The Effect of Fresnel Lens Focal Point Location on Heat Transfer in Phase Change Material (PCM) Enhanced Dynamic Solar Facade
2022
Jānis Narbuts, Andra Blumberga, Zigmārs Zundāns, Ritvars Freimanis, Roberts Bāliņš, Ruta Vanaga

In recent years, the demand for energy-efficient technological solutions in the building sector has risen significantly worldwide. The exploitation of phase change material as a medium for thermal energy storage in building envelopes has increased due to its superior properties. There is still a knowledge gap to cover in the way to the effective solar thermal energy storage in the building envelope – to enhance the heat transfer, to reduce the heat loss, etc. This paper deals with the optimisation of heat transfer using a solar concentrator (Fresnel lens). This study examines the effect of Fresnel lens focal point location on heat transfer in a dynamic solar facade prototype that stores thermal energy in phase change material. Nine different setups (solar façade compositions) were tested in the laboratory – two parameters with three alternatives each. Testing conditions simulate the relevant Northern Europe climate. By changing the air gap configuration and location of the Fresnel lens focal point, the heat transfer to phase change material was observed by measuring temperatures in the phase change material container using five thermocouples. The results show the improved thermal performance in test modules with larger cone diameter by 7.2 % and Fresnel lens focal point positioning closer to the back of the phase change material container by 5.4 %.


Keywords
Building envelope; melting temperature; solar thermal energy storage; latent heat; small-scale dynamic solar module
DOI
10.2478/rtuect-2022-0096
Hyperlink
https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/rtuect-2022-0096

Narbuts, J., Blumberga, A., Zundāns, Z., Freimanis, R., Bāliņš, R., Vanaga, R. The Effect of Fresnel Lens Focal Point Location on Heat Transfer in Phase Change Material (PCM) Enhanced Dynamic Solar Facade. Environmental and Climate Technologies, 2022, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp.1268-1278. e-ISSN 2255-8837. Available from: doi:10.2478/rtuect-2022-0096

Publication language
English (en)
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