Numerical Study on the Effect of Incorporating Phase Change Materials in a Wall

Abstract

Integrating phase-change materials (PCMs) into the structure of a building can significantly improve its heat storage capacity and thermal performance. Thanks to their phase-change properties, PCMs can absorb, store and release large amounts of energy in the form of latent heat within a narrow temperature range. This study examines the thermal behavior of a housing wall that incorporates PCM to increase its thermal inertia. Simulations using Ansys Fluent 14.0 software compare a standard wall with a wall incorporating layers of PCM of different thicknesses and positions. Three types of PCM - RT28 kerosene, C .6 O wet salt and A26 - are evaluated. The results show that positioning the PCM layer on the interior surface adjacent to the indoor environment can reduce internal heat flow by around 50% compared with a standard wall. In addition, the study identifies an optimum PCM layer thickness of between 10 and 15 cm.