Numerical and Experimental Investigation of a Thermoelectric-Based Radiant Ceiling Panel with Phase Change Material for Building Cooling Applications

Abstract

The present paper investigates the performance of a thermoelectric (TE)-based radiant ceiling panel with an additional layer of phase change material (PCM) for building cooling application through numerical and experimental analyses. The design of the ceiling panel consisted of an aluminum sheet with TE modules installed on the back to maintain a relatively low ceiling temperature that provided cooling through radiation and convection. A three-dimensional model was developed in COMSOL Multiphysics, and the system’s performance in several different configurations was assessed. The effect of the number of TE modules, as well as incorporating different amounts of PCM under transient conditions, was investigated for two modes of operation: startup and shutdown. It was shown that for a 609.6 mm × 609.6 mm ceiling panel, the use of four TE modules reduced the average surface temperature down to the comfort range in less than 5 min while producing a relatively uniform temperature distribution across the ceiling panel. It was also shown that the addition of a 2 mm thick PCM layer to the back of the ceiling panel enhanced the system’s performance by elongating the time that it took for the ceiling panel’s temperature to exceed the comfort range when the system shut down, which in turn reduced the number of on/off cycling of the system. The numerical results demonstrated a good agreement with the experimental data. The results from this study can be used for the optimal design of a TE-based radiant ceiling cooling system as a promising technology for smart buildings.