Experimental analysis of thermal energy efficient clay brick incorporated with phase change material and insulation

Abstract

In this study, a combination of thermal capacitance (Phase Change Material) and thermal resistance (Polyurethane Foam and air) materials are incorporated into Energy Efficient Clay Brick (EECB) to assess its indoor thermal performance. Various configurations of EECBs were developed, featuring two rectangular slots to accommodate PCM, Polyurethane Foam (PUF), and air in varying orders. These EECBs were then tested in a real outdoor tropical climate over three consecutive days to evaluate the impact of integrating PCM, PUF, and air in indoor thermal performance. The results indicate that the combination of PCM and PUF in EECB-5, with PCM on the outer side and PUF on the inner side, demonstrates the best indoor thermal behavior compared to other configurations. EECB-5 exhibits a maximum reduction in indoor peak temperature of 11.2 % and a time lag ranging from 130 to 140 minutes. EECB-5 shows a decrement factor of 0.54, followed by 0.55 for EECB-2. Additionally, EECB-5 configuration achieves an average surface temperature reduction of 15.01 % compared to Conventional Brick (CB). In addition, the simulation analysis of various configurations of bricks further confirms that the EECB-5 configuration exhibits superior indoor temperature regulation compared to other configurations. It is concluded that PCM enhances the thermal capacitance of building elements by increasing their latent heat storage capacity. Hence, Phase Change Material (PCM) into building elements can help to provide viable solutions for creating energy-efficient building envelopes.