Study on thermal performance of dynamic insulation roof integrated with phase change material

Abstract

Buildings are one of the largest parts of global energy consumption, and the building envelope is a paramount factor. In this study, a dynamic insulation roof integrated with phase change material (DRP) was proposed, whose thermal performance is improved by combining two phase change material (PCM) layers and a dynamic insulation (DI) layer. A dynamic heat transfer resistance-capacity model (RC model) for the DRP was established, and its accuracy was verified by experiment. The office building model with the DRP was established in TRNSYS to predict the annual loads. The DI layer and two PCM layers of the DRP were optimized, and the sum of the annual cooling and heating loads was reduced by 35.4% in comparison with the insulation roof in Wuhan (hot summer and cold winter areas). When the DRP is applied in Beijing (cold areas), the sum of the annual cooling and heating loads is reduced by 16.4%; when it is applied in Guangzhou (hot summer and warm winter areas), the cooling load is reduced by 24.8%. The energy-saving effect of the DRP in hot summer and warm winter areas, and in hot summer and cold winter areas is better than that in cold areas.