Enhancing Building Thermal Inertia: Impact of Surface-to-Volume Ratio on Multi-Layered PCM-Integrated Brick Walls

Abstract In this paper, a numerical study is conducted to investigate the effect of using Phase Change Materials (PCMs) in building bricks to improve the thermal inertia of buildings in hot and dry regions. A numerical model is developed to simulate the heat transfer in a brick with cylindrical holes filled with PCM. The effects of the number, type, and arrangement of PCMs on the thermal performance of the brick are investigated. The results show that the use of PCMs can significantly reduce the heat flux through the brick. The optimal number of PCMs is found to be three layers. The optimal type of PCM for the first layer is n-Eicosane, for the second layer is Paraffin Wax, and for the third layer is n-Octadecane. The enhanced brick configuration, with specific PCM arrangements, reduced total heat flux by up to 71.53% in the simulation period, compared to a brick without PCM.