Photo-thermal synergistic phase change microcapsule intelligent light control glass, intelligent window and control method

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of photothermal synergic phase change microcapsule intelligent light control glass, intelligent window and control method, the light control glass includes first transparent substrate, second transparent substrate and the transparent conductive layer and composite function layer being arranged between the two, the composite function layer includes polymer matrix, suspended particle and phase change heat storage microcapsule, suspended particle changes orientation state under the action of electric field to adjust glass light transmittance, phase change heat storage microcapsule realizes heat storage and release by phase change process, and the intelligent window based on the light control glass obtains environmental parameters such as illumination and temperature by environmental information acquisition module, and controller combines phase change state control drive power output drive signal, realizes light transmittance dynamic adjustment and building light environment and thermal environment collaborative optimization.The application has the functions of intelligent light control, heat storage energy saving and thermal environment regulation, can effectively reduce building lighting, refrigeration and heating energy consumption, improve indoor comfort and energy utilization efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of smart glass technology, and particularly relates to a photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, smart window and control method. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing demands for energy conservation and green, low-carbon development in buildings, the energy-saving performance of building envelopes has received growing attention. Transparent envelopes, as crucial components for lighting, ventilation, and indoor-outdoor environmental exchange, directly impact the overall energy consumption of buildings due to their thermal and optical performance. Since glass generally has a higher heat transfer coefficient than non-transparent envelopes such as walls, it easily generates significant heating and cooling loads during building operation, making windows, doors, and curtain walls major sources of energy consumption. Simultaneously, rising demands for comfortable indoor lighting, glare control, privacy protection, and building intelligence have spurred the development and application of various smart dimming glass technologies in fields such as construction, transportation, and special equipment.

[0003] Currently, smart dimming glass mainly includes technologies such as thermochromic glass, electrochromic glass, liquid crystal dimming glass, suspended particle dimming glass, and other optically controlled glass. Among them, suspended particle dimming glass utilizes the orientation change of suspended particles (SPD) under the action of an electric field to adjust light transmittance. It can continuously change between a transparent state and a shading state, and has the characteristics of fast response speed, wide dimming range, and multi-level control. Therefore, it is widely used in building doors and windows, curtain wall systems, vehicle and ship portholes, and skylights. Existing suspended particle dimming glass usually adopts a structure in which a transparent conductive layer sandwiches a suspended particle functional layer. By controlling the driving voltage between the electrodes on both sides of the functional layer, the arrangement state of the suspended particles is changed, thereby achieving light transmittance adjustment to meet the lighting and shading needs under different environmental conditions.

[0004] To further improve the energy-saving performance of suspended particle dimming glass, extensive research and improvements have been conducted in existing technologies. Some solutions combine suspended particle dimming glass with glass products possessing good thermal performance, such as double-glazed windows, vacuum glass, and low-emissivity glass, to reduce the overall window heat transfer coefficient and solar heat gain coefficient. Other solutions introduce automatic control systems that automatically adjust the glass transmittance based on outdoor illuminance, time information, or environmental parameters to improve the indoor lighting environment and reduce building lighting and air conditioning energy consumption. Still other solutions link smart window systems with building energy management systems to achieve coordinated control between lighting, HVAC, and smart windows, thereby improving the overall building operating efficiency. These improvements have, to some extent, enhanced the application performance of smart window products and promoted the industrialization of related products.

[0005] However, current technologies for improving the energy-saving performance of suspended particle dimming glass primarily rely on external structural optimization and control strategy optimization. Improvements are concentrated on the design of the glass composite structure or the configuration of the external control system, with relatively little improvement to the thermal performance of the functional layer of the suspended particle dimming glass itself. While existing composite structures can reduce heat transfer throughout the window, they often require the addition of insulated layers, vacuum layers, or other additional structures, leading to increased product complexity and manufacturing costs. Furthermore, they may also face problems such as decreased sealing performance, reduced long-term reliability, and increased maintenance costs. In addition, due to the limited thermal inertia of the functional layer of suspended particle dimming glass, the indoor thermal environment is prone to significant fluctuations when the external building temperature and solar radiation change. This can lead to high cooling loads under strong solar radiation in summer and rapid heat loss in winter, thus affecting the building's energy-saving performance.

[0006] On the other hand, existing automatic control methods for suspended particle dimming glass mainly rely on outdoor illuminance or light intensity as the basis for adjustment, controlling indoor illuminance by changing the glass transmittance. Their control objectives are primarily focused on lighting requirements and glare suppression. When external sunlight is strong, the system typically reduces the glass transmittance to decrease solar radiation entering the room, thereby reducing the air conditioning cooling load. However, this also reduces the level of natural indoor lighting, often requiring additional artificial lighting to compensate, making it difficult to achieve a more reasonable balance between lighting and air conditioning energy consumption. Furthermore, existing control strategies mostly focus on real-time response adjustment to the light environment, insufficiently considering the thermal inertia characteristics of the building envelope and the dynamic changes in the indoor thermal environment. They lack the comprehensive optimization capability for the coupling relationship between the thermal and light environments, thus limiting overall energy-saving performance under complex operating conditions.

[0007] Furthermore, research has emerged in the field of building energy conservation that utilizes phase change thermal storage materials to improve the thermal stability of building envelopes. Phase change materials can buffer environmental temperature fluctuations by absorbing and releasing latent heat, thereby improving the thermal performance of buildings. Current applications of phase change materials mainly include wall infill, plaster layer mixing, ceiling structure integration, and composite building components. Their application is primarily concentrated in opaque building envelopes, with relatively little research on their application in transparent building envelopes, especially within the functional layer of suspended particle dimming glass. Existing technologies lack systematic research on the synergistic relationship between intelligent dimming and thermal storage functions, and the relevant thermal environment regulation mechanisms and optical control mechanisms have not yet formed an effective coordination. This results in room for further improvement in the light environment control, thermal environment stability, and overall building energy conservation of transparent building envelopes.

[0008] Therefore, how to further improve the thermal environment regulation capability of suspended particle dimming glass from the perspective of the thermal properties of the functional layer itself and the synergistic regulation of heat and light, while maintaining the original dimming performance, and improve the comprehensive energy-saving performance of the building envelope under different seasons and different operating conditions, has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0009] To address the aforementioned technical issues, this application discloses a photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass that integrates SPD dimming technology and phase change thermal storage technology into the same composite functional layer, as well as a smart window and control method based on the coordinated control of environmental parameters and phase change state. This achieves the integration of building lighting, shading, thermal storage and energy-saving functions, thereby improving the overall energy utilization efficiency and indoor comfort of the building.

[0010] The first objective of this application is to disclose a photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, comprising:

[0011] First transparent substrate and second transparent substrate;

[0012] A first transparent conductive layer, a composite functional layer, and a second transparent conductive layer are disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate. The first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer are used to form a driving electric field on both sides of the composite functional layer.

[0013] The composite functional layer is a solid polymer continuous phase structure, including a polymer matrix, suspended particles dispersed in the polymer matrix, and phase change heat storage microcapsules. The phase change heat storage microcapsules are encapsulated with phase change materials, which can undergo phase change within a preset temperature range and store and release heat. The suspended particles change their orientation state under the action of the driving electric field to adjust the light transmittance of the dimming glass.

[0014] Furthermore, the phase change thermal storage microcapsule includes a polymer capsule wall and a phase change material encapsulated inside the polymer capsule wall, wherein the phase change temperature of the phase change material is 15°C to 40°C.

[0015] Furthermore, the polymer capsule wall is composed of one or two of melamine-formaldehyde resin and polyurethane, and the phase change material includes one or more of polyethylene glycol, paraffin wax, fatty acids, and organic eutectic phase change materials.

[0016] Furthermore, the phase change thermal storage microcapsules have a particle size of 1 μm to 3 μm, and the phase change thermal storage microcapsules account for 5% to 15% of the total mass of the composite functional layer.

[0017] Furthermore, the polymer matrix is ​​a polysiloxane polymer or a polyalkyl methacrylate polymer, the suspended particles are polyiodide colloidal particles with an average particle size of less than 1 μm, the refractive index difference between the polymer matrix and the suspended particles is 0 to 0.01, and the refractive index of both is in the range of 1.455 to 1.463.

[0018] Furthermore, the method for preparing the composite functional layer includes:

[0019] The polymer matrix and photoinitiator were mixed and dispersed in an organic solvent to obtain a matrix premix;

[0020] Suspended particles are dispersed in a polymer medium to form a particle slurry;

[0021] The matrix premix is ​​mixed with the particle slurry, and phase change thermal storage microcapsules and refractive index adjusting liquid mixture are added for dispersion to obtain a composite functional slurry;

[0022] The composite functional paste is coated onto the surface of a transparent conductive substrate to form a pre-film layer;

[0023] The pre-formed film layer is subjected to photocuring treatment to cross-link and solidify the polymer matrix to form a solid composite functional layer. A continuous phase composed of polymer matrix is ​​formed in the solid composite functional layer, and suspended particles, phase change heat storage microcapsules and refractive index adjusting liquid mixture are dispersed in the continuous phase to obtain a composite functional layer with dimming and heat storage functions.

[0024] The second objective of this application is to disclose a smart window, comprising:

[0025] As described above, the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass;

[0026] A driving power supply is electrically connected between the first and second transparent conductive layers of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, and is used to apply a driving voltage to the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass.

[0027] An environmental information acquisition module is used to collect environmental parameters inside and outside the building, including one or more of outdoor illuminance, indoor illuminance, outdoor temperature, and indoor temperature.

[0028] The controller is electrically connected to the environmental information acquisition module and the drive power supply;

[0029] The controller is used to determine the dimming control parameters according to the environmental parameters, and control the drive power supply to output a drive signal to the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass to adjust the light transmission state of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass.

[0030] The third objective of this application is to disclose a smart window control method, applied to the smart window as described above, comprising:

[0031] Building operating environment parameters are acquired by environmental information acquisition modules installed inside and outside the building. The environmental parameters include at least one or more of outdoor illuminance, indoor illuminance, outdoor temperature, and indoor temperature.

[0032] The target transmittance of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass is calculated based on the environmental parameters, and the corresponding basic dimming level is determined.

[0033] The base dimming level is compensated and corrected based on seasonal information, phase change state of phase change material and / or solar incidence conditions to obtain the final dimming level.

[0034] According to the final dimming level, a control command is sent to the driving power supply, and the driving power supply applies a corresponding driving voltage to the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, so that the suspended particles change orientation and adjust the glass transmittance.

[0035] The controller continuously acquires environmental parameters and dynamically updates the final dimming level during operation.

[0036] Furthermore, the environmental information acquisition module includes an outdoor illuminance sensor and an indoor illuminance sensor. The driving power supply is a programmable AC driving power supply with continuously adjustable output voltage and / or output frequency. The controller determines the basic dimming level based on the difference between the outdoor illuminance and the indoor target illuminance. The basic dimming level corresponds to a preset transmittance level table, and each transmittance level corresponds to a preset driving voltage range.

[0037] Furthermore, the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass has twelve preset dimming levels VT1 to VT12, where VT1 corresponds to the lowest light transmittance and VT12 corresponds to the highest light transmittance. The output voltage adjustment range of the programmable AC drive power supply is 0V to 110V, and the controller determines the final dimming level according to the following formula:

[0038] VT final =clamp(VT base +ΔVT season +ΔVT PCM +ΔVT angle ,1,12)

[0039] Among them, VT base ΔVT is the base dimming level calculated based on ambient illuminance. season For seasonal compensation, ΔVT PCM ΔVT is the phase transition state compensation quantity. angleThe clamp function is used to limit the final dimming level to the range of VT1 to VT12, where 1 represents the lowest dimming level boundary value, corresponding to level VT1, and 12 represents the highest dimming level boundary value, corresponding to level VT12.

[0040] Specifically, when the phase change material of the phase change thermal storage microcapsule is in a liquefied state, the transmittance corresponding to the final dimming level is reduced.

[0041] Increase the light transmittance level during winter or transitional seasons;

[0042] When the solar altitude angle is lower than the preset angle, the light transmittance level is increased.

[0043] Furthermore, when the outdoor illuminance fluctuation exceeds the preset threshold within a unit time, the controller enters a fast response mode, increases the sampling frequency of environmental parameters, and limits the amplitude of single dimming level changes. In the fast response mode, the dimming level change for each adjustment does not exceed one level.

[0044] Compared with existing technologies, the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, smart window, and control method described in this invention have the following advantages:

[0045] This application integrates phase change thermal storage microcapsules into the composite functional layer of suspended particle dimming glass, combining dimming and thermal storage functions within the same functional layer structure. While maintaining the rapid, continuous, and reversible dimming characteristics of SPD glass, it further endows the glass with active thermal storage and release capabilities, thereby achieving synchronous regulation of the building's light and thermal environments. Compared to traditional SPD glass, which can only control light transmittance but cannot effectively regulate heat transfer, this application utilizes the heat absorption and release characteristics of phase change materials during solid-liquid phase transitions to store and slowly release solar radiation heat in stages, enabling it to effectively regulate heat transfer during summer. By reducing the rate of indoor temperature rise and alleviating the air conditioning load, the system can store solar heat gained during the day and release it at night in winter, thereby improving the stability of the indoor thermal environment. At the same time, by combining a coordinated control strategy of illuminance, temperature and phase change state, the glass can automatically adjust its light transmittance and thermal management state according to changes in the external environment, achieving a dynamic balance between lighting needs, anti-glare needs and building energy conservation needs. This improves the utilization rate of natural light and reduces energy consumption for artificial lighting, cooling and heating, forming a new type of intelligent window system that combines intelligent dimming, heat storage and energy saving and comfort enhancement. It has good engineering application value and industrialization prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0046] Figure 1 This is a process flow diagram of the SPCM composite functional layer fabrication process in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram illustrating the working principle of a conventional SPD dimming glass;

[0048] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the structural principle of the SPD dimming system combined with phase change thermal storage microcapsules in the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass of this application.

[0049] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass of this application;

[0050] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the composite functional layer in the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass of this application;

[0051] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass of this application under low illumination conditions in the morning or evening;

[0052] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass of this application under high illuminance conditions at noon;

[0053] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass of this application in a high-temperature environment in summer;

[0054] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass of this application in a low-temperature winter environment;

[0055] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the smart window formed by combining the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass and the sensor described in this invention;

[0056] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the SPD transmittance and driving voltage of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass described in this invention.

[0057] The markings in the diagram are as follows:

[0058] 1. ITO substrate, 2. Phase change thermal storage microcapsule, 3. Suspended particles, 4. SPD solid-state composite functional layer, 5. Outdoor sensor, 6. Indoor sensor, 7. Smart window, 8. Medium molecular weight suspension polymer. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0060] It should be noted that all directional and positional terms used in this invention, such as "up," "down," "left," "right," "front," "back," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," "outer," "top," "lower," "lateral," "longitudinal," and "center," are only used to explain the relative positional relationships and connections between components in a specific state (as shown in the accompanying drawings). They are merely for the convenience of describing the invention and do not require the invention to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation; therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention. Furthermore, descriptions involving "first," "second," etc., are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated.

[0061] In the description of this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0062] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0063] Suspended particle device (SPD) smart glass possesses excellent optical adjustment performance, enabling indoor lighting control and glare suppression through adjusting light transmittance. It shows broad application prospects in transparent building envelopes such as doors, windows, curtain walls, and skylights. However, SPD glass itself has relatively weak thermal properties, with a heat transfer coefficient of approximately 5.9 W / m². 2 With a thermal conductivity (·K), close to that of ordinary single-pane glass, the solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) is approximately 0.7. This makes it prone to allowing external heat to enter the building in summer and causing heat loss from the building in winter, thus increasing the building's cooling and heating load. To improve the thermal performance of SPD glass, current technologies typically combine it with other types of glass with good thermal properties, such as double-pane glass, vacuum glass, or low-emissivity glass. The heat transfer coefficient of SPD combined with double-pane glass can be reduced to approximately 1.99 W / m². 2When SPD is combined with vacuum glass, its heat transfer coefficient can be further reduced to 1.00–1.16 W / m². 2 Under low light transmittance conditions, the solar heat gain coefficient can be reduced to approximately 0.27, and even as low as 0.045. Related test results indicate that vacuum-insulated composite SPD glass can effectively reduce the transfer of external heat to the interior in both tropical and temperate climates, exhibiting good thermal insulation performance. However, these improvements primarily rely on external structures such as vacuum layers, hollow layers, or low-emissivity layers to enhance thermal performance. The improvement originates from the composite glass structure itself and does not improve the heat storage and buffering capacity of the SPD functional layer. Therefore, the SPD glass itself still lacks the ability to regulate ambient temperature fluctuations, and there is still room for further optimization in building thermal environment control and overall energy conservation.

[0064] like Figure 2 As shown, conventional SPD dimming glass in the prior art adopts a microcapsule-type suspended particle structure, in which suspended particles are dispersed and encapsulated inside multiple independent microcapsule cavities. When no driving voltage is applied between the transparent conductive layers, the suspended particles in each microcapsule are in a random orientation state. The incident light is strongly absorbed and scattered when passing through the functional layer, resulting in a low light transmittance state for the glass. When an AC driving voltage is applied between the transparent conductive layers, the suspended particles gradually align themselves along the direction of the electric field under the influence of the electric field, thereby forming more light transmission channels, improving the light transmittance of the glass, and achieving continuous adjustment from a low light transmittance state to a high light transmittance state. In the figure, a represents the conventional SPD dimming glass in the 'opaque' state, corresponding to 0V and 3% light transmittance, and b represents the conventional SPD dimming glass in the 'transparent' state, corresponding to 110V and 40% light transmittance.

[0065] like Figure 3 As shown, based on the traditional SPD dimming system, this application further introduces phase change thermal storage microcapsules within the composite functional layer. These microcapsules are uniformly dispersed within the SPD system and exist as independent functional components alongside the suspended particles within the same polymer matrix. In the figure, a represents the improved SPD dimming glass in an 'opaque' state, corresponding to 0V and 5% transmittance; b represents the improved SPD dimming glass in a 'transparent' state, corresponding to 110V and 55% transmittance. The phase change thermal storage microcapsules and suspended particles do not contact or interfere with each other. The suspended particles are responsible for optical adjustment, while the phase change thermal storage microcapsules are responsible for heat storage and release. By integrating phase change thermal storage microcapsules within the SPD functional layer, the dimming glass gains latent heat storage capacity while maintaining its original continuous dimming capability, thereby improving the thermal regulation performance of the glass body.

[0066] This application discloses a photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, comprising:

[0067] First transparent substrate and second transparent substrate;

[0068] A first transparent conductive layer, a composite functional layer, and a second transparent conductive layer are disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate. The first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer are used to form a driving electric field on both sides of the composite functional layer.

[0069] The composite functional layer includes a polymer matrix, suspended particles dispersed in the polymer matrix, and phase change thermal storage microcapsules dispersed in the polymer matrix. The phase change thermal storage microcapsules are encapsulated with a phase change material, which can undergo a phase change within a preset temperature range and store and release latent heat. The suspended particles change their orientation state under the action of the driving electric field to adjust the light transmittance of the dimming glass.

[0070] This application constructs a photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass that integrates dimming and heat storage functions within the same functional layer. The entire structure is supported and protected by two transparent substrates, namely a first transparent substrate and a second transparent substrate. Between the first and second transparent substrates, from the outside in, are sequentially disposed a first transparent conductive layer, a composite functional layer, and a second transparent conductive layer. The two transparent conductive layers are located on both sides of the composite functional layer and connected to an external driving power supply to form a driving electric field within the composite functional layer. The composite functional layer is composed of a polymer matrix, suspended particles, and phase change heat storage microcapsules. The suspended particles and phase change heat storage microcapsules are dispersed within the same polymer matrix. The suspended particles adjust the light transmittance in response to changes in the external electric field. The phase change heat storage microcapsules encapsulate a phase change material for storing and releasing heat in response to changes in ambient temperature. The phase change heat storage microcapsules employ an independent encapsulation structure, spatially isolating the phase change material from the suspended particles. This ensures that the phase change material does not significantly affect the motion state and dimming performance of the suspended particles during phase change. When the first transparent conductive layer... When no driving voltage is applied between the first and second transparent conductive layers, the suspended particles inside the composite functional layer are randomly distributed. Incident light experiences strong scattering and absorption as it passes through the composite functional layer, maintaining low light transmittance. When an external driving power source applies an AC driving voltage to the two transparent conductive layers, an electric field is formed inside the composite functional layer. Under the influence of this electric field, the suspended particles gradually align themselves along its direction. As the degree of particle arrangement increases, more light-transmitting channels are formed inside the composite functional layer, increasing the glass transmittance and making it continuously adjustable. Simultaneously, the particles are dispersed within the polymer matrix... The phase change thermal storage microcapsules in the material continuously sense changes in the surrounding ambient temperature. When the ambient temperature rises to the phase change temperature range, the phase change material absorbs heat and changes from a solid to a liquid state, storing some of the heat as latent heat inside the phase change thermal storage microcapsules. When the ambient temperature drops below the phase change temperature range, the phase change material releases the stored heat and returns from a liquid state to a solid state, thereby slowing down the rate of temperature change in the functional layer. This allows the optical regulation function of the suspended particles and the thermal regulation function of the phase change material to operate synchronously within the same composite functional layer, achieving coordinated control of the lighting and thermal environments of the building envelope.

[0071] Compared to existing SPD glass, which mainly relies on external composite structures such as insulated glass, vacuum glass, or low-emissivity glass to improve thermal performance, this application introduces phase change thermal storage microcapsules (SPCMs) inside the SPD composite functional layer. This integrates thermal storage and temperature regulation functions directly into the SPD functional layer itself, thereby improving the glass's thermal inertia and thermal buffering capacity. In high-temperature summer environments with strong solar radiation, the phase change material can absorb some of the heat entering the glass and store it as latent heat, effectively slowing down the rate of indoor temperature rise and reducing the cooling load of the air conditioning system. In low-temperature winter environments, the phase change material releases the previously stored heat, helping to slow down the loss of indoor heat and reduce the energy consumption of the heating system. At the same time, because the phase change material can weaken the amplitude of indoor temperature fluctuations, it reduces the thermal environment inside the building. The environment is more stable, so the dimming system does not need to maintain extremely low light transmittance for a long time to meet thermal comfort requirements. Under the premise of ensuring a stable indoor thermal environment, it can improve the utilization rate of natural lighting, reduce the need for artificial lighting, and achieve synergistic optimization of lighting energy consumption and HVAC energy consumption. In addition, phase change heat storage microcapsules and suspended particles are dispersed together in the same polymer matrix. Dimming and heat storage functions can be integrated without the need for additional hollow layers, vacuum layers or independent heat storage modules. This is conducive to maintaining the compact structure and integrated function of the product. The glass can simultaneously have multiple functions such as dynamic dimming, latent heat storage, temperature buffering, reduction of cold and heat load, and improvement of building's overall energy-saving performance. This further enhances the application value and engineering applicability of SPD smart windows in the fields of building energy conservation, green building and smart building.

[0072] In some examples of this application, the phase change thermal storage microcapsule includes a polymer capsule wall and a phase change material encapsulated inside the polymer capsule wall. The polymer capsule wall is composed of one or two of melamine-formaldehyde resin and polyurethane. The phase change material includes one or more of polyethylene glycol, paraffin wax, fatty acid, and organic eutectic phase change material. The phase change temperature of the phase change material is 15°C to 40°C. This application utilizes a polymer capsule wall to encapsulate phase change material (PCM) to form a stable PCM thermal storage microcapsule structure. This allows the PCM to be dispersed as independent particles within the polymer matrix without direct contact with suspended particles. Melamine-formaldehyde resin and polyurethane both possess excellent mechanical strength, thermal stability, and sealing performance, maintaining capsule integrity during long-term thermal cycling and preventing leakage that could lead to functional degradation. They also reduce interfacial interactions between the PCM and the polymer matrix, ensuring the composite functional layer maintains stable optical and electric field response performance over the long term. For the core material, one or more of polyethylene glycol, paraffin wax, fatty acids, or organic eutectic PCM are selected. These materials all possess high latent heat of phase change and stable reversible phase change characteristics, enabling repeated heat absorption and release processes throughout the building's lifespan without significant performance degradation. The PCM's phase change temperature is designed to be within the range of 15°C to 40°C. This temperature range covers the main range of comfortable indoor temperatures for humans and the transitional temperature range in hot-summer and cold-winter regions. The selected PCM is preferably... Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was chosen as the heat storage medium, with its phase change temperature controlled within the range of 20°C to 25°C. This temperature range is well-matched to the human comfort temperature range, allowing the phase change material to begin its heat buffering function when the indoor temperature approaches the comfort temperature. When solar radiation increases or the outdoor temperature rises, causing the temperature of the composite functional layer to gradually approach the phase change temperature range, the PEG inside the phase change heat storage microcapsules begins to change from a solid to a liquid state. During the phase change process, it absorbs a large amount of heat and stores it inside the material as latent heat, thereby slowing down the rate of temperature rise in the glass and indoor space. When the ambient temperature drops, the PEG gradually returns from a liquid to a solid state and slowly releases the previously stored heat, thus slowing down the rate of temperature drop and improving heat utilization efficiency. In addition, the phase change heat storage microcapsules and suspended particles are dispersed together in the same polymer matrix but remain spatially isolated from each other, allowing the heat storage and dimming functions to be realized simultaneously in the same functional layer without interference. This ensures both the original continuous dimming capability of the SPD system and gives the glass stable heat storage and temperature regulation capabilities, thus forming an integrated composite structure with both optical adjustment and thermal management capabilities. In this invention, both the suspended particles and the phase change thermal storage microcapsules are dispersed in the same continuous polymer phase, and there is no direct chemical bonding between them. The phase change thermal storage microcapsules are isolated from the suspended particles by independent capsule walls, thereby avoiding the impact of phase change material leakage on the orientation performance of the suspended particles, while ensuring that the dimming function and the thermal storage function can be achieved synergistically.

[0073] In some examples of this application, the phase change thermal storage microcapsules have a particle size of 1 μm to 3 μm, and the phase change thermal storage microcapsules account for 5% to 15% of the total mass of the composite functional layer. This application controls the particle size of the phase change thermal storage microcapsules within the range of 1 μm to 3 μm, enabling the microcapsules to be stably dispersed in the polymer matrix and form a synergistic distribution with the suspended particles. This ensures the overall uniformity of the composite functional layer while avoiding problems such as enhanced light scattering, decreased transparency, and poor film surface smoothness caused by excessively large particle sizes. It also avoids the insufficient thermal storage capacity of individual phase change thermal storage microcapsules, increased preparation costs, and increased probability of microcapsule agglomeration caused by excessively small particle sizes. This achieves a good balance between thermal storage capacity and optical performance. Furthermore, by controlling the proportion of phase change thermal storage microcapsules in the total mass of the composite functional layer within the range of 5% to 15%, this application ensures... The functional layer contains a sufficient number of thermal storage units to establish an effective thermal buffer system. Preferably, the volume ratio of the phase change thermal storage microcapsules is controlled within the range of 7% to 9%. A more reasonable spatial distribution relationship is formed between the number of phase change thermal storage microcapsules and the number of suspended particles. This ensures that the phase change thermal storage function is fully utilized, while preventing the effective concentration and movement space of the suspended particles from being weakened due to excessive addition of phase change thermal storage microcapsules. This allows the phase change thermal storage microcapsules to form a continuous and relatively uniform thermal storage network structure within the entire composite functional layer. While maintaining the high light transmittance and low haze characteristics of the glass, stable thermal storage performance is obtained, thereby enabling the dimming function and the thermal storage function to work synergistically for a long time and maintain good overall performance.

[0074] In some examples of this application, the polymer matrix is ​​a polysiloxane polymer or a polyalkyl methacrylate polymer, and the suspended particles are polyiodide colloidal particles with an average particle size of less than 1 μm. The refractive index difference between the polymer matrix and the suspended particles is 0–0.01, and the refractive indices of both range from 1.455 to 1.463. This application, by selecting polysiloxane polymers or polyalkyl methacrylate polymers as the carrier medium for the suspended particles, enables the composite functional layer to achieve good electrical insulation performance and long-term structural stability while maintaining transparency. The phenyl-containing siloxane copolymer and polymethyl methacrylate can form a more stable dispersion system with the SPD suspended particles, thereby improving the uniformity and reliability of the composite functional layer during long-term use. Furthermore, by selecting polyiodide colloidal particles as the suspended particles and controlling their average particle size to below the micrometer level, preferably below 200 μm, the application achieves this. The particle size is below nm, significantly smaller than the visible light wavelength range, thereby reducing the scattering effect of particles on the visible light propagation process and improving visual clarity and light transmission quality in the transparent state. Furthermore, by synergistically matching the refractive indices of the polymer matrix and the suspended particles, the difference between their refractive indices is controlled within a very small range, preferably within the refractive index range of 1.455 to 1.463. This reduces the refractive and reflection losses caused by light passing through different medium interfaces, resulting in a more uniform optical state for the composite functional layer as a whole. When the glass is in a high light transmittance state, it can achieve higher visible light transmittance and lower haze. At the same time, the high refractive index matching can also reduce the aggregation tendency of particles due to interfacial energy differences, improve the long-term dispersion stability of suspended particles in the polymer matrix, and enable the glass to maintain stable optical and dimming performance after repeated power-on dimming and long-term environmental temperature changes. This provides a reliable foundation for the long-term synergistic operation of phase change thermal storage function and SPD dimming function.

[0075] In some embodiments of this application, the composite functional layer is composed of a polymer matrix, suspended particles, phase change thermal storage microcapsules, a non-polymerized liquid, and a photoinitiating system. The polymer matrix serves as a continuous phase to support the suspended particles and phase change thermal storage microcapsules, forming a functional medium with transparency and electric field responsiveness. The polymer matrix can be selected from one or more of polysiloxane polymers, polyalkyl methacrylate polymers, and fluorinated methacrylate polymers, preferably using phenyl-containing siloxane copolymers and / or polymethyl methacrylate. The phenyl-containing siloxane copolymer can be composed of 1,4-bis(hydroxydimethylsilyl)benzene structural units, which have high transparency, good weather resistance, and excellent refractive index adjustment capability. Polymethyl methacrylate has good flexibility and suspended particle dispersion performance, which can improve the electro-optic response performance of the SPD system. Fluorinated methacrylate can further adjust the refractive index and long-term stability of the system as needed.

[0076] The suspended particles are preferably polyiodide crystals, more preferably dihydrocinchonidine bisulfite polyiodide particles, with an average particle size of less than 1 μm, preferably less than half the wavelength of blue light (200 nm), thereby significantly reducing the scattering effect of the particles on visible light and improving the transmittance and clarity of the glass in its transparent state. To ensure the long-term stable dispersion of the suspended particles in the polymer matrix, the refractive index difference between the polymer matrix and the suspended particles is preferably controlled in the range of 0 to 0.01, more preferably in the range of 0 to 0.005, and the refractive index (RI) of both the polymer matrix and the suspended particles is maintained in the range of 1.455 to 1.463, more preferably in the range of 1.455 to 1.459. Through refractive index matching, interfacial light scattering can be effectively reduced, improving the optical quality of the finished glass in its transparent state, while enhancing the compatibility and affinity between the polymer matrix and the suspended particles, and inhibiting the aggregation, sedimentation, and long-term aging failure of the suspended particles.

[0077] The phase change thermal storage microcapsule consists of a polymer capsule wall and a phase change material encapsulated inside the capsule wall. The capsule wall material can be selected from melamine-formaldehyde resin, polyurethane, or other polymer materials with good encapsulation properties. Melamine-formaldehyde resin or polyurethane is preferred to form a continuous and dense coating layer to ensure that the phase change material does not leak during long-term thermal cycling. The phase change material is preferably polyethylene glycol (PEG), and more preferably PEG600 is used as the phase change thermal storage medium. Its phase change temperature is preferably controlled within the range of 20℃ to 25℃. This temperature range matches the comfortable indoor temperature range of buildings in hot-summer and cold-winter regions, enabling the phase change material to continuously absorb or release latent heat during building operation, thereby achieving indoor thermal environment regulation. Considering the optical properties of phase change thermal storage microcapsules and their compatibility with the SPD system, the average particle size of the phase change thermal storage microcapsules is preferably controlled within the range of 1 μm to 3 μm to balance thermal storage capacity, transparency, and system stability. The volume fraction of the phase change thermal storage microcapsules in the composite functional layer is preferably 7% to 9%, more preferably 8%. This ratio ensures sufficient thermal storage capacity without significantly affecting the movement space and light-tuning performance of the suspended particles. μm

[0078] In some preferred embodiments, the mass ratio of the polymer matrix, the paste-like suspended particle system, the phase change thermal storage microcapsules, and the refractive index adjusting liquid mixture is preferably 69:1:8:22. The paste-like suspended particle system comprises suspended particles 3 and a medium molecular weight suspended polymer 8, with a preferred mass ratio of suspended particles 3 to medium molecular weight suspended polymer 8 of 9:91. Using a medium molecular weight polymer system allows for faster voltage response and superior dimming switching performance. During the preparation process, the polymer matrix is ​​first dissolved in an organic solvent to form a uniform and transparent solution. The organic solvent can be selected from one or more of chloroform and tetrahydrofuran (THF). The preferred mass ratio of the polymer matrix to the organic solvent is 1:3. For example, 1g of polymethyl methacrylate is added to 3g of chloroform for complete dissolution. During the dissolution process, a photoinitiator is added to construct the subsequent curing system. The photoinitiator can be selected from photosensitive compounds that can absorb light energy in the ultraviolet or visible light region and generate free radicals or cations, preferably Irgacure 819. Its addition amount is preferably 0.2% of the polymer matrix mass, for example, adding 0.002g of Irgacure 819 to 1g of polymer matrix. The photoinitiator can initiate a polymer crosslinking reaction during subsequent photocuring, enabling the composite functional layer to form a stable cured structure. Subsequently, the suspended particle system, phase change thermal storage microcapsules, and non-polymerized liquid are sequentially added to the polymer solution for uniform mixing. After degassing, the mixture is sandwiched between two transparent conductive layers and cured under ultraviolet light irradiation to form an integrated composite functional layer containing suspended particles and phase change thermal storage microcapsules.

[0079] Through the above material system and proportion design, the composite functional layer can not only maintain the original continuous dimming capability of SPD glass, but also realize the functions of heat absorption, storage and release by using phase change heat storage microcapsules. Under the high temperature conditions in summer, it absorbs part of the solar radiation heat and delays the indoor temperature rise. Under the low temperature conditions in winter, it releases the stored heat and slows down the indoor heat loss, thereby realizing the coordinated control of light environment regulation and thermal environment regulation, and improving the comprehensive energy-saving performance of the building envelope and indoor comfort.

[0080] The composite functional layer disclosed in this application is prepared by a method comprising:

[0081] The polymer matrix and photoinitiator were mixed and dispersed in an organic solvent to obtain a matrix premix;

[0082] Suspended particles are dispersed in a polymer medium to form a particle slurry;

[0083] The matrix premix is ​​mixed with the particle slurry, and phase change thermal storage microcapsules and refractive index adjusting liquid mixture are added and uniformly dispersed to obtain a composite functional slurry.

[0084] The composite functional paste is coated onto the surface of a transparent conductive substrate to form a pre-film layer;

[0085] The pre-formed film layer is subjected to photocuring treatment to cause the polymer matrix to cross-link and solidify to form a solid composite functional layer. A continuous phase composed of polymer matrix is ​​formed in the solid composite functional layer, and suspended particles, phase change heat storage microcapsules and refractive index adjusting liquid mixture are dispersed in the continuous phase, thereby obtaining a composite functional layer with dimming and heat storage functions.

[0086] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 The process begins by adding the photoinitiator to the corresponding organic solvent of the polymer matrix according to a preset ratio, ensuring thorough dissolution and mixing to uniformly disperse the photoinitiator within the polymer system. The polymer matrix can be a phenyl-containing siloxane copolymer, polymethyl methacrylate, or a combination thereof. The organic solvent can be chloroform, tetrahydrofuran, or other organic solvents capable of dissolving the polymer matrix. Irgacure 819 is preferably used as the photoinitiator. After mixing, the resulting solution is placed in a vacuum oven for solvent removal. In a preferred embodiment, the vacuum oven temperature is 60°C, and the treatment time is 30 minutes, to thoroughly remove the solvent (chloroform) component, thereby obtaining a uniformly mixed polymer matrix and photoinitiator system.

[0087] Simultaneously, SPD suspended particles are uniformly dispersed in a medium molecular weight suspension polymer 8 to form a stable paste-like particle slurry. Then, the polymer matrix system is mixed with the particle slurry, and phase change thermal storage microcapsules and a refractive index adjusting liquid mixture are added. After thorough stirring and homogenization, a stable composite functional slurry is formed. The refractive index adjusting liquid mixture preferably consists of dimethyl perfluorooctanoate (DMPFS) and triethyl trimellitate (TETM), where the refractive index of DMPFS is approximately 1.342 and that of TETM is approximately 1.485. By adjusting the ratio between the two, the refractive index of the entire slurry system is maintained within the range of 1.455 to 1.463, preferably around 1.458, thereby achieving refractive index matching with the suspended particles and polymer matrix, improving system stability, reducing the haze of the final product, and inhibiting the aggregation and sedimentation of suspended particles.

[0088] In the composite functional slurry formed in this stage, the polymer matrix and the medium molecular weight suspension polymer together constitute a continuous phase system, while the SPD suspension particles, phase change thermal storage microcapsules and refractive index adjusting liquid mixture are uniformly distributed as dispersed phases inside the continuous phase, thus forming a stable multiphase composite system.

[0089] Subsequently, the obtained composite functional paste is uniformly coated onto the surface of a transparent conductive substrate. The transparent conductive substrate is preferably a glass substrate with an ITO transparent conductive layer formed on its surface. During the coating process, blade coating, precision coating, or other coating processes suitable for functional thin film preparation can be used to ensure that the paste forms a uniform and continuous film layer on the substrate surface and to ensure sufficient adhesion between the paste and the ITO conductive layer.

[0090] After coating, the film is subjected to photocuring. In a preferred embodiment, ultraviolet light is used for curing, with an ultraviolet irradiation energy of 8600 mJ / cm². 2 The irradiation rate was 100 μg / min, and the irradiation time was 2 minutes and 30 seconds. During the ultraviolet irradiation process, the photoinitiator absorbed ultraviolet energy and generated free radicals, which initiated a cross-linking polymerization reaction in the polymer matrix, causing the system to gradually change from a liquid state to a solid state.

[0091] As the polymerization reaction continues, a polymerization-induced phase separation (PIPS) process occurs inside the system. The refractive index-adjusting liquid mixture and suspended particles gradually separate from the continuous polymer phase and form a large number of micro-droplet structures. These droplets are encapsulated and fixed by the solidified polymer matrix, thereby forming the microencapsulated dispersion system required for the SPD dimming structure.

[0092] The final composite functional layer is a solid composite thin film structure, in which the polymer matrix forms a continuous solid-phase framework, and a large number of micro-droplets are uniformly embedded in the polymer matrix. Each micro-droplet contains a non-polymerized liquid medium and suspended particles, thereby forming an SPD dimming unit that can respond to changes in the electric field. At the same time, phase change thermal storage microcapsules are uniformly dispersed in the polymer matrix and coexist with the SPD dimming unit in the same composite functional layer, realizing the integrated dimming function and phase change thermal storage function.

[0093] The composite functional layer obtained by the above preparation method can not only maintain the original continuous dimming performance of SPD glass, but also absorb, store and release solar radiation heat by using phase change heat storage microcapsules, thereby improving the thermal inertia and thermal buffering capacity of the glass body, realizing the synergistic regulation of the building's light environment and thermal environment, further reducing building lighting energy consumption, cooling energy consumption and heating energy consumption, and improving the comprehensive energy-saving performance and application value of the smart window system.

[0094] In some embodiments of this application, the first and second transparent conductive layers are both indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conductive layers, fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) transparent conductive layers, silver nanowire conductive layers, or graphene conductive layers. The first and second transparent conductive layers are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the composite functional layer and each has an electrode lead-out terminal. The electrode lead-out terminals are electrically connected to an AC driving power supply, and the two sets of electrode lead-out terminals are staggered and lead out from opposite sides of the glass assembly. A sealing layer is disposed between the first and second transparent substrates, surrounding the periphery of the composite functional layer. The sealing layer is used to seal and insulate the composite functional layer, the electrode lead-out terminals, and the edge area of ​​the conductive layer. This application uses one of the following transparent conductive layers: indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conductive layer, fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) transparent conductive layer, silver nanowire conductive layer, or graphene conductive layer. Indium tin oxide (ITO) transparent conductive layer is a preferred embodiment, as it has high light transmittance, low surface resistance, and good environmental stability, and can form a uniformly distributed driving electric field while ensuring the transparency of the glass. Preferably, as shown in the example... Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the first and second transparent substrates are ITO substrates 1 made of ITO conductive glass. ITO conductive layers are located on the opposite inner surfaces of the two ITO substrates 1. A composite functional layer is sandwiched between the two ITO conductive layers to form a stacked structure. The composite functional layer contains a polymer matrix, suspended particles 3, and phase change thermal storage microcapsules 2 to form a continuous and uniform SPD solid-state composite functional layer 4. Before glass lamination and encapsulation, electrode connection areas are reserved at the edges of the two conductive layers. Electrode leads are formed using copper foil conductive tape, silver paste electrodes, or other conductive connection structures, and then connected to external wires to achieve electrical connection with the AC drive power supply. When the AC drive power supply applies a driving voltage to the two transparent conductive layers, a uniform alternating electric field is formed between the two conductive layers, driving the suspended particles 3 in the composite functional layer to oriented and achieve continuous adjustment of the glass transmittance. To avoid conductive contact at the edges of the upper and lower conductive layers... To prevent short circuits, the two sets of electrode leads are preferably arranged in a staggered manner and lead out from opposite sides of the glass assembly. At the same time, an insulating sealing layer is set on the outside of the electrode lead area to provide moisture-proof, oxidation-proof, and insulation protection for the wire connection parts. Furthermore, a sealing layer is set between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate, continuously arranged around the periphery of the composite functional layer. The sealing layer can be formed into a closed sealed cavity using butyl sealant, polyurethane sealant, silicone sealant, or epoxy sealant to encapsulate and protect the entire composite functional layer, thereby preventing the evaporation and loss of non-polymer liquids and preventing external moisture and oxygen from entering the interior of the functional layer. It also provides synchronous sealing protection for the edge area of ​​the transparent conductive layer and the electrode lead area to ensure that the suspended particle system, phase change heat storage microcapsules, and conductive drive structure maintain a stable operating state during long-term use, thereby improving the dimming reliability, environmental durability, and service life of the entire photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass.

[0095] In some embodiments of this application, such as Figure 10 As shown, the smart window system constructed by the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass disclosed in this application includes the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, a driving power supply, an environmental information acquisition module, and a controller. The driving power supply is electrically connected to the transparent conductive layers on both sides of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass and is used to apply an AC driving voltage to the composite functional layer. The environmental information acquisition module is used to acquire real-time environmental information inside and outside the building. The controller is used to receive the environmental information and adjust the output parameters of the driving power supply according to a preset control strategy, thereby realizing the dynamic adjustment of the glass transmittance.

[0096] In some embodiments of this application, the environmental parameters include one or more of outdoor illuminance, indoor illuminance, outdoor temperature, and indoor temperature. The environmental information acquisition module includes one or more of an outdoor illuminance sensor, an indoor illuminance sensor, an outdoor temperature sensor, and an indoor temperature sensor.

[0097] As one specific embodiment of this application, the environmental information acquisition module includes at least an outdoor illuminance sensor and an indoor illuminance sensor, wherein the outdoor illuminance sensor is installed on the exterior of the building near the window to detect the intensity of outdoor natural light in real time, and the indoor illuminance sensor is installed in the main activity area indoors to detect the indoor illuminance level in real time.

[0098] In this embodiment, the outdoor illuminance sensor is preferably installed 0.3m to 0.5m above the windows on the building facade. The sensor's sensing surface faces outward and remains basically perpendicular to the ground. It is used to measure the ambient illuminance information on the vertical surface of the building's exterior envelope. The measured illuminance information includes the combined illuminance value formed by direct sunlight and diffuse skylight. The sensor installation position should avoid external sunshades, air conditioner outdoor units, billboards, and other obstructions that may affect the accuracy of illuminance measurement, so as to ensure that it can effectively receive external illuminance information and truly reflect the changes in the external ambient illuminance of the building.

[0099] Furthermore, the indoor illuminance sensor is installed in the main working or activity area of ​​the room to reflect the actual lighting level of the space used by personnel. Preferably, the indoor illuminance sensor is installed at a height of about 0.75m above the ground, corresponding to the standard working height of the office desk or main activity surface, with its sensing surface facing upwards, to measure the illuminance of the horizontal working surface. In typical office buildings, the indoor illuminance sensor is preferably arranged at a position of about 2.5m to 3.0m from the inner surface of the window to avoid excessive illuminance in the near-window area, which would affect the overall control accuracy and enable the collected results to more accurately reflect the actual lighting level of the main indoor space.

[0100] In some preferred embodiments, to further improve the accuracy of illuminance detection, multiple indoor illuminance sensors can be set up in multiple typical working areas indoors, and the data from multiple sensors can be averaged or weighted by a controller to obtain more representative indoor illuminance data, thereby improving the accuracy and stability of intelligent dimming control.

[0101] In this embodiment, the sampling period of the outdoor illuminance sensor and the indoor illuminance sensor is preferably set to 30 seconds to 5 minutes, more preferably 1 minute, in order to balance the response speed to environmental changes and the stability of system operation, and to ensure that the control system can respond to changes in outdoor weather and solar radiation in a timely manner.

[0102] To ensure the consistency and long-term stability of illuminance measurement results, the outdoor and indoor illuminance sensors can be jointly calibrated after the system is installed. By synchronously measuring and correcting the parameters of multiple sensors under uniform lighting conditions, the output results of each sensor can be kept consistent, thereby improving the calculation accuracy of subsequent control algorithms.

[0103] During operation, the outdoor illuminance sensor continuously collects outdoor illuminance information, and the indoor illuminance sensor continuously collects indoor illuminance information. The controller determines the target transmittance of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass based on the relationship between outdoor illuminance, indoor illuminance, and preset target illuminance, and sends control commands to the drive power supply. When the outdoor illuminance decreases, the drive voltage is increased to increase the glass transmittance, allowing more natural light to enter the room. When the outdoor illuminance increases, the drive voltage is decreased to decrease the glass transmittance, thereby reducing glare and excessive solar radiation entering the room, and realizing automatic adjustment of the building's lighting environment.

[0104] Through the aforementioned sensor arrangement and control strategy, the smart window can form a closed-loop control system that senses the external environment of the building, provides feedback on the indoor environment, and responds to the SPD dimming. This enables the synergistic optimization of natural lighting utilization and indoor visual comfort. At the same time, it provides accurate and reliable environmental data support for the dynamic dimming control of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, thereby improving the overall energy-saving effect and intelligent operation level of the building.

[0105] In some other embodiments of this application, the environmental information acquisition module further includes an outdoor temperature sensor and an indoor temperature sensor. The outdoor temperature sensor is used to monitor the outdoor ambient temperature, and the indoor temperature sensor is used to monitor the indoor thermal environment status. The data collected by each sensor is transmitted to the controller in real time.

[0106] In this embodiment, the controller can be implemented using a microcontroller, PLC controller, embedded controller, or industrial control computer. It has pre-set illuminance control and thermal environment collaborative control algorithms. The controller calculates the target transmittance based on data collected by various sensors and sends adjustment commands to the drive power supply. The controller adjusts the output voltage of the drive power supply according to the deviation between the indoor target illuminance and the actual illuminance to control the transmittance of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass. Alternatively, the controller adjusts the transmittance of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass according to the outdoor temperature, indoor temperature, and the phase change state of the phase change thermal storage microcapsules. When the phase change thermal storage microcapsules are in a liquefied or near-liquefied state, the controller reduces the transmittance of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass to reduce solar radiation heat entering the room. When the phase change thermal storage microcapsules are in a solidified or near-solidified state, the controller increases the transmittance of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass to improve solar thermal utilization.

[0107] When outdoor light intensity is low, such as Figure 6As shown, for example, during the morning or evening hours, the controller increases the output voltage of the drive power supply based on the feedback data from the outdoor illuminance sensor and the indoor illuminance sensor, so that the suspended particles in the composite functional layer are fully oriented and aligned along the electric field direction, thereby increasing the light transmittance of the glass, allowing more natural light to enter the room, improving the utilization rate of natural lighting and reducing the energy consumption of artificial lighting.

[0108] When the outdoor light intensity is high, such as Figure 7 As shown, for example, during midday, the controller reduces the output voltage of the drive power supply, thereby reducing the orientation of suspended particles, which in turn reduces the light transmittance of the glass, reduces the amount of strong solar radiation entering the room, reduces glare, and improves visual comfort.

[0109] Furthermore, the controller can also perform coordinated control by combining indoor and outdoor temperature information with the operating status of the phase change thermal storage microcapsules, such as... Figure 8 As shown, under high-temperature conditions in summer, with an outdoor temperature of 35℃, when the outdoor temperature continues to rise and the phase change thermal storage microcapsules approach or reach their phase change temperature range, the controller reduces the light transmittance of the SPD glass to reduce solar radiation heat entering the building. Simultaneously, the phase change thermal storage microcapsules liquefy, absorbing heat and undergoing a solid-liquid phase change, storing some of the heat as latent heat to mitigate indoor temperature changes and maintain an indoor temperature of approximately 25℃. At night, the phase change thermal storage microcapsules release heat, delaying indoor cooling.

[0110] like Figure 9 As shown, under low-temperature conditions in winter, when the outdoor temperature is 5℃, the controller increases the light transmittance of the SPD glass, allowing more solar radiation to enter the building and maintaining the internal temperature at approximately 15℃, thereby improving the efficiency of passive solar energy utilization. At this time, the phase change thermal storage microcapsules absorb heat during the day and store it inside the phase change material. At night, when the ambient temperature drops, they release the stored heat, thereby compensating for the heat loss of the building envelope and slowing down the rate of indoor temperature drop.

[0111] In some embodiments of this application, the driving power supply is a programmable AC driving power supply, whose output voltage and / or output frequency are continuously adjustable. As a specific implementation of this application, the driving power supply is preferably a programmable AC driving power supply, with its input terminal connected to a mains power supply and its output terminal connected to the electrode leads of the transparent conductive layers on the upper and lower sides of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass. The output voltage is preferably continuously adjustable from 0V to 110V, and the output frequency is preferably adjustable from 50Hz to 400Hz. The controller 400 can communicate with the driving power supply via an RS485 communication interface, a CAN bus interface, a Modbus protocol interface, or a 0-10V analog control interface to achieve real-time adjustment of the driving voltage.

[0112] like Figure 11As shown, as the driving voltage gradually increases, the orientation degree of suspended particles inside the composite functional layer continuously improves, and the light transmittance of the glass gradually increases. The two are in a continuously adjustable correspondence, thereby realizing the dynamic and coordinated adjustment of the building's lighting and thermal environment by the intelligent window system. This makes the phase change heat storage function and the SPD dimming function complementary, improving building comfort and reducing the overall energy consumption of lighting, cooling and heating.

[0113] This application also discloses a smart window control method, applied to the smart window as described in the above embodiments, including:

[0114] S1: Collect environmental parameters inside and outside the building, including at least one or more of outdoor illuminance, indoor illuminance, outdoor temperature and indoor temperature;

[0115] S2: The controller calculates the target transmittance parameter based on the environmental parameters and determines the corresponding basic dimming level;

[0116] S3: The controller compensates and corrects the basic dimming level based on seasonal information, the phase change state of the phase change material and solar incidence conditions to obtain the final dimming level.

[0117] S4: The controller sends a control command to the driving power supply according to the final dimming level, and the driving power supply applies a corresponding driving voltage to the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, so that the suspended particles change orientation and adjust the glass transmittance.

[0118] S5: The controller periodically acquires environmental parameters and repeats steps S2 to S4 to achieve dynamic adjustment of the building's lighting and thermal environments.

[0119] In some embodiments of the present invention, the control system includes a controller, a programmable AC drive power supply, an outdoor illuminance sensor, an indoor illuminance sensor, an outdoor temperature sensor, and an indoor temperature sensor. The controller periodically receives environmental data collected by each sensor and calculates the target transmittance of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass according to a preset control strategy. The controller first determines the basic dimming level based on the relationship between outdoor illuminance and indoor target illuminance, and then corrects the basic dimming level by combining seasonal factors, the state of the phase change material, and the solar altitude angle. Finally, it generates the corresponding drive voltage control command and sends it to the programmable AC drive power supply, so that the suspended particles in the composite functional layer change orientation under the action of the electric field, thereby realizing the adjustment of the glass transmittance.

[0120] In some examples of this application, such as Figure 11As shown, the transmittance of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass exhibits a nonlinear relationship with the driving voltage. Experimental tests revealed that the rate of transmittance change is significantly higher in the 20V to 50V voltage range than in other voltage ranges. Therefore, a modified Boltzmann function is used to establish the mapping relationship between transmittance and driving voltage. The transmittance and driving voltage satisfy the modified Boltzmann function relationship:

[0121] T(V)=T min +(T) max -T min ) / 1+e -k(V-V 0 )

[0122] Where: T(V) is the light transmittance of the glass, V is the driving voltage, and T min The minimum transmittance is preferably 5%, corresponding to a driving voltage of 0V, T max The highest transmittance is preferably 55%, corresponding to a driving voltage of 110V. V0 is the curve inflection point voltage, preferably about 35V. k is the curve slope coefficient, representing the steepness of the curve, preferably about 0.09. The above model can accurately reflect the actual electro-optic response characteristics of the SPD dimming layer.

[0123] To improve the real-time calculation efficiency of the control system, in some embodiments, the above nonlinear model can be piecewise linearized, and a correspondence between transmittance levels and driving voltage can be established. The driving voltage is divided into multiple dimming level ranges, each corresponding to a preset transmittance range. The 20V to 50V range is used as the main dimming control range, where transmittance changes are most sensitive. The control system prioritizes using this range to complete fine adjustment of indoor illuminance, thereby improving control accuracy and reducing computational complexity.

[0124] In some examples of this application, the controller determines a base dimming level based on the difference between outdoor illuminance and indoor target illuminance, and the base dimming level corresponds to a preset transmittance level table. During the system initialization phase, each dimming level is calibrated, and the controller controls the glass to operate at different dimming levels, collecting outdoor and indoor illuminance data at different time periods. By establishing a correspondence model between outdoor and indoor illuminance, the lighting characteristic parameters under each dimming level are obtained, thereby forming a dimming database corresponding to the actual building operating environment. In subsequent operation, the controller quickly determines the target dimming level based on real-time environmental parameters.

[0125] In some examples of this application, piecewise linearized equations based on measured data (for fast computation) are used:

[0126] 0-10V T=0.05+0.0035×VT=0.05+0.0035×V VT1-VT2 10-20V T=0.085+0.0055×(V-10)T=0.085+0.0055×(V-10) VT2-VT3 20-50V T=0.14+0.01×(V-20)T=0.14+0.01×(V-20) VT3-VT9 50-60V T=0.44+0.006×(V-50)T=0.44+0.006×(V-50) VT9-VT10 60-80V T=0.50+0.0019×(V-60)T=0.50+0.0019×(V-60) VT10-VT11 80-110V T=0.538+0.0004×(V-80)T=0.538+0.0004×(V-80) VT11-VT12

[0127] In summer operation mode, the controller primarily aims to reduce solar radiation heat gain and control glare. When outdoor illuminance is high, the controller reduces the glass transmittance to minimize solar radiation entering the room. Simultaneously, due to the presence of phase change heat storage microcapsules within the composite functional layer, these microcapsules can absorb some of the heat entering the glass structure. Therefore, compared to traditional SPD dimming glass, this invention can achieve temperature control while maintaining high indoor illuminance, ideally keeping indoor illuminance within the range of 300 to 400 Lux, thereby reducing artificial lighting energy consumption and lowering the building's cooling load.

[0128] In the spring and autumn operating modes, the controller prioritizes visual comfort and the utilization rate of natural lighting. It automatically adjusts the glass transmittance according to changes in indoor and outdoor illuminance to keep indoor illuminance within a preset comfortable range. It also utilizes the phase change material of the phase change heat storage microcapsules to mitigate indoor temperature fluctuations and improve the building's thermal stability.

[0129] In winter operation mode, the controller prioritizes increasing the light transmittance of the glass to allow more solar radiation to enter the room and improve the building's heat gain capacity. When solar radiation increases during the day, the phase change material of the phase change heat storage microcapsules absorbs heat and undergoes a solid-liquid phase change, storing some of the heat inside the composite functional layer. When the ambient temperature drops at night, the phase change material gradually releases the stored heat, thereby reducing the building's heating load and improving indoor thermal comfort.

[0130] Specifically, the following control strategies are adopted under different seasons and weather conditions:

[0131] summer Reduce solar heat gain and lower cooling load Effective glare prevention is necessary, but excessively darkening the glass can lead to a dim interior. Significantly reduce cooling energy consumption Higher illuminance can be maintained in summer, reducing the use of artificial lighting and further reducing cooling energy consumption. Sunny days: Maintain 300-400 lux; Cloudy days: Automatic dimming to prevent glare. Spring and Autumn Balancing lighting and comfort Glare prevention is necessary to ensure adequate lighting. Energy saving mainly relies on lighting Similar to summer, adding SPCM can help maintain higher indoor illuminance. Sunny days: Automatically adjust to maintain 300-400 lux + dimming. Cloudy days: Always on. winter Maximizing solar heat gain vs. controlling glare Glare should be prevented on sunny days. Darkening the light would increase heating energy consumption, so maximizing light transmittance is essential. Reduce heating energy consumption Sunny days: Maintain maximum brightness under anti-glare conditions. Cloudy days: Always on.

[0132] In some embodiments of the present invention, in order to achieve refined control of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, the control system divides the light transmission state of the glass into multiple discrete dimming levels VT. Different dimming levels correspond to different driving voltage ranges and light transmittance ranges. The controller selects the corresponding level for driving control according to environmental parameters.

[0133] Combination Figure 11 The curves showing the relationship between the transmittance and driving voltage of the SPD reveal that the transmittance of the suspended particle dimming glass is not strictly linear with respect to the driving voltage, but rather exhibits a typical nonlinear S-shaped variation. The transmittance changes most sensitively in the middle voltage range, while the changes are relatively slow in the low and high voltage ranges.

[0134] Based on experimental test results, this invention divides the dimming glass into twelve dimming levels, VT1 to VT12, where VT1 corresponds to the lowest light transmittance and VT12 corresponds to the highest light transmittance. Each level corresponds to different driving voltages and transmittance ranges. This level division eliminates the need for the controller to perform complex continuous calculations in real time. Instead, it allows the controller to directly call the corresponding dimming level based on environmental parameters to control transmittance, thereby improving system stability and response speed.

[0135] 1 0 5.0 Strong sunlight at noon in summer, night 2 10 8.5 Summer mornings / afternoons (strong light) 3 20 14.0 Cloudy in summer, sunny mornings during the transitional season 4 25 18.5 Overcast skies in summer, sunny skies during transitional seasons 5 30 24.0 Sunny noon during the transitional season 6 35 29.5 Cloudy during the transitional season, sunny mornings in winter 7 40 35.0 Midday on a sunny winter day (mild anti-glare) 8 45 39.8 Winter sunny day at noon 9 50 44.0 Overcast days in winter, early mornings in winter 10 60 50.0 Overcast days in winter, early morning / evening 11 70 52.5 Optimize lighting on cloudy days and at dusk 12 110 55.0 Full transparency mode (requires visibility on cloudy days or at night).

[0136] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the correspondence between VT level, driving voltage, and transmittance can be established as follows:

[0137] Experimental analysis revealed that within the VT3 to VT9 level range corresponding to 20V to 50V, the light transmittance increased from 14% to 44%, a change of 30 percentage points, accounting for the main part of the overall dimming range. Therefore, this range constitutes the core dimming area of ​​the system, and the control system prioritizes fine adjustment within this range to achieve rapid and stable control of indoor illuminance. In the 0V to 20V range and the 60V to 110V range, the rate of change in light transmittance is relatively small, making them suitable as auxiliary adjustment areas under extreme shading or high light transmittance conditions.

[0138] In some embodiments of the present invention, the correspondence between ambient illuminance and transmittance is established by experimental calibration for each dimming level.

[0139] Specifically, the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass is fixed at a preset dimming level. Outdoor illuminance Eout and indoor illuminance Ein data are continuously collected from sunrise to sunset, and the functional relationship between the two is established. Then, all dimming levels are tested repeatedly. Regression analysis is performed through multiple sets of experimental data to obtain the illuminance transfer model corresponding to each dimming level.

[0140] After calibration, the controller can predict the corresponding indoor illuminance based on the real-time outdoor illuminance and automatically select the target dimming level to keep the indoor illuminance stable within the preset range, thereby realizing the automatic adjustment of the building's lighting environment.

[0141] Since there are significant differences in solar radiation intensity, solar altitude angle, and the working state of phase change materials in different seasons, this application further introduces a seasonal compensation mechanism.

[0142] Taking into account seasonal factors, phase change state factors, and solar incidence angle factors, this application determines the final dimming level of the controller according to the following formula:

[0143] VT final =clamp(VT base+ΔVT season +ΔVT PCM +ΔVT angle ,1,12)

[0144] Among them, VT base ΔVT is the base dimming level calculated based on ambient illuminance. season For seasonal compensation, ΔVT PCM ΔVT is the phase transition state compensation quantity. angle The `clamp` function is used to limit the final dimming level to the range of VT1 to VT12, where 1 represents the lowest dimming level boundary value, corresponding to level VT1, and 12 represents the highest dimming level boundary value, corresponding to level VT12.

[0145] During summer operation, the control system aims to reduce solar heat gain and control glare, and prioritizes maintaining indoor illuminance within the range of 300–400 Lux, requiring more precise adjustments (VT3–VT7).

[0146] During the spring and autumn transition seasons, the control system takes into account both lighting comfort and energy-saving needs, and appropriately increases the light transmittance of the glass.

[0147] During winter operation, the control system aims to maximize the use of solar radiation heat and, while ensuring visual comfort, maximizes light transmittance to increase passive heat gain indoors. Its regulation is mainly based on high VT (VT7-VT12).

[0148] Therefore, the controller compensates and corrects the basic dimming level according to the current season, with a compensation value of 0 in summer, +1 in spring and autumn, and +2 in winter, in order to improve the efficiency of solar energy utilization in winter.

[0149] That is, the seasonal compensation factor (VT) season Adjust as follows:

[0150] summer 0 (benchmark) Based on target illuminance Calculation yields VT5 → VT5 Transitional season +1 Improving light transmittance appropriately enhances natural lighting. Calculation yields VT5 → VT6 winter +2 Maximize solar heat gain Calculation yields VT5 → VT7

[0151] In this invention, the composite functional layer contains phase change thermal storage microcapsules. When the phase change material undergoes a solid-liquid phase change, its optical properties will change slightly.

[0152] Experiments show that after the phase change material is completely liquefied, the overall light transmittance of the glass can be increased by about 2% to 3%, which is equivalent to a change of about one dimming level.

[0153] Therefore, the control system determines the phase change state based on the temperature information obtained by the temperature sensor. When the temperature of the phase change material is below 22℃, it is considered to be in a solid state and no compensation is performed. When the temperature is between 22℃ and 28℃, it is considered to be in a phase change process and no level correction is performed. When the temperature is above 28℃ and it is in a completely liquefied state, the controller automatically lowers the target dimming level by one level to offset the increase in light transmittance caused by the phase change process, thereby avoiding indoor overheating in the summer afternoon.

[0154] That is, the PCM phase compensation factor (VT) PCM Adjust as follows:

[0155] Based on an 8% SPCM addition, the actual impact of PCM liquefaction on transmittance is approximately 2-3 percentage points, corresponding to about 0.5-1 VT levels.

[0156] solid state Temperature <22℃ 0 0 Phase transition 22-28℃ +1-2% 0 (No compensation at this time) Complete liquefaction Temperature ≥ 28℃ +2-3% -1 (downgrade by one level, for example, VT5→VT4)

[0157] In some embodiments of the present invention, the controller also dynamically compensates for the light transmittance based on the solar altitude angle.

[0158] No compensation is performed when the solar altitude angle is greater than 45°;

[0159] When the solar altitude angle is between 20° and 45°, increase the dimming level by one.

[0160] When the solar altitude angle is less than 20°, increase the dimming level by two.

[0161] The above compensation mechanism can effectively make up for the loss of daylight under low solar altitude angle conditions in winter, and improve the level of indoor natural lighting and the efficiency of solar thermal utilization.

[0162] That is, the incident angle compensation factor (VT) angle Adjust as follows:

[0163] >45° Around noon in summer none 0 20-45° Spring and Autumn, Winter and Summer (Morning / Afternoon) Approximately 5-10% +1 <20° Winter mornings / evenings Approximately 10-20% +2

[0164] Through the coordinated control of the aforementioned light environment compensation mechanism and thermal environment compensation mechanism, the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass can achieve year-round adaptive adjustment according to environmental changes. While ensuring indoor visual comfort, it also takes into account the building's thermal comfort and energy-saving requirements, thereby achieving deep synergy between SPD dimming function and phase change heat storage function, and improving the overall energy-saving effect and operational stability of the building.

[0165] In some embodiments of the present invention, to further illustrate the operation process of the intelligent control system for the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, the adjustment logic of the controller is described below in conjunction with typical application scenarios.

[0166] Under high-temperature conditions at midday in summer, such as at 2 PM on a certain day in July, with an outdoor illuminance of approximately 85,000 Lux and an outdoor temperature of approximately 29.5℃, the phase change thermal storage microcapsules in the composite functional layer have essentially completed their solid-liquid phase change and are in a liquefied state. The controller first calculates the base dimming level based on the target indoor illuminance. When the target illuminance is set to 350 Lux, the calculated base dimming level is VT5, corresponding to a driving voltage of approximately 30V and a light transmittance of approximately 24%. The controller then performs seasonal compensation. Since it is currently in summer operation mode, the seasonal compensation value is 0, and the base dimming level remains unchanged. Subsequently, the controller determines that the phase change material is in a fully liquefied state based on the temperature sensor's detection results. Because the liquefied phase change material will increase the overall light transmittance of the glass to a certain extent, the controller performs phase change state compensation, lowering the dimming level by one level from VT5 to VT4. Meanwhile, due to the high solar altitude angle at noon in summer, no solar incidence angle compensation is performed, and the final dimming level is VT4, corresponding to a driving voltage of approximately 25V and a light transmittance of approximately 18.5%. Through the above control process, the total amount of solar radiation heat entering the room can be effectively reduced, avoiding the phenomenon of continuous heat accumulation indoors due to the phase change material having completed heat storage, thereby suppressing the risk of overheating in the afternoon in summer and improving the building's thermal comfort.

[0167] Under clear winter conditions, for example, at 12:30 PM on a certain day in January, the outdoor illuminance is approximately 45,000 Lux, the solar altitude angle is approximately 28°, and the ambient temperature is approximately 18°. At this time, the controller first determines the basic dimming level based on visual comfort and glare control requirements. The basic dimming level is set to VT8, corresponding to a drive voltage of approximately 45V and a transmittance of approximately 39.8%. The controller then enters the seasonal compensation phase. Since it is currently in winter operation mode, the dimming level is increased by two levels, from VT8 to VT10. Because the phase change material has not yet undergone significant liquefaction, phase change compensation is not required. The controller then performs incident angle compensation based on the calculated solar altitude angle. Since the solar altitude angle is between 20° and 45°, the dimming level is further increased by one level, from VT10 to VT11. Finally, the controller outputs the corresponding drive voltage, causing the glass to operate at VT11, corresponding to a transmittance of approximately 52.5%. Through the above compensation process, the loss of daylight caused by the low solar altitude angle in winter can be effectively compensated, the building's solar energy utilization rate can be improved, and the ability of the SPD dimming layer to suppress glare can still be retained, so as to achieve synergistic optimization of daylight and thermal comfort in winter.

[0168] During cloudy weather conditions in transitional seasons, outdoor illuminance typically fluctuates significantly with cloud movement. To avoid frequent and drastic changes in glass transmittance affecting visual comfort, this invention incorporates a fast-response mode. When the controller detects that the change in outdoor illuminance exceeds a preset threshold within a unit of time, it automatically enters fast-response control mode. For example, on a spring or autumn day between 11:00 and 12:00, outdoor illuminance fluctuates rapidly between 20,000 Lux and 70,000 Lux. After detecting that the illuminance fluctuation exceeds the preset threshold within one minute, the controller adjusts the data sampling period from the normal mode to once every 15 seconds, and limits each adjustment to changing only one dimming level. When the current level is VT6 but the calculation requires an increase to VT10, the controller does not complete all adjustments at once, but adjusts step by step in the order of VT6, VT7, VT8, VT9, and VT10, and re-acquires environmental data for judgment after each adjustment. When the illuminance fluctuation returns to a stable range after several consecutive sampling periods, the controller exits fast-response mode and resumes normal sampling frequency. By using the above-mentioned gradual adjustment method, visual stimulation caused by sudden changes in glass transmittance can be avoided, thus improving user comfort.

[0169] Furthermore, this invention establishes an all-weather dynamic control strategy. Under typical sunny summer conditions, outdoor illuminance is low in the early morning, and the controller adjusts the glass to a high-transmittance state to maximize the use of natural light. As solar radiation increases, the controller gradually reduces the transmittance to control indoor illuminance. When the ambient temperature rises in the afternoon and the phase change material enters a liquefied state, the controller further reduces the dimming level to implement preventative dimming control, reducing the continued entry of heat into the room. As solar radiation weakens in the evening, the controller gradually restores a higher transmittance to improve the utilization rate of natural light. At night, the glass is switched to a low-transmittance state based on privacy requirements and building operation strategies. Through the above-mentioned all-weather dynamic adjustment mechanism, the phase change thermal storage function and the SPD dimming function work synergistically to achieve synchronous optimization control of the building's light and thermal environments.

[0170] The following is an example of the control trajectory of an SPD-SPCM window throughout the day on a typical sunny summer day (July 15th):

[0171] 6:00 5 klux 10° 22℃ solid state VT12 VT12 55% Maximize the morning light 8:00 25 klux 30° 26℃ solid state VT8 VT9 44% Maintain 350 lux 10:00 55 klux 55° 28℃ Phase transition VT5 VT5 24% Maintain 350 lux 12:00 80 klux 75° 30℃ Complete liquefaction VT4 VT3 14% Preventive dimming 14:00 75 klux 60° 31℃ Complete liquefaction VT4 VT3 14% Continue to prevent heat traps 16:00 35 klux 35° 29℃ Phase transition VT6 VT6 29.5% Gradually restore natural lighting 18:00 10 klux 15° 26℃ solid state VT11 VT12 55% Maximize evening lighting 20:00 1 klux / 25℃ Exothermic VT1 VT1 5% Nighttime Privacy Mode

[0172] As can be seen from the above control strategy, the present invention not only considers the voltage-transmittance variation law of the SPD dimming layer itself, but also introduces seasonal factors, phase change state factors and solar incidence angle factors for comprehensive compensation control, so that the control system can automatically select the optimal dimming level according to environmental changes, thereby giving full play to the synergistic advantages of phase change thermal storage microcapsules and SPD dimming layer, and realizing year-round adaptive dimming, thermal storage and energy-saving operation of buildings.

[0173] To verify the application effect of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass of this invention in the field of building energy conservation, a simulation analysis was conducted using a typical office building in Hangzhou as the research object.

[0174] The selected building has room dimensions of 4m × 5m × 3m and a building area of ​​20m². 2 The window-to-wall ratio is 40%, and the building faces due south. The experimental group uses the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass (SPD-PCM window, smart window) described in this invention, while the control group uses ordinary double-glazed glass and traditional SPD dimming glass, respectively. The building's operating hours are set from 8:00 to 18:00, and the air conditioning and lighting systems are controlled under the same conditions.

[0175] In the SPD-PCM window described in this invention, the phase change thermal storage microcapsules are added at a ratio of 8% of the total mass of the composite functional layer, and the phase change temperature range is 20℃~25℃.

[0176] Typical design daily environmental parameters for Hangzhou area in summer are: daily maximum temperature: 35℃; daily minimum temperature: 26℃; maximum solar radiation intensity: 800W / m² 2 Sunshine duration: 13 hours.

[0177] 8:00 26.5℃ 26.5℃ 26.5℃ Same benchmark 12:00 31.2℃ 29.5℃ (SPD dimmed) 28.3℃ ↓2.9℃ vs Normal ↓1.2℃ vs SPD 15:00 33.5℃ (peak temperature) 30.8℃ (peak temperature) 29.1℃ ↓4.4℃ vs Normal ↓1.7℃ vs SPD 18:00 31.0℃ 29.2℃ 28.5℃ ↓2.5℃ vs Normal 22:00 28.5℃ 27.8℃ 27.2℃ PCM releases heat at night, delaying cooling.

[0178] SPD-PCM windows have a peak temperature 4.4℃ lower than ordinary insulated glass, and a further 1.7℃ lower than ordinary SPD windows (the additional contribution of PCM). Indoor temperature fluctuation range: ordinary glass ±7℃, SPD-PCM windows ±2.6℃, a 63% reduction in fluctuation.

[0179] Summer cooling energy consumption 450 kWh 360 kWh (↓20%) 310 kWh ↓31% vs. Normal Summer lighting energy consumption 180 kWh 160 kWh 140 kWh (illuminance increase) ↓22% vs. Normal Summer total energy consumption 630 kWh 520 kWh 450 kWh ↓28.6% vs. Normal

[0180] Typical design daily environmental parameters for Hangzhou area in winter are: daily maximum temperature: 8℃; daily minimum temperature: 0℃; maximum solar radiation intensity: 400W / m² 2 Sunshine duration: 10 hours.

[0181] The heat stored in the PCM during the day is released at night, which can raise the indoor temperature by 2-3°C at night. This reduces the heating system startup time by 3-4 hours per day.

[0182] Winter heating energy consumption 520 kWh 550 kWh (+5.8%) 460 kWh ↓11.5% vs. Normal Winter lighting energy consumption 200 kWh 180 kWh 160 kWh ↓20% vs. Normal Total energy consumption in winter 720 kWh 730 kWh 620 kWh ↓13.9% vs. Normal

[0183] The heat released at night by the PCM can offset the heat loss caused by dimming the anti-glare light.

[0184] summer 630 kWh 520 kWh 450 kWh 28.6% winter 720 kWh 730 kWh 620 kWh 13.9% Transitional season 400 kWh 380 kWh 340 kWh 15.0% Total for the year 1750 kWh 1630 kWh 1410 kWh 19.4%

[0185] The results show that:

[0186] The annual comprehensive energy consumption of the SPD-PCM window of this invention is approximately 1410 kWh, which is about 19.4% lower than that of ordinary insulated glass.

[0187] Based on a building area of ​​20m 2 Conversion:

[0188] The energy consumption per unit area of ​​ordinary insulated glass is approximately 87.5 kWh / (m²). 2 ·Year);

[0189] A typical SPD window consumes approximately 81.5 kWh / (mm²). 2 ·Year);

[0190] The energy consumption per unit area of ​​the SPD-PCM window of this invention is approximately 70.5 kWh / (m²). 2 ·Year).

[0191] The energy consumption benchmark for public buildings is approximately 80-120 kWh / m². 2 • In 2018, this project had a capacity of 70.5 kWh / m³. 2 The above standards have been met by the end of the year.

[0192] By introducing phase change thermal storage microcapsules into the SPD dimming system and combining them with a light-temperature synergistic control strategy, this invention has at least the following advantages over existing technologies:

[0193] (1) It realizes the integration of SPD dynamic dimming function and phase change heat storage function, so that the glass has both light environment regulation and heat environment regulation capabilities.

[0194] (2) It can reduce the peak indoor temperature and reduce temperature fluctuations, thereby improving indoor thermal comfort;

[0195] (3) It can absorb some solar radiation heat in summer and store and release solar heat energy in winter, thereby improving the thermal management capability of the building envelope;

[0196] (4) It can improve the utilization rate of natural lighting and reduce the energy consumption of artificial lighting while ensuring visual comfort;

[0197] (5) To achieve coordinated operation of light regulation, thermal storage and temperature regulation and energy-saving control, and improve the overall energy efficiency of the building;

[0198] (6) Compared with existing SPD glass that mainly improves thermal performance by adding Low-E film, hollow layer or shading structure, the present invention directly improves the internal thermal management capability of SPD functional layer, realizes thermal energy storage and thermal regulation of SPD functional layer itself, and thus obtains better light and heat synergistic energy saving effect.

[0199] The above data are simulation analysis results obtained based on typical building conditions and implementation parameters. They are used to illustrate the technical effects that the technical solution of the present invention can achieve, and do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0200] The photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass proposed in this invention integrates suspended particle dimming technology (SPD) and phase change thermal energy storage technology (PCM) into the same composite functional layer, enabling the glass to simultaneously possess dynamic dimming function and thermal energy storage and release function. It can achieve coordinated adjustment of the light and thermal environment inside buildings or vehicles according to changes in ambient light and temperature, and has good engineering application value.

[0201] In some embodiments, the present invention can be applied to the exterior curtain wall systems of office buildings, commercial complexes, public buildings, green buildings, ultra-low energy buildings, and near-zero energy buildings.

[0202] In practical applications, building curtain walls often face the challenge of balancing the need for natural lighting with the gain from solar radiation heat. While traditional transparent glass can provide good natural lighting, it easily introduces a large amount of solar radiation heat, thereby increasing the building's cooling load. On the other hand, while fixed shading structures can reduce the amount of solar radiation heat entering the interior, they reduce the level of natural lighting and increase the energy consumption of artificial lighting.

[0203] The photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass of this invention can automatically adjust its transmittance according to parameters such as outdoor illuminance, indoor illuminance, and ambient temperature. In summer, under high temperature and strong radiation conditions, the control system can reduce the transmittance of the SPD layer to decrease solar radiation entering the room. Simultaneously, the phase change thermal storage microcapsules in the composite functional layer absorb some of the heat transmitted through the glass and store it as latent heat, thereby slowing the rate of indoor temperature increase. In winter, the transmittance of the SPD layer can be increased to enhance solar energy utilization. At the same time, the phase change thermal storage microcapsules absorb solar heat gained during the day and release it at night, thereby slowing the rate of indoor temperature decrease.

[0204] By combining the dynamic dimming function of SPD with the heat storage and release function of PCM, the stability of the building's thermal environment can be improved while ensuring indoor visual comfort, reducing building lighting, cooling and heating energy consumption, and improving building energy utilization efficiency.

[0205] Furthermore, the present invention can also be linked with a building energy management system (BEMS), a building automation control system (BAS), or a smart home control platform to automatically adjust the light transmission state according to real-time environmental parameters, thereby realizing intelligent operation control of the building envelope.

[0206] In some embodiments, the present invention can also be applied to intelligent sunroofs, panoramic sunroofs, side window glass, and cockpit glass systems for vehicles such as new energy vehicles, rail transit vehicles, aircraft, and ships.

[0207] During operation, the in-vehicle thermal environment of new energy vehicles has a significant impact on the energy consumption of the air conditioning system and passenger comfort. While traditional panoramic sunroofs can provide a good visual experience, they can easily cause the interior temperature to rise rapidly under strong solar radiation, thereby increasing the load on the air conditioning system and affecting the vehicle's range.

[0208] When using the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass described in this invention, the SPD layer can automatically reduce the light transmittance to reduce solar radiation transmission in high-temperature and high-radiation environments. At the same time, the phase change heat storage microcapsules absorb some of the heat entering the glass structure and store it in the phase change material, thereby reducing the rate of heat accumulation inside the vehicle. In low-temperature environments, the light transmittance of the glass can be increased to increase the utilization of solar radiation heat. At the same time, the phase change material is used to store and release heat, which is beneficial to improving the thermal comfort inside the vehicle.

[0209] Furthermore, the dimming glass of the present invention can continuously switch between transparent mode, semi-transparent mode and low light transmittance mode, achieving light adjustment, glare control and privacy protection functions without the need for traditional mechanical sunshades, thereby improving the vehicle's intelligence level and passenger experience.

[0210] Furthermore, the present invention can also interact with vehicle control systems, air conditioning systems, environmental sensing systems and energy management systems to automatically adjust the glass transmittance according to solar radiation intensity, in-vehicle and out-of-vehicle temperatures and vehicle operating status, thereby achieving synergistic optimization of light environment regulation and thermal management control.

[0211] Compared to existing SPD (Self-Driving Device) smart glass, this invention integrates dimming and heat storage functions by introducing phase change thermal storage microcapsules into the SPD composite functional layer. This not only regulates light transmission but also utilizes the latent heat storage characteristics of the phase change material to improve the glass's thermal performance, thereby achieving coordinated control of the light and thermal environments inside buildings or vehicles. Therefore, this invention has broad applicability in energy-saving building curtain walls, smart doors and windows, smart canopies for new energy vehicles, rail transit glass, and other fields requiring dynamic lighting and thermal management, demonstrating promising prospects for industrial application.

[0212] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, characterized in that, include: First transparent substrate and second transparent substrate; A first transparent conductive layer, a composite functional layer, and a second transparent conductive layer are disposed between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate. The first transparent conductive layer and the second transparent conductive layer are used to form a driving electric field on both sides of the composite functional layer. The composite functional layer is a solid polymer continuous phase structure, including a polymer matrix, suspended particles dispersed in the polymer matrix, and phase change heat storage microcapsules. The phase change heat storage microcapsules are encapsulated with phase change materials, which can undergo phase change within a preset temperature range and store and release heat. The suspended particles change their orientation state under the action of the driving electric field to adjust the light transmittance of the dimming glass.

2. The photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phase change thermal storage microcapsule includes a polymer capsule wall and a phase change material encapsulated inside the polymer capsule wall, wherein the phase change temperature of the phase change material is 15°C to 40°C.

3. The photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass according to claim 2, characterized in that, The polymer capsule wall is composed of one or two of melamine-formaldehyde resin and polyurethane, and the phase change material includes one or more of polyethylene glycol, paraffin wax, fatty acids, and organic eutectic phase change materials.

4. The photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phase change thermal storage microcapsules have a particle size of 1μm to 3μm, and the phase change thermal storage microcapsules account for 5% to 15% of the total mass of the composite functional layer.

5. The photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass according to claim 1, characterized in that, The polymer matrix is ​​a polysiloxane polymer or a polyalkyl methacrylate polymer, and the suspended particles are polyiodide colloidal particles with an average particle size of less than 1 μm. The refractive index difference between the polymer matrix and the suspended particles is 0 to 0.01, and the refractive index of both is in the range of 1.455 to 1.

463.

6. A smart window, characterized in that, include: Photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass as described in any one of claims 1 to 5; A driving power supply is electrically connected between the first and second transparent conductive layers of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, and is used to apply a driving voltage to the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass. An environmental information acquisition module is used to collect environmental parameters inside and outside the building, including one or more of outdoor illuminance, indoor illuminance, outdoor temperature, and indoor temperature. The controller is electrically connected to the environmental information acquisition module and the drive power supply; The controller is used to determine the dimming control parameters according to the environmental parameters, and control the drive power supply to output a drive signal to the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass to adjust the light transmission state of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass.

7. A smart window control method, characterized in that, Applied to a smart window as described in claim 6, comprising: Building operating environment parameters are acquired by environmental information acquisition modules installed inside and outside the building. The environmental parameters include at least one or more of outdoor illuminance, indoor illuminance, outdoor temperature, and indoor temperature. The target transmittance of the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass is calculated based on the environmental parameters, and the corresponding basic dimming level is determined. The base dimming level is compensated and corrected based on seasonal information, the phase change state of the phase change material and / or solar incidence conditions to obtain the final dimming level. According to the final dimming level, a control command is sent to the driving power supply, and the driving power supply applies a corresponding driving voltage to the photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass, so that the suspended particles change orientation and adjust the glass transmittance. The controller continuously acquires environmental parameters and dynamically updates the final dimming level during operation.

8. The intelligent window control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The environmental information acquisition module includes an outdoor illuminance sensor and an indoor illuminance sensor. The driving power supply is a programmable AC driving power supply with continuously adjustable output voltage and / or output frequency. The controller determines the basic dimming level based on the difference between the outdoor illuminance and the indoor target illuminance. The basic dimming level corresponds to a preset transmittance level table, and each transmittance level corresponds to a preset driving voltage range.

9. The intelligent window control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The photothermal synergistic phase change microcapsule smart dimming glass has twelve preset dimming levels VT1 to VT12, where VT1 corresponds to the lowest light transmittance and VT12 corresponds to the highest light transmittance. The output voltage adjustment range of the programmable AC drive power supply is 0V to 110V. The controller determines the final dimming level according to the following formula: VT final =clamp(VT base +ΔVT season +ΔVT PCM +ΔVT angle ,1,12) Among them, VT base ΔVT is the base dimming level calculated based on ambient illuminance. season For seasonal compensation, ΔVT PCM ΔVT is the phase transition state compensation quantity. angle The clamp function is used to limit the final dimming level to the range of VT1 to VT12, where 1 represents the lowest dimming level boundary value, corresponding to level VT1, and 12 represents the highest dimming level boundary value, corresponding to level VT12. Specifically, when the phase change material of the phase change thermal storage microcapsule is in a liquefied state, the transmittance corresponding to the final dimming level is reduced. Increase the light transmittance level during winter or transitional seasons; When the solar altitude angle is lower than the preset angle, the light transmittance level is increased.

10. The intelligent window control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the outdoor illuminance fluctuation exceeds the preset threshold within a unit of time, the controller enters the fast response mode, increases the sampling frequency of environmental parameters and limits the amplitude of single dimming level changes. In the fast response mode, the dimming level change for each adjustment does not exceed one level.

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