Collaborative Research: Multifunctional Structural Panel for Energy Efficiency and Multi-Hazards Mitigation

在美国，建筑部门约占一次能源消耗和二氧化碳排放的40%，建造更轻的结构会带来更高的灵活性，从而增加风引起的振动，这可能会造成不适和频繁的无法操作。研究能够提高能源效率和保持适用性的替代结构技术至关重要。本研究将传统的结构承重板重新考虑为多功能构件，以产生多重效益：(1)显著提高建筑的能效；(2)实现可再生能源的高效利用；(3)为电网提供运行备用的辅助服务；(4)将现场可再生发电(如太阳能和风能)与储能相匹配；(5)减轻自然灾害，确保适用性。具有环保意识和弹性的建筑对社会的潜在影响是巨大的。教育和外展计划将包括：(1)通过开发教学单元和专题讲座，将研究整合到本科课堂中；(2)就建筑能源主题对高中生和教师进行教育，并通过让本科生直接参与研究项目来进行教学和培训；(3)通过利用两个研究机构的资源，扩大代表不足群体的参与。基础知识的进步将有助于创建多功能面板：(1)研究如何在不大幅改变结构强度的情况下将相变材料(PCM)集成到建筑材料(混凝土)中；(2)研究将相变材料与结构面板内的毛细系统相结合以显著增强储能和减震能力的协同作用；(3)研究集成多功能面板以消除管网和热传输终端的影响，支持高渗透率的可再生能源电网系统，并通过惯性消散振动。研究任务将围绕三个假设展开。(1)利用低成本、高导热的中空飞灰颗粒，通过微胶囊化将相变材料集成到混凝土中，在不影响强度的情况下提高储能能力。(2)将相变材料和毛细管系统组合成混凝土结构板，通过放大相变材料的储能效率，直接利用地下水等低品位能源来平衡供需，可以显著提高混凝土结构板的能量性能。(3)嵌入在结构面板中的毛细系统可以通过一系列受控阀门来提供针对大挠度和振动的减振能力。

The building sector in the United States is responsible for approximately 40 percent of the primary energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission, and the construction of lighter structures results in higher flexibility, thereby increasing wind-induced vibrations, which may create discomfort and frequent inoperability. It is critical to investigate alternative structural technologies capable of improving energy efficiency and maintaining serviceability. This study re-thinks conventional structural load bearing panels into multifunctional components to generate multiple benefits: (1) significantly increasing the energy efficiency of the building; (2) enabling high efficiency use of the renewable energy; (3) providing ancillary services of operation reserve to the power grid; (4) paring onsite renewable generation (e.g., solar and wind) with energy storage; (5) mitigating natural hazards to ensure serviceability. The potential societal impacts of the environmental-conscious and resilient building are substantial. The education and outreach plan will consist of: (1) integrating research within the undergraduate classrooms through the development of teaching modules and special topics lectures; (2) educating high school students and teachers on the topic of building energy, and teaching and training undergraduate students by directly involving them in the research project; and (3) broadening the participation of under-represented groups by leveraging resources at both research institutions. Advances in fundamental knowledge will enable to create a multifunctional panel: (1) investigating how Phase Change Materials (PCMs) can be integrated into construction materials (concrete) without significantly altering structural strength; (2) investigating the synergy of combining PCM and a capillary system within a structural panel to significantly enhance energy storage and vibration mitigation capabilities; (3) studying the integration of the multifunctional panel to eliminate ductwork and heat transfer terminals, support a power grid system with high penetrations of as-available renewable energy sources, and dissipate vibrations through inertia. Research tasks will be centered around three hypotheses. (1) PCMs can be integrated into concrete through microencapsulation using low-cost and highly thermal-conductive hollow fly ash particles to enhance the thermal energy storage capacity without significant adverse effect on strength. (2) The synergy of combining PCM and a capillary system into a concrete structural panel can significantly enhance the energy performance by amplifying the efficiency of the energy storage of PCM and directly using low-grade energy, such as ground water, to balance supply and demand. (3) A capillary system embedded in a structural panel can be leveraged through a series of controlled valves to provide vibration mitigation capabilities versus large deflections and vibrations.