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Comparative analysis of heat transfer in polyurethane with phase change materials: advancing multi-scale modeling for energy efficiency
Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-7171-1219
Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics.
Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics.
Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Applied Physics and Electronics.
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2025 (English)Conference paper, Oral presentation only (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

Polyurethane (PU) as a popular polymer is widely recognized for its exceptional thermal insulation properties, making it a critical material for applications requiring effective heat transfer management. Integrating Phase Change Materials (PCMs) into PU (PU-PCMs) has emerged as a highly effective strategy for enhancing building envelope performance, ensuring greater indoor thermal stability, and mitigating temperature fluctuations. This study introduces an Enhanced Multi-Scale Modeling approach to investigate the thermal conductivity and energy efficiency of PU-PCMs, with a particular focus on their comparative performance in subarctic and tropical climates. By combining Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations with Finite Element Methods (FEM), the model seamlessly bridges molecular-scale interactions with macroscopic thermal behavior. Using a Representative Volume Element (RVE)-FEM framework, microscopic properties are translated into engineering-scale parameters, enabling accurate and efficient predictions of material performance across diverse climatic conditions. The findings demonstrate the capability of PU-PCMs to significantly enhance energy efficiency and indoor thermal comfort. In a case study of a single-family house, PU-PCMs achieved a 7.376% reduction in energy consumption and increased comfort hours under Stockholm's subarctic climate. Moreover, the adaptability of PU-PCMs was validated in both tropical and subarctic environments, consistently stabilizing indoor temperatures, reducing HVAC energy demands, and improving occupant comfort. These results underscore the potential of PU-PCMs as a passive thermal management solution, advancing sustainable building practices. The proposed multi-scale model offers a computationally efficient and precise tool for optimizing material design in energy-sensitive applications, reinforcing the versatility and significance of PU-PCMs across a range of climatic conditions.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2025.
Keywords [en]
Phase change materials (PCMs), Muli-scale modelling, Building energy, Indoor thermal comfort
National Category
Energy Engineering Building materials Composite Science and Engineering Solid and Structural Mechanics
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-241917OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-241917DiVA, id: diva2:1981343
Conference
Healthy Buildings Europe 2025 Conference, Reykjavík, Iceland, June 8-11, 2025
Funder
Swedish Energy Agency, P2021-00248The Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA), GFS2023-0131, BYG2023- 0007, GFS2024-0155J. Gust. Richert stiftelse, 2023-00884Swedish Research Council Formas, 2022-01475The Kempe FoundationsAvailable from: 2025-07-03 Created: 2025-07-03 Last updated: 2025-07-07Bibliographically approved

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Liu, BokaiLiu, PengjuHan, OuLu, WeizhuoOlofsson, Thomas

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