Parametric Analysis of a Passive Energy Management Through Increased Thermal Capacitance

This paper evaluates the influence of several parameters on the potential of using increased thermal capacitance (ITC) as a passive energy management technique to decrease a building’s cooling load. ITC is implemented by circulating water from a storage tank through a piping system located in the building’s ceiling. The cooling load of the ITC enhanced building is compared to the cooling load of a reference building without ITC. TRNSYS, a transient system simulation software, is used to simulate both the ITC enhanced building and the reference building. The following parameters that affect the performance of the ITC are analyzed: tank size, specific heat, mass flow rate, initial temperature of the working fluid, pipe material and wall thickness, and location of the piping system in the ceiling. These parameters are also modified to achieve the best results for each of the climate conditions investigated. The simulations demonstrate that ITC has the potential to reduce the overall cooling load in a range between 4% to 8%, depending on the location and the month of the year.