An experimental and a numerical analysis of the dynamic behavior of PCM-27 included inside a vertical enclosure: Application in space heating purposes

The paper deals with the study of the heat transfer phenomena within a vertical enclosure containing PCM integrated inside a test cell with the dimension of (0.5, 0.5, 0.5 m3). An experimental framework was conceived and installed in the Thermal Processes Laboratory in Borj Cedria, Tunisia. The experimental investigation was carried out by measuring the temperature and the heat fluxes exchanged throughout the PCM vertical enclosure. It was found that during the heating phase the temperature inside the test cell equipped with the PCM vertical enclosure is about 28 °C. It was also found that once the PCM vertical enclosure is omitted the cell temperature inside the test cell ranges between 29 and 40 °C. A complete model was also formulated by taking into account various modes of heat transfer inside the PCM vertical enclosure. The numerical model was performed by following the temperature changes at the bottom position and at the high position of the PCM vertical enclosure. The numerical model followed also the evolution of the melting front during the melting process. The model was then exploited for the evaluation of the melting front evolution during the charging and the discharging processes. Another TRNSYS simulation was achieved to evaluate the feasibility of integrating the PCM vertical enclosure in a real building envelop. The results of the TRNSYS simulation showed that the integration of a well dimensioned PCM vertical enclosure enhances the thermal comfort of the occupant by reducing the thermal fluctuation and by improving the thermal inertia of the walls.