Experimental Study of Thermal Performance of a Reduced Scale Cavity Equipped With Phase Change Material: Study of the Optimal Phase Change Material Layer Location

Abstract

Phase change materials (PCMs) used in the building walls constitute an attractive way to reduce the energy consumption and to increase the occupant's thermal comfort. However, there are some challenges to be faced among which the critical one is the PCM layer location allowing the greater heat flux reduction. In this work, the potential of PCM wallboards is evaluated experimentally using a heated reduced scale cavity including walls with or without PCM in a laboratory conditions. The cavity at reduced scale provides the flexibility to test most kinds of wall constructions in real time and allows faster installation and dismantling of the test walls. Three different PCM layer locations inside the walls are examined in terms of heat flux reduction and outside surface temperatures. The results confirm that the PCM layer reduces the peak heat flux compared to a reference wall (wall without PCM). Indeed, the PCM layer hugely affects the peak heat flux when it is placed on the inner face of the walls, near to the heat source. At this location, the peak heat flux reduction, compared to the reference wall, is 32.9%. Furthermore, for numerical validation purpose, the outside overall heat coefficient of the cavity outside walls is determined based on the experimental data.