THERM FUTURE WORK

As window products are designed and manufactured to become increasingly more energy efficient, it is imperative that the software tools such as THERM, which are used to design and rate such products for U-values and Condensation Resistance, are increasingly accurate in order to capture the true benefits of high-performance products.

THERM's user interface and algorithms were therefore designed to accommodate the results of ongoing research on fenestration product heat transfer. These topics include:

	Providing a library of local film coefficients to better model frame and edge heat transfer and projecting products such as skylights and greenhouse windows.
	Incorporating the effects of 3D heat transfer paths into THERM.
	Developing a convection model for small cavities (in extruded frames) and in large cavities (domed skylights).
	Direct modeling of frame and divider solar heat gain effects in place of simple correlations.

Updated: 04/04/03