Phase Change Materials

Phase change materials or PCMS are a type of material that has the ability to absorb heat. These material have been considered for use as thermal storage since before the 1980s.  This material is utilized by inserting it into different construction supplies like plaster or gypsum board which in turn converts those supplies into phase change materials. This process of converting objects into phase change materials grants them the ability to be able to absorb heat energy or have latent storage properties as researchers may call it. There is a large amount of heat energy able to be absorbed through these materials as opposed to the regular construction supplies and they are able to maintain the indoor temperature in a relatively narrow range. The structural elements or construction supplies that absorb the heat energy are better than regular heating systems with the fact that there is no need to expend extra energy with transporting the heat energy throughout the whole building because it is already there within the material. This enables the right to reduce the peak power demand of the building, down size the cooling system and maybe switch to a low power cooling system.  The microscopically small polymer spheres that are used for the material contain wax in the middle.This is what is inserted into the construction supplies for the conversion. There is a defined temperature that the wax starts to melt as it absorbs heat energy, and at night when it cools down the heat that the wax retained is then released, and used as a heating system for low temperature in the building. If there is no need for the heat then ventilation from the windows is recommended. The wax is encapsulated in an acrylic polymer shell that helps to ensure that the wax is able to retain its heat buffer function after several decades. There was a study that was carried out by Corina Stetiu and Helmut E. Feustel which dealt with the commercial applications of PCMs. It helped to clarify that as long as the temperature does not go beyond 30 degrees Celsius or 86 degrees Fahrenheit then PCMs are able to absorb heat energy properly but if it goes over then it becomes the same as regular construction supplies. The minimum temperature should be at least 18 degrees Celsius or 64 degrees Fahrenheit in the nighttime or the PCMs will not be able to discharge properly leading to a decrease of efficiency. Its recommended to use  mechanical night ventilation systems for commercial applications of PCMs.