Parametric research on thermal and optical properties of solid-solid phase change material packaged in glazing windows

In conventional glazing windows filled with phase change material (PCM), the type of PCM is usually chosen as a solid-liquid PCM, resulting the potential leakage problems in its implementation which hinder its engineering applications. Replacement of solid-liquid PCM with solid-solid PCM (SSPCM) in PCM glazing window is proven as an effective way. For the sake of providing guidance for the further development and preparation of the SSPCM adopted in glazing windows, a parametric study is conducted that focuses on the thermal performance of the SSPCM glazing window for various PCM thermal and optical properties, over 24 h in the rigorous cold weather of Anda City. A heat transfer model of the multilayer glazing window with SSPCM and silica aerogel integration is developed, and the obtained results show that both the melting temperature and latent heat of PCM have significant impacts on the thermal performance of the glazing window, while the absorption coefficient and refractive index have slight effects on. Additionally, the optimal melting temperature, latent heat, absorption index, and refractive index of SSPCM varying in the selected property ranges are found as 18 °C, 120 kJ/kg, 60 m−1, and 1.3, respectively.