Enhancing building roof insulation: A comparative examination of PCM layers integrated with and without nanoparticles
This paper evaluates the thermal insulation potential of a roof embedded with phase-change materials (PCM) and nano-enhanced PCM (NEPCM) in Iraq’s hot climate. The primary goal is to investigate the effectiveness of these materials in reducing indoor heat transfer, thereby enhancing energy efficienc...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Thermofluids |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666202725002332 |
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| Summary: | This paper evaluates the thermal insulation potential of a roof embedded with phase-change materials (PCM) and nano-enhanced PCM (NEPCM) in Iraq’s hot climate. The primary goal is to investigate the effectiveness of these materials in reducing indoor heat transfer, thereby enhancing energy efficiency, using a numerical model based on finite volume and enthalpy methods in a three-dimensional spatial domain. The study compares the performance of roofs equipped with pure PCM and NEPCM layers. Results indicate that the PCM layer significantly lowers peak indoor surface temperatures and delays peak heat transfer, achieving a 2.4 °C temperature reduction with pure PCM and a 1.1 °C reduction with NEPCM. Furthermore, using pure PCM extends the time delay of peak load by 2 h, while NEPCM reduces it to 0.5 h, and the increasing nanoparticle ratio in PCM leads to an increase in the inner surface temperature of the roof. Findings also suggest optimizing the PCM layer’s thickness and adjusting its melting temperature to around 37 °C enhance its thermal insulation capabilities. |
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| ISSN: | 2666-2027 |