Numerical heat transfer analysis of Phase Change Material

(PCM) - enhanced plasters

A. Kylili 1, 2, M. Theodoridou 3, I. Ioannou 3 and P.A. Fokaides 1, 2
1
Frederick Research Center, Cyprus, 7, Y. Filokyprou Str., 1036 Nicosia, Cyprus, 2 School of
Engineering, Frederick University, Cyprus, 7, Y. Frederickou Str., 1036 Nicosia, Cyprus, 3 School of
Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Cyprus, 75 Kallipoleos
Avenue, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
*Corresponding author: P.A. Fokaides, 7, Y. Filokyprou Str., 1036 Nicosia, Cyprus, eng.fp@frederick.ac.cy

Abstract: Heat transfer analysis of novel necessity. They are heat storage systems that
building materials, such as Phase Change essentially minimise the need for active heating
Materials (PCMs), is a challenging task due to and cooling systems’ operation, and achieve
their unique thermochemical properties and the significant energy savings by switching electrical
complexity of their operation. The aim of this consumption from on-peak period to off-peak
work is to investigate the thermal performance period [1]. Researchers have already developed
and impact of novel PCM - enhanced plasters via and examined a great range of new building
the heat transfer analysis of a building wall under elements, including building walls, roofs, floors,
summer dominant conditions. For the and transparent elements that incorporate PCMs
implementation of the numerical simulation through microencapsulation or
study, three - dimensional (3D) time - dependent nanoencapsulation.
building wall models, incorporating the PCM- Transient heat transfer analysis of novel
enhanced plasters, have been developed in materials that undergo phase transformation is
COMSOL Multiphysics. This study will offer challenging and complex and must consider the
fundamental knowledge and important guidance effect from several different influencing
on the conduction of numerical heat transfer parameters. In view of that, state-of-the-art
modelling incorporating phase change materials, numerical simulation tools have developed
and it will provide significant conclusions on the features that enable the numerical solution of
design optimisation of PCM - enhanced building such problems.
elements for use in summer- dominant climatic For this work, COMSOL Multiphysics is
conditions. employed for the numerical investigation of the
thermal performance of novel PCM - enhanced
Keywords: PCM, plaster, heat transfer, plasters for their incorporation in buildings
numerical simulation, time-dependent located in summer- dominant environments. The
conjugate heat transfer problem is applied to
1. Introduction conditions with and without phase change and its
numerical simulation results are validated
Buildings at locations with summer- experimentally. The numerical simulation
dominant climatic conditions typically models’ validation facilitates the examination of
experience large temperature variations between additional building element designs for the
day and night. This causes not only discomfort to optimisation of the PCM - enhanced plasters’
the buildings’ occupants, but also increased operation.
building energy consumption due to the greater
demand and use of active temperature control 2. Governing Equations
systems.
One effective solution to this problem is During the solid to liquid phase change, the
passively alleviating those temperature density of PCMs is modified, resulting in a
fluctuations with the use and incorporation of volume compression. The solid PCM coordinates
latent or sensible heat storage systems within express all transformations in the initial system,
building envelopes. Phase Change Materials when the solid PCM occupies the domain.
(PCMs) are materials that acquire the unique Assuming that there is no mixing in the liquid
ability to capture and save energy in periods of phase, the conduction equation in solid PCM
abundant heat, and release it during periods of coordinates can be used:

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Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2016 COMSOL Conference in Munich

 ( ) ( ) ( )

Where is the density, is the effective heat is then approximated such as the total heat per
capacity at constant pressure, is the effective unit volume released during the phase
thermal conductivity, is temperature, and is transformation equals with the latent heat, [2]:
a heat source.
When the PCM-enhanced plaster reaches its
phase change temperature , it is assumed that ∫ ( ) ∫
the phase change take places throughout a period
of time. This time interval is defined between
⁄ and ⁄ , while the phase of Accordingly, the apparent heat capacity, , the
the plaster during this time period is defined by effective thermal conductivity, , and the
the function, . The function, , represents the effective density, , are then defined as [2]:
fraction of phase before the phase transition,
which is equal to 1 before ⁄ and to 0 (
after ⁄ . Accordingly, the density, ,
and the specific enthalpy, , are expressed by )
[2]:

( )
3. Methods
( )
The methodology followed in this work
where the indices and indicate a targeted the modelling of the PCM-enhanced
material in phase 1 or in phase 2, respectively. plasters’ behaviour in summer-dominant
The specific heat capacity can then be expressed conditions to predict their impact on the heat
as follows [2]: transfer analysis of a building element. For this
purpose, four different model designs were
developed in COMSOL Multiphysics:
(  A reference building element, incorporating
conventional lime plaster (REFPLASTER)
)
 A building element, incorporating a lime
( ) plaster enhanced by the addition of 5% by
weight PCM (PCMPLASTER5)
Where  A building element, incorporating a lime
plaster enhanced by the addition of 10% by
weight PCM (PCMPLASTER10)
and the mass fraction  A building element, incorporating a lime
plaster enhanced by the addition of 20% by
weight PCM (PCMPLASTER20)
The results of the numerical simulation
studies of the reference building element and the
The specific heat capacity is the sum of an
building element incorporating 5% by weight
equivalent heat capacity, [2]: PCM-enhanced plaster have also been
experimentally validated. The verification of the
( models enabled the establishment of the thermal
performance of the rest of the PCM-enhanced
) plaster model designs and the identification of
the benefits that arise from different PCM
and the distribution of latent heat [2]: concentrations with reference to the effect of the
diurnal variability in the interior of the building.

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2016 COMSOL Conference in Munich

4. Theory constitute an element of a more complex TES
system.
A number of numerical simulation studies Multiphase flows, thermal flows and thermal
have been conducted for the solution of heat multiphase flows with phase change was the
transfer problems that incorporate phase change. focus of the work of Li et al. [9], which provided
Based on the results of a network analysis, the a comprehensive review of the Lattice
recent trends in this field have been identified. Boltzmann (LB) method for thermofluids and
energy applications. The review revealed certain
inconsistencies, defects, and common features of
multiphase and thermal LB models, while recent
developments in improving the thermodynamic
and hydrodynamic consistency, reducing
spurious currents and enhancing the numerical
stability were also highlighted.
Other recent trends identified in numerical
simulation studies incorporating phase change
included the definition of heat transfer
coefficients and the implementation of the
enthalpy method. Sun et al. [10] employed
numerical simulation for the definition of the
effective thermal conductivity coefficients of
expanded graphite/paraffin phase change
Figure 1. Network analysis for literature on numerical composites. Also, the heat transfer behavior of
simulation of heat transfer with phase change micro-foam impregnated with PCM was
investigated by Hu et al. [11]. Three phase
The focus of several studies found in the change models, including the apparent specific
literature is the investigation of the natural capacity method, the enthalpy method assuming
convection mechanisms of liquid PCM and of a pure body and the enthalpy method assuming a
methods to enhance the melting rate inside PCM binary mixture, which are used to predict the
enclosures [3]. The objective of the numerical energy behaviour of a PCM cement mortar
simulations conducted in Ziaei et al. [4] was the sample were assessed by Tittelein et al. [12].
identification of the geometric features that lead Numerical simulation has also been
to the fastest melting process for the PCM in a established as an effective tool for the
cylinder. Also, Fan et al. [5] investigated the optimization of PCM applications in buildings.
influence of fin height in a circumferentially The key objective of the work undertaken in
finned spherical capsule on melting heat transfer Jayalath et al. [13] was the optimisation of
and TES performance of the PCM system. PCMs’ operation for the improvement of
Research is also particularly interested in the buildings’ thermal performance in Melbourne.
solidification and melting processes of different Similarly, Soares et al. [14] focused on the
PCMs. In Kant et al. [6], the performance of five optimization of new small thermal energy
different fatty acids (capric acid, lauric acid, storage (TES) systems for buildings
myristic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid), The numerical investigation of phase change
when used with aluminum containers were materials with porous structures is also a
investigated, while Bondareva, and Sheremet, [7] dominant subject among current research.
carried out mathematical simulation of natural Gopalan and Eswaran [15] performed
convection with phase transition inside an simulations to assess the impact of such media as
enclosure with a local heat source for the thermal conductivity enhancers, while Bottarelli,
identification of melting and solidification et al. [16] used fluid flow and heat transfer in
problems for industrial application. In addition, porous media to perform a yearly simulation for
the aim of Arena et al. [8] was to simulate the the definition of the thermal performance of a
melting and solidification processes in drainage trench filled with encapsulated PCMs
containing boxes and heat transfer devices of as granular filler.
different geometrical features which may

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2016 COMSOL Conference in Munich

5. Numerical model Table 1: Thermophysical properties of building
materials employed for the numerical simulation study
To perform the thermal performance of the
defined building element, 3D geometry was Materials
employed, while a time-dependent study was [kg/m3] [J/(kgK)] [W/(mK)]
chosen to satisfy the non-steady nature of the Concrete 1100 900 0,900
problem. The study also employed the Conjugate block
Heat Transfer module and the Heat Transfer with Plaster 1739 834 0,687
Phase Change feature to enable the examination PCM- 1533 935 0,570
of the transient temperature transfer in the PCM- enhanced
enhanced plaster incorporated in the building plaster (5%)
element. Appropriate boundary conditions were PCM- 1379 1022 0,398
also used to represent the climatic conditions in a enhanced
summer-dominant environment. plaster
(10%)
5.1 Geometry and materials PCM- 1289 1076 0,309
enhanced
Figure 2 represents the three-dimensional plaster
(3D) geometry that was employed in COMSOL (20%)
Multiphysics for the simulation of the operation
performance of the building elements under The choice of PCM was based on its melting
investigation. The building element is 0.4 m temperature for its suitability of operation in
wide, 0.22 m deep and 0.2 m high, and is summer-dominant conditions. Accordingly for
comprised of a 2 cm thickness layer of plaster the particular study, Micronal DS 5038X by
applied on a concrete block. The concrete block BASF having a melting temperature of 26 ºC
has a hollow core, with a single bone of 0.04 m was employed. The PCM was incorporated in the
thickness cutting across its centre, as shown in plaster at 5%, 10%, and 20% by weight to
Figure 2. Table 1 outlines the thermophysical develop the PCM-enhanced plasters under
properties of the above materials. investigation, the thermophysical properties of
which are also provided in Table 1. The product
information of Micronal DS 5038X is
summarised in Table 2.

Table 2: Micronal DS 5038X product information

Product type Powder

Melting point [˚C] 26
Overall storage capacity [kJ/kg] 145
Latent heat capacity [kJ/kg] 110
Apparent density [kg/m3] 250-350

5.2 Boundary conditions

Figure 2. Geometry and mesh of three-dimensional
(3D) numerical models developed in COMSOL For the numerical simulations, transient
Multiphysics. modelling for conjugate heat transfer in solids
and liquids was adopted, in addition to the phase
change feature of the Heat Transfer module of
COMSOL Multiphysics. The PCM-enhanced
plaster was set to change phases throughout the
simulation according to the product properties
given in Table 2.

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2016 COMSOL Conference in Munich

 The initial temperature of the building
element, and the exterior boundary
conditions, were defined according to actual
measured temperatures averaged per hour. The
exterior boundary conditions, which the external
plaster layer was exposed to, were inserted as an
interpolation in the simulation study and are
illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 4. Simulation and experimental temperature

results of interior surfaces for REFPLASTER and
PCMPLASTER5

6.2 Additional model designs

Figure 5 illustrates the simulation

temperature results of the interior surfaces of the
Figure 3. Exterior boundary conditions employed for building element model designs under
the simulation study. examination. The temperature fluctuations
experienced by the PCM-enhanced plasters due
5.3 Meshing to their exposure to the external weather
conditions allow the PCM to change phase twice
It was determined that the most appropriate - from solid to liquid to solid - within a time
mesh for this model was a free tetrahedral period of 24 hours.
meshing. The mesh type was set to physics- The simulation results indicate that the
controlled and its size was set to normal. There reference building element is presented with the
were 2385 elements used for the simulation of 3 greatest diurnal variability, while the more the
days of transient heat transfer. percentage weight of the PCM in the PCM-
enhanced plaster, the smaller the range of the
6. Results and Discussion diurnal fluctuation. Accordingly, the case of the
model design PCMPLASTER20 is illustrated
6.1 Experimental validation with the lowest peak temperatures and the higher
trough temperature values. This difference in the
The simulation results for the REFPLASTER diurnal variation of the PCM-enhanced building
and the PCMPLASTER5 are presented in Figure elements is a result of the incorporated PCM’s
4. This figure also illustrates the experimental operation. Another evident effect from the PCM
results for validation purposes. The simulation operation is that the time required for the interior
results for both cases are found in good temperatures of the PCM-enhanced building
agreement with the experimental results. elements to rise and drop at their maximum and
Referring to Figure 4, the temperature peaks and minimum values is longer in comparison to the
troughs of the REFPLASTER vary by less than 1 conventional plaster case.
˚C and 0.5 ˚C, respectively, while the deviations
in the peak and trough of the temperature
profiles of the PCMPLASTER5 are slightly
higher – a difference of 1.5 ˚C for the peak
value, and 1 ˚C for the trough value.
Furthermore, the timing of the temperature peaks
and troughs between the actual and simulated
values are found in line.

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2016 COMSOL Conference in Munich

 dominant climatic conditions is defined, such as
the desired results on thermal comfort and
building energy consumption can be realised.

8. References

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Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2016 COMSOL Conference in Munich

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9. Acknowledgements

This paper is based on the work conducted

by the authors under the research project “Phase
Change Material (PCM) enhanced plaster for
upgrading the energy efficiency of contemporary
and historic buildings – PCPLASTER”, co-
funded by the Republic of Cyprus through the
Research Promotion Foundation (Project
KOINA/M-ERA.NET/1012/01).

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2016 COMSOL Conference in Munich