Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Received ‎Solar Radiation on a Domed and Flat Roof

Domed roofs are the masterwork of mechanical engineering because of building heat load reduction in Iran. Received ‎solar radiation on a domed and flat roof has been compared with each other experimentally and numerically in this ‎research. Data measurements have been done on 15th day of each month from sunrise to sunset with one hour intervals. ‎A 1/10 scaled model of a mosque in Yazd has been used for experimental investigation. Data obtained on 13 point on ‎this model. The dome has three circuits named A, B and C, with a horizontal angle of 30o, 50o and 90o respectively. ‎Four points on every circuit in the four main directions are considered. Results show that the total received solar ‎radiation (per unite area of dome base) for flat roof is higher than domed roof. The maximum solar radiation received ‎on the East and South direction for warm and cold seasons respectively for domed roof. The minimum solar radiation ‎received on the North direction during a year. The maximum solar radiation on the East direction is received in the ‎early morning, while the West has its maximum in the late afternoon. In addition the maximum received solar ‎radiation for the flat roof and the South direction of the dome occur at approximately noon, while the maximum ‎received solar radiation tends to be happened before noon for the North direction.‎