Heat transfer study of building envelopes with phase change materials

Abstract

The porous foams filled with phase change materials (PCMs) are suitable for insulation and energy storage in building envelopes. This paper presented the physical analysis and computer modeling for heat transfer performance of building envelopes with PCMs. So the building concrete was assumed as phase change concrete. The paper simulated the heat transfer in porous foam building walls by apparent heat capacity method. The phase change concrete was in the center of building envelops. Some typical parameters were studied in the paper. The results showed that effective thermal conductivity of foamed concrete, phase change latent heat of phase change materials, the PCM phase change temperature radius and phase change concrete thickness have significant effects on the heat transfer performance of building envelopes.