Theoretical and Experimental Comparisons of Total Solar Transmittance for Polycarbonate Sheet with Twin Wall Rectangular Structure

Multiwall polycarbonate sheets are applied as construction elements. Modelling and analysis of thermal processes that occur in this material demand the knowledge of solar transmittance. Values of this parameter determined in laboratory conditions are given in the technical specification of the produ...

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Main Authors: Zbigniew Zapałowicz, Agnieszka Garnysz-Rachtan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-09-01
Series:Applied Mechanics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3161/3/4/66
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author Zbigniew Zapałowicz
Agnieszka Garnysz-Rachtan
author_facet Zbigniew Zapałowicz
Agnieszka Garnysz-Rachtan
author_sort Zbigniew Zapałowicz
collection DOAJ
description Multiwall polycarbonate sheets are applied as construction elements. Modelling and analysis of thermal processes that occur in this material demand the knowledge of solar transmittance. Values of this parameter determined in laboratory conditions are given in the technical specification of the product. However, the parameter is in practice a complex function depending on the number of factors. This paper presents theoretical and experimental research results for total solar transmittance (TST) for a polycarbonate sheet with twin wall rectangular structure. Theoretical TST is calculated as a product of transmissivity after accounting for light absorption in polycarbonate and of transmissivity after accounting for multiple reflections of solar rays from walls of a channel. The first kind of transmissivity is insignificant and can be neglected. The second one depends on the number of reflection layers, season, and time of day. Experimental TST is determined as the ratio of irradiance under and above the polycarbonate sheet measured by pyranometers. Experimental TST is also a function of time of day and season. Both kinds of TST have an approximately constant value in the time about noon. The theoretical values of TST (0.74) are approximately equal to experimental values of TST (0.75) for the selected summer day. The value of TST in catalogue is equal to 0.82.
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spelling doaj.art-f8c72ef3af044852a24d8d1f8c828f2c2023-11-24T12:59:27ZengMDPI AGApplied Mechanics2673-31612022-09-01341163117510.3390/applmech3040066Theoretical and Experimental Comparisons of Total Solar Transmittance for Polycarbonate Sheet with Twin Wall Rectangular StructureZbigniew Zapałowicz0Agnieszka Garnysz-Rachtan1Department of Energy Technologies, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin al. Piastów 19, 70-310 Szczecin, PolandDepartment of Energy Technologies, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin al. Piastów 19, 70-310 Szczecin, PolandMultiwall polycarbonate sheets are applied as construction elements. Modelling and analysis of thermal processes that occur in this material demand the knowledge of solar transmittance. Values of this parameter determined in laboratory conditions are given in the technical specification of the product. However, the parameter is in practice a complex function depending on the number of factors. This paper presents theoretical and experimental research results for total solar transmittance (TST) for a polycarbonate sheet with twin wall rectangular structure. Theoretical TST is calculated as a product of transmissivity after accounting for light absorption in polycarbonate and of transmissivity after accounting for multiple reflections of solar rays from walls of a channel. The first kind of transmissivity is insignificant and can be neglected. The second one depends on the number of reflection layers, season, and time of day. Experimental TST is determined as the ratio of irradiance under and above the polycarbonate sheet measured by pyranometers. Experimental TST is also a function of time of day and season. Both kinds of TST have an approximately constant value in the time about noon. The theoretical values of TST (0.74) are approximately equal to experimental values of TST (0.75) for the selected summer day. The value of TST in catalogue is equal to 0.82.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3161/3/4/66optical polycarbonate propertiespolycarbonate transmittancepolycarbonate enclosuretransmittance modellingswimming pool enclosure
spellingShingle Zbigniew Zapałowicz
Agnieszka Garnysz-Rachtan
Theoretical and Experimental Comparisons of Total Solar Transmittance for Polycarbonate Sheet with Twin Wall Rectangular Structure
Applied Mechanics
optical polycarbonate properties
polycarbonate transmittance
polycarbonate enclosure
transmittance modelling
swimming pool enclosure
title Theoretical and Experimental Comparisons of Total Solar Transmittance for Polycarbonate Sheet with Twin Wall Rectangular Structure
title_full Theoretical and Experimental Comparisons of Total Solar Transmittance for Polycarbonate Sheet with Twin Wall Rectangular Structure
title_fullStr Theoretical and Experimental Comparisons of Total Solar Transmittance for Polycarbonate Sheet with Twin Wall Rectangular Structure
title_full_unstemmed Theoretical and Experimental Comparisons of Total Solar Transmittance for Polycarbonate Sheet with Twin Wall Rectangular Structure
title_short Theoretical and Experimental Comparisons of Total Solar Transmittance for Polycarbonate Sheet with Twin Wall Rectangular Structure
title_sort theoretical and experimental comparisons of total solar transmittance for polycarbonate sheet with twin wall rectangular structure
topic optical polycarbonate properties
polycarbonate transmittance
polycarbonate enclosure
transmittance modelling
swimming pool enclosure
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-3161/3/4/66
work_keys_str_mv AT zbigniewzapałowicz theoreticalandexperimentalcomparisonsoftotalsolartransmittanceforpolycarbonatesheetwithtwinwallrectangularstructure
AT agnieszkagarnyszrachtan theoreticalandexperimentalcomparisonsoftotalsolartransmittanceforpolycarbonatesheetwithtwinwallrectangularstructure