Experimental and Numerical Research of the Thermal Properties of a PCM Window Panel

Abstract

This paper reports the experimental and simulation analysis of a window system incorporating Phase Change Materials (PCMs). In this study, the latent heat storage material is exploited to increase the thermal mass of the building component. A PCM-filled window can increase the possibilities of storage energy from solar radiation and reduce the heating cooling demand. The presented measurements were performed on a specific window panel that integrates a PCM. The PCM window panel consists of four panes of safety glass with three gaps, of which the first one contains a prismatic glass, the second a krypton gas, and the last one a PCM. New PCM window panel technology uses the placement of the PCM in the whole space of the window cavity. This technology improves the thermal performance and storage mass of the window panel. The results show the incongruent melting of salt hydrates and the high thermal inertia of the PCM window panel. The simulation data showed that the PCM window panel and the double glazing panel markedly reduced the peak temperature on the interior surface, reduced the air temperature inside the room, and also considerably improved the thermal mass of the building. This means that the heat energy entering the building through the panel is reduced by 66% in the summer cycle.

Clay Composites for Thermal Energy Storage: A Review

“…However, there are some disadvantages as well. The main problem with salt hydrates is an incongruent melting [30,31]. The incongruent melting occurs when the anhydrous salt contained in the salt hydrate is partly soluble in water at the salt hydrate melting temperature.…”

Review and Mapping of Parameters for the Early Stage Design of Adaptive Building Technologies through Life Cycle Assessment Tools

“…Similarly, Kinetic systems are also focused on an application in building envelopes [41,42]. Few available studies on specific adaptive technologies were also included, as PCM integrating technologies [52,53] and a shape-change technology [54]. Autoreactive systems appeared to be still a minority, although their development and use have been theorised both in terms of kinetics [5] and material technology [6,55].…”

“…Potential benefits from the application of tPCM as LHS units in buildings vary consistently with the geographical location and the thickness of the PCM elements [92,93]. Further questions regarding the sustainability of tPCMs are raised following the need to encapsulate the materials, and more specifically regarding eventual leakage issues and recycling issues in the end of life phase [48,52,53,67,94]. Parameters that are not known concerning the use of paraffins in architecture concern their efficiency and operation over long timeframes [40].…”

Computer Simulation of Passive Cooling of Wooden House Covered by Phase Change Material

“…There are many possibilities to incorporate PCMs into a building. In the case of passive heating and cooling, they can be compounds of building bricks and blocks [20], window panels [21], and so on. They can be also used as separate layers that are parts of enclosure walls, ceilings [22], and floors [23].…”