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Enhancing Building Energy Efficiency with Innovative Paraffin-Based Phase Change Materials

Author

Listed:
  • Filippos Lygerakis

    (School of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece)

  • Christina Gioti

    (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece)

  • Dimitris Gournis

    (School of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
    Institute of GeoEnergy, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 73100 Chania, Greece)

  • Ioannis. V. Yentekakis

    (School of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
    Institute of GeoEnergy, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 73100 Chania, Greece)

  • Michalis Karakassides

    (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ioannina, 45110 Ioannina, Greece)

  • Denia Kolokotsa

    (School of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
    Institute of GeoEnergy, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, 73100 Chania, Greece)

Abstract

There is a rising demand for energy-efficient and low-carbon buildings that is driven by the energy consumption in the building sector, global population growth, and high standards of comfort. Integrating contemporary energy-efficient technologies is crucial for tackling this issue. In this study, thermal energy storage (TES) technologies are investigated, particularly phase change materials (PCMs), by using them in buildings and in order to improve energy efficiency. Paraffin-based PCMs are the main focus and are known for their advanced thermal storage capacity and compatibility with building materials. The work focuses on embedding these PCMs into building components such as roofs and walls in order to maximize energy efficiency. Key data, including thermal conductivity (varying from 0.063 W/mK to 0.175 W/mK) and solar reflectance (ranging from 42.7% to 70.31%), were taken with a Hot Disc TPS1500 and a UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer and used as inputs for EnergyPlus calculations. The results show that PCM-enhanced materials greatly increase thermal regulation and energy efficiency. Gypsum boards 30% PCM-enhanced used in buildings achieved up to 12.8% annual energy consumption reductions (106.1 kWh/m 2 ) and 22.3% net annual energy consumption savings (52.2 kWh/m 2 ) when compared to baseline scenarios. The study indicates that PCM integration can significantly cut energy usage while improving indoor thermal comfort, underlining its potential for widespread use in sustainable building design.

Suggested Citation

  • Filippos Lygerakis & Christina Gioti & Dimitris Gournis & Ioannis. V. Yentekakis & Michalis Karakassides & Denia Kolokotsa, 2024. "Enhancing Building Energy Efficiency with Innovative Paraffin-Based Phase Change Materials," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-22, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:16:p:4155-:d:1460649
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lee, Kyoung Ok & Medina, Mario A. & Raith, Erik & Sun, Xiaoqin, 2015. "Assessing the integration of a thin phase change material (PCM) layer in a residential building wall for heat transfer reduction and management," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 699-706.
    2. Kuznik, Frédéric & Virgone, Joseph, 2009. "Experimental assessment of a phase change material for wall building use," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(10), pages 2038-2046, October.
    3. Zhu, Na & Deng, Renjie & Hu, Pingfang & Lei, Fei & Xu, Linghong & Jiang, Zhangning, 2021. "Coupling optimization study of key influencing factors on PCM trombe wall for year thermal management," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    4. Zhou, D. & Shire, G.S.F. & Tian, Y., 2014. "Parametric analysis of influencing factors in Phase Change Material Wallboard (PCMW)," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 33-42.
    5. Zhou, Tongyu & Darkwa, Jo & Kokogiannakis, Georgios, 2015. "Thermal evaluation of laminated composite phase change material gypsum board under dynamic conditions," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 448-456.
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