ANALYSIS OF THE DYNAMIC THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF FIBEROUS INSULATIONS CONTAINING PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS

PCM can be distributed in thermal insulation, incorporated into structural and sheathing materials, or packaged for localized application. Results from a series of small-scale laboratory measurements and field experiments, indicate that a new generation of PCM-enhanced fiber insulations could have an excellent potential for successful application in U.S. buildings because of their ability to reduce energy consumption for space conditioning and reduction of peak loads. New PCM applications require careful selection of materials, identification of PCM location, bounding thermal resistances, and specification of the amount of PCM to be used. This paper describes the use of a small-scale heat-flow meter apparatus for dynamic testing, and calibration of a computer model for evaluating the performance of PCM-enhanced insulations. Whole-house energy simulations have been used to optimize the use of PCMs in the building envelope and to quantify energy savings resulting from the use of dispersed PCMs in Southern California US climate