WATER WALLS

-PASSIVE SOLAR TECHNIQUES

SUBJECT-GREEN BUILDING AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Done by:

[Link]
17C11C4007
4TH YEAR VII SEM [Link]
V.S.A.P.V
 WATER WALLS:(ALSO KNOWN AS TROMBE WATER WALL)
• Another type of Trombe wall is the water wall, which works on the same principle as
the classic Trombe wall.

• A water wall uses containers of water for thermal mass instead of a solid mass wall.

• Water walls are typically slightly more efficient than solid mass walls because
they absorb heat more efficiently due to the development of convective currents in
the liquid water as it is heated.

• These currents cause rapid mixing and quicker transfer of heat into
the building than can be provided by the solid mass walls. FIG 1 SECTION OF WATER WALL

• Temperature variations between the exterior and interior wall surfaces drive heat
through the mass wall.

• Inside the building, however, daytime heat gain is delayed, only becoming available
at the interior surface of the thermal mass during the evening when it is needed
because the sun has set.

• The time lag is the time difference between when sunlight first strikes the wall and
when the heat enters the building interior.

• Time lag is contingent upon the type of material used in the wall and the wall FIG 2 SUN RADIATION PENETRATION
thickness; a greater thickness yields a greater time lag.
• The time lag characteristic of thermal mass, combined with dampening of
temperature fluctuations, allows the use of varying daytime solar energy as a more
uniform night-time heat source.

• Windows can be placed in the wall for natural lighting or aesthetic reasons, but this
tends to lower the efficiency somewhat.

• The thickness of a thermal storage wall should be approximately 10 to 14 in (250 to

350 mm) for brick, 12 to 18 in (300 to 450 mm) for concrete, 8 to 12 in (200 to
300 mm) for earth/adobe, and at least 6 in (150 mm) for water.

• These thicknesses delay movement of heat such that indoor surface temperatures
peak during late evening hours.

• Heat will take about 8 to 10 hours to reach the interior of the building (heat travels
through a concrete wall at rate of about one inch per hour).

• A good thermal connection between the inside wall finishes (e.g., drywall) and the
thermal mass wall is necessary to maximize heat transfer FIG 3 WATER WALL FUNCTION
to the interior space.

FIG 4 WATER WALL DURING DAY AND NIGHT

 I) II) I. Heating mode operation of
the water storage wall during
day

II. Heating mode operation of

the water storage wall during
night

III. Cooling mode operation of

III) IV) the water storage wall during
day

IV. Cooling mode operation

of the water storage wall
during night

FIG 5 WATER WALL FUNCTIONING PROCESS

SOURCE: [Link]
night_fig5_275281332
SOLAR WATER TUBE WALL:
• Thermal Storage Tubes work by absorbing the excess heat energy
generated in your greenhouse or sun pace during the day and
releasing it at night to effectively control the large temperature
swings between day and night. 

• The cooler you can keep your greenhouse or sun pace during the
day the less heat you lose through your glazing or window areas. 

• The stored heat in the tubes through simple thermo-

dynamics will automatically release itself into the space when the air FIG 6 WATER TUBE WALL
temperature drops below the water temperature in the tubes.  No
moving parts.

•Low cost containers designed to be the most economical per gallon of

storage.
•Containers transmit natural daylight.
•Wide selection of diameters and heights available to compliment any
design.
•Corrosion free fiberglass construction.
•Self supporting containers require only flat, level floor.
•Easy to install or remove; largest tubes weigh less than 20 lbs. empty.

The Solar Storage Tubes can be used in residential, commercial,

industrial, and agricultural applications.
FIG 7 WATER TUBE WALL
SOURCE : [Link]
 FIG 10 Direct Gain Vertical Wall
FIG 8 Direct Gain Clerestory

FIG 12 WATER FIBER GLASS TUBES USED AS WALL

FIG 9 Direct Gain Sloped Wall FIG 11 Controllable Passive Wall

SOURCE : [Link]
SOLAR TRANSWALL

• A transwall is another type of Trombe wall. FIG 13 SECTION OF

TRANS WALL

• A transwall is a transparent modular water wall . A transwall plays an

aesthetic role by providing visual access to a building’s interior.

• In addition, it provides thermal gain from solar radiation. This wall is

built on a metal frame that holds a water container constructed from
glass walls and a semi-transparent absorbing plate that is positioned
between the walls .

• The semi-transparent plate absorbs (4/5) of the solar energy and

transmits the rest of the energy inside.

• Therefore, this type of wall uses the direct and indirect gain systems
and is suitable for locations where daytime temperature is high .

• Convective heat transfer in a transwall lessens the efficiency of this

type of wall.

• However, installing transparent baffles overcomes this deficiency. To

increase the viscosity of the water and to prevent microorganisms from
growing in the water, gelling and bio-inhibiting agents should be added
to the water . FIG 14 SECTION OF SOLAR WATER TRANS WALL

SOURCE:[Link]
CASE STUDY:
• NAME :UK Pavilion, Expo '92, Seville, Spain.

• ARCHITECT : Nicholas Grimshaw & Partners Ltd

• CONSTRUCTION: Begin in June 1990

Opened on 20th April 1992.

• USAGE :Used for expo in spain.

• DETAILS:

• Grimshaw chose to use the pavilion to make a

statement about energy flows, and to consciously make
very specific design choices that resulted in a structure
highly attuned both to climate and to the needs of an
exhibition space.

• Each face of the Pavilion is reflective of a set of design

choices that create a shaded, cool space in the midst of
a sunny, hot city that has daily temperature variations of
up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

• Accounting for this dynamic climate, the building

envelope changes on each wall. 
FIG 15
SOURCE:[Link]
CLIMATE: WALLS:

West Wall:
As this wall gets the afternoon sun, Grimshaw
chose to make it a barrier condition, lining it with
heavy water tanks filled with sand. This design
choice keeps the Western afternoon sun from
heating the interior of the pavilion.

FIG 16 CLIMATE ANALYSIS

ORIENTATION:

The Pavilion orientation meant that

direct solar radiation fell on the east
wall for only 2-3 hours each day after
public opening; the roof, south
elevation and, in particular, west
elevation were exposed to the sun's
full strength for most of the day. FIG 18 DETAILED VIEW

FIG 17 SKETCH BY ARCHITECT

 East Wall:
• This side of the building is referred to as
the “water wall.”
• It features the UK flag, which sits behind
the layer of falling water that covers the
wall.
• This water wall cools the Easter side of
the building, and is not heated by the Sun
for most of the time people are using the
pavilion.
• This means the water stays cool, and the
continual cycling of falling water cools the
pavilion to approximately 82F, when the
outside temperature was 102F.
• This design choice creates a more passive
cooling system, which also uses a small
amount of electricity, for the water pumps
that cycle the water.
FIG 19 EAST WALL FIG 20 WATER WALL
WALLS: • This electricity is powered by the
South and North Wall: photovoltaics on the roof.
• Both the North and South walls are created using “yacht technology”2 • The cooling effects of the water wall also
Fabric is stretched between masts. mean that the air conditioning system
• The stretched fabric is shaded by a layer of additional fabric that keeps utilize in some places in the pavilion only
the hot southern sun from entering in directly, especially on the lower has to cool the air another 10 degrees, as
levels. the air conditioned space was kept at 72F.
• This layer allows for more shading as well as a heat-buffer, keeping
heat from entering the pavilion. This double layer also served as the
 FIG 21 LONGITUDINAL SECTION
ROOF :

• This was a lightweight sandwich of metal decking, insulation and

waterproofing to minimize loads on the long-span roof members.

• At night the relatively thin insulation allowed some interior cooling. By

day, curved south-facing shades on light steel framesshielded the roof
from the sun and, with natural air movement across, limited its
temperature rise.

• The shades themselves were mostly light-coloured fabric panels,

although approximately 30% of the shade area was provided by banks
of photovoltaic cells which supplied power for the east water wall.

FIG 22 HEATING AND COOLING PROCESS FIG 23 AIR CIRCULATION

THANK
YOU………………
………………………