Numerical analysis of a glassed dynamic PCMs solar wall

Abstract

Zero Energy Buildings (ZEBs) stand out as one of the foremost solutions, aiming to generate as much energy as they consume. Adaptive facades, capable of responding dynamically to environmental changes, have attracted attention for enhancing energy performance in ZEBs. This study is focused on the use of a dynamic Phase Change Material (PCM) wall as an adaptive facade system in Madrid, Spain. Traditional static PCM walls often struggle to charge and discharge energy efficiently under variable climate conditions. Dynamic PCM wall technology addresses this issue by facilitating energy charge and discharge both inside and outside the building by changing the position of the PCM with respect to the insulation layer. Furthermore, the wall’s performance is improved by the greenhouse effect generated through the integration of glass layers into the wall assembly. By employing a numerical modelling approach, this study assesses the thermal performance of the dynamic PCM wall with different colors of glass. Moreover, crucial parameters such as the thickness of PCM and the Switching Time of the dynamic wall were studied. Results indicate that over the studied period in winter, a dynamic PCM wall with clear glass was able to increase the wall heat gain up to 177% compared to the static PCM wall, which is equivalent to 0.185 kWh daily per square meter of wall. Numerical results showed that to enhance the efficiency of the proposed system further and maximize its heat gains, the addition of a smart control system is essential.

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ FEDER, UE within the ResBuild project ‘Desarrollo de envolventes de edificios innovadores y resilientes al cambio climatico’ (Ref:PID2022-137971OB-I00). The author Alicia Crespo is a Serra Húnter Fellow.