Climate-Based Analysis for the Potential Use of Coconut Oil as Phase Change Material in Buildings

Cibele Eller,Katharina Boudier,Mohamad Rida,Gabriela Celani,Lucila Labaki,Sabine Hoffmann,Caio Otoni

doi:10.3390/su131910731

Cibele Eller, Katharina Boudier + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/su131910731

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Abstract

One of the most efficient measures to reduce energy consumption in buildings is using passive thermal comfort strategies. This paper shows the potential of coconut oil as a bio-based phase change material (PCM) incorporated into construction components to improve the thermal performance of buildings for several climates, due to its environmental advantages, wide availability, and economic feasibility. The thermophysical properties of coconut oil were determined through differential scanning calorimetry. Numerical simulations were conducted in ESP-r, comparing an office space with a gypsum ceiling to one with coconut oil as PCM for 12 climate types in the Köppen–Geiger classification. The results show that coconut oil is a suitable PCM for construction applications under tropical and subtropical climates. This PCM can provide year-round benefits for these climates, even though a higher melting point is needed for optimum performance during hotter months. The highest demand reduction of 32% and a maximum temperature reduction of 3.7 °C were found in Mansa, Zambia (Cwa climate). The best results occur when average outdoor temperatures are within the temperature range of phase change. The higher the diurnal temperature range, the better the results. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of coconut oil in terms of its properties and potential for application in the building sector as PCM.

Highlights

It is known that the way to mitigate the current process of climate change on our planet is a radical reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, which can be done by dramatically reducing energy consumption and shifting to more sustainable energy sources
Values are generally below 9 K (Figure 9d), and the average temperature fluctuation reduction (ATFR) results are more related to the average temperatures, which are lower during the winter and higher during summer or shoulder seasons (Figure 9c)
Higher ATFRs in Seoul correspond to a higher diurnal temperature range (DTR), whereas in Fairbanks they correspond to a higher average temperature

Summary

Introduction

It is known that the way to mitigate the current process of climate change on our planet is a radical reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, which can be done by dramatically reducing energy consumption and shifting to more sustainable energy sources. According to the UN Global Status Report [1], the construction and operation of buildings together account for 39% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. The operation of a building over its life is responsible for more than 80% of its carbon footprint. The energy spent in air conditioning has globally doubled since 2000 despite the increase in the energy efficiency of HVAC equipment. High-rise office buildings that have been built with fully glazed façades and suspended ceilings since the 1960s, even when built with concrete, behave as a lightweight construction and usually rely on air conditioning for thermal comfort, which results in high energy consumption. There is, a need to find alternative thermal comfort strategies for retrofitting existing and new buildings with passive solutions

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