Experimental performance and spatiotemporal control of solar-powered thermo-pneumatic actuation for adaptive shading in outdoor conditions

Engineering notes

Engineering notes will be added by the Power for Solar editorial team.

Chinese explanation / 中文解读

中文解读待补充：本站会优先为光伏效率、钙钛矿太阳能电池、储能技术、太阳能热利用、BIPV、并网技术等高价值论文补充中文说明。

Original abstract

Abstract Adaptive shading systems are an effective strategy for reducing building energy demand and mitigating overheating, which is increasingly critical in the context of the climate crisis. While many adaptive façade systems rely on active control, electronics and external power, these approaches add complexity, embodied emissions, and operational energy use. Passively controlled adaptive shading (PCAS) offers a low-energy alternative, yet existing solutions are commonly based on material-driven actuation and respond primarily to ambient temperature or humidity. This constrains their capability to react to short-term changes in sky conditions, localized context shading, and can restrict actuation to only specific seasons.
This study experimentally investigates solar-powered, thermo-pneumatic actuation as an irradiance-responsive driver for PCAS in outdoor conditions. A window-scale prototype comprising nine modular shading devices is developed, in which solar-heated air expansion generates pneumatic actuation. The system is equipped with sensors to monitor environmental conditions and shading behavior during clear and changing sky conditions.
The results validate the general functionality of the system by demonstrating fully autonomous opening and closing behavior throughout the day. The shading response is shown to respond to solar irradiance rather than ambient temperature alone, confirming irradiance sensitivity with reaction times on the order of 15 minutes and reopening during overcast conditions under stable air temperatures. Further, a multi-collector configuration demonstrates passive spatiotemporal control through solar collector chamber orientation, enabling time-dependent and spatially coordinated shading behavior without active control electronics. The reported studies provide outdoor experimental insights on solar-powered thermo-pneumatic actuation and identify key passive control parameters, highlighting its potential as a low-energy and low-emission approach for creating adaptive building façades in new and existing buildings.

Links and sources

• PDF from original source

Comments