CFD modelling of convective heat transfer from a window with adjacent venetian blinds

This paper studies in three-dimension the coupled convective and radiative heat transfer rate from a window surface with adjacent aluminium venetian blind using commercially available CFD software. The flow patterns (temperature and velocity fields) and convective heat transfer coefficient were investigated for different blade angles (00, 450, -450, 800) for both summer and winter conditions. Comparisons were made with available experimental and other theoretical research. The results of this paper indicate that heat transfer between window and indoor air is influenced significantly by the presence of an aluminium venetian blind and that the cellular flow between the blind slats can have an important effect on heat transfer from a window surface can only be fully recognized and analyzed in three dimensions.