Optimization of phase change material component and its application in buildings

Abstract

Improving the thermal transfer performance of phase change material (PCM) component has attracted more and more attention in building the energy-saving field. This paper presented an optimized PCM component which is encapsulated in a metal container, to promote the thermal performance of the wall. Thermal transfer of PCM component is optimized by adding internal fin through numerical simulation software COMSOL Multiphsics. The simulation model was verified by data from publicly available published literature. The temperature difference of PCM component in front and back heating surface (ΔTs) was employed to obtain the optimal geometric parameters including spacing (Sfin) and length (Lfin) of the fin. Thermal performance of the wall with the optimized and non-optimized PCM component was compared under the summer typical climate. The wall with optimized PCM component has the best capacity for heat storage and release. The interior surface temperature reduction of the wall with optimized PCM component is lower by 2.1 ºC than reference wall.