Application of PCM thermal energy storage system to reduce building energy consumption

The building sector is known to make a large contribution to total energy consumption and CO₂ emissions. Phase change materials (PCMs) have been considered for thermal energy storage (TES) in buildings. They can balance out the discrepancies between energy demand and energy supply, which are temporally out of phase. However, traditional PCMs need special latent storage devices or containers to encapsulate the PCM, in order to store and release the latent heat of the PCM. The proper design of TES systems using a PCM requires quantitative information and knowledge about the heat transfer and phase change processes in the PCM. In Korea, radiant floor heating systems, which have traditionally been used in residential buildings, consume approximately 55% of the total residential building energy consumption in heating. This article reviews the development of available latent heat thermal energy storage technologies and discusses PCM application methods for residential building using radiant floor heating systems with the goal of reducing energy consumption.