Simulating Physics of the

Built Environment
Presentation
Introduction
My simulation environment
Physics of the built environment and scale levels
Examples

Demo
3D heat and app from scratch
3D heat and vapour
1D heat and moisture (liquid/vapor), benchmark

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Assistant professor Entrepreneur

Since 1998 Comsol User Since 2015

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 My Modeling & Simulation Environment

MATLAB software

SimuLink software Comsol software

COMSOL is a registered trademark of COMSOL AB. MATLAB and

Simulink are registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc.

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The Built Environment is Multiscale

Material mm
Construction m
Building 10 m
Urban Area 1 km

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 Physics of the Built Environment
Scale level [mm]

Material ~ mm Material Physics

Durability
Energy

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 Physics of the Built Environment
Scale level [m]

Construction ~ m Construction Physics

Safety
Durability
Energy

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 Physics of the Built Environment
Scale level [10 m]

Building ~ 10 m Building Physics

Indoor Climate (T,RH,v,Pollutant)
Building systems
Health
Energy

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 Physics of the Built Environment
Scale level [km]

Urban Area ~ km Urban Physics

Urban Climate (Pollutant, Wind)
Urban Systems
Aquifer
Energy

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 Modeling the Built Environment
Physics and Scales

Physics Heat Moisture Air Pollutant Stress

Scales
~ mm

~ m

~ 10m

~ km

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 Examples

Physics Heat Moisture Air Pollutant Stress

Scales
~ mm

~ m

~ 10m

~ km

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 Example 1: Aquifer and District Heating
Heat ~km Urban

Physics Heat Moisture Air Pollutant Stress

Scales
~ mm

~ m

~ 10m

~ km

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Example 1: Aquifer and District Heating
Heat ~km Urban

Ref: Modelling the performance of underground heat exchangers and storage systems
MSc Thesis DAVID VAN REENEN (2011) Chalmers/TUe

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Example 1: Aquifer and District Heating
Heat ~km Urban

Ref: Modelling the performance of underground heat exchangers and storage systems
MSc Thesis DAVID VAN REENEN (2011) Chalmers/TUe

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 Example 2: Building Energy Simulation
Heat ~10m Building

Physics Heat Moisture Air Pollutant Stress

Scales
~ mm

~ m

~ 10m

~ km

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Example 2: Building Energy Simulation
BES TEST

Ref: COMSOL Multiphysics for building energy simulation (BES) using BESTEST criteria
Jacobs & van Schijndel (2015)

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Example 2: Building Energy Simulation
Including Radiation & CFD

Ref: IEA EBC Annex 58 (2014) Ref: Current MSc work van der Putten (2017)

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Example 3: Solar Radiation Inside a Room
Heat ~10m Building

Ref: PhD Thesis Zara Huijbregts TUe (2017)

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 Example 4 3D Construction
Heat ~m

Physics Heat Moisture Air Pollutant Stress

Scales
~ mm

~ m

~ 10m

~ km

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 Example 5: Moisture
Liquid & Vapour ~mm

Physics Heat Moisture Air Pollutant Stress

Scales
~ mm

~ m

~ 10m

~ km

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Example 5: Water Leakages
Liquid ~mm Brick

Ref: Evaluation of inverse modeling techniques for pinpointing

water leakages at building constructions. Modeling and Numerical
Simulation of Material Science, 5(1), 15-25. van Schijndel (2015)

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Example 5: Drying of Wood
Vapour ~mm

Ref: PhD thesis Schellen (2002), Experiments by Pel

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 Example 6: Condensation Risks
Heat & Moisture ~mm

Physics Heat Moisture Air Pollutant Stress

Scales
~ mm

~ m

~ 10m

~ km

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Verification
HAMSTAD Benchmark no 1

q he (Te T )
g0

q hi (Ti T ) llv ( pi p)
g ( pi p)

Ref: HAMSTAD Benchmarks using Comsol revisited

van Schijndel, Goesten & Schellen (2016)

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Calculating PDE Coefficients
Using Material Properties
T
CT (K 11T K 12 LPc )
t
LPc
C LPc (K 21T K 22 LPc )
t

Ref: HAMSTAD Benchmarks using Comsol revisited

van Schijndel, Goesten & Schellen (2016)

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Verification
HAMSTAD Benchmark no 1

Ref: HAMSTAD Benchmarks using Comsol revisited

van Schijndel, Goesten & Schellen (2016)

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Verification
HAMSTAD Benchmark no 1

Ref: MSc Thesis Sander Goesten TUe (2016)

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 Example 7 Conservation
Heat, Moisture, Stress/Strain ~mm

Physics Heat Moisture Air Pollutant Stress

Scales
~ mm

~ m

~ 10m

~ km

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Example 7: Stress/Strain in Artifacts
Heat, Moisture, Stress/Strain ~mm

Ref: Physics of Monuments Henk Schellen (2017)

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Example 7: Stress/Strain in Artifacts
Heat, Moisture, Stress/Strain ~mm

Ref: PhD Thesis Zara Huijbregts TUe (2017)

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 More info and examples are available at :

COMSOL, Inc.: www.comsol.com

Papers / Presentations
Examples use COMSOL software
TU/e: http://archbpswiki.bwk.tue.nl/bpswiki/index.php/Hamlab
Models / Reports
Examples use COMSOL software, MATLAB software, and
Simulink software
CompuToolAble: www.computoolable.com
Development of Tools
Examples use COMSOL software, MATLAB software, and
Simulink software
COMSOL is a registered trademark of COMSOL AB. MATLAB and
Simulink are registered trademarks of The MathWorks, Inc.

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Simulating Physics of the
Built Environment
Presentation
Introduction
My simulation environment
Physics of the Built Environment and Scale levels
Examples

Demo
3D heat and app from scratch
3D heat and vapour
1D heat and moisture (liquid/vapour), benchmark

31-5-2017 PAGE 30
3D Thermal Bridge

www.thermomaster.net

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Simulating Physics of the
Built Environment
Presentation
Introduction
My simulation environment
Physics of the Built Environment and Scale levels
Examples

Demo
3D heat and app from scratch
3D heat and vapour
1D heat and moisture (liquid/vapour), benchmark

31-5-2017 PAGE 32
Including Vapour Transport

Vapour diffusion analogy with Heat:

Included in new heat transfer in building

materials module in Comsol 5.3

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High RH at the Inner Surface

www.purifan.com

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Simulating Physics of the
Built Environment
Presentation
Introduction
My simulation environment
Physics of the Built Environment and Scale levels
Examples

Demo
3D heat and app from scratch
3D heat and vapor
1D heat and moisture (liquid/vapor), benchmark

31-5-2017 PAGE 35
Including Liquid: A Whole Different Game

T
CT (K 11T K 12 LPc )
t
LPc
C LPc (K 21T K 22 LPc )
t

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