Study on the optimization of PCM integrated air-conditioning duct for the demand shifting

Abstract

The imbalance of the electrical grid between source and demand causes great decrement of grid efficiency and energy loss. The main reason for the imbalance comes from the fluctuation of electricity consumed by buildings. Numerous efforts have been conducted to mitigate the fluctuation of buildings electricity consumption. The phase change material (PCM) can store heat or cold to keep indoor thermal environment stable for a certain period without heat/cold supply from heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. It can effectively shave the peak of HVAC electricity demand. Meanwhile, the electricity cost of running HVAC systems can also be cut down. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel type of air-ducts integrated with PCM and studies its performances of the indoor thermal environment through theoretical analysis and dynamic simulation. The simulation results show that the indoor thermal environment can be kept within the comfortable range when turn off chiller during the peak load period using the proposed PCM integrated air conditioning ducts.