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ISSN Online: 2377-424X

International Heat Transfer Conference 12
August, 18-23, 2002, Grenoble, France

Temperature moderation in an enclosed space by a portable PCM heat storage unit

Get access (open in a dialog) DOI: 10.1615/IHTC12.2860
6 pages

Résumé

The present investigation deals with a portable temperature moderator mainly for the indoor cooling, while it could be suitable for heating, as well. The heat from the room air to a PCM unit is free-convected, without mechanical work and electric power. Therefore, it can be also used in buildings and other structures located in desert and remote areas, where the power supply is not available.
The present study explores a laboratory-scale model which consists of two closed boxes, where the smaller box is placed into the larger one with a gap. The gap is always filled with hot air, modeling the surroundings of a building for a hot summer day, while the inner box is a model of the enclosed space where temperature moderation is needed. Temperature moderation inside the enclosed space is achieved using a portable unit which stores a phase-change material. The unit has a large surface area per unit volume, enhancing the heat transfer. The PCM used is a paraffin wax, which is non-toxic, recyclable, chemically inert, non-corrosive and can withstand an unlimited number of cycles.