Combined experimental and numerical evaluation of a prototype nano-PCM enhanced wallboard
- ORNL
- Technova Corporation
In the United States, forty-eight (48) percent of the residential end-use energy consumption is spent on space heating and air conditioning. Reducing envelope-generated heating and cooling loads through application of phase change material (PCM)-enhanced building envelopes can facilitate maximizing the energy efficiency of buildings. Combined experimental testing and numerical modeling of PCM-enhanced envelope components are two important aspects of the evaluation of their energy benefits. An innovative phase change material (nano-PCM) was developed with PCM encapsulated with expanded graphite (interconnected) nanosheets, which is highly conductive for enhanced thermal storage and energy distribution, and is shape-stable for convenient incorporation into lightweight building components. A wall with cellulose cavity insulation and prototype PCM-enhanced interior wallboards was built and tested in a natural exposure test (NET) facility in a hot-humid climate location. The test wall contained PCM wallboards and regular gypsum wallboard, for a side-by-side annual comparison study. Further, numerical modeling of the walls containing the nano-PCM wallboard was performed to determine its actual impact on wall-generated heating and cooling loads. The model was first validated using experimental data, and then used for annual simulations using Typical Meteorological Year (TMY3) weather data. This article presents the measured performance and numerical analysis evaluating the energy-saving potential of the nano-PCM-enhanced wallboard.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); Building Technologies Research and Integration Center (BTRIC)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- ORNL work for others
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 1147693
- Journal Information:
- Applied Energy, Journal Name: Applied Energy
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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