Theoretical study of the application of Phase Change Materials (PCM) on the envelope of a typical dwelling in Cyprus

Abstract

In this work the application of Phase Change Materials (PCM) on the envelope of a dwelling in Cyprus is evaluated for the first time. The simulation process is carried out for a typical meteorological year using TRNSYS. Two types of simulations were carried out; the energy rate control and the temperature level control. The energy savings achieved by the addition of PCM compared to the base case (no insulation) ranged between 21.65-28.59%. When the PCM was combined with a common thermal insulation topology the maximum energy savings per year was 66.17%. In the second test the constructions containing PCM showed a better behaviour during summer conditions. Finally, the results of the optimum PCM case and the combined case were evaluated using Life Cycle Analysis. The results show that the PCM case is not yet considered to be very attractive due to the high initial cost.