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Phase Change Materials (PCM)

(24 posts) (11 voices)

Started 2 years ago by Greg
Latest reply from Daniel Boon

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Greg
Member

Does anyone have any contacts for purchasing PCM's in Australia or has anyone used them ? I first saw articles about them (5 years ago) when used in a concrete slab to control the temperature and improve efficiency when using in-slab heating. I also recently saw their use mentioned in an article in Sanctuary Magazine. I have tried emails to the company ( http://www.teappcm.com/ ) but with no result.

The site now shows various forms of encapsulation and I read an article some time back (now lost) about using the spheres in a SS Hot Water tank to treble the output. There are a couple of devices on the market that use this phase change principle to store additional energy (eg LATENTO) and I can see great value in any Hot water application for this technology but especially solar generated.

The idea was to see if their inclusion in a slab / HWS could enhance solar hydronics andd cost effectiveness. Greatly appreciate any advice / contacts / information.

Posted Sunday 7 Jun 2009 @ 11:56:15 pm from IP #
Eskimoau
Member

There is a case study using phase change materials in Sanctuary Magazine issue 6. The building was designed by http://www.ecoshelta.com you could try them for details.

Posted Monday 8 Jun 2009 @ 2:22:53 am from IP #
Eco
Member

Hello Greg

There is a firm in WA that sells a range of PCM products (a range of different melting points) either in bulk or in their own enclosures (polyethylene 860x200x20). Trouble is if you live in the eastern states transport costs as much as the product it self.

PCP Australia - http://www.pcpaustralia.com.au/.

I have heard that BASF Australia is going to market a 23 degree and 26 degree PCM in a micro encapulated form, which will allow it to be incorporated into plasterboard or cement material, greatly increasing their thermal capacity. I emailed BASF but couldn't get any information on timelimes for availablity. The product is called Micronal. It apparently has already been used in a couple of trial projects in Australia. The plasterboard product was called Smartboard in the article I read (in Building Product News if I remember correctly).

http://news.csu.edu.au/uploads/documents/Briefing%20on%20Building%20AA3.pdf
http://www.gbca.org.au/greenstar-projects/project-profile.asp?projectID=491

(What is PCM? - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase_Change_Material)

I agree with you - this is exciting stuff and when finally released will revolutionize passively designed solar buildings - if appropriately priced. If you, or anyone else, get any additional information please post it.

Posted Sunday 19 Jul 2009 @ 3:47:49 am from IP #
Eco
Member

I remember that Renew article that showed the encapsulated PCM being included in the slab. It would be interested to know whether that project achieved its objectives. (A Renew follow up would be interesting.)

Posted Monday 20 Jul 2009 @ 1:32:51 am from IP #
Greg
Member

Thanks for the information. It all revolves around cost, like everything else when building. I hope the technology can be produced cheaply enough for general adoption.

Here is a response I received from the Architects involved in the Sanctury article. Great to see people sharing their knowledge and experience.

"I am sorry to say I believe the people making them (TEAP modules) have taken their ideas and product overseas to a more accepting and active market. I believe they have been bought out by a Dutch firm and we are ourselves awaiting further news of the products availability.

Its cost effectiveness in masonry buildings is questionable though. You are better off I believe with a quality porous stone, limestone or similar in say 20mm tiles to get an effective efficient heat mass for a heated floor system."

Posted Monday 20 Jul 2009 @ 2:42:24 am from IP #
Eco
Member

I think I agree with them. A slab on ground already has a high thermal capacity. There would have to be a specific design reason to increase its thermal capacity more through the use of PCMs.

In my opinion PCMs will be great for increasing the thermal capacity of light weight buildings (and maybe in heat storage systems).

Posted Monday 20 Jul 2009 @ 9:56:11 am from IP #
BrianT
Member

I've recently investigated the PCM materials and ,yes, it's difficult to get the information. However, I managed to find a contact recently. This material is fairly expensive and concrete or brick is a lot cheaper, if you can use it. I'm interested in it for a unit I'm building, where I don't have a lot of north facing windows and also have a plasterboard wall, in a passageway, that will be getting most of the winter sun. I'm looking at using some of this material on the wall to absorb the winter sun.
This is a copy and paste from an email I got.
BrianT

The company that manufacturers PCM Smartboard is Knauf in Germany.

Brett Rice is the contact for Knauf in Australia.

Brett's full details are:

brettrice@knaufpacific.com.au

Knaufpacific Web site under construction - http://www.knaufpacific.com.au

Brett Rice
Commercial Director Knauf Plasterboard
Australia and New Zealand
+61407701720

Posted Wednesday 22 Jul 2009 @ 4:51:51 am from IP #
sun2steam
Member

This is the extract from the data sheet found on the link you have given.

Mechanical Values
Thickness: 15 mm
Width: 1250 mm
Length: 2000 mm
Weight: ca.. 11,5 kg/m

Posted Wednesday 22 Jul 2009 @ 7:54:51 am from IP #
Eco
Member

Interesting calculation.

You are comparing Smart Board and Brick/ plaster over only a 2 degree temperature range. With say the 23 degree Smartboard that would be a temperature varying from 22 to 24 degrees. This displays the Smartboard at its most effective. Outside this temperature range the Smartboard would only be (approximately) as thermally effective as normal (15 mm) plaster board when there is no latent heat release or capture. However brick continues to operate thermally outside this range. If you consider a room or the thermal mass operating over say a 5 degree range instead of 2 degrees then the difference between the Smartboard and brick would be less.

Saying that Smartboard is equivalent to whatever thickness of brick or plasterboard can be misleading unless the temperature range assumptions are also stated. It is more important to look at the PCM thermal capacity

Posted Thursday 23 Jul 2009 @ 3:28:06 am from IP #
sun2steam
Member

Eco, thank you for for your additional points. I fully agree.
Initially I wanted to conclude my calculation by saying that it might normally be better and cheaper to have a brick wall installed instead of a PCM board. But I did not want to be too rude.

Posted Thursday 23 Jul 2009 @ 6:52:15 am from IP #
Eco
Member

I agree sun2steam. Brick / Concrete is still cheaper but PCMs (in this plasterboard form) have some properties that are very advantages in passive house design when compared to normal thermal mass. Just wish it was cheaper. We need an Aussie manufacturer and a bit of competition to bring prices to a more realistic level.

Posted Thursday 23 Jul 2009 @ 11:12:08 am from IP #
BrianT
Member

I would say that the Phase Change Material, which is a form of wax, must have a higher thermal mass than plasterboard. The data sheet says that a square metre weighs 11 kilos and most of this would be PCM, therefore the material would keep absorbing heat after the phase change but less than masonry, eg.
In winter, you would need the sun straight on it to gain any benefit, I think.
Another disadvantage is that the material is flammable.
I saw somewhere that Knauf have applied to import the PCM itself for the purposes of manufacturing something with this material in it - perhaps plasterboard.

Posted Friday 24 Jul 2009 @ 3:17:26 am from IP #
Eco
Member

Thanks for your comments BrianT

I believe the PCM in the Smartboard plasterboard product is micro-encapsulated - which means that very small bits (number of micon size) of the PCM material is coated by some sort of plastic material, which prevents the PCM from soaking into the plaster when it melts. Don't know what proportion of PCM is in the plasterboard but I doubt it is "most". PCMs are typically well over 100kJ per kg latent heat capacity in "pure" form so if it was "most" its latent capacity would be over the 330kJ per sqm as each sqm weighs 11.5 kg.

I don't know about its flammability in this plasterboard sheet form - nothing is mentioned on the tech data sheet - its sold as a plaster board so I presume it is suitable for its task - ask Knauf if in doubt.

You're right - both the PCM and the Plasterboard keep absorbing heat after the PCM melts, it is just at the normal "sensible heat" rate of the products rather than the "latent heat" absorption associated with the melting of the PCM.

I understand that BASF are importing the Micronal PCM, the PCM included in Smartboard. I hope Knauf or someone will manufacture a PCM plasterboard product locally.

Posted Friday 24 Jul 2009 @ 10:27:37 am from IP #
JohnB
Member

Remembered yesterday a page my father gave me few days ago. A talk by Professor Geoff Smith from UTS to the Royal Society about building materials.

The BASF Micronal Plasterboard was mentioned, with a 30mm thickness apparently having the same heat capacity as 180mm of concrete or 230mm of brickwork. Having used plenty of 230mm Brickwork Thermal Mass Walls this is very interesting, beacuse as several of you have pointed out, not all structures/sites suit the use of 'heavy' thermal mass.

One small point to consider, the reduction in the cost of structure to support 'lightweight' thermal mass may easily offset the high cost of the specialised panels, in steep site pole homes etc.

Posted Friday 31 Jul 2009 @ 6:23:08 am from IP #
MikeBerry
Member

Eco surely the price you recieved from Knauf is not correct,here in the UK the price is approx $50 per m2 ???.

Posted Wednesday 5 Aug 2009 @ 11:35:10 am from IP #
Eco
Member

MikeBerry

I have the price in an email from Knauf Australia. I was surprised as well. Part of it would be because of transportation costs as it is imported from Germany - heavy, bulky and a long way to Australia. Also monopoly supplier in Australia - as far as I know. Current price severely limits its use in Australia. Good to hear that it can be manufactured cheaper - hope this price comes to Australia soon.

Posted Thursday 6 Aug 2009 @ 12:30:48 am from IP #
JohnB
Member

So I assume the high price is confirmed.

If the material has as high an effective thermal mass as indicated, you're possibly not going to line all the surfaces of an interior with it anyway unless you have specific site issues. If the site is so demanding that you do need a pile of this stuff to work, what other 'add-on' heating or cooling systems can be left out.

Surely the comparitive price will come down a bit over time, but it is one of the new 'green' products that many companies are relying on for the future.

It's a bit like expensive windows, you only buy them once, and they save you money from then on.

Posted Thursday 6 Aug 2009 @ 1:55:21 am from IP #
iMikeBerry
Member

Eco my company has a tile/panel,that has a latent heat storage capacity of 1050kj/m2,
it uses mPCM WITH 150kj/kg, we have achieved higher enthalpy of 1840 kj/m2, but thats another project Knauf have now withdrawn Smartboard from the market so we are looking for partners/distributers in Australia.

Posted Saturday 14 Nov 2009 @ 3:12:50 pm from IP #
Eco
Member

Thanks for that iMikeBerry.

It unfortunate that Knauf have withdrawn the product in Australia. But with the price they charged it is not surprising that there were few takers.

Your product has quite a high heat capacity. Is the tile very thick and/or heavy. Also can I ask what is the phase change temperature?

I wish you well in getting an Australian distributor.

Posted Sunday 15 Nov 2009 @ 12:30:59 am from IP #
iMikeBerry
Member

Eco the tile/panel thickness is 10mm to 100mm,15mm gives the 1050kj/m2.the weight is 7.4kg per m2 we also laminate the board with aerogel,if required which has a thermal conductivity of 0.013WmK which is pretty good, the phase change temperatures of the Mpcm are 19-23 and 26 degrees. Thankyou for your wishes,we will be visting Perth next year,with my partners,who are the real experts on phase change materials,Maybe we can arrange a talk, in the meantime feel free to ask any questions onMpcm or aerogel.

Posted Sunday 15 Nov 2009 @ 12:37:37 pm from IP #
juha
Member

Hello,I couldn't help but join in your conversation to find out whether you can help me with phase change plasterboard types.I am looking for a supplier of the boards and at this stage Knauf are not producing their smartboard, it may continue in the future.
Is there any alternative products on the market anywhere else in Australia or around the world?

Posted Thursday 11 Mar 2010 @ 9:43:43 pm from IP #
juha
Member

imikeberry,
I read that you have an alternative product called Eco.
Is it in production at this stage?
I would be interested in the product as an alternative to the Knauf smartboard.

Posted Thursday 11 Mar 2010 @ 9:47:12 pm from IP #
dymonite69
Member

Clever technology but for something so expensive someone has to convince me that the benefits are significantly better than standard mass materials to make it worthwhile.

Posted Friday 12 Mar 2010 @ 1:18:31 am from IP #
Daniel Boon
Member

PCM ... are they a gimmick (in the context of addressing the 'problem more cheaply') ?
One of the posters said they had a north facking wall that is exposed to the winter Sun, so does this mean no Sun in summer months ?
If so, then marking the wall from the highest to lowest point hit by the Sun is the area that needs to be refinished with - say - a darker coloured tile that will absorb and radiate the heat in 'winter' and abosrb ambient heat in 'summer' ...

Posted Tuesday 16 Mar 2010 @ 7:03:22 am from IP #

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