Energy-efficient concrete roofs for buildings: Integrating macroencapsulated nano-enhanced PCMs for hot climate adaptation

Direct sunlight on concrete roofs raises interior heat flow and cooling demands. Latent heat storage with phase change materials (PCMs) offers passive cooling, but nanomaterials are needed to improve their low thermal conductivity. In this study, a two-way hollow concrete roof (HCR) integrated with...

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Main Authors: Peerzada Jaffar Abass, S. Muthulingam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25000048
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author Peerzada Jaffar Abass
S. Muthulingam
author_facet Peerzada Jaffar Abass
S. Muthulingam
author_sort Peerzada Jaffar Abass
collection DOAJ
description Direct sunlight on concrete roofs raises interior heat flow and cooling demands. Latent heat storage with phase change materials (PCMs) offers passive cooling, but nanomaterials are needed to improve their low thermal conductivity. In this study, a two-way hollow concrete roof (HCR) integrated with macroencapsulated nano-enhanced PCM (NePCM) is developed for passive cooling and tested under ambient conditions. Characterization of selected organic PCM (OM35) is conducted individually and in combination with 2 % and 4 % mass fractions of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP). Following unit cell approach, a conventional concrete roof (CCR) without PCM and three HCR specimens are cast: OM35–SU, 2%GNP–NePCM, and 4%GNP–NePCM. Thermal performance of the four specimens is assessed by analyzing temperature variations, heat flow, thermal load, decrement factor, and time lag. It is observed that thermal conductivity enhances 36.4 % and 45.5 % in 2 % and 4%GNP–NePCMs over OM35. During sunny hours, OM35–SU, 2 %, and 4%GNP–NePCMs reduce indoor surface temperatures by an average of 8.1, 8.7, and 9.6 °C, respectively. Cooling loads in 2 % and 4 % GNP–NePCMs are 68 % lower than CCR. Further, 2 % and 4 % GNP–NePCMs have 33 % and 36 % less mean time lag than OM35–SU. The findings offer valuable insights into the macroencapsulation of NePCM in roof slabs, enabling effective thermal energy management for indoor environments in hot climates.
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spelling doaj-art-b19f7aa1d77d48de8006c8b6e7c389632025-02-02T05:27:20ZengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2025-02-0166105744Energy-efficient concrete roofs for buildings: Integrating macroencapsulated nano-enhanced PCMs for hot climate adaptationPeerzada Jaffar Abass0S. Muthulingam1Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Rupnagar, 140 001, IndiaCorresponding author.; Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, Rupnagar, 140 001, IndiaDirect sunlight on concrete roofs raises interior heat flow and cooling demands. Latent heat storage with phase change materials (PCMs) offers passive cooling, but nanomaterials are needed to improve their low thermal conductivity. In this study, a two-way hollow concrete roof (HCR) integrated with macroencapsulated nano-enhanced PCM (NePCM) is developed for passive cooling and tested under ambient conditions. Characterization of selected organic PCM (OM35) is conducted individually and in combination with 2 % and 4 % mass fractions of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP). Following unit cell approach, a conventional concrete roof (CCR) without PCM and three HCR specimens are cast: OM35–SU, 2%GNP–NePCM, and 4%GNP–NePCM. Thermal performance of the four specimens is assessed by analyzing temperature variations, heat flow, thermal load, decrement factor, and time lag. It is observed that thermal conductivity enhances 36.4 % and 45.5 % in 2 % and 4%GNP–NePCMs over OM35. During sunny hours, OM35–SU, 2 %, and 4%GNP–NePCMs reduce indoor surface temperatures by an average of 8.1, 8.7, and 9.6 °C, respectively. Cooling loads in 2 % and 4 % GNP–NePCMs are 68 % lower than CCR. Further, 2 % and 4 % GNP–NePCMs have 33 % and 36 % less mean time lag than OM35–SU. The findings offer valuable insights into the macroencapsulation of NePCM in roof slabs, enabling effective thermal energy management for indoor environments in hot climates.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25000048Hollow concrete roofNano-enhanced PCMsMacroencapsulationSustainable energyThermal energy storage
spellingShingle Peerzada Jaffar Abass
S. Muthulingam
Energy-efficient concrete roofs for buildings: Integrating macroencapsulated nano-enhanced PCMs for hot climate adaptation
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Hollow concrete roof
Nano-enhanced PCMs
Macroencapsulation
Sustainable energy
Thermal energy storage
title Energy-efficient concrete roofs for buildings: Integrating macroencapsulated nano-enhanced PCMs for hot climate adaptation
title_full Energy-efficient concrete roofs for buildings: Integrating macroencapsulated nano-enhanced PCMs for hot climate adaptation
title_fullStr Energy-efficient concrete roofs for buildings: Integrating macroencapsulated nano-enhanced PCMs for hot climate adaptation
title_full_unstemmed Energy-efficient concrete roofs for buildings: Integrating macroencapsulated nano-enhanced PCMs for hot climate adaptation
title_short Energy-efficient concrete roofs for buildings: Integrating macroencapsulated nano-enhanced PCMs for hot climate adaptation
title_sort energy efficient concrete roofs for buildings integrating macroencapsulated nano enhanced pcms for hot climate adaptation
topic Hollow concrete roof
Nano-enhanced PCMs
Macroencapsulation
Sustainable energy
Thermal energy storage
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25000048
work_keys_str_mv AT peerzadajaffarabass energyefficientconcreteroofsforbuildingsintegratingmacroencapsulatednanoenhancedpcmsforhotclimateadaptation
AT smuthulingam energyefficientconcreteroofsforbuildingsintegratingmacroencapsulatednanoenhancedpcmsforhotclimateadaptation