Ultrathin envelope thermal performance improvement of prefab house by integrating with phase change material

• Published in: Energy and buildings Vol. 67; pp. 210 - 216
• Main Authors: Wang, Jun, Long, Enshen, Qin, Wen, Xu, Long
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 01-12-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Building structure; Buildings; Buildings. Public works; Computation methods. Tables. Charts; Construction (buildings and works); Exact sciences and technology; External envelopes; Numerical simulation; Phase change material; Prefab house; Prefabricated structure; Residential building; Structural analysis. Stresses; Types of buildings; Ultrathin envelope; Wall. Partition; Numerical simulation; Prefab house; Phase change material; Ultrathin envelope; Prefabricated construction; Surface temperature; Modeling; Time variation; One family house; External envelope; PCM material; Thin wall; Thermophysical properties; Heat transfer
• ISSN: 0378-7788
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enbuild.2013.08.029

•Combination of ultrathin envelope with PCM was chosen.•Heat transfer model of ultrathin envelope integrated with PCM was established.•Thermal performance of ultrathin envelope integrated with PCM was analyzed.•This study provides guidelines for application of PCM in ultrathin envelope.
Owing to lack of ventilation and air conditioning equipments in prefab house under general circumstances, the condition of its indoor thermal environment are mainly determined by the heat preservation and insulation performance of ultrathin envelope. In order to improve the thermal performance of ultrathin envelope, the combination of ultrathin envelope with phase change material (PCM) was chosen in this study. The heat transfer model of ultrathin envelope integrated with phase change material was established and verified. According to the climatic conditions of Chengdu city, the thermal performance of this new type ultrathin envelope was analyzed and evaluated by aid of numerical simulation for different PCM parameters, including PCM heat conductivity coefficient, phase change latent heat, phase-transition temperature and PCM layer position.