Optimization of Multilayered Walls for Building Envelopes Including PCM-Based Composites

Area of Science:

• Building Science
• Materials Science
• Thermal Engineering

Background:

• Building envelopes require efficient thermal management to minimize energy consumption.
• Phase Change Materials (PCM) offer significant Thermal-Energy Storage (TES) capacity for passive thermal regulation.
• Optimizing material layering in wallboards is crucial for reducing heat loads.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and apply a numerical procedure for simulating and optimizing the thermal performance of multilayered wallboards.
• To investigate the effectiveness of PCM-based composites in building envelopes for TES.
• To determine optimal material stacking sequences for minimizing heat gains and losses.

Main Methods:

• Enthalpy-based finite element method for transient heat conduction simulation.
• Utilizing Typical Meteorological Year (TMY) data and EnergyPlus™ for boundary condition definition.
• Genetic algorithms for optimizing material layer sequencing in wallboards.

Main Results:

• Simulation-based optimization successfully identified effective material configurations for building envelopes.
• Optimal designs generally involve Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) walls with a strategically placed thin PCM layer.
• The optimal PCM layer placement is near the wall's middle, closer to the internal surface, maximizing TES benefits.

Conclusions:

• The proposed simulation-optimization procedure effectively designs building envelopes with enhanced thermal performance.
• PCM-based composites are valuable for improving the TES capacity of wallboards.
• Material layering and PCM integration are key strategies for minimizing building energy loads in diverse climates.