Modelling and Numerical Simulation of a Passive Wall Incorporating a Phase Change Material

Abstract

The energy consumption of a building is strongly dependent on the characteristics of its envelope. The thermal performance of external walls and roof represents a key factor to increase the energy efficiency of the construction sector and to reduce greenhouse gases emissions. Integration of Phase Change Material (PCM) in building envelope is undoubtedly one of the best ways to reduce the energy consumption due to decrease the energy requirement for maintaining thermal comfort by enhancing the thermal energy storage of the wall and the roof. This study deals with the numerical simulation of transient thermal behaviour of a plaster composite containing a microencapsulated phase change material (PCM) that can be embedded as a component in passive solar walls using a hybrid finite volume (FVM)/enthalpy method. First begins with the validation of our numerical model with the analytical results, we find that the results are identical, after using our model to study the thermal behaviour of the plaster /PCM composite wall. The results demonstrate in notable time shifting and reduction of the heat flux during the peak-hour time, due to PCM storage/release capacity during their melting/solidification, this good performance of thermal behavior is associated with increased thickness of wall.