Passive Cooling Through the Integration of Phase Change Material in a Direct Heat Gain Wall
摘要
In the present research work, we explore the efficacy of using phase change material (PCM) for minimizing heat gain in building energy. Embedding PCM would reduce the direct heat flow into the room from outside, and the heat is stored as thermal charge to be released later. We optimize the structural integration of the PCM layer and an insulation layer to obtain passive cooling of a non-air-conditioned space. We specifically quantify the impact of using PCM in conjunction with Expanded Polystyrene Surface (EPS) for improved thermal performance. We achieve a significant (14.82%) reduction in room air temperature with PCM, with the highest reductions obtained during May. Furthermore, the most optimal reduction in heat gain is observed for a configuration featuring EPS insulation on the interior side in combination with PCM. These findings hold considerable promise for the design of efficient building energy systems, contributing to sustainable and environmentally-friendly construction practices.