The present article reports on the feasibility of using encapsulated phase change materials (EPCMs) in the dehumidifying bed of a desiccant cooling system. The mathematical model used to simulate the coupled non-equilibrium heat and moisture transfer processes in the porous composite structure...

Planted roofs are passive cooling techniques that reduce the thermal load of buildings. In this paper, the authors have developed a model for evaluating the cooling potential of green roofs. Transfer equations are solved using a finite difference scheme and Thomas algorithm. The study was...

The effect of projected climate change on building performance is currently a growing research area. Building designers and architects are becoming more concerned that buildings designed for the current climate might not provide adequate working and living environments in the coming decades....

Myristic acid-graphite nanoplates (MA/Gr) composite phase change materials were prepared and thermal properties at various Gr loadings, 0.5%, 1% and 2%, were investigated. Melting and freezing temperatures, latent heats of melting and freezing, the extent of supercooling and the crystallization...

The preparation and characteristics of a composite phase change material (PCM) produced by incorporating polynary fatty acid eutectic mixture into sludge ceramsite were studied. According to Schröeder–Van Laar equation, five different kinds of polynary fatty acid eutectic mixture were...

This paper presents a new hybrid methodology for the determination of the effective heat capacity (Ceff) of phase change materials (PCMs) for use in numerical models. The methodology focuses on PCM enhanced building panels utilizing a heat flow meter apparatus (HFMA) operating in dynamic mode...

Solar energy is recognized as one of the most promising alternative energy options. On sunny days, solar energy systems generally collect more energy than necessary for direct use. Therefore, the design and development of solar energy storage systems, is of vital importance and nowadays one of...

This paper presents the results of a comprehensive numerical study on the thermal performance of an air based phase change thermal storage unit (TSU) for space heating. The unit is designed for integration into space heating and cooling systems. The unit consists of a number of one dimensional...

A simple yet accurate iterative method for solving a one-dimensional phase change problem with convection boundary is described. The one-dimensional model takes into account the variation in the wall temperature along the direction of the flow as well as the sensible heat during...

Recent research by BRE under the DoE Construction Sponsorship Directorate's Energy-Related Environmental Issues (EnREI) Programme has clearly shown that the dominant factor in the successful design of low energy buildings is the minimisation or avoidance of air conditioning. That is not to say...