Development of PCM tile for residential buildings in hot and dry climate: design and optimization

Abstract In recent years, the building sector has become more conscious of sustainability, and the use of phase change materials (PCMs) in concrete has gained more attraction. Integration of PCM with building facades is a successful method to reduce energy consumption and improve human comfort. However, no single PCM can work in an all-weather scenario. Hence, in this research work, an attempt is made to select a suitable PCM for Chennai city, India, and this methodology can be employed at any geographical location. The PCM tile is designed by including certain features to increase the thermal conductivity of the PCM zone. The optimum design of the PCM tile is achieved through multi-objective optimization techniques. L27 orthogonal array is employed, and all the tests were conducted through validated numerical simulation. Redesigned PCM tile includes a PCM layer of 2 cm thickness with a 10% mix of copper nanoparticles covered by plaster. Redesigned PCM tile reduces the peak indoor temperature by 6.62℃ compared with conventional roof systems.