<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>This paper presents a numerical simulation-based study that evaluates the potential of an active phase change material (PCM) incorporated thermal energy storage (TES) system for space cooling in residential buildings. In the proposed concept, TES system is composed of stand-alone PCM storage units which are installed between the concrete ceiling slab and the ceiling finishing layer. Active control of the thermal energy storage is achieved by night cooling of a phase change material by means of cold water flowing within a capillary pipe system. Effectiveness of the system under the typical summer conditions of the Baltic States is analysed by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software <italic>Ansys Fluent</italic>. Results showed that installation of the active TES system has a positive effect on thermal comfort, reducing the average indoor air temperature by 6.8 °C. The outcome of this investigation would be helpful in selecting the key characteristics of the system in order to achieve the optimum performance of an active TES system for space cooling of buildings in similar climates.</p></abstract>

This paper presents a numerical simulation-based study that evaluates the potential of an active phase change material (PCM) incorporated thermal energy storage (TES) system for space cooling in residential buildings. In the proposed concept, TES system is composed of stand-alone PCM storage units which are installed between the concrete ceiling slab and the ceiling finishing layer. Active control of the thermal energy storage is achieved by night cooling of a phase change material by means of cold water flowing within a capillary pipe system. Effectiveness of the system under the typical summer conditions of the Baltic States is analysed by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software Ansys Fluent. Results showed that installation of the active TES system has a positive effect on thermal comfort, reducing the average indoor air temperature by 6.8 °C. The outcome of this investigation would be helpful in selecting the key characteristics of the system in order to achieve the optimum performance of an active TES system for space cooling of buildings in similar climates.

Performance Evaluation of an Active PCM Thermal Energy Storage System for Space Cooling in Residential Buildings

Environmental and Climate Technologies

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

This paper presents a numerical simulation-based study that evaluates the potential of an active phase change material (PCM) incorporated thermal energy...

Performance Evaluation of an Active PCM Thermal Energy Storage System for Space Cooling in Residential Buildings

Published Online: Nov 18, 2019

Page range: 74 - 89

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2019-0056

Keywords
Dynamic thermal simulations, nearly zero energy buildings, phase change materials (PCM), space cooling, thermal energy storage (TES)

© 2019 Sandris Rucevskis et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Performance Evaluation of an Active PCM Thermal Energy Storage System for Space Cooling in Residential Buildings

Published Online: Nov 18, 2019

Page range: 74 - 89

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rtuect-2019-0056

KeywordsDynamic thermal simulations, nearly zero energy buildings, phase change materials (PCM), space cooling, thermal energy storage (TES)

© 2019 Sandris Rucevskis et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Keywords
Dynamic thermal simulations, nearly zero energy buildings, phase change materials (PCM), space cooling, thermal energy storage (TES)