The focus of this research paper is to develop a verified simulation model for a cooling panel with integrated phase-change materials (PCMs)—a stainless steel panel filled with PCM and integrated hydronic piping circuit. This solution is targeted for passive cooling of residential buildings in Baltic Sea region that experience overheating for most of the year due to highly insulated building envelopes and extensive glazing—a phenomena for nearly zero energy buildings (NZEBs). This approach aims to maintain comfortable indoor temperature all year round by passive means—free-cooling, adiabatic (evaporative) cooling or limited mechanical cooling. The simulations are performed with IDA ICE 4.8 and the measurements for simulation model verification are collected from a test chamber. The results show that reasonable agreement can be reached for simulated and experimentally measured data.
Nowadays national and international directives have focused on improving energy efficiency in the building sector. According to them, energy consumption and emissions of buildings must be reduced. This can be achieved by balancing energy demand in buildings. In this context, this paper proposes a buildings’ energy demand balancing method using the building energy consumption simulation program IDA ICE and real measurements. A 3D model of the building was developed, energy consumption and indoor climate of the building was monitored throughout the year, the behaviour of the occupants (a survey was conducted) was analysed, dynamic change of the weather was studied and all data were integrated into IDA ICE simulation. In order to increase the energy efficiency of buildings, the possibilities of optimization of heat production equipment and heating devices, as well as inspecting and optimization of ventilation and cooling equipment were considered. By adjusting the parameters of the heating system of the researched object, the energy consumption of the auto centre decreased to 39.3 kWh/m2 per year. One of the most popular methods of balancing energy demand in recent years – the creation of smart grids – is also considered.
As building codes are pushing towards higher energy efficiency and the arrival of nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) requirements for all new buildings are just around the corner the need for alternative, high efficiency heating and cooling solutions for nZEB’s is greater than ever. Also as experience with renewable energy sources has proven the energy demand and energy generation rarely overlaps and it does not allow to fully utilise some renewable energy sources. This is a simulation study that focuses on integrated cooling and energy storage system utilising phase-change materials (PCM). Several types of thermally activated slabs with different PCM thicknesses were simulated in order to find the most optimal PCM thickness with melting point temperature that can support passive cooling methods based on adiabatic cooling principles. Two calculation tools were used for the study – IDA ICE 4.8 and U-NORM 2012-2 to calculate the properties of the slabs and potential of application in well insulated residential building in Baltic climate. The results showed that the optimal thickness for thermally activated PCM layer (large flat containers) range from 25 mm to 90 mm, and for layers with no thermal activation – 180 mm and more. Moreover the results show that apart from energy storage the thermally activated panel can increase thermal comfort conditions.
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