Trombe wall

The Trombe wall is a combination of a solar collector and storage wall used in solar architecture for passive use of solar energy. The Trombe wall was developed by the French engineer Félix Trombe together with architect Jacques Michel, 1956 in Font-Romeu- Odeillo- Via.

Principle of operation and construction

The Trombe wall is a passive system for the use of daytime incoming solar energy (1 ) ( 2) (see schematic diagram ). It is located on the south facade of the building a blackened massive memory wall (6) - the Trombe wall - behind a single glazing (4). The distance ( 5) between the glass and the wall is approximately 10 to 15 cm. Day, the wall heats up by the absorbed solar radiation, and due to the sheet of glass greenhouse. Ventilation flap (7 ) ( 8) can be the so- heated air into the interior space, if necessary passed. Night gives the wall a part of the heat stored time offset ( " phase shift " ) again. The Trombe wall is usually made ​​of concrete, with wall thicknesses of 46-75 cm.

A disadvantage of the Trombe wall is the poor thermal insulation. Under the usual Central European climatic conditions of the solar gain compared to the thermal losses through the uninsulated wall is significantly reduced.

Further developments of the Trombe wall for example, use water, which has a much higher heat capacity than concrete, as a storage medium.