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Experimental and Numerical Analysis of a PCM-Integrated Roof for Higher Thermal Performance of Buildings

  • Special Column: Recent Advances in PCMs as Thermal Energy Storage in Energy Systems
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Abstract

Phase change materials (PCMs) designate materials able to store latent heat. PCMs change state from solid to liquid over a defined temperature range. This process is reversible and can be used for thermo-technical purposes. The present paper aims to study the thermal performance of an inorganic eutectic PCM integrated into the rooftop slab of a test room and analyze its potential for building thermal management. The experiment is conducted in two test rooms in Antofagasta (Chile) during summer, fall, and winter. The PCM is integrated into the rooftop of the first test room, while the roof panel of the second room is a sealed air cavity. The work introduces a numerical model, which is built using the finite difference method and used to simulate the rooms’ thermal behavior. Several thermal simulations of the PCM room are performed for other Chilean locations to evaluate and compare the capability of the PCM panel to store latent heat thermal energy in different climates. Results show that the indoor temperature of the PCM room in Antofagasta varies only 21.1°C±10.6°C, while the one of the air-panel room varies 28.3°C±18.5°C. Under the experiment’s conditions, the PCM room’s indoor temperature observes smoother diurnal fluctuations, with lower maximum and higher minimum indoor temperatures than that of the air-panel room. Thermal simulations in other cities show that the PCM panel has a better thermal performance during winter, as it helps to maintain or increase the room temperature by some degrees to reach comfort temperatures. This demonstrates that the implementation of such PCM in the building envelope can effectively reduce space heating and cooling needs, and improve indoor thermal comfort in different climates of Chile.

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Abbreviations

Cp :

Specific heat capacity/J·(kg·K)−1

h :

Coefficient of convection/W·(m2·K)−1

k :

Thermal conductivity/W·(m·K)−1

L :

Length of the panel/m

q :

Irradiation/W·m−2

T :

Temperature/°C

t :

Time

x :

System abscise/m

α :

Absorptivity

ε :

Emissivity

ρ :

Density/kg·m−3

σ :

Stefan-Boltzmann constant/W·m−2·K−1

air:

Air in the panel

i :

Volume cell number

in:

Inside

m :

Correspondent material

o:

Outside

PCM:

PCM in the panel

s:

Sun

si:

Inner surface

sky:

Sky

so:

Outer surface

∞:

Outside ambient air

f :

Implicit coefficient

Gr :

Grashoff Number

Nu :

Nusselt Number

Pr :

Prandtl Number

Re :

Reynolds Number

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Acknowledgment

The authors gratefully acknowledge the research support provided by CEDEUS (ANID/FONDAP 1522A0002), SERC (ANID/FONDAP 1522A0006), and the UAI Earth Research Centre. Also, the authors extend their gratitude to FAVE Project, Code: 2018-2019-3C1-069, funded by FONDOCyT 2018-2019, Ministry of Higher Education Science, and Technology (MESCyT). F.S. acknowledges support from ANTD/FONDECYT 3210690.

Funding

This work was supported by ANID/FONDAP 1522A0002, ANTD/FONDECYT 3210690, MESCyT/FONDOCyT 2018-2019-3C1-069, ANID/FONDAP 1522A0006, and the UAI Earth Research Center.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Desarrollo Urbano Sustentable (CEDEUS), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 7500000, Santiago, Chile

    François Simon

  2. Facultad de Ciencias e Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), 10103, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

    Letzai Ruiz-Valero

  3. LMGC, IMT Mines Ales, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, 30100, Alès, France

    Aymeric Girard

  4. Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, 2520000, Viña del Mar, Chile

    Aymeric Girard

  5. Centro de Desarrollo Energético Antofagasta (CDEA), Universidad de Antofagasta, 1240000, Antofagasta, Chile

    Hector Galleguillos

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  1. François Simon
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  2. Letzai Ruiz-Valero
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Correspondence to François Simon.

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Simon, F., Ruiz-Valero, L., Girard, A. et al. Experimental and Numerical Analysis of a PCM-Integrated Roof for Higher Thermal Performance of Buildings. J. Therm. Sci. 33, 522–536 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11630-023-1909-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11630-023-1909-5

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