base temperature on insulation thickness. The CDD was calculated from the base temperature that varies from 18°C to 26°C for the four cities of India. Based on the result, it is found that optimum insulation thickness is affected by the thermal conductivity of the material, base temperature, CDD, material cost, and fuel cost. The optimum insulation thicknesses vary between 1 and 12 centimetres for the different base temperatures. Annual cooling cost per m² is found minimum at 24°C base temperature, and energy-saving varies with the thickness of the insulating materials apply on the wall.

Keywords: annual cooling cost; base temperature; cooling degree days; energy-saving; optimum insulation thickness.

DOI: 10.1504/IJRET.2022.126462

International Journal of Renewable Energy Technology, 2022 Vol.13 No.4, pp.341 - 360

Received: 05 Oct 2021
Accepted: 10 Mar 2022
Published online: 26 Oct 2022 *

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