Dual Phase Change Material (PCM) Integration and Optimization for Heating and Cooling Seasons

One way to improve the efficiency of a building is to use thermal storage material. A recent thermal storage strategy is to use phase change material (PCM) which allows for the storage and release of thermal energy. One of the main advantages of using PCM over traditional thermal storage (like concrete) is that PCM can achieve the same level of thermal storage as concrete while using less material. Using PCM can also reduce and delay peak load, improve thermal comfort, and reduce the overall energy consumption of a building. This thermal storage can be used to reduce cooling loads in the summer or reduce heating loads in the winter. However, PCM is not a black box, and implementing it will require careful design consideration. Computer simulations will be used to develop methods and design strategies to optimize PCM use in order to minimize operation costs and/or minimize energy load.

Faculty Supervisor:

Drs. Wey H. Leong & Alan S. Fung

Student:

Fabio Almeida

Partner:

S2E Technologies Inc.

Discipline:

Engineering - mechanical

Sector:

Energy

University:

Ryerson University