Thermal characteristics of water-flow double-pane window

Water-flow double-pane window design is an innovative concept that involves a controlled flow of water within the cavity between the two glass panes. As the heat extracted by flowing water is much higher than by ventilating air, the room heat gain can be reduced considerably and at the same time, the window can serve as a water pre-heating device. In this paper, its thermal characteristics are investigated with the use of a mathematical model. The effects of outdoor and indoor air temperatures, solar irradiance, beam angle, as well as water flow velocity on the heat flow are analyzed. The results indicate that this innovative design is highly suitable for applications in warm and temperate climate regions.