[Back]


Publications in Scientific Journals:

E. Litavcova, A. Korjenic, S. Korjenic, M. Pavlus, I. Sarhadov, J. Seman, T. Bednar:
"Diffusion of moisture into building materials: A model for moisture transport";
Energy and Buildings, 68 (2014), 558 - 561.



English abstract:
Presence of moisture in the building materials leads to a larger energy loss, especially in winter;therefore, drying is important to improve the energy efficiency of buildings. The drying process is
based on the evaporation of the liquid water on the material surface where the water vapor releases to surrounding, or it is based on the evaporation in the pores of the material and subsequently moving
through the pores to the surface and surrounding. We derive a mathematical model that describes liquid water and vapor diffusion in a wet material as two separate processes. We also present an exact
solution of this model and compare it with the classical moisture transfer solution representing transfer of both liquid water and vapor as a single moisture variable. Finally, we present the calculation of diffusion coefficient and compile the values for various building materials. The model allows considering the drying in various materials as two independent processes for transfer of liquid water and vapor. Energy losses can be calculated using the model depending on the moisture content in the materials.

Keywords:
Moisture; Building; Energy saving; Modeling; Variables separation method; Diffusion;


"Official" electronic version of the publication (accessed through its Digital Object Identifier - DOI)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2013.09.018


Created from the Publication Database of the Vienna University of Technology.