Potential of energy-saving applying phase change materials in civil engineering

Abstract

It is to be introduced by the application of microencapsulated paraffin's as a PCM technically feasibly additional memory mass in the structural fabric of a building or from parts of the building - also afterwards-. A building cooling by controlled night airing, like they partly in buildings with lying open, massive structural fabric is to be found, seems therefore also in other areas possible. Examples are buildings in lightweight construction as well as office building with an up to now insufficient warm capacity. In the latter single components can be also provided like false ceilings with PCM containing plasters or fillers. Plaster boards with integrated PCM are in the test. After present state of knowledge 1 cm of a PCM containing building material owns the same warm capacity like a 5-cm-thick brick wall. Covered to the wall strength this means an increase of the warm capacity around the factor 5 - the factor 10 is aimed in the medium term. With the present pilot's uses it concerns relatively heavy buildings. Hence, the effects are not very big on account of the application of PCM containing building materials. However, investigations of the Fraunhofer-ISE in two test cells in lightweight construction show that the chill effect of PCM containing building materials can be substantial. The test cell equipped with a PCM containing filler showed at temperatures from more than 30°C compared with the authoritative cell up to 4 K lower air temperatures and wall temperatures. With attempts under real conditions - with automatic Verschattung - appeared for a longer period in the PCM equipped test cell increases temperatures between 20 and 26 °C. In the authoritative cell the temperature lay in the same period on average around approx. 2 °C higher. Within the scope of other research project it is also worked on the macro encapsulation of PCM which should allow the application of salt hydrates.

It is to be introduced by the application of microencapsulated paraffin's as a PCM technically feasibly additional memory mass in the structural fabric of a building or from parts of the building - also afterwards-. A building cooling by controlled night airing, like they partly in buildings with lying open, massive structural fabric is to be found, seems therefore also in other areas possible. Examples are buildings in lightweight construction as well as office building with an up to now insufficient warm capacity. In the latter single components can be also provided like false ceilings with PCM containing plasters or fillers. Plaster boards with integrated PCM are in the test. After present state of knowledge 1 cm of a PCM containing building material owns the same warm capacity like a 5-cm-thick brick wall. Covered to the wall strength this means an increase of the warm capacity around the factor 5 - the factor 10 is aimed in the medium term. With the present pilot's uses it concerns relatively heavy buildings. Hence, the effects are not very big on account of the application of PCM containing building materials. However, investigations of the Fraunhofer-ISE in two test cells in lightweight construction show that the chill effect of PCM containing building materials can be substantial. The test cell equipped with a PCM containing filler showed at temperatures from more than 30°C compared with the authoritative cell up to 4 K lower air temperatures and wall temperatures. With attempts under real conditions - with automatic Verschattung - appeared for a longer period in the PCM equipped test cell increases temperatures between 20 and 26 °C. In the authoritative cell the temperature lay in the same period on average around approx. 2 °C higher. Within the scope of other research project it is also worked on the macro encapsulation of PCM which should allow the application of salt hydrates.