NUMERICAL STUDY OF HIGH DENSITY POLYETHYLENE –PCM CAPSULES FOR PASSIVE COOLING APPLICATION IN INTERMODAL STEEL BUILDING SPACE ENVELOPE
Abstract
The Intermodal Steel Building envelope commonly called shipping container or ‘the conex box’ is gradually becoming a common option for occupants who use them for commercial or residential purposes due to its relatively cheap cost compared to conventional brick or concrete structure houses. The conex box is mainly made of high density steel with high thermal conductivity, which results to increased and uncomfortable indoor space temperatures for its occupants. In Nigeria, the indoor space temperature of the conex box is often high because of the relatively high daytime ambient temperature, usually 30oC and above especially in the Northern part of Nigeria. This has led to the dependence on mechanical air conditioning to achieve human thermal comfort within the conex box. The net effect of this will be the over dependence on the already stretched and insufficient power from grid connected electricity. This work investigates numerically the potentials of high density polyethylene PCM (phase change material) capsules for passive cooling application in a typical intermodal steel building space enclosure. Numerical results obtained from the Matlab programme software showed that exposing the HDPE-PCM panel system to high ambient temperature is capable of causing significant ambient temperature depressions of 7.1 – 10.2oC for four simulation days. It is recommended that further simulation and experimental study is carried out with reverse suction DC fan(s) placed at strategic locations on the steel container walls for air quality recirculation and removal. The results obtained from this study shows that the modelled HDPE-PCM panel system for passive cooling application in shipping container homes, is possible and when properly implemented has the capability of reducing over dependency on mechanical air conditioning systems even for conventional concrete and brick building structures.
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