Measurement of Temperature Gradient of Walls as a Means of Controlling the Inner Temperature of Buildings
Akpan, O.P., Etim, I.G., Akpan, E. F., Ekwere, A.E. & Jimmy, E.E
Department of Science Technology
Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua
ABSTRACT
In this study, wall temperature gradient was investigated as means of controlling the inner room temperature. The temperature data were collected in ten buildings in Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua. The result shows that the temperature gradient for 10 buildings ranges from 13.1°C/m to 30.8°C/m, the highest value was for building ten(30.8°C/m) and the least was for building nine (13.1°C/m). The building with higher temperature gradient was seen to have low inner temperature. The result also shows that the inner temperature is proportional to the outer temperature while temperature gradient is inversely proportional to the thermal conductivity that aids the radiation of the heat within the room. Thermal mathematical model were developed for the various variables. The equations generated from the graph are good input parameters that can be used by building designers to regulate the internal temperature of the enclosure to a tolerable degree. The result shows that to regulate the room temperature, the inner and outer temperature of walls together with the temperature gradients have to be considered.Keywords: Temperature, Temperature gradient, Thermal conductivity, Radiation
