Comparative study on the dynamic heat transfer characteristics of PCM-filled glass window and hollow glass window

In order to determine the effects of the phase change material filled glass window (PCMW) on building energy consumption in the hot summer and cold winter area of China, dynamic heat transfer process and heat transfer parameters of the PCMW and the hollow glass window (HW) exposed to different non-steady boundary conditions related to the climatic characteristic were investigated. The experiments and the numerical simulations in a representative sunny summer day were conducted, and the results were in good agreement. Then the validated numerical model was used to simulate the dynamic heat transfer processes of the two kinds of windows at more different weathers, the temperature and heat flux fluctuations on the interior surfaces were analyzed based on simulation results. It was concluded that in the representative sunny summer day, the peak temperature on the interior surface of the PCMW reduced by 10.2 °C, and the heat entered the building through the PCMW reduced by 39.5%, comparing with the HW. However, in the other representative days, the dynamic thermal performance of the PCMW was unsatisfactory as it cannot decrease the building energy consumption. The annual energy consumption of the air conditioning system and the heating system because of the heat transferred though the PCMW decreased 40.6% comparing with the HW applied.