Abstract
Sustainability awareness in the building industry has increased in recent years, and several initiatives have been developed. One of the areas gaining attention recently is the application of phase change materials (PCMs) in concrete. PCMs are materials capable of storing and releasing energy based on the temperature of the environment in which they are situated. This capability makes them provide heat during cold times, and absorb heat when the temperature is higher. As concrete is the most used building material in the world, the use of PCMs in concrete will be a great way to widen the application of PCMs. However, as the composition of concrete determines its properties; hence, the use of PCM in concrete can be detrimental to the properties of concrete. Some of the negative effects on the properties of concrete include reduced mechanical properties and corrosion of reinforcements. In addition, PCMs suitable for concrete are not readily available in the market, and extremely expensive when available. Also, lack of long-term data on the effect of PCM on concrete's durability has discouraged stakeholders to accept the use of PCMs in concrete. This paper explored the current challenges faced by the application of PCMs in concrete which, and possible opportunities that will open more pathway for extensive research and applications of PCM in concrete. It was concluded that the use of right type and proportion of PCM in concrete can result in similar strength to those of control samples. Also, certain methods of incorporating PCMs into the concrete were found to be more effective. Therefore, it is imperative that building engineers carry out initial tests to determine the most appropriate incorporation method to be used. Finally, huge energy savings can be achieved through the use of PCM in concrete without any significant reduction in mechanical strength.
Highlights
Building energy consumptions accounts for over one-third of the energy consumption in most countries
Several methods have been proposed to reduce the operational energy of buildings, and one of the promising ways is the incorporation of phase change materials in building materials
Lee et al [16] used the impregnation method to incorporate phase change materials (PCMs) into the concrete until a required absorption rate of 3.9–6.8% was achieved. It was observed from the study, that the impregnated concrete blocks can store the sensible heat of the concrete as well as the sensible and latent heat of the impregnated PCM
Summary
Building energy consumptions accounts for over one-third of the energy consumption in most countries. Incorporating PCM in concrete; which is the most used building material in the world can help in reducing energy consumption for buildings made with such concrete. Several uses of PCMs already exist in building materials, such as in drop ceilings, metal roofs and stud walls. These applications have been used to save energy, create more efficient HVAC systems, and provide the occupants in a building with great comfort. Computer simulations made by Farid and Chen [4], to observe the effect of PCM in concrete floors when heated constantly for 8 hours electrically during off-peak.
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