Comparison of two solar-assisted underfloor heating systems with Phase Change Materials

Year 2019, , 138 - 147, 01.09.2019

Maria Plytaria Christos Tzivanidis İoannis Alexopoulos , Evangelos Bellos Kimon Antonopoulos

https://doi.org/10.5541/ijot.495329

Cited By: 3

Abstract

In this work, two underfloor solar assisted heating
systems without and with phase change materials (PCMs) are investigated
energetically for a building of 100 m² floor area, which is situated
in Athens, (Greece). The simulations are conducted with the commercial software
TRNSYS 17. More analytically, flat plate collectors coupled to a storage tank
are used while there is, in the first system, an auxiliary heater and in the
second system, a heat pump, for supplying the extra heating demand when the
solar potential is not sufficient. The PCM layer is situated
below the underfloor heating system in order to increase the storage capacity. Moreover,
this study compares the indoor temperature profiles of the building with and
without a PCM layer on the floor and specifically in different cases by
changing the area of the collectors and the thickness of the insulation layer.
The results showed that the electrical energy consumption decreases on average
70% and 41% for the system with an auxiliary
heater and for the system with heat pump respectively. Moreover, the application
of the PCM layer on the floor in both systems gives an increase of the indoor
temperature about 2^oC into the limits of thermal comfort.

Keywords

Underfloor heating system, auxiliary heater, heat pump, heating loads, phase change materials, TRNSYS

References

• [1] S. Li, J. Joe, J. Hu, P. Karava, “System identification and model-predictive control of office buildings with integrated photovoltaic-thermal collectors, radiant floor heating and active thermal storage,” Solar Energy, 113,139–157,2015.
• [2] C. Tzivanidis, E. Bellos, G. Mitsopoulos, K. A. Antonopoulos, A. Delis, “Energetic and financial evaluation of solar assisted heat pump heating system with other usual heating systems in Athens,” Applied Thermal Engineering,106,87-97,2016.
• [3] D. A. Asimakopoulos, M. Santamouris, I. Farrou, M. Laskari, M. Saliari, G. Zanis, G. Giannakidis, K. Tigas, J. Kapsomenakis, C. Douvis, S. C. Zerefos, T. Antonakaki, C. Giannakopoulos, “Modelling the energy demand projection of the building sector in Greece in the 21st century,” Energy and Buildings,49,488–498,2012.
• [4] E. Bellos, C. Tzivanidis, “Alternative designs of parabolic trough solar collectors”, Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 71,81-117,2019.
• [5] D. Borello, S. Evangelisti, E. Tortora, “Modelling of a CHP SOFC System Fed with Biogas from Anaerobic Digestion of Municipal Waste Integrated with Solar Collectors and Storage Unit,” International Journal of Thermodynamics,16(1),28-35,2013.
• [6] A. Dietrich, F. Dammel, P. Stephan, “Exergoeconomic Analysis of a Pumped Heat Electricity Storage System with Concrete Thermal Energy Storage,” International Journal of Thermodynamics,19(1),43-51,2016.
• [7] R. Yokoyama, R. Kato, T. Wakui, K. Takemura, “Performance Estimation and Optimal Operation of a CO2 Heat Pump Water Heating System,” International Journal of Thermodynamics,16(2),62-72,2013.
• [8] J. Castaing-Lasvignottes, M. David, S. Simpore, O. Marc, F. Garde, “Simulating a Compressed Air Energy Storage System for a Net Zero Energy Building in Tropics,” International Journal of Thermodynamics, 19(3),130-135,2016.
• [9] A. Korkmaz, N. Eğrican, “Solar Assisted Conditioning of Residences with Floor Heating and Ceiling Cooling: Review and Simulation Results,” International Journal of Thermodynamics,18(4),235-244,2015.
• [10] A. K. Athienitis, T. Y. Chen, “Experimental and theoretical investigation of floor heating with thermal storage,” ASHRAE Transactions, 99(1),1049–1057,1993.
• [11] K. Ghali, “Economic viability of underfloor heating system: A case study in Beirut climate,” In International conference on renewable energies & power quality, Sevilla, Spain, 2007.
• [12] C. Inard, A. Meslem, P. Depecker, “Energy consumption and thermal comfort in dwelling-cells: A zonal-model approach,” Building and Environment, 33(5),279–291,1998.
• [13] S. Li, K. Zou, G. Sun, X. Zhang, “Simulation research on the dynamic thermal performance of a novel triple-glazed window filled with PCM,” Sustainable Cities and Society,40,266-273,2018.
• [14] J. Xie, W. Wang, P. Sang, J. Liu, “Experimental and numerical study of thermal performance of the PCM wall with solar radiation,” Construction and Building Materials, 177,443-456,2018.
• [15] M. Saffari, C. Piselli, A. De Gracia, A. L. Pisello, F. Cotana, L. F. Cabeza, “Thermal stress reduction in cool roof membranes using phase change materials (PCM),” Energy and Buildings,158,1097-1105,2018.
• [16] G. Feng, K. Huang, H. Xie, H. Li, X. Liu, S. Liu, C. Cao, “DSC test error of phase change material (PCM) and its influence on the simulation of the PCM floor,” Renewable Energy,87(3),1148-1153,2016.
• [17] K. Lin, Y. Zhang, X. Xu, H. Di, R. Yang, P. Qin, “Experimental study of under-floor electric heating system with shape-stabilized PCM plates,” Energy and Buildings, 37,215–220,2005.
• [18] R. Ansuini, R. Larghetti, A. Giretti, M. Lemma, “Radiant floors integrated with PCM for indoor temperature control,” Energy and Buildings,43,3019–3026,2011.
• [19] J. Mazo, M. Delgado, J. M. Marin, B. Zalba, “Modeling a radiant floor system with phase change material (PCM) integrated into a building simulation tool: Analysis of a case study of a floor heating system coupled to a heat pump,” Energy and Buildings,47,458–466,2012.
• [20] L. Royon, L. Karim, A. Bontemps, “Optimization of PCM embedded in a floor panel developed for thermal management of the lightweight envelope of buildings,” Energy and Buildings,82,385–390,2014.
• [21] W. Cheng, B. Xie, R. Zhang, Z. Xu, Y. Xia, “Effect of thermal conductivities of shape stabilized PCM on under-floor heating system,” Applied Energy,144,10–18,2015.
• [22] P. Devaux, M. M. Farid, “Benefits of PCM underfloor heating with PCM wallboards for space heating in winter,” Applied Energy,191,593–602,2017.
• [23] A. E. Mays, R. Ammar, M. Hawa, M. A. Akroush, F. Hachem, M. Khaled, M. Ramadan, “Using phase change material in under floor heating,” Energy Procedia, 119,806–811,2017.
• [24] S. Lu, Y. Zhao, K. Fang, Y. Li, P. Sun, “Establishment and experimental verification of TRNSYS model for PCM floor coupled with solar water heating system,” Energy and Buildings,140,245–260,2017.
• [25] TRNSYS 17 Transient System Simulation Program – Volume 5, Multizone Building Modeling with Type 56 and TRNBuild Manual, Solar Energy Laboratory (SEL), University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA, pp. 8-200,2012.
• [26] Thermal Energy System Specialists (TESS), TESSLibs 3-Mathematical Reference. Type 1270: Phase Change Material (PCM) wall layer for Type56, 2012.
• [27] BioPCM, Phase Change Energy Solutions Australia. Available: http://www.phasechange.com.au (accessed October 5, 2018).