Development and verification of an EnergyPlus-based algorithm to predict heat transfer through building walls integrated with phase change materials

Abstract

A conduction finite difference algorithm developed for EnergyPlus was used to model building walls integrated with phase change materials. The model was validated by comparing it against experimental data in terms of temperatures, wall heat fluxes, and total wall heat transfer. Experimental data, using two identical test houses of conventional residential construction, were collected for the validation and further analyses. The thermal performance of walls without phase change materials (control house) and with phase change materials (retrofit house) was evaluated. The model showed that the differences between experimental and predicted total heat transfer values were under 5%. The total heat transfer reductions produced by phase change materials could be predicted accurately using the conduction finite difference algorithm in EnergyPlus.