Experimental validation of a numerical model for heat transfer in vacuum glazing

Flat vacuum glazings consisting of a narrow evacuated space between two glass panes separated by an array of small support pillars have been fabricated. A guarded hot box calorimeter was designed and constructed to measure their heat transfer coefficients. Experimental measurements of temperatures and rates of heat transfer were found to be in very good agreement with those predicted using a developed finite element model. A method for determining the heat transfer coefficient of the evacuated gap has been established and comparisons are made between the measured and predicted glass surface temperature profiles of the exposed glass area and the heat transfer coefficients of the total glazing system in order to validated the model.