A design of a semi-virtual calibration experiment for a sensitivity enhancement of general-purpose heat flow meters applied in residential buildings

Monitoring of heat fluxes in residential buildings needs to comply with specific conditions and requirements associated with this sector. Although the heat flux sensors usually come with a standard factory calibration, experimental conditions do not always correspond with those acting during the calibration. Typically, when low conducting materials or well-insulated building walls are subjects of investigation, the anticipated values of measured heat fluxes significantly increase demands for the sensitivity of used probes. Also, the indoor conditions may be significantly distorted due to seasonal regimes of occupation. Therefore, a dedicated calibration experiment might be required to address the sensitivity issue that could devalue the experimental outputs otherwise. In this paper a design of a semi-virtual calibration experiment is presented which can be implemented without interfering with the ongoing measurement. As a result, the sensitivity of the sensors might be enhanced to reflect local experimental conditions at zero additional costs as there is no need for sensor manipulation or acquisition of certified equipment for the calibration. The application of the proposed design is demonstrated using an in-situ heat flow measurement in a residential building, which is accompanied with both data verification and independent validation of the proposed technique.

Automated summary

Monitoring heat fluxes in residential buildings requires specific conditions. When investigating low conducting materials or well-insulated walls, the sensitivity of heat flux sensors needs to be enhanced. This paper introduces a semi-virtual calibration experiment design that can reflect local experimental conditions without additional costs, improving the sensitivity of the sensors.