Lai, C M and Chiang, C M (2006) How phase change materials affect thermal performance: Hollow bricks. Building Research & Information, 34(2), pp. 118-130. ISSN 0961-3218
Abstract
The enhancement of rooftop thermal-insulation capability is a key issue in energy conservation in hot and humid climates, where flat roofs receive the greatest solar heat gain. During the process of melting or solidification, a phase change material (PCM) can effectively release or store a great amount of latent heat. As a result, PCM has often been applied for the purpose of environmental control. Experiments analysed the effects on thermal characteristics of adding PCM to conventional hollow thermal-insulation bricks. Two identical test models with untreated and PCM-treated bricks, respectively, were located nearby in field. They were exposed to solar radiation at the same time on typically clear summer days. PCM-treated bricks had a better daytime thermal insulation effect than ordinary hollow bricks. When the maximum outdoor temperature was 35.5°C, the maximum underside temperature of PCM-treated bricks was 31.7°C, which was 4.9°C lower than that of the untreated bricks. In addition, PCM-treated bricks can provide more effective indoor heat preservation at night when temperatures fall outdoors.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | alternative technology; bricks; comfort; heat absorption; phase change material; roof; thermal insulation |
| Index terms: | thermal performance, alternative technology, humid climate, environmental control, experiment, solar heat gain, solar radiation, roof, energy conservation, comfort, summer, flat roof, thermal insulation, phase-change material, insulation |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, environmental engineering, design practice, occupational health and safety management, materials science, energy systems, architectural elements, factor and component analysis, building materials, climate science |
| Topics: | Design Practice, Construction Materials, Research Practice, Sustainability, Engineering Principles, Health and Safety |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
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