Influence of PCMs on thermal behavior of building walls: Experimental study using the walls of a reduced scale room

Abstract

Using Phase-Change Materials (PCM) for lightweight building applications can increase equivalent thermal mass and provide energy savings. In the present experimental work, the heat transfer performance testing of some building walls, with or without PCM, is carried out using a reduced-scale cubic room (the test-cell). The cubic cell is heated by an incandescent bulb placed on its centre, and it is housed in an air-conditioned large-scale room that allows to control the ambient air temperature. The effect of the double PCM layer and of its location relatively to the outside surface of the wall is tested and discussed in terms of overall transmitted heat flux and in terms of reduction of the inside and outside surface temperatures. Findings shows that the additional inertia introduced by the PCM leads to a reduced overall heat flux transmission by the wall and to a lesser daily temperature amplitude on the surface of the wall that enhances the thermal comfort inside the building. In the next step of this work, the case of sandwich walls with air gap, and with wood and PCM layers will be considered.