Taguchi optimization and a fast evaluation method on the transient thermal performance of phase change material outfitted walls

Abstract

The determination of the dominant factors affecting the transient thermal performance of phase change materials (PCMs) outfitted walls, especially the PCM-outfitted hollow building block (brick) walls, was conducted using Taguchi method and a validated enthalpy model. The factors, including the deviation of PCM's phase change temperature from ambient ones, PCM's total latent heat and location, and the thermal conductivity of wall materials, were revealed to be the key impact factors. The quantitative importance of the dominant factors and the criteria for high thermal performance were obtained. Based on the importance of the dominant impact factors, a method for fast evaluating the thermal performance of PCM-outfitted walls was originally presented, in the mode of simple manual calculation and a final synthesis score. Meanwhile, a STT (Synthesis score - Thermal index value - Thermal performance level) comparison table was provided for the performance level classification of walls, indicating that the score higher than 70 should be reached for potentially-used PCM-outfitted walls.