Wood Impregnated with a Multicomponent Bio-Phase Change Material for Energy Storage in Buildings

摘要

Wood is widely used in buildings but its low thermal mass limits its energy efficiency for internal use. Thethermal mass of wood can be improved by incorporation of PCMs into its porous structure, and thus can controlenergy intermittency inside buildings. In this study, coconut oil fatty acids mixed with linoleic acid in 4:1(w/w), with a phase transition temperature in the range of human comfort (18-25 °C), were integrated intothermally treated spruce. The impregnation uptake was 60% and the stability of the PCM in wood structurewas evaluated by subjecting impregnated wood samples to leaching tests, and found to be 5%. Thermalcharacteristics of the wood/BPCM composite including phase transition temperature, enthalpy, heat capacityand thermal conductivity were investigated with DSC, T-history and heat flow meter method, and respectivelyfound to be in the range of 22.4-25.5 °C, 39 J/g, 4 J/(g K) and 0.13 W/(m K).