Use of Phase Change Materials for Energy-Efficient Buildings in India

A large amount of energy is being used worldwide to maintain the ambient temperature conditions inside buildings. Most of this energy is generated from the combustion of fossil fuels. Also, air conditioning units used in buildings emit harmful greenhouse gases. For these reasons, we must find some alternate passive designs that can be implemented for the conservation of energy within the premises. As phase change materials (PCM) have large energy storage capacity due to its high values of latent heats, PCMs can be efficiently used to reduce the surge in energy demands. Incorporating PCM within building components enhances their thermal heat capacity as well as improves the energy efficiency of the buildings. Numerous researchers are experimenting with PCMs for their use in energy-efficient buildings. In this study, numerical modeling has been carried out for a PCM incorporated model that can be used depending on different climatic zones in India. The dimensions and boundary conditions used in numerical modeling are kept near the realistic weather conditions in various climate zones. The PCM selection has been carried out by taking into consideration the desirable thermophysical properties, operating temperature, availability, and weather conditions in different locations. From the results, it can be concluded that this model is beneficial in reducing the cooling loads of buildings in extremely hot places as well as for decrementing the heating loads in cold weather zones.