Thermal analysis of a ventilated facade with PCM for cooling applications
Issue date
2013Author
Ruiz-Pardo, Álvaro
Álvarez, Servando
Suggested citation
Gracia Cuesta, Alvaro de;
Navarro Farré, Lidia;
Castell, Albert;
Ruiz-Pardo, Álvaro;
Álvarez, Servando;
Cabeza, Luisa F.;
.
(2013)
.
Thermal analysis of a ventilated facade with PCM for cooling applications.
Energy and Buildings, 2013, vol. 65, p. 508-515.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2013.06.032.
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Show full item recordAbstract
A new type of ventilated facade (VF) with macro-encapsulated phase change material (PCM) in its air
cavity is presented in this paper. The thermal performance of this special building envelope is experimentally
tested to analyze its potential in reducing the cooling demand during the summer season in
the Continental Mediterranean climate. Two identical house-like cubicles located in Puigverd de Lleida
(Spain) were monitored during summer 2012, and in one of them, a ventilated facade with PCM was
located in the south wall. Six automatized gates were installed at the different openings of the channel in
order to control the operational mode of the facade. This versatility allows the system to be used as a cold
storage unit, as an overheating protection system or as a night free cooling application. The experimental
results point out the night free cooling effect as the most promising operational sequence to reduce the
cooling load of the cubicle. On the other hand, the thermal resistance of the outer skin of the facade must
be increased; otherwise the cold storage system cannot be used efficiently.