Building PCM Structures With Air Channels for Peak Load Shifting
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for electricity and projected peak capacity shortages necessitate innovative solutions to manage energy consumption, particularly in building structures, where existing methods fail to efficiently moderate temperature fluctuations and reduce energy demand during peak hours.
Innovation Solution
The integration of phase change materials (PCMs) into building structures, combined with texture aggregate fillers like perlite or glass microballoons, to enhance thermal contact and storage, allowing for passive temperature regulation and energy conservation by storing thermal energy during non-peak hours for use during peak demand periods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If phase change material is deposited on a surface exposed to conditioned air flow, then thermal energy storage capability is improved, but thermal contact between PCM and air flow is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates air channels directly into the PCM structure, creating a porous configuration that allows conditioned air to flow through the material. This increases the surface area and thermal contact between the air flow and PCM, enabling more effective heat transfer while maintaining high thermal energy storage capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a flat surface deposition of PCM to a three-dimensional structure with integrated air channels. By creating elongated hollow structures with internal voids, the PCM gains volume and spatial complexity, allowing air to penetrate through multiple pathways and significantly increasing thermal interaction surfaces.
2Temperature
If texture aggregate filler is mixed with PCM, then thermal contact between PCM and air flow is increased, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite material by mixing texture aggregate filler with PCM. This composite structure combines the thermal energy storage properties of PCM with the air-flow enhancing characteristics of the textured aggregate, achieving improved thermal contact while maintaining a relatively simple integrated structure.
3Area of stationary object
If elongated hollow PCM structures are formed, then thermal contact surface area is increased, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dip-molding technology to form elongated hollow PCM structures by changing the physical state of PCM from solid to liquid during manufacturing, then allowing it to solidify in the desired hollow configuration. This parameter change approach simplifies the creation of complex geometries compared to traditional solid PCM forms.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the cycling of heating and cooling machinery, maintains comfortable temperatures for occupants, and shifts energy usage to off-peak hours, thereby conserving energy and alleviating peak demand pressures on the electrical grid.
Implementation Method 1
phase change material (PCM)
Implementation Method 2
storing thermal energy during non-peak hours for use during peak demand periods
Implementation Method 3
conditioned air flow
Data Source
AI summary
An appliance includes a memory storage location storing a flag indicative of a predicted demand-response (DR) period such as from a utility or when a current alternating current (AC) duty cycle differs from a specified AC duty cycle by a predetermined variance; and a controller coupled to the flag to autonomously place the appliance in an energy shedding mode during the predicted DR period.