A reduced-scale experimental method for the thermal evaluation of building envelopes outfitted with phase change materials

Abstract

A reduced-scale experimental method is originally proposed for the thermal assessment of building envelopes containing phase change materials (PCMs), including PCM-filled components, walls, panels, and roofs. The method includes a combination of advantages such as a hand-built test rig, freely set and precisely controlled boundary conditions, broad component adaptations, high efficiency, data reproducibility, and low manufacturing cost. A dynamic simulator is developed for method description and application. The results show that thermal insulation material (TIM) considerably increases the value of wall decrement factor (DF) index, but has little effect on time lag (TL) value, while PCM significantly increases both indexes. In addition, PCM used as a single layer is found to be significantly better than the case of multiple PCM-filled cavities in concrete masonry units (CMU) blocks. The thermal performance is improved when the temperature at the PCM location is close to its phase change temperature. • A new method for thermal evaluation of PCM-outfitted building envelopes is presented. • The approach is applicable to insulation and PCM-outfitted walls, panels, and roofs. • The method includes the combination of multiple advantages compared to existing ones. • A dynamic wall simulator was established for method description and application. • Typical measurements using this method together with analysis were conducted.