Testing of microencapsulated phase-change heat storage in experimental model houses under winter weather conditions

• Published in: Building and environment 2021-10, Vol.204, p.108119, Article 108119
• Main Authors: Németh, Bence, Ujhidy, Aurél, Tóth, Judit, Gyenis, János, Feczkó, Tivadar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air temperature; Ceilings; Daytime; Energy consumption; Energy demand; External walls; Global heat loss coefficient; Heat; Heat loss; Heat storage; Heating power; Houses; Irradiation; Latent heat; Measuring instruments; Microcapsules; Model houses; Paraffin; Paraffins; Phase change materials; Phase-change material; Plasters; Polymethyl methacrylate; Radiation; Residential areas; Temperature; Thermodynamic properties; Weather; Weather stations
• ISSN: 0360-1323; 1873-684X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2021.108119

A paraffin phase-change material (PCM) was entrapped by poly(methyl methacrylate) microcapsules that were loaded into plaster panels at high concentrations; these were used to build a model house. The PCM-plaster-lined and reference model houses were equipped with measuring instruments and heated during the daytime, to test their heat storage abilities in the studied wintertime conditions. A meteorological station collected the irradiation and outer temperature data; meanwhile, the external wall, internal wall, air, ceiling, and floor temperatures were measured using thermoelements. Electric energy consumption during heating was also recorded. Both houses were regulated by a controlled indoor temperature during daytime, followed by night-time free cooling. This regulation facilitated the complex evaluation of the heat-storage capabilities and their effects on the dynamic thermal behaviour and energy consumption of the PCM-plaster-lined and reference model houses. The PCM-plaster-lined model house exhibited a significantly lower temperature fluctuation; however, its energy demand exceeded that of the reference house, because its average internal temperature level was substantially higher during the test period. The global heat loss coefficient was estimated in a quasi-equilibrium state for the entire house. The heat loss was ~6.8% higher in the PCM-plaster-lined house, owing to the higher inner temperatures during the day. However, the heat loss coefficient in the PCM-plaster-lined house was ~7.8% lower, suggesting that latent heat storage can be economically used to maintain a constant inner temperature. •Phase change material plaster lined model house was compared with a reference house.•Controlled indoor conditions in daytime with nighttime free cooling were applied.•PCM plaster lined model house showed significantly lower temperature fluctuation.•The heat loss was higher in PCM plaster lined house due to higher inner temperature.•Global heat loss coefficient in the PCM plaster lined house was lower by about 7.8%.