www.seipub.org/ijepr International Journal of Engineering Practical Research (IJEPR) Volume 2 Issue 4, November 2013
The Capabilites and Barriers of Incorporating Phase Change Material into Residential Building Design in Sydney, Australia Rochelle Foran*1, Min Wu2 *1
rochelleforan@uon.edu.au; 2manfred.wu@newcastle.edu.au
Abstract
liquid when the temperature increases from liquid to solid and when the temperature decreases. These organic, inorganic or eutectic compounds impregnated into construction elements, predominately wallboard and concrete to create LHTES systems, display promising results for their widespread adoption and subsequent assimilation into common building practice throughout the built environment.
The building sector’s presence occupiesa large proportion of energy consumption, which is primarily attributed to the control of a comfortable interior thermal environment through the use of heating, ventilating and air‐conditioning (HVAC) systems. These systems, predominantly aim to control and maintain an optimal thermal temperature, however, a promising, alternative solution is latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems that use phase change materials (PCMs) to form a superior construction material that can produce thermally enhanced conditions, through mitigating temperature swings, whilst remaining appropriate for lightweight residential applications.
The advantages of utilising PCMs include their high energy storage density and relatively low temperature swings. The practical application of PCMs in residential buildings requires their integration within latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems to form a superior construction material (wallboard or concrete) that can produce thermally enhanced conditions, through mitigating temperature swings, whilst remaining appropriate for lightweight residential applications. Utilising PCMs in residential building design in Sydney, Australia, requires a thorough review on PCMs distinct physical and chemical properties as well as the subsequent effectiveness when incorporated into an LHTES system.
Keywords Phase Change Materials; Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Systems; Building Applications
Introduction A prominent concern currently affecting the modern built environment is the requirement for sustainable structures that execute holistic, energy efficient processes through intuitive design. There is a delicate equilibrium between energy supply and demand which requires constant maintenance and conservation to ensure that it does not reach precarious proportions. The forefront of the rising energy consumption within residential buildings is the demand for an optimal thermal climate resulting in the exploitation of high energy consuming, Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems. This unfavourable approach presents negative ramifications for the longevity of sustainable structures thus proactive measures are required to mitigate the energy consumption of residential buildings.
The encapsulation methods of microencapsulation as well as shape‐stabilised systems have been developed to surpass their previous counterparts through economic and thermophysical advantages. These evolving processes that integrate PCMs into LHTES systems exude the potential to achieve substantial outcomes if they are holistically examined through the parameters of locational barriers that restrain the suitability of application due to seasonal temperatures. To improve the thermal efficiency of residential buildings in Sydney, a holistic analysis must pertain to the climatic and economic parameters rigorously associated with each incorporation method’s technical components.
Pioneering the effort to revolutionise the energy efficiency of the built environment is Phase Change Materials (PCMs) that possess the ability to store and release significant amounts of latent heat during their phase change which, as Kuznik and Virgone (2009) outlined, involves a phase change from a solid to
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Phase Change Materials The principle of PCMs constitutes a phase change