Improving Thermal Performance And Lightweight In ۳DPrinted Hollow Bricks

Since most blocks produced by a ۳D printer are hollow and the shape of these hollows significantly impacts on the heat transfer penetrating of the building, also it is necessary to examine different models of these hollows. Thus, the present study aimed to provide a new building brick cells structure and examine and optimize the effect of the shape and dimensions of the hollows on its thermal performance using the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the Response Surface Methodology (RSM) technique. The input parameters included the geometric characteristics of the cells and the thermal transmittance as the response variable. RSM and FEM methods were used simultaneously to minimize the thermal transmittance parameter. Heat transfer equations involving steady-state three-dimensional heat transfer as well as three heat transfer mechanisms, i.e., conduction, convection, and radiation, were solved at a different temperature, while the temperature distribution and heat transfer coefficient were measured. The results indicated that increasing the thickness or the height of hollow and increasing the hollow circumference in genera could increase the thermal resistance of the blocks.