A non-volatile thermal switch for building energy savings

Miao, Ruijiao; Kishore, Ravi; Kaur, Sumanjeet; Prasher, Ravi; Dames, Chris

doi:10.1016/j.xcrp.2022.100960

A non-volatile thermal switch for building energy savings

Journal Article · Thu Jul 07 00:00:00 EDT 2022 · Cell Reports Physical Science

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2022.100960· OSTI ID:1882194

Miao, Ruijiao ^[1]; ^[2]; Kaur, Sumanjeet ^[3]; Prasher, Ravi ^[1]; ^[1]

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

Compared with traditional static insulation, a thermally switchable building envelope could reduce annual heating and cooling loads by intermittently coupling to the outside environment when beneficial. Here, we demonstrate a voltage-actuated, contact/non-contact thermal switch that meets the unique challenges of this application. The switch is non-volatile, consuming electricity only briefly while switching and none to hold steady state. The switch ratio is 12, the off state has a low effective thermal conductivity of 0.045 W m^-1K^-1, comparable to fiberglass insulation, and the performance is stable over 1,000 switching cycles. Numerical simulations using real-world climate data show that combining this thermal switch with a thermal storage layer in a building envelope can yield annual energy savings of 9%-55% (heating) and 17%-76% (air conditioning), depending on the climate zone. The greatest benefits are realized when the exterior temperature crosses well above and below the desired interior temperature within a single 24 h period.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Building Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231; AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1882194

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1924461

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5500-82569; MainId:83342; UUID:080b4b68-a947-441b-8351-f9ccdfcdca27; MainAdminID:65113

Journal Information:: Cell Reports Physical Science, Journal Name: Cell Reports Physical Science Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 3; ISSN 2666-3864

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (34)

Temperature control of buildings by adobe wall design Duffin, R. J.; Knowles, G. Solar Energy, Vol. 27, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/0038-092X(81)90125-0	journal	January 1981
Analytical investigation of the steady-state behaviour of dynamic and diffusive building envelopes Taylor, B. J.; Cawthorne, D. A.; Imbabi, M. S. Building and Environment, Vol. 31, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-1323(96)00022-4	journal	November 1996
Enhancing building energy performance by effectively using phase change material and dynamic insulation in walls Kishore, Ravi Anant; Bianchi, Marcus V. A.; Booten, Chuck Applied Energy, Vol. 283 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.116306	journal	February 2021
A resistance-capacitance network model for the analysis of the interactions between the energy performance of buildings and the urban climate Bueno, Bruno; Norford, Leslie; Pigeon, Grégoire Building and Environment, Vol. 54 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2012.01.023	journal	August 2012
Potential energy savings from deployment of Dynamic Insulation Materials for US residential buildings Menyhart, Kathleen; Krarti, Moncef Building and Environment, Vol. 114 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2016.12.009	journal	March 2017
Energy use in buildings in a long-term perspective Urge-Vorsatz, Diana; Petrichenko, Ksenia; Staniec, Maja Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, Vol. 5, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2013.05.004	journal	June 2013
The impact of temperature dependency of the building insulation thermal conductivity in the Canadian climate Berardi, Umberto Energy Procedia, Vol. 132 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2017.09.684	journal	October 2017
A study on the comparative review of cool roof thermal performance in various regions Rawat, Mohan; Singh, R. N. Energy and Built Environment, Vol. 3, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbenv.2021.03.001	journal	July 2022
Traditional, state-of-the-art and future thermal building insulation materials and solutions – Properties, requirements and possibilities Jelle, Bjørn Petter Energy and Buildings, Vol. 43, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2011.05.015	journal	October 2011
Dynamic thermal performance analysis of fiber insulations containing bio-based phase change materials (PCMs) Kosny, Jan; Kossecka, Elizabeth; Brzezinski, Andrzej Energy and Buildings, Vol. 52 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2012.05.021	journal	September 2012
Energy performance analysis of variable thermal resistance envelopes in residential buildings Park, Benjamin; Srubar, Wil V.; Krarti, Moncef Energy and Buildings, Vol. 103 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2015.06.061	journal	September 2015
A review of heat transfer characteristics of switchable insulation technologies for thermally adaptive building envelopes Cui, Hanxiao; Overend, Mauro Energy and Buildings, Vol. 199 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2019.07.004	journal	September 2019
Optimizing PCM-integrated walls for potential energy savings in U.S. Buildings Kishore, Ravi Anant; Bianchi, Marcus V. A.; Booten, Chuck Energy and Buildings, Vol. 226 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2020.110355	journal	November 2020
Peak load shifting control using different cold thermal energy storage facilities in commercial buildings: A review Sun, Yongjun; Wang, Shengwei; Xiao, Fu Energy Conversion and Management, Vol. 71 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2013.03.026	journal	July 2013
Measurements and simulations for peak electrical load reduction in cooling dominated climate Sadineni, Suresh B.; Boehm, Robert F. Energy, Vol. 37, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2011.10.026	journal	January 2012
Light and thermal management of the semi-transparent radiative cooling glass for buildings Zhao, Bin; Wang, Chuyao; Hu, Mingke Energy, Vol. 238 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2021.121761	journal	January 2022
Passive cooling techniques through reflective and radiative roofs in tropical houses in Southeast Asia: A literature review Al-Obaidi, Karam M.; Ismail, Mazran; Abdul Rahman, Abdul Malek Frontiers of Architectural Research, Vol. 3, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foar.2014.06.002	journal	September 2014
Solid-state thermal diode with shape memory alloys Tso, C. Y.; Chao, Christopher Y. H. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 93 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2015.10.045	journal	February 2016
A review of state of the art thermal diodes and their potential applications Wong, M. Y.; Tso, C. Y.; Ho, T. C. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, Vol. 164 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2020.120607	journal	January 2021
Theoretical Minimum Thermal Load in Buildings Booten, Chuck; Rao, Prakash; Rapp, Vi Joule, Vol. 5, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joule.2020.12.015	journal	January 2021
A review of shape memory alloy research, applications and opportunities Mohd Jani, Jaronie; Leary, Martin; Subic, Aleksandar Materials & Design (1980-2015), Vol. 56 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2013.11.084	journal	April 2014
Passive building energy savings: A review of building envelope components Sadineni, Suresh B.; Madala, Srikanth; Boehm, Robert F. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 15, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2011.07.014	journal	October 2011
Heating and cooling energy trends and drivers in buildings Ürge-Vorsatz, Diana; Cabeza, Luisa F.; Serrano, Susana Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 41 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.08.039	journal	January 2015
Ventilated facades energy performance in summer cooling of buildings Ciampi, M.; Leccese, F.; Tuoni, G. Solar Energy, Vol. 75, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2003.09.010	journal	December 2003
Corrugated Paraffin Nanocomposite Films as Large Stroke Thermal Actuators and Self-Activating Thermal Interfaces Copic, Davor; Hart, A. John ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Vol. 7, Issue 15 https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.5b01141	journal	April 2015
Efficient thermal management of Li-ion batteries with a passive interfacial thermal regulator based on a shape memory alloy Hao, Menglong; Li, Jian; Park, Saehong Nature Energy, Vol. 3, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-018-0243-8	journal	October 2018
Five thermal energy grand challenges for decarbonization Henry, Asegun; Prasher, Ravi; Majumdar, Arun Nature Energy, Vol. 5, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-020-0675-9	journal	August 2020
Thermal diodes, regulators, and switches: Physical mechanisms and potential applications Wehmeyer, Geoff; Yabuki, Tomohide; Monachon, Christian Applied Physics Reviews, Vol. 4, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5001072	journal	December 2017
Design and development of a shape memory alloy activated heat pipe-based thermal switch Benafan, O.; Notardonato, W. U.; Meneghelli, B. J. Smart Materials and Structures, Vol. 22, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1088/0964-1726/22/10/105017	journal	September 2013
Smart Glass and Its Potential in Energy Savings Wong, Kaufui V.; Chan, Richard Journal of Energy Resources Technology, Vol. 136, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4024768	journal	August 2013
Temperature-adaptive radiative coating for all-season household thermal regulation Tang, Kechao; Dong, Kaichen; Li, Jiachen Science, Vol. 374, Issue 6574 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abf7136	journal	December 2021
Comparison of Thermal Conductivity Measurements of Building Insulation Materials under Various Operating Temperatures Abdou, Adel A.; Budaiwi, Ismail M. Journal of Building Physics, Vol. 29, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1177/1744259105056291	journal	October 2005
The path to the high performance thermal building insulation materials and solutions of tomorrow Jelle, Bjørn Petter; Gustavsen, Arild; Baetens, Ruben Journal of Building Physics, Vol. 34, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1177/1744259110372782	journal	July 2010
A State-of-the-Art Review on Robots and Medical Devices Using Smart Fluids and Shape Memory Alloys Sohn, Jung; Kim, Gi-Woo; Choi, Seung-Bok Applied Sciences, Vol. 8, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.3390/app8101928	journal	October 2018

Similar Records

Energy performance analysis of smart wall system with switchable insulation and thermal storage capacity

Conference · Tue Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 2021 · OSTI ID:1837876

Passive and compact liquid metal heat switch

Patent · Mon Feb 13 23:00:00 EST 2023 · OSTI ID:1987119

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
buildings
dynamic insulation
energy-saving building envelopes
envelopes
heat transfer
shape memory alloys
switch ratio
thermal switch

A non-volatile thermal switch for building energy savings

Citation Formats

References (34)

Similar Records

Related Subjects