Towards Zero - Energy Commercial Offices by Utilizing Phase-Change Energy Storage Heat Exchanger to Replace Conventional Air Conditioning System

In most part of the world, building sector is the main contributor for the rising energy demand and most of the energy are used in Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. Thus, new technologies of HVAC are given attention. In this paper, it is proposed that conventional air conditioning system is replaced with phase-change energy storage heat exchanger. This paper will discuss the effect of phase-change energy storage heat exchanger cooling system in hot climate. A model of flat plat heat exchanger embedded with phase change materials is developed and ANSYS Fluent is used to simulate the melting of phase change material and the outlet temperature the heat exchanger. An office space model with multiple heat sources is developed and thermal comfort provided by heat exchanger is investigated using Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD). The temperature contour of the simulation is analyzed to determine whether the heat exchanger can provide the thermal comfort (20 – 25 ˚C).