Modeling phase change materials behavior in building applications: Comments on material characterization and model validation
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Date
2014
Authors
Dutil, Yvan
Rousse, Daniel
Lassue, Stéphane
Zalewski, Laurent
Joulin, Annabelle
Virgone, Joseph
Kuznik, Frédéric
Johannes, Kevyn
Dumas, Jean-Pierre
Bédécarrats, Jean-Pierre
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Abstract
In a recent meeting of IEA’s Annex 23, several members presented their conclusions on the modeling of
phase change materials behavior in the context of building applications. These conclusions were in
agreement with those of a vast review, involving the survey of more than 250 journal papers, undertaken
earlier by the group of École de technologie supérieure. In brief, it can be stated that, at this point, the
confidence in reviewed models is too low to use them to predict the future behavior of a building with
confidence. Moreover, it was found that overall thermal behaviors of phase change material are poorly
known, which by itself creates an intrinsic unknown in any model. Models themselves are most of time
suspicious as they are often not tested in a very stringent or exhaustive way. In addition, it also appears
that modeling parameters are somewhat too simplified to realistically describe the complete physics
needed to predict the real life performance of PCMs added to a building. As a result, steps are now taken
to create standard model benchmarks that will improve the confidence of the users. Hopefully, following
these efforts, confidence will increase and usage of PCM in buildings should be eased.
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Renewable Energy, 2014, vol. 61, p. 132-135