Improved heating floor thermal performance by adding PCM microcapsules enhanced by single and hybrid nanoparticles

Abstract

A heating floor is a low‐temperature emitter consisting of pipelines in which a fluid circulates between 35°C and 45°C. To ensure energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and building material durability, proper heat management is crucial in buildings. By using phase change materials (PCMs) in building envelopes, the indoor temperature can be regulated through the storage and release of thermal energy, which reduces energy consumption and enhances occupant comfort. In this study, we evaluated numerically a heating floor that incorporates a PCM enhanced by nanoparticles (NePCM). The aim of the numerical analysis is to assess the impact of the addition of single and hybrid nanoparticles in different proportions to the PCM layer on the thermal performance of the PCM‐based floor. Therefore, two main objectives are defined. The primary is to take advantage of the storage capacity of a PCM layer by integrating it into the ground; second, to evaluate the hot water temperature levels effect on the floor's performance. Additionally, we address the low thermal conductivity of PCM by enhancing PCM microcapsules with single and hybrid nanoparticles and comparing them to pure PCM. The numerical results obtained show that positioning the PCM microcapsules above the heating tubes (upper position) provides an optimum improvement in thermal performance. Moreover, the addition of hybrid nanoparticles within the base PCM, 1% of Cu mixed with 4% of Al2O3, allows an increase of 4°C, which relates to a reduction of 18% in the internal temperature amplitude and a phase shift of 6 h 30 min compared with the conventional heated floor in which there is no PCM.

Thermal performance analysis of hollow bricks integrated phase change materials for various climate zones

“…ext (1) The external temperature varies between 25°C and 45°C. The indoor air temperature is maintained at 26°C, while the heat transfer coefficients by convection for the interior surface (h int ) and the exterior surface (h ext ) are 5 and 20 W/(m² K), respectively.…”

“…Construction accounts for 33% of Moroccan final energy consumption and is rapidly growing. [1][2][3] According to the International Energy Agency, primary energy demand will rise by 37% by 2040. 4 Phase change materials (PCMs) are one of the most promising technologies being investigated in the literature right now to address this issue.…”

Multizone Modeling for Hybrid Thermal Energy Storage

“…To improve this, conductive nanoparticles are mixed into the PCM to increase the thermal conductivity of the PCM material. Studies have shown that by blending hybrid nanoparticles, such as 1% Cu and 4% Al 2 O 3 , thermal efficiency can be increased and economic benefits can be achieved [11]. Taking into account and carefully selecting suitable materials, their hygroscopic properties and corrosion and hazard levels, as well as thermal and atmospheric stability and costs, the integration of highly conductive additives can improve thermal diffusivity processes and increase the efficiency of thermal latent heat storage [12].…”

Numerical prediction of the solidification and melting of encapsulated nano‐enhanced phase change materials

“…The addition of single and hybrid nanoparticles in different proportions to the PCM layer can enhance the storage capacity of the PCM layer and reduce the internal temperature amplitude by up to 18%. The hybrid nanoparticles allowed for an increase of 4°C and a phase shift of 6 hours 30 minutes compared to a conventional heated floor without PCM 11 …”

“…The hybrid nanoparticles allowed for an increase of 4 C and a phase shift of 6 hours 30 minutes compared to a conventional heated floor without PCM. 11 Motahar et al 12 dispersed titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) in Octadecane and experimentally analyzed the temperature effect on thermal conductivity and viscosity. The findings demonstrated that thermal conductivity does not necessarily improve at higher concentrations.…”