Numerical Analysis of the Effect of Various Window Parameters on the Thermal Performance of a Double Glaze Window in the Climatic Region of Libya

Abstract

This study presents a numerical analysis of the effect of window parameters on the thermal performance of double glazed windows in the climatic region of Libya. A 2D model of a double glaze window was developed, meshed and solved using a commercial CFD software ANSYS Fluent V15.0. The window was exposed to temperatures representing the highest and lowest temperature in the Libyan capital of Tripoli for the year 2016. Parameters that were investigated are the windows gas space thickness, gas filling where air and argon were studied and compared and frame material with U-pvc, wood and aluminum used for this study. Results show that increasing the gas space thickness increases the windows thermal performance, until however, the optimum space thickness is reached, after which the effect of increasing the gap thickness brings diminishing returns. Argon was proven to have a much better thermal performance than air and U-pvc had the best thermal performance followed by wood and aluminum.