Evaluating the Thermal Performance of Phase Change Material and Expanded Polystyrene Incorporated Building Wall

Abstract

An increase in energy demand in the building sector leads to the need for energy-efficient construction. Thermal energy storage brings an effective way of reducingenergy demand in the building by improving the ambient thermal comfort. Phase Change Material (PCM) is a thermal energy storage material, which absorbs and dissipates heat energy by changing its physical state. PCM in building walls is an ideal technique to improve the energy efficiency of a building. On the other hand, Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) also provides a solution for improving the thermal efficiency of building due to its thermal insulation property. In this study, the DesignBuilder simulation tool was utilized to understand the impact of PCM and EPS in improving the thermal performance of conventional Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) walls. Comparative analysis was carried out for all the building wall cases (RCC, RCC_EPS, and RCC_PCM). For analysis, the peak surface temperature and Percentage Reduction in Surface Temperature Fluctuation (PRSTF) were simulated for all the building wall casesin four orientations viz. south, north, west, and east. Simulation results indicate that the EPS incorporated RCC wall reduces surface peak temperature by anaverage of 1.7ºC and performs effectively in east orientation. Whereas PCM incorporated RCC wall reduces surface temperature fluctuation by around 50%, its efficiency was higher in the south-oriented wall.