Design and thermal performance analysis of a dynamic shading device incorporating phase change materials

A substantial portion of a building's carbon footprint is attributed to heat losses through its external envelope, namely glazed surfaces. Modern facades can dynamically manage energy exchange between indoor and outdoor environments, promoting energy efficiency and thermal comfort. The use of phase change materials (PCM) in building envelopes has emerged as a promising passive design strategy to enhance thermal performance. In this framework, a dynamic shading device incorporating PCM has been designed and developed to control overheating while ensuring visual comfort. The system operates by sliding the shading device to a discharging chamber connected to the outdoor environment, promoting PCM phase change and heat dissipation. A prototype was constructed and tested in real-scale compartments: one with a conventional curtain and another featuring the PCM-integrated shading device. Initial tests assessed PCM's thermal properties, followed by an evaluation of the cylindrical container's geometry on PCM performance. Subsequently, the system's performance was thoroughly analyzed using different operational strategies to optimize its potential, comparing indoor temperatures and thermal discomfort conditions between the two compartments and PCM behavior in charging and discharging processes. The device demonstrated the PCM thermal regulation capacity, reducing indoor maximum peak temperatures up to 2.1 °C, lowering the Degree-Hours Discomfort index by 20 %, and decreasing overheating periods by 7 %, improving indoor thermal comfort. While PCM effectively achieved full charging, its performance was compromised by the high temperatures reached. Optimizing the device's performance may require controlling its operation not only through a timer but also based on PCM's real-time temperature. • Development and testing of a dynamic shading device incorporating PCM (DS-PCM) • PCM thermal properties and influence of the container diameters on PCM behavior • Comparative analysis of indoor temperatures in reference and DS-PCM compartments • Thermal performance of the compartments based on a thermal discomfort analysis • Performance evaluation of the PCM charging and discharging processes