A Review on The Application of Phase Change Material for Indoor Temperature Management in Tropical Area

Abstract

Phase change material (PCM) is widely use on any products such as electronic product, airplane industry, agricultural and medical container, etc. However in building sectors the usage of PCM is quite uncommon. Since the potential of PCM as thermal energy storage (TES) is very promising, the usage of PCM in cooling system of buildings should be pursued. The cooling strategy of PCM is based on thermal balance concept that it absorb heat energy at charging period and release back at discharging period. In this study, the strenght and challenge on the usage of PCM in building is discussed in several factors. The results of this research shown the potential advantages of PCM in retrofitting the thermal performance of buildings in tropical area.