Phase Change Materials Content Research Articles

Dynamic Simulations on Enhanced Heat Recovery Using Heat Exchange PCM Fluid for Solar Collector

Facing the goal of carbon neutrality, energy supply chains should be more low-carbon and flexible. A solar chemical heat pump (SCHP) is a potential system for achieving this goal. Our previous studies developed a silicone-oil-based phase-change material (PCM) mixture as a PCM fluid for enhancing heat recovery above 373 K in the solar collector (SC) of the SCHP. The PCM fluid was previously tested to confirm its dispersity and flow properties. The present study proposed a 3D computational fluid dynamics model to simulate the closed circulation loop between the SC and reactor using the PCM fluid. The recovered heat in the SC was studied using several flow rates, as well as the PCM weight fraction of the PCM fluid. Furthermore, the net transportable energy is considered to evaluate the ratio of recovered heat and relative circulation power. As a result, it was verified that the recovered heat of the SC in the experiment and simulation is consistent. The total recovered heat is improved using the PCM fluid. A lower flow rate can enhance the PCM melting mass and the recovered heat although sensible heat amount increases with the flow rate. The best flow rate was 1 L/min when the SC area is 1 m2. Furthermore, the higher PCM content has higher latent heat. On the other hand, the lower content PCM can increase the temperature difference between the SC inlet and outlet because of the lower PCM heat capacity. For the 1 L/min flow rate, 2 wt% PCM fluid has shorter heat-storing time and larger net transportable energy than 0 wt% PCM fluid (426 kJ←403 kJ) for the SCHP unit.

Roles of phase change materials on the morphological, physical, rheological and temperature regulating performances of high-viscosity modified asphalt

The composite of phase change material (PCM) and high-viscosity modified asphalt (HVMA) is expected as a new material regulating the temperature of high-performance pavements, thereby ameliorating the urban heat island effect. This study focused on evaluating the roles of two kinds of PCMs, i.e. paraffin/expanded graphite/high-density polyethylene composite material (PHDP) and polyethylene glycol (PEG), on a series of performances of HVMA. Fluorescence microscopy observations, physical rheological properties tests and indoor temperature regulating tests were conducted to determine the morphological, physical, rheological and temperature regulating performances of PHDP/HVMA or PEG/HVMA composites with various PCM contents prepared by fusion blending. Fluorescence microscopy test results revealed that the PHDP and PEG could be uniformly distributed in HVMA, but their distribution size and morphology were obviously different. Physical test results showed an increase in the penetration values of both PHDP/HVMA and PEG/HVMA compared to the HVMA without PCM. Their softening points did not change significantly with increasing PCM content due to the presence of a high-content of polymeric spatial reticulation. Ductility test reflected that the low-temperature properties of PHDP/HVMA were improved. However, the ductility of PEG/HVMA was much reduced due to the presence of large size PEG particles especially at 15 % PEG content. Rheological results from the recovery percent and non-recoverable creep compliance at 64 °C confirmed that the PHDP/HVMA and PEG/HVMA had excellent high-temperature rutting resistance regardless of PCM contents. Notably, the phase angle results reflected that the PHDP/HVMA was more viscous at 5–30 °C and more elastic at 30–60 °C. By contrast, PEG/HVMA was more elastic at the whole temperature range of 5–60 °C. Lastly but not least, compared to HVMA without PCM, the temperature regulating effect was 4 °C during heating of PHDP/HVMA containing 4 % PHDP and PEG/HVMA containing 15 % PEG, and their delay time were 456 s and 1240 s, respectively.

High thermal inertia mortars: New method to incorporate phase change materials (PCMs) while enhancing strength and thermal design models

This study proposes and tests a new method to incorporate Phase Change Materials (PCMs) into construction materials to increase building envelopes' thermal inertia without causing a decrease in the material's compressive strength. Mortars with three water-to-cement ratios (0.45, 0.55, 0.65) and, therefore, different porosity were used in this study as base materials. Following our novel procedure, PCM was incorporated into the pore structure of hardened samples through immersion into heated PCM in a liquid state and vacuum application for three different vacuum periods (15 min, 1 h, and 4 h). Final porosity, absorbed PCM volume, thermal conductivity, thermal effusivity, and compressive strength were determined. An increase in all studied properties was observed. The maximum enhancement was observed in samples with 0.65 w/c and 4 h of vacuum, which corresponded with the samples with the highest PCM incorporated (7.01 % of PCM by sample volume). This maximum increase was 17.86 % in thermal conductivity, 24.68 % in thermal effusivity, and 22.59 % in compressive strength. Besides, estimation models for the thermal properties and compressive strength were developed, showing high accuracy (errors lower than 10 %). These estimation models were combined to create a target-by-design system that determines the initial porosity and PCM content required to obtain a desired combination of compressive strength and thermal conductivity or effusivity. The thermal conductivity and effusivity of the solid part of the mortar (excluding the air) were obtained based on these models. These values can be very useful as an input for simulating the thermal behavior of cementitious composites using computational models.

Effect of latent heat storage on thermal comfort and energy consumption in lightweight earth-based housings

Embedding PCMs in building materials has attracted great interest due to their ability to store thermal energy. Storage of heat and cold is an efficient way to save energy. Considering a lightweight earth-based material, mixture of soil with a high straw content, the present work aims to improve its thermal properties by using phase change materials (PCM). In this investigation, a laboratory experimental campaign and subsequent numerical analysis were carried out to examine the impact of incorporating PCM within the lightweight earth-based material. Materials' hygro-thermal properties (thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity and water vapor permeability), determined experimentally in laboratory, have been considered to calculate energy consumption and occupant's comfort in a typical single-family housing. Experimental results showed an improvement of the lightweight earth-based material thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity, as well as a slight reduction in its water vapor permeability depending on the PCM content. These modifications in the lightweight earth-based material properties lead to predict an improvement of occupants' thermal comfort and a reduction of energy consumption in buildings that will be made with such a material. Finally, this study underlined the existence of an optimal phase change temperature regarding climate in which the building evolves.

Numerical analyses of energy screw pile filled with phase change materials

Embedding heat exchangers into a screw pile can form a cost-effective energy pile with a fast installation capability. However, better solutions to handle thermal waves and thermal interferences among energy piles are still required. This work aims to solve the issues by proposing a novel concept of an energy screw pile filled with mixtures of phase change materials (PCM) such as paraffin and “solid” grouting. Numerical simulations are conducted to investigate the utilisation of PCM energy screw piles on reducing fluid and ground temperatures, considering different constituents in PCM-solid mixtures, moisture conditions, phase change temperatures Tpc and operation schemes. Results demonstrate that a mixture with higher effective thermal conductivity λeff slows down the PCM phase transition and results in a lower fluid temperature feeding the ground source heat pump (GSHP). Dry mixtures with higher PCM content benefit the fluid temperature reduction, while a lower PCM content in a wet mixture is also satisfactory. Higher specific heat capacity allows pile back-filling to absorb more heat and reduce the thermal radius of influence, while over-enhancing its λeff might worsen thermal interference. The selection of the PCM phase change temperature Tpc should comply with the GSHP system operation scheme and the project aim.

Effects of paraffin additives, as phase change materials, on the behavior of a traditional lime mortar

This study refers to the inclusion of phase change materials (PCMs) in porous building materials as an alternative means of improving their thermal behavior, assessing the changes caused in their physical–mechanical and durability properties. Specifically, an organic paraffin wax was selected for direct incorporation into lime mortars using different concentrations by weight. The results show that PCMs improve the thermal properties of the mortar while reducing its accessible porosity. This increases the mortars’ resistance to water and soluble salts. However, excessive PCM content causes stresses within the mortar that can jeopardize its structure.

Low temperature energy storage by bio-originated calcium alginate-octyl laurate microcapsules

Octyl laurate phase change material (PCM) was microencapsulated by calcium alginate for eco-friendly low temperature energy storage. The PCM microcapsules were prepared by repeated interfacial coacervation followed by crosslinking method. In order to enhance the antibacterial properties of the as prepared capsules, the calcium alginate shell was functionalized by Ag nanoparticles. Calcium alginate-octyl laurate microcapsules possessed high latent heat of fusion values (130.8 and 128.6 J g−1 on melting and cooling, respectively) which did not significantly change when Ag nanoparticles were entrapped in the shell (127.5 and 125.2 J g−1 for melting and freezing enthalpy changes). Based on these values 71.0 and 69.0% maximal PCM content in the microcapsules were determined by the differential scanning calorimetry method. Both of the Ag-loaded and unloaded calcium alginate-octyl laurate PCM capsules maintained the high heat storing capacity after 250 warming and cooling cycles, which proved they did not suffer from leakage after the accelerated thermal test.

Regulating asphalt pavement temperature using microencapsulated phase change materials (PCMs)

The use of phase change materials (PCMs) to regulate pavement temperatures has been previously studied, with the most successful studies using porous aggregates to stabilize the PCMs. However, this technique can lead to issues with PCM leakage and low PCM content. A less studied method is the use of PCM microcapsules, which also presents challenges since most microcapsules are not strong nor stable enough to survive the high temperatures and compressive forces experienced during asphalt mixture production and placement. This work presents a study of the properties of a new commercial microcapsule type with robust walls and high thermal stability, that are expected to overcome the aforementioned issues. Results from differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the microcapsules exhibited high latent heats (200 J/g) and are thermally stable below 400 °C. Additionally, approximately 90% of the capsules remained unbroken after being milled at 140 °C for 20 min, suggesting they are capable of withstanding the mixing and compaction stages of asphalt pavement construction. When PCM microcapsules were added to HMA, thermal cycling experiments showed that specimens containing 10 and 20 vol% PCM exhibited temperature lags of 5 to 10 °C from the control mixture, as they approached the PCM melting/freezing temperature. These results confirm the ability of microencapsulated PCMs to regulate asphalt pavement temperature. However, results from measurements conducted at 40 °C and 1 Hz showed a 75% reduction of the dynamic modulus in specimens containing PCM microcapsules, which could indicate that the addition of these materials also affect asphalt mixture stiffness.

Development of temperature-responsive transmission switch film (TRTSF) using phase change material for self-adaptive radiative cooling

To overcome the problem of unable automatic turn on and off response to the ambient temperature of current static radiative cooling systems, we prepared a series of temperature-responsive transmission switch film (TRTSF) samples using n-octadecane as phase change material (PCM) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as carrier material. The phase change cycle permeability analysis showed that the TRTSF samples with PCM content above 30.0 w.t.% exhibit a serious leakage problem due to a large number of holes on surface. The TRTSF samples with 10.0–30.0 w.t.% PCM content were further analysed by Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetry (TG), and compared with the theoretical PCM contents, which verified the reliability of the curing results of PCM in TRTSF from various aspects. The ultraviolet–visible light-near-infrared (UV–VIS-NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) transmittance characterization of TRTSF revealed that the switching effect was obvious during solid–liquid phase change process. TRTSF microstructure analysis revealed that the particle size distribution of PCM microspheres was between 1 μm and 6 μm. The UV–VIS-NIR band (wavelength at 0.25–1.1 μm) transmittance of PCM decreased to less than 3.7% after solidification due to the interfacial reflectance of solid PCM particles increased to more than 66.8% even in monolayer, thus the solid PCM particles would produce Mie scattering and isolate the internal and external radiation heat transfer. However, the TRTSF can be used as the radiative cooling emission layer since its optical properties were similar to the PDMS when the PCM is in liquid phase. Overall, the TRTSF film prepared in this study successfully adapted the temperature switching properties, also, is expected to be further used for the development of self-adaptive radiative cooling systems.

Influence of graphite nano powder on ethylene propylene diene monomer/paraffin wax phase change material composite: Shape stability and thermal applications

In present research, ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) impregnation in liquid paraffin wax (PW) phase change material (PCM) has been accomplished for PCM shape stabilization which is of great importance in various thermal energy storage applications. Otherwise stated, EPDM rubber was mixed with specific amount of Benzoyl peroxide as a crosslink agent using two-roll mill along with hot press at 160 °C for 15 min and subsequently graphite nano powder was added to enhance extremely low PCM thermal conductivity. Afterwards, fabricated EPDM/Graphite composites have been impregnated in melted PW PCM at 120 °C for 24 h. Findings have demonstrated that, by graphite percentage increment, EPDM cross-links amount has been declined and as a consequence, swelling rate along with PW PCM content has been increased. As expected, 20 wt% graphite addition to EPDM matrix has led to thermal conductivity increment by 120 %. In addition, for all EPDM/Graphite/PW PCM composite systems, leakage amount was <1 % which is desirable for thermal energy storage applications. Furthermore, according to swelling and leakage findings, EPDM/Graphite/PW PCM composite which contains 72.5 wt% PW (EWG24), was selected as an adequate system and thermal analysis results have shown that EWG24 had highest phase change enthalpy with suitable thermal efficiency improvement (45 %). Finally, Time-Temperature history analysis has depicted that EWG24 optimum system had 28 % further heat storage compared to its corresponding EG24 composite. Ultimately, performance time has been improved by 60 % compared to graphite-free PCM system, which makes EPDM/PW PCM/Graphite composite an adequate candidate for various thermal storage applications.

Microencapsulation of low melting phase change materials for cold storage applications

Microencapsulation is a proven viable method for the containment and retention of phase change material (PCM) in tiny shells. However, it must be well encapsulated to be effective. This work employed a photo-induced suspension polymerisation technique to encapsulate low melting PCM using an ultraviolet perfluoroalkoxy (UV PFA) coiled tube reactor. Commercially available Pure Temp (PT) 6 (Tpeak melting = 6.2 °C and ΔH = 150.1 kJ/kg) and cross-linked polymethyl methacrylate were used as PCM and shell material, respectively. The effect of different synthesis parameters such as polymerisation time and optimum core-shell mass ratio were thoroughly investigated. The morphology, chemical stability, thermal properties, and microcapsules produced at the optimal yield were examined and surface morphology analysis showed the absence of distortions and complete PCM core entrapment. The developed microencapsulated PCM (m-PCM) had a peak melting temperature of 8.2 °C and an average latent heat of 131.1 kJ/kg, representing 87.4% PCM content. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the microcapsules degraded above 440 °C, whereas PT6 completely evaporated at 240 °C. The mass loss of the synthesised m-PCMs stabilised after 8 days of heating at 40 °C with only 0.6 % mass loss after 30 days. By contrast, the pure PCM lost about 6.6% within the same period under similar test conditions. The m-PCM showed good thermal reliability after multiple heating/cooling cycles, indicating of a well-contained PCM. The successful synthesis of low-temperature PCM microcapsules in a low-intensity UV PFA coiled tube reactor is an important energy and time-saving approach for producing microcapsules of high thermal properties, making them suitable for cold storage application and holds the potential for their production on a large scale.

Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Mortar Incorporated with Phase Change Materials (PCMs)

Phase change materials (PCMs) integration into cement mortar is among the new studies of interest regarding modern energy-saving techniques and developing the thermal properties in buildings. This study aims to integrate microencapsulated-PCMs (micro-PCMs) with cement mortar at 0, 5, 10, and 15% to replace natural sand for thermal properties improvement of the building envelope. In addition, the effect of using micro-PCMs on mechanical, thermal properties, and PCMs leakage problems were studied. The cement mortars incorporated with micro-PCMs were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal conductivity, and mechanical properties as (compressive, flexural, and tensile). The results indicate a decreasing trend of thermal conductivity values with the increase in PCMs content in the cementitious system with the percentages of 11, 21, and 30% for 5, 10, and 15% PCMs, respectively. Similarly, mechanical properties results also confirmed that integrating incorporating mortars with PCMs resulted in the reduction in the compressive strength by 22, 31, and 46%, respectively. Therefore, using the PCMs with cement mortar can build envelope applications to store thermal energy, provide the indoor temperature at a comfortable range, and reduce the consumption energy in buildings.

Effective thermal conductivity measurement of PCM composites during phase transition by using the transient plane source method

The thermal conductivity of phase change materials (PCMs) during phase transitions is of great significance to the evaluation of the thermal performance of energy-saving buildings. Based on the transient plane source method, a method for measuring the effective thermal conductivity of PCM composites was proposed, by which the variations in effective thermal conductivity with liquid fraction and temperature during phase transitions can be obtained. The correctness of the proposed method was verified through matched simulation experiments. Three kinds of PCM samples were prepared for experimental measurement on the basis of the direct incorporation method, and the volume proportions of decanoic acid to gypsum were set to 10%, 12%, and 15%. The phase transition regions and latent heat values of these PCM samples were measured using the differential scanning calorimetry technique. Results showed that the effective thermal conductivity of the PCM first increased and then decreased during the phase transition. As the fraction of PCM content increased, the phase transition regions gradually expanded, and the effective thermal conductivity changed more drastically. The good measurement repeatability demonstrated the feasibility of this method for measuring the effective thermal conductivity of composites during phase transition.

Effect of Solid-Solid Phase Change Material’s Direct Interaction on Physical and Rheological Properties of Asphalt

Asphalt pavement is a temperature−sensitive structure that is prone to temperature-related diseases. Phase change material (PCM) is an excellent candidate for mitigating these diseases. This paper looked into the effects of indirect composite shape-stabilized PCM incorporation on the characteristics of asphalt. The compatibility, physical properties, and rheological properties of asphalt with various PCM content before and after aging were thoroughly investigated. No phase separation and no chemical reaction occurred between PCM and asphalt. The physical properties improved with the addition of PCM, and the high−temperature performance indexes improved while the low−temperature performance indexes decreased as the aging process progressed. The effects of PCM on the rheological properties of the matrix and SBS−modified asphalt was distinct. PCM was added to improve the high−temperature rheological characteristics of the matrix asphalt when the temperature was higher than 52 °C, while PCM reduced the high−temperature rheological properties of the SBS−modified asphalt. The aging process has an impact on the high−temperature rutting factor of asphalt with a high PCM content. The low−temperature creep behavior and PG grade of asphalt were both improved. The implication of PCM is that it cannot increase the thermoregulation of asphalt pavement without the cost of scarifying the performance of the asphalt or mixture.

RETRACTED: Air cooled lithium-ion battery with cylindrical cell in phase change material filled cavity of different shapes

The present study numerically investigates the effects of phase change materials (PCMs) in chambers of different shapes on the thermal management of cylindrical Li-ion batteries (CLIB). A battery cell in a PCM-filled chamber inside an air-cooled system was simulated two-dimensionally in a transient state. An Organic PCM with graphene nanoparticles (NPs) was employed. Square, circular, triangular, lozenge, and hexagonal chambers were tested at different airflow velocities. The finite element method (FEM) approach was used to implement the numerical simulations. The CLIB temperature, heat transfer coefficient (HTC), melting PCM content, and the output temperature (TOU) of the cooling system were studied at different airflow velocities and PCM volume fractions at different times for different PCM shapes. It was found that a rise in the airflow velocity decreased the average CLIB temperature (TAVE−B) and TOU and increased the HTC of the PCM chamber. The CLIB within a triangular chamber was observed to have the lowest temperature and largest HTC; on the other hand, the lozenge chamber had the lowest heat transfer. The triangular chamber led to 63% higher heat transfer compared to the lozenge chamber. The addition of graphene NPs at a volume fraction of 4% to the PCM improved the HTC by 65% at 5000 s.

Nanofibers for Renewable Energy

Electrospinning is a straightforward technique for the fabrication of nanofibers with the potential for various applications. Thermal energy storage systems using electrospun nanofibers have gained researchers’ attention due to its desirable properties such as nanoscale diameter, large surface area, excellent thermal conductivity, and high loading and thermal energy storage capacity. The encapsulation of phase change materials (PCMs) in electrospun nanofibers for storing renewable thermal energy can be achieved by uniaxial electrospinning of a blend of PCM and polymer, coaxial electrospinning of a PCM core and a polymer sheath, or post-electrospinning absorption. The PCM content and thermal energy storage capacity of different PCM composite nanofibers are compared in this chapter. The drawbacks of traditional electrospinning PCM encapsulation techniques and benefits of post-electrospinning encapsulation methods are discussed.

Development of polymeric insulating foams for low‐temperature thermal energy storage applications

AbstractRefrigeration plays an important role in several sectors in 21st‐century life, such as food, air conditioning, healthcare, industry, and energy. In food industry it plays a vital role for reducing the post‐harvest losses and in the preservation of food products. In this paper different amounts of a microencapsulated paraffin having a melting temperature of −10°C were used as phase change material (PCM) for the preparation of multifunctional rigid polyurethane foams (PUF) for refrigeration applications. The processability issues, the microstructural and thermo‐mechanical properties of the resulting panels were comprehensively investigated. Morphological analysis evidenced a tendency of the incorporated PCM to damage the original closed cell structure of the PUF, and a fully open‐cell microstructure was obtained for PCM contents higher than 20 wt%. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) evidenced a proportional correlation between the PCM concentration while the thermal energy storage efficiency of the prepared panels was also confirmed by monitoring the trend of the inner temperature in cubic specimens subjected to programmed heating and cooling ramps. Concerning the mechanical response, flexural tests evidenced that the stiffness of the foams was not substantially influenced by the PCM content, while a heavy drop of the failure properties was detected.

Improvement of cob thermal inertia by latent heat storage and its implication on energy consumption

Climate change imposes new guidelines on our planet. Due to its impact on the environment, construction industry must invest in the development of new building solutions or the improvement of the existing ones. Thus, many new materials are emerging, while old construction techniques are being reconsidered in order to improve their performances. Earth-based construction techniques are viable solutions. Such techniques and materials offer many advantages, but their full-scale use, while respecting actual standards, remains limited.Considering cob, the objective of present study is to improve this material's thermal properties through phase change materials (PCM) incorporation. Mechanical, hygrometric, and thermal experimental studies were performed on soil-fiber-PCM mixtures. While the incorporation of PCMs showed a clear improvement of cob thermal properties (insulation and inertia), a deterioration of its hygrometric and mechanical properties is observed. Furthermore, energy consumption of a typical house has been estimated by considering cob with different PCM content within its external walls. Finally, an optimum phase change temperature adapted to the Normandy climate has been proposed.

Flexible, stimuli-responsive and self-cleaning phase change fiber for thermal energy storage and smart textiles

Smart textiles have emerged as potential part for wearable devices and protective systems. Integrating phase change materials (PCMs) into stimuli-responsive fibers offers exciting opportunities for smart clothing to realize instant energy conversion/storage and temperature regulation. However, the production of flexible and efficient smart energy storage fiber is still challenging. Here, flexible electro-/photo-driven energy storage polymer fiber with outstanding hydrophobicity and self-cleaning property is fabricated. The smart fiber is prepared by integrating conductive silver nanoflowers and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) as well as hydrophobic fluorocarbon resin with a facile and novel wet-spun phase change fiber to gain high flexibility, excellent electrical conductivity , high enthalpy, tunable phase change temperature , extra shape stability and outstanding hydrophobicity. The highest elongation of the smart fiber is more than 500% and the enthalpies of the fibers varies from 98.6 to 124.5 J g −1 according to the adjustable content of phase change materials. The coordination of Ag nanoflowers and PEDOT:PSS enable the fiber outstanding electrical conductivity of 190 S/m 2 . The high electrical conductivity, excellent photo capture and good heat dissipation enable the fiber high electro-/photo-heat conversion efficiency (70.1% and 89.0%, respectively). The smart energy storage fiber with integrative properties could be woven into fabrics, providing a new option for smart textiles in wearable and protective systems. • A facile and novel wet spinning method was used to prepare phase change fibers. • Ag nanoflowers and PEDOT:PSS coating enabled the fiber high electrical conductivity. • The fiber exhibited photo-/electro-responses with high energy conversion and storage. • The smart energy storage fiber performed effective energy conversion underwater.

Enhanced thermal performance of closed-cell rigid Polyurethane (PU) foam panels using phase change materials (PCMs)

The consequences of extreme energy consumption are seen both in the energy and environmental crisis. Subsequently, researchers are attempting to find methods to address this issue. Building envelopes and insulation materials are elements that can effectively influence consumption through their passive effect on thermal comfort levels. Strategies pertaining to this that rely on both, advanced and traditional materials, have been able to show good potential. However, the technical complexity of using such strategies can be impeded from the perspective of developing countries. With the aim of creating effective low-cost feasible insulations through using methods of minimal intricacies, the potentials of simple amalgamation of materials is empirically investigated in this study. In this context, closed-cell rigid Polyurethane (PU) foam is used as a base to hold phase change materials (PCMs) to create two PU/PCM panels, of different PCM content. The thermal performance of the panels is experimentally examined and compared, with hot-arid climates prevailing in developing countries in mind. Results revealed that panels containing PCMs were able to perform more effectively in comparison with regular PU foam panels, and, that increasing the amount of PCM has also shown to be advantageous in this regard.