A conceptual framework for phase change material integration in building components

Abstract

With the recent dramatic growth of the building sector’s energy consumption to provide thermal comfort to consumers, the constraints of climate change and the scarcity of energy supplies have necessitated a wiser and more effective reduction in the amount consumed. As a result, phase change materials (PCMs) have attracted much interest as latent heat thermal storage systems in recent decades. This paper aims to explain the possibility of using PCMs in buildings by establishing an overall conceptual framework for the processes of selecting and integrating PCMs in building sector applications. Moreover, it leads to a comprehensive matrix that identifies the best and most common type of material for each building’s component, as well as its temperature and thickness properties, its thermal impact, and the most popular integration techniques. The findings show paraffin as the major used type in all building components, while salt hydrate is employed in facades. The most prevalent incorporating technique is macro-encapsulation, which prevails in most building components with its direct effect on cooling and heating applications.

Solar Chimney Performance Driven Air Ventilation Promotion: An Investigation of Various Configuration Parameters

“…In addition, positive relationships could be observed by the solar collector s width and each floor s airflow rate. Moreover, the solar chimney design can be optimized to provide the indoor air velocity and thermal comfort, as indicated in [25], where they highlighted that the most important factor is the width of the solar…”

“…Numerous computational, analytical, and experimental studies for multi-zone and zonal models as well as for small-scale and full-scale experimental prototypes have shown that the chimney's shape and morphology affect the flow rate and ACH [15,25,46,50,55,57,[70][71][72][73][74]. Patel SK, Prasad D, and Ahmed MR [46] explored the influence of various geometric parameters on a SCPP such as the collector inlet opening and the collector outlet.…”

“…Passive solutions for buildings can provide high durability to promote indoor air quality (IAQ) and indoor thermal comfort and decrease the energy consumption, besides the carbon footprint, by using passive ventilation solutions including, in particular, atria, courtyards, double walls, wind towers, and solar chimneys (SCs) [12,[17][18][19][20][21][22]. SCs can be considered as a significant green passive design solution that can enhance both passive ventilation and solar energy proportionately [23][24][25][26][27][28][29]. On the one hand, a SC is based on solar-induced thermal convection and buoyancy [2,17,30].…”

Experimental and numerical analysis of the insulation performance in buildings using moisture control material including phase change materials

“…In recent years, extensive research has focused on innovative insulation alternatives, with the use of phase change materials (PCMs) standing out as a promising solution for regulating indoor temperatures [7,8]. Encapsulating PCMs within structural materials has emerged as an effective approach to enhance building energy efficiency and reduce overall energy consumption [9][10][11][12][13].…”

“…Conversely, at nighttime, the PCMs solidify and release stored heat, contributing to natural insulation and potentially reducing the need for heating [14]. Integrating PCMs as a thermal regulation strategy offers multiple benefits, including increased energy efficiency by managing temperature imbalances, enhanced occupant comfort by creating a stable indoor environment, and environmental sustainability through reduced greenhouse gas emissions associated with traditional heating and cooling systems [8].…”