Physical and mechanical characterization of gypsum boards containing phase change materials for latent heat storage

Abstract

This article describes the design and manufacture of a gypsum board which, despite its 45 % wt content of phase change materials, meets the minimum physical and mechanical requirements laid down in the legislation on gypsum plasters (Spanish and European standard UNE EN 13279 and Spanish specifications for gypsum acceptance, RY 85). Under this design, a one-metre square, 1.5-cm thick board contains 4.75 kg of PCM, much more than in any prior drylining (the maximum attained to date is 3 kg per m2). The mechanical and physical characteristics of this new composite were previously improved with two joint-action additives: polypropylene fibres and melamine formaldehyde as a dispersing agent. In the 20-30 ºC temperature range, a gypsum board 1.5 cm thick containing this percentage of PCMs can store five times more thermal energy than conventional plasterboard of the same thickness, and the same amount of energy as half-foot hollow brick masonry.

Keywords

• gypsum
• pcm
• thermal energy
• storage
• latent heat
• physical properties
• mechanical properties