Thermal analysis of concrete bricks-embedded phase change material: A case study under hot weather conditions

Abstract

This research experimentally examines the thermal behaviour of concrete brick-based PCM layer/capsules during severe hot summer days in southern Iraq. Three bricks were fabricated in which one brick was integrated with a PCM layer (BL) and another integrated with PCM capsules (BC), while the third was left bare without PCM (BR) for comparison. The thermal performance of bricks was assessed considering the inner and outer surface temperature difference, decrement factor, time lag and average surface temperature fluctuation reduction. Besides, the mechanical strength decline of each brick was investigated to show their applicability in real constructions. Experimental results designated that BL and BC performed better than BR, in which the temperature across the brick was shaved by up to 5 °C with a 30–60 min time lag. Generally, BL exhibited slightly better thermal performance than BC; nonetheless, it showed a sharp decline in compression strength. Conclusively, the brick-based PCM layer was thermally better than that-based PCM capsules, but the latter has superior mechanical properties.