Unraveling the role of dual Ti/Mg metals on the ignition and combustion behavior of HTPB-boron-based fuel

Metal additives play an essential role in explosive and propellant formulations. Boron(B) is widely used in propellant applications owing to its high energetic content. The addition of B to explosives and propellants increases their energy density, making them more efficient and powerful. Nevertheless, B forms oxide layers on its surface during combustion, slowing down the combustion rate and reducing rocket motor efficiency. To overcome this issue, other metal additives such as aluminum(Al), magnesium(Mg),and titanium(Ti) are revealed to be effective in boosting the combustion rate of propellants. These additives may improve the combustion rate and therefore enhance the rocket motor’s performance. The present study focused on preparing and investigating the ignition and combustion behavior of pure hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene(HTPB)-B fuel supplemented with nano-titanium and nanomagnesium. The burn rates of HTPB-B fuel samples were evaluated on the opposed flow burner(OFB)under a gaseous oxygen oxidizer, for which the mass flux ranges from 22 kg/(m^(2)·s) to 86 kg/(m^(2)·s). The addition of Ti and Mg exhibited higher regression rates, which were attributed to the improved oxidation reaction of B due to the synergetic metal combustion effect. The possible combustion/oxidation reaction mechanism of B-Mg and B-Ti by heating the fuel samples at 900℃ and 1100℃ was also examined in a Nabertherm burnout furnace under an oxygen atmosphere. The post-combustion products were collected and further subjected to X-ray diffraction(XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM) analyses to inspect the combustion behavior of B-Ti and B-Mg. It has been observed that the B oxide layer at the interface between B-Ti(B-Mg) is removed at lower temperatures, hence facilitating oxygen transfer from the surroundings to the core B. Additionally, Ti and Mg decreased the ignition delay time of B, which improved its combustion performance.

Preliminary discussion on the ignition mechanism of exploding foil initiators igniting boron potassium nitrate

Exploding foil initiator(EFI)is a kind of advanced device for initiating explosives,but its function is unstable when it comes to directly igniting pyrotechnics.To solve the problem,this research aims to reveal the ignition mechanism of EFIs directly igniting pyrotechnics.An oscilloscope,a photon Doppler velocimetry,and a plasma spectrum measurement system were employed to obtain information of electric characteristics,impact pressure,and plasma temperature.The results of the electric characteristics and the impact pressure were inconsistent with ignition results.The only thing that the ignition success tests had in common was that their plasma all had a relatively long period of high-temperature duration(HTD).It eventually concludes that the ignition mechanism in this research is the microconvection heat transfer rather than the shock initiation,which differs from that of exploding foil initiators detonating explosives.Furthermore,the methods for evaluating the ignition success of semiconductor bridge initiators are not entirely applicable to the tests mentioned in this paper.The HTD is the critical parameter for judging the ignition success,and it is influenced by two factors:the late time discharge and the energy of the electric explosion.The longer time of the late time discharge and the more energy of the electric explosion,the easier it is to expand the HTD,which improves the probability of the ignition success.

Catalytic Effect of Transition Metal Complexes of Triaminoguanidine on the Thermolysis of Energetic NC/DEGDN Composite

The transition metal complexes of triaminoguanidine(TAG-M,where M=Cobalt(Co)or Iron(Fe))have been prepared.The catalytic effect of these complexes on the thermolysis of energetic composite based on nitrocellulose and diethylene glycol dinitrate,has been investigated.Extensive characterization of the resulting energetic composites was carried out using scanning electron microscopy(SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD),Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC).Isoconversional kinetic analysis was performed to determine the Arrhenius parameters associated with the thermolysis of the elaborated energetic formulations.It is found that TAG-M complexes have strong catalytic effect on the thermo-kinetic decomposition of NC/DEGDN by decreasing the apparent activation energy and significantly increased the total heat release.The models that govern the decomposition processes are also studied,and it is revealed that different reaction processes are accomplished by introduction metal complexes of triaminoguanidine.Overall,this study serves as a valuable reference for future research focused on the investigation of catalytic combustion features of solid propellants.

Production and Characterization of a Composite Based on Plaster and Juncus Maritimus Plant Fibers

Nowadays,materials with a limited impact on the environment are required in the construction sector.Considering the interesting properties of natural elements such as natural fibers,it seems advantageous to use them to reinforce materials while protecting the environment and guaranteeing economic gain.Along these lines,this research was devoted to studying the effect of untreated natural fibers extracted from the Juncus maritimus plant(from Southern Morocco)on plaster.First,the effect of the percentage of added fibers on the fluidity of the plaster was evaluated by means of the Marsh’s cone method,that is,by measuring the time taken by a known volume of plaster to flow from a cone through a short tube.Then,the highly porous microstructure of the plaster was observed using a scanning electron microscope(SEM).The diffractogram of Juncus maritimus fibers was built by means of a X-ray diffraction(XRD)method.The values obtained for the wet thermal conductivity of the composites decreased from 0.4853 W/m.K for the reference specimen to 0.4324 W/m K for a fiber volume content of 40%.The densities were calculated to determine the lightness of each composite.The mechanical strengths[flexural and compressive]were evaluated for different percentages of rush fibers.The addition of 20%volume fiber was found to improve the flexural strength to 3.63 MPa compared to the sample without fiber(3.36 MPa),thereby ensuring good toughness of the considered material.Nevertheless,a reduction in compressive strength was observed,due to the poor adhesion between the fibers and the plaster matrix.

Evaluating Ignition and Combustion Performance with Al-Metal- Organic Frameworks and Nano-Aluminum in HTPB Fuel

Incorporating aluminum metal-organic frameworks(Al-MOFs)as energetic additives for solid fuels presents a promising avenue for enhancing combustion performance.This study explores the potential benefits of Al-MOF(MIL-53(Al))energetic additive on the combustion performance of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene(HTPB)fuel.The HTPB-MOF fuel samples were manufactured using the vacuum-casting technique,followed by a comprehensive evaluation of their ignition and combustion properties using an opposed flow burner(OFB)setup utilizing gaseous oxygen as an oxidizer.To gauge the effectiveness of Al-MOFs as fuel additives,their impact is compared with that of nano-aluminum(nAl),another traditional additive in HTPB fuel.The results indicate that the addition of 15%(mass fraction)nAl into HTPB resulted in the shortest ignition delay time(136 ms),demonstrating improved ignition performance compared to pure HTPB(273 ms).The incorporation of Al-MOF in HTPB also reduced ignition delay times to 227 ms and 189 ms,respectively.Moreover,under high oxidizer mass flux conditions(79—81 kg/(m^(2)s)),HTPB fuel with 15%nAl exhibited a substantial 83.2%increase in regression rate compared to the baseline HTPB fuel,highlighting the positive influence of nAl on combustion behavior.In contrast,HTPB-MOF with a 15%Al-MOF additive showed a 32.7%increase in regression rate compared to pure HTPB.These results suggest that HTPB-nAl outperforms HTPB-MOF in terms of regression rates,indicating a more vigorous and rapid burning behavior.

Design,preparation,and characterization of a novel ZnO/CuO/Al energetic diode with dual functionality:Logic and destruction

Self-destructing chips have promising applications for securing data.This paper proposes a new concept of energetic diodes for the first time,which can be used for self-destructive chips.A simple two-step electrochemical deposition method is used to prepare ZnO/CuO/Al energetic diode,in which N-type ZnO and P-type CuO are constricted to a PN junction.This paper comprehensively discusses the material properties,morphology,semiconductor characteristics,and exploding performances of the energetic diode.Experimental results show that the energetic diode has typical rectification with a turn-on voltage of about 1.78 V and a reverse leakage current of about 3×10^(-4)A.When a constant voltage of 70 V loads to the energetic diode in the forward direction for about 0.14 s or 55 V loads in the reverse direction for about 0.17 s,the loaded power can excite the energetic diode exploding and the current rises to about100 A.Due to the unique performance of the energetic diode,it has a double function of rectification and explosion.The energetic diode can be used as a logic element in the normal chip to complete the regular operation,and it can release energy to destroy the chip accurately.

Identifying the enhancement mechanism of Al/MoO_(3) reactive multilayered films on the ignition ability of semiconductor bridge using a one-dimensional gas-solid two-phase flow model

Energetic Semiconductor bridge(ESCB)based on reactive multilayered films(RMFs)has a promising application in the miniature and intelligence of initiator and pyrotechnics device.Understanding the ignition enhancement mechanism of RMFs on semiconductor bridge(SCB)during the ignition process is crucial for the engineering and practical application of advanced initiator and pyrotechnics devices.In this study,a one-dimensional(1D)gas-solid two-phase flow ignition model was established to study the ignition process of ESCB to charge particles based on the reactivity of Al/MoO_(3) RMFs.In order to fully consider the coupled exothermic between the RMFs and the SCB plasma during the ignition process,the heat release of chemical reaction in RMFs was used as an internal heat source in this model.It is found that the exothermal reaction in RMFs improved the ignition performance of SCB.In the process of plasma rapid condensation with heat release,the product of RMFs enhanced the heat transfer process between the gas phase and the solid charge particle,which accelerated the expansion of hot plasma,and heated the solid charge particle as well as gas phase region with low temperature.In addition,it made up for pressure loss in the gas phase.During the plasma dissipation process,the exothermal chemical reaction in RMFs acted as the main heating source to heat the charge particle,making the surface temperature of the charge particle,gas pressure,and gas temperature rise continuously.This result may yield significant advantages in providing a universal ignition model for miniaturized ignition devices.

Thermo-Physical Potential of Recycled Banana Fibers for Improving the Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Biosourced Gypsum-Based Materials

The development of bio-sourced materials is essential to ensuring sustainable construction;it is considered a locomotive of the green economy.Furthermore,it is an abundant material in our country,to which very little attention is being given.This work aims to valorize the waste of the trunks of banana trees to be used in construction.Firstly,the physicochemical properties of the fiber,such as the percentage of crystallization and its morphology,have been determined by X-ray diffraction tests and scanning electron microscopy to confirm the potential and the impact of the mode of drying on the quality of the banana fibers,with the purpose to promote the use of this material in construction.Secondly,the results obtained with the gypsum matrix allowed us to note a preponderant improvement in the composite’s thermal properties thanks to the variation of the banana fiber additive.Thirdly,the impact of the nature of the banana fiber distribution(either fiber mixed in matrix or fiber series model)on the flexural and compressive strengths of the composites was studied.The results obtained indicate that the insulation gain reaches up to 40%.It depends on the volume fraction and type of distribution of the banana fibers.However,the thermal inertia of the composites developed,represented by thermal diffusivity and thermal effusivity,was studied.Results indicate a gain of 40%and 25%,respectively,in terms of thermal diffusivity and thermal effusivity of the developed composites compared to plaster alone.Concerning the mechanical properties,the flexural strength depends on the percentage of the volume fraction of banana fibers used,and it can reach 20%more than the flexural strength of plaster;nevertheless,there is a significant loss in terms of the compressive strength of the studied composites.The results obtained are confirmed by the microstructure of the fiber banana.In fact,the morphology of the banana fibers was improved by the drying process.It reduces the amorphous area and improves the cellulosic crystalline surfaces,which assures good adhesion between the fiber and the matrix plaster.Finally,the dimensionless coefficient analysis was done to judge the optimal proportion of the banana fiber additive and to recommend its use even on false ceilings or walls.

Mitigating the negative catalytic effect of CuO by FAS-17 coated Al nanopowder:Isothermal ageing of Al/CuO nanothermite at 71°C and 60%relative humidity

The safety and reliability of weapon systems would be significantly affected by changes in the performance of energetic materials due to ambient temperature and humidity.Nanothermites have promising applications due to their excellent reactivity.Therefore it becomes extremely important to understand their aging and failure process in the environment before using them.Here,the aging and failure process of Al/CuO in 71°C/60%RH were investigated,and showed that CuO nanoparticles negatively catalyze Al nanopowders,resulting in rapid hydration.The anti-aging effect of FAS-17-coated Al nanopowder was also examined.The aging process of Al,Al/CuO,and Al@FAS-17/CuO in high humidity and heat environment were revealed by quasi-in situ SEM and TEM methods.Compared with the aging of pure Al,the Al nanopowder in the nanothermites strongly agglomerated with the CuO nanopowder and hydrated earlier.This may be caused by CuO catalyzed hydration of Al nanopowder.The energy release experiments showed that the performance of Al/CuO decreased rapidly and failed to ignite after 4 h of aging.In contrast,the Al@FAS-17/CuO thermite can achieve long-term stability of up to 60 h in the same environment by simple cladding of FAS-17.It is found that FAS-17 coated Al nanopowder can prevent both particle agglomeration and water erosion,which is an effective means to make nanothermites application in high humidity and heat environment.

Analysis of the Energy and Environmental Sustainability of a Built Space System: The Case of Patte d’Oie University Campus in Ouagadougou

The aim of this study was to carry out a dynamic simulation of the energy and environmental performance of a built space system, with a view to assessing its energy and environmental class. The use of a simulation and modeling tool, supported by various methodological references, formed the basis of our approach. Adopting a systemic perspective, we described the structural and functional aspects of the systems making up built spaces, as well as the associated energy flows. Our approach was also based on a typology, taking into account typical days, structural and functional configurations at different scales and angles of observation. The analysis tool we developed in Java was applied to the built space system of the Patte d’Oie university campus in Ouagadougou. Annual electricity consumption was measured at 124387.34 kWh, closely aligned with the average annual electricity bill (125224.31 kWh), with a maximum relative deviation of 1%, followed by a carbon emission balance of 58337.66 kg eq CO2 per year. This validation confirmed the effectiveness of our tool. In addition, following the analysis of electricity consumption using our tool, the university campus was classified in energy class B and environmental class C. These results will be based on the emission factors of the energy mix of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) territory, with particular emphasis on Burkina Faso.

Principle for the Installation of Accommodation for Sick guards in Public Health Establishments in Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo

The results of scientific studies of human social facts in the field of health show that the management of a patient should involve the patient’s entourage,whatever the status or size of the health establishment.In healthcare establishments in the Congo,the following are recognised as being responsible for medical care:specialist doctors,doctors,midwives,nurses and care assistants.The patient’s family and close friends are responsible for looking after the patient and financing care.The hospital infrastructure does not provide any space for the patient warden who accompany the patient during reception and hospitalisation.This makes Congolese hospitals inefficient for patient care.How can we integrate the function of the Sick guard and the assistance of the family,in order to reduce the mortality rate and repair the harm caused to patients requiring the presence of relatives during their stay in hospital,which is considered to be a dangerous place?This article examines the functional principles for configuring the space that patient warden would occupy in the patient care system.On the basis of a documentary analysis of sociological and architectural studies of existing facilities,this article proposes a typical accommodation model with the spaces needed to ensure the well-being and effectiveness of the patient warden with the patient.These are rooms with minimum space for 2 to 4 individual beds,equipped with toilets and showers.The accommodation has a dining area,kitchen and laundry facilities.In the future,this accommodation will become part of the hospital estate and may be occupied by orderlies and patient warden recruited by the hospital administration.

Comparative Study of Solar PV Power Plant Dimensionnement Connected to Network Based on Monofacial and Bifacial Modules

This article presents the results of comparative study of two PV solar modules technologies,namely monofacial and bifacial.This study main objective is to identify conditions and parameters that make it possible to obtain better energy and economic efficiency from one or other of two technologies.The study reason lies in revival observed on bifacial module in recent years where all the major manufacturers of PV solar panels are developing them where in a few years,this technology risks being at the same price as the monofacial solar panel with better efficiency.Economic indicator used is energy levelized cost(LCOE)which is function technology type,energy productivity,annual investment and operation cost.To achieve this,a 3.685 MWc solar PV power plant was dimensioned and simulated under Matlab for a 3.5 ha site with a 2,320,740,602 FCFA budget for monofacial installation,against 1,925,188,640 FCFA for 2.73 MWc bifacial installation.The LCOE comparative analysis of two technologies calculated over a period of 25 years,showed that plant with bifacial panels is more beneficial if bifacial gain is greater than 9%.It has further been found that it is possible to gain up to 40%of invested cost if bifacial gain reaches 45%.Finally,a loss of about 10%of invested cost could be recorded if bifacial gain is less than 9%.

Design Optimization of a Lattice Tower: Structure and Foundations

Produced in power plants, electrical energy is transported to places of consumption via the electricity network. At the heart of this network are the supports that allow electricity to be efficiently transported over long distances, guaranteeing the security and supply of energy to the various centers of use. In the construction of a line, supports occupy an important part in terms of safety and construction cost. It is therefore essential to optimize their use to reduce the cost of transmission lines. This work addresses this problem, which focuses on the optimal utilization of X-lattice towers in the construction of overhead power lines. The challenge is to reconcile the search for optimal cost and respect for the design, resistance and service constraints of the structure. To do this, a parameter having a strong correlation with the weight, foundation and construction cost of the X-lattice tower for 161 kV lines is determined as an important cost variable. This parameter is the wheelbase of the towers. The junction point between the structure and the foundations is obtained by measuring the forces at the base of the tower following the lowering of the loads. These efforts make it possible to size foundations which are of the inverted or isolated sole type. The results obtained reveal that from 8 meters in width, the wheelbase gradually changes until the optimum is obtained at 6.29 meters. With this wheelbase, the production cost is optimal. It clearly emerges from this study that the construction of lattice pylons with a wheelbase of approximately 6.29 meters makes it possible to optimize the cost of construction of 161 kV lines in the Republic of Benin.

Principles for Designing New Types of Housing for a Strong and Resilient Local Economy in the Republic of Congo

The Congolese population is organised into households, which are thus headed by a chief who ensures the social well-being, development and integration into working life of the individuals in his charge. This study examines the functional principles of new housing design as an instrument for transforming the (current) failing economy into a strong and resilient one. Accordingly, a literature review of the practice of designing and building housing in human settlements in the Congo revealed the state of the art on this subject. An analysis of the existing housing stock from a demographic, social and economic point of view made it possible to identify the most common household sizes and numbers, as well as the lifestyle processes that determine the need for developed space. To this end, the experimental method was used to propose configuration plans for various new types of dwelling. To this end, the study highlighted the link between people’s standard of living and the effectiveness of their involvement in the local economy. To achieve the aims of the National Development Plan (NDP), particular attention must be paid to solving the housing problem. The existing housing stock actively contributes to the problems associated with unemployment and insecurity. Functional principles for the design of new types of housing have been developed. Four model types are proposed in line with the demographic structure of the population, their socio-economic characteristics and their lifestyle.

Template synthesis of copper azide primary explosive through Cu2O@HKUST-1 core-shell composite prepared by “bottle around ship” method

Copper azide(CA), as a primary explosive with high energy density, has not been practically used so far because of its high electrostatic sensitivity. The Cu2O@HKUST-1 core-shell structure hybrid material was synthesized by the “bottle around ship” methodology in this research by regulating the dissolution rate of Cu2O and the generation rate of metal-organic framework(MOF) materials. Cu2O@HKUST-1 was carbonized to form a Cu O@porous carbon(CuO@PC) composite material. CuO@PC was synthesized into a copper azide(CA) @PC composite energetic material through a gas-solid phase in-situ azidation reaction.CA is encapsulated in PC framework, which acts as a nanoscale Faraday cage, and its excellent electrical conductivity prevents electrostatic charges from accumulating on the energetic material’s surface. The CA@PC composite energetic material has a CA content of 89.6%, and its electrostatic safety is nearly 30times that of pure CA(1.47 mJ compared to 0.05 mJ). CA@PC delivers an outstanding balance of safety and energy density compared to similar materials.

A Review of the Advances Made in Improving the Durability of Welded Wood against Water in Light of the Results of African Tropical Woods Welding

Wood plays a major role in the production of furniture and wooden structures.Nevertheless,in this process,the massive use of adhesives and plural connectors remains a definite problem for health and the environment.Therefore,wood welding is a breakthrough in this respect.This paper reviews the applications of wood welding in furniture and construction and then examines advances in improving the durability of welded wood against water.Our contribution also highlights the need to join African tropical woods using the rotational friction welding technique.According to our results,these woods present interesting chemical singularities,which could provide solutions to the water vulnerability of the welded wood.Moreover,the use of such a joining method would first free the Cameroonian furniture industry from the chemical industry,secondly position it at the forefront of new eco-design trends and thirdly make it competitive with other countries in the Central African sub-region.These works enrich the long and rich bibliography on the technique of wood welding,which has long been conspicuous by its absence of tropical woods.

Hydrogen production at intermediate temperatures with proton conducting ceramic cells:Electrocatalytic activity,durability and energy efficiency

Proton conducting ceramic cells(PCCs)are an attractive emerging technology operating in the intermediate temperature range of 500 to 700℃.In this work,we evaluate the production of hydrogen at intermediate temperatures by proton conducting ceramic cell electrolysis(PCCEL).We demonstrate a highperformance steam electrolysis owing to a composite positrode based on BaGd_(0.8)La_(0.2)Co_(2)O_(6-δ)(BGLC1082)and BaZr0.5Ce0.4Y0.1O3-δ(BZCY541).The high reliability of PCCEL is demonstrated for 1680 h at a current density as high as-0.8 A cm^(-2)close to the thermoneutral cell voltage at 600℃.The electrolysis cell showed a specific energy consumption ranging from 54 to 66 kW h kg^(-1)that is comparable to state-of-the-art low temperature electrolysis technologies,while showing hydrogen production rates systematically higher than commercial solid oxide ceramic cells(SOCs).Compared to SOCs,the results verified the higher performances of PCCs at the relevant operating temperatures,due to the lower activation energy for proton transfer comparing with oxygen ion conduction.However,because of the p-type electronic conduction in protonic ceramics,the energy conversion rate of PCCs is relatively lower in steam electrolysis.The faradaic efficiency of the PCC in electrolysis mode can be increased at lower operating temperatures and in endothermic conditions,making PCCEL a technology of choice to valorize high temperature waste heat from industrial processes into hydrogen.To increase the faradaic efficiency by optimizing the materials,the cell design,or the operating strategy is a key challenge to address for future developments of PCCEL in order to achieve even more superior techno-economic merits.

How to stabilize standard perovskite solar cells to withstand operating conditions under an ambient environment for more than 1000 hours using simple and universal encapsulation

We introduce a simple and universal scalable encapsulation strategy for perovskite solar cells based on thermal vacuum evaporation of MgF2or MoO3-xcapping layer followed by sealing the device with glass and UV-curable polymer.The proposed encapsulation method is beneficial to most of the other known encapsulation approaches being fully harmless to perovskite and transporting layers and processible at room temperature.Vacuum deposition of the capping layer promotes efficient removal of water,oxygen and organic solvent residuals from the device prior to sealing and could be easily performed using standard equipment for metal electrode deposition.The proposed strategy is transferrable to any lab-scale perovskite solar cell prototypes regardless of their geometry and architecture and results in excellent stability of the devices in ambient air and long operating conditions.Upon the 1000 hours stability test at ambient air(30%-60% RH),the cells preserved 92.9% of their initial efficiency on average under 1 Sun illumination at constant maximum power point tracking(MPPT,ISOS-L-1) and over 96% under sto rage in the dark(ISOS-D-1),thus evidencing for the high effectiveness of the proposed encapsulation approach.

Development of bimetallic spinel catalysts for low-temperature decomposition of ammonium dinitramide monopropellants

Ammonium dinitramide(ADN)based liquid monopropellants have been identified as environmentally benign substitutes for hydrazine monopropellant.However,new catalysts are to be developed for making ADN monopropellants cold-start capable.In the present study,performance of Co and Ba doped CuCr_2O_4 nanocatalysts prepared by hydrothermal method was evaluated on the decomposition of aqueous ADN solution and ADN liquid monopropellant(LMP103X).The catalysts were characterized by PXRD(Powder X-ray Diffraction),FTIR(Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy),SEM(Scanning Electron Microscopy),TEM(Transmission Electron Microscopy),EDS(Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy),and XPS(X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy).The nanosize was confirmed by SEM and TEM,while the nanoflake morphology was confirmed by the SEM analysis.Further,we obtained the elemental composition from the EDS analysis.We investigated the catalytic activity of the catalysts by thermogravimetric(TG)analysis and the developed catalysts lowered the decomposition temperature of ADN monopropellant by about 55℃.The XPS analysis confirmed the presence of metal ions with different chemical states.Apparently,increase in the surface area of the catalysts and the mixed active sites as well as the development of oxygen vacancy on the catalyst surface introduced by metal doping are influencing the decomposition temperature of ADN samples.

Comparative Study of Two Materials Combining a Standard Building Material with a PCM

Phase change materials(PCMs)have the ability to store thermal energy and make it available at a later stage to keep indoor temperature within a specific range and achieve better thermal comfort in buildings.This study focuses on the performances of materials obtained by combining a standard building material with a PCM.In particular,two different materials mixed with the same PCM are considered under the same climatic conditions.The related thermal behavior is assessed in the framework of numerical simulations conducted with ANSYS Fluent assuming parameters representative of a city located in Europe.The results show that the addition of PCM to concrete and bricks can improve the thermal inertia of the resulting material.