Development and Evaluation of an Integrated Phase Change Material Oriented Strand Board for Thermal Energy Storage in Building Walls

In this study, a phase change material (PCM) in the form of technical-grade octadecane and oriented strand boards (OSBs), which are boards made from wood strands, are used to develop a latent heat storage board with the aim of utilizing this material in building construction while lowering energy consumption. The incorporation of PCM into buildings is difficult for several reasons, including the organic phase material’s flammability and leakage during phase change. These obstacles have been overcome to a significant extent in the engineered OSB material. To avoid PCM from leaking throughout the phase change regime, PCM was hosted in the oriented strand board (OSB) using high-density polyethylene to develop a shape-stabilized phase change wood-based board (SSPCM-OSB). To improve the binding between PCM and OSBs and reduce the flammability, additional additives were added. Extensive testing was conducted to determine the physical and thermal properties and heat transfer characteristics of the developed SSPCM-OSB. The newly developed oriented strand board with SSPCM integration has a lower heat flux than a conventional OSB and comparable flammability characteristics.