Phase Change Materials Applications in Concrete: A Review

Phase changing materials (PCM) are a bunch of materials that can store thermal energy in both the tangible energy and latent heat energy. PCM are capable of storing and releasing energy in the form of heat in determined temperature ranges, so to increase a building’s thermal inertia, stabilize its indoor temperatures and reduce its energetic demand. Researches show that effective thermal conductivity of concrete reduces with increasing PCM content in concrete. Energy efficiency and heat capacity of PCM-concrete are reported to be higher than plain concrete. However mechanical properties such as compressive strength and bending strength reduce with increasing PCM content. Several aspects are discussed in this review, including the PCM thermos-physical properties, PCM types, PCM incorporation methods suitable for PCM walls, and specific application methods of PCM walls. Although it is known theoretically that PCM walls have a relatively good potential for energy saving, more researches focusing on real full-scale buildings and real operation conditions should be done to prove the authenticity and reliability of current study.

Phase Change Materials Applications in Concrete: A Review Keywords:

Phase changing materials (PCM) , Latent heat energy , Concrete compressive strength , thermos-physical properties