2024 - MELTING BARRIERS

MELTING BARRIERS

A project that passively enhances interior comfort by regulating temperature fluctuations between day and night while creating a sensational, one of a kind illuminated environment that sparks the “light of tomorrow”.

The project’s name, MELTING BARRIERS, carries a dual significance. Literally, it refers to the perpetual melting cycle of soybean wax – a bio-phase changing material that transforms its state of matter, continually demonstrating the principles of energy conservation and material resilience. Metaphorically, it conveys the concept of unity between humans and nature. It highlights the immense power of light in fostering this connection and improving life on Earth through sustainable practices and deeper appreciation for the natural world.

BACKGROUND
The Thar Desert in Rajasthan, India, experiences a striking daily profile marked by extreme temperature fluctuations. The sun-drenched days are scorching, with temperatures often soaring up to 45°C, creating an arid and harsh environment. As the sun sets and darkness falls, the desert undergoes a rapid cooling process, leading to cold and chilly nights, occasionally reaching below 0°C temperatures. This phenomenon causes significant disruption for local residents who endure heat waves during the daytime and then face even greater challenges at night when temperatures plummet, making it difficult to rest and sleep. This issue is anticipated to intensify due to the ongoing global warming that affects our planet.

The local community employs several strategies to combat these extreme temperature fluctuations. One of the most common methods involves covering wall gaps or windows with residual materials such as plastic sheets to block sunlight in a try to reduce heat exposure inside the homes during the day. Although this practice helps to shortly retain warmth inside during the night, it is highly inefficient as it only slightly mitigates the effects of the dramatic temperature drop. Another commonly used but highly unsustainable method involves burning scrap to maintain warm temperatures. However, besides being harmful for the environment, this practice also poses significant dangers to individuals in vicinity.

Can soybean wax, a bio-phase changing material (bPCM), be employed as a passive thermal regulator in such arid regions while also enhancing interior lighting conditions?

PROJECT IDEA
Melting Barriers is a project designed to address extreme temperature fluctuations by using locally sourced soybean wax as the main component. It focuses both on functionality and sustainability by generating a symbiosis between this innovative material and the natural properties of light.
This type of wax has phase-changing properties, transitioning from solid to liquid when heated and vice versa when cooled. During such phase change, it absorbs a significant amount of energy in the form of latent heat. Conversely, when the material cools and solidifies, it gradually releases the stored heat. This characteristic makes it an ideal solution for combating such drastic temperature swings faced by the communities of the Thar Desert and other extreme regions worldwide while also ensuring ecological sustainability.

IMPLEMENTATION
Since pure soybean wax typically has a melting point of around 60°C, it was necessary to undertake an open-minded and experimental approach to lower its melting point and make it suitable for different atmospheric temperatures. Through extensive scientific research and practical testing, a new aggregate was developed by mixing soybean wax with various biological components, primarily soybean oil. This process allowed for precise control over the melting points, resulting in an aggregate that could adapt to various environmental conditions. The innovative approach not only expanded the application range of soybean wax but also paved the way for more sustainable and versatile solutions in thermal regulation across diverse climates and settings.

OUTCOMES
The testing was conducted at night, utilizing the panels which had been passively charged through sunlight exposure during the day. The experiments were carried out using a small insulated box. The results indicated a difference of 8°C to 9°C in interior temperature compared to traditional insulative materials such as fiberglass insulation. These promising results brought hope and motivation to push the boundaries of harnessing the synergy between this sustainable material and the natural properties of sunlight.

The social and psychological impact of light on people and their well-being is an equally important outcome of the project. As the sun rises, the material begins to melt, creating an “caustics-like” aesthetic effect within the interior. Due to the unpredictable nature of the melting process, each cycle produces a different lighting environment. This setting enhances comfort, creates a sense of relaxation and manifests the social dimension of using light within indoor spaces.
In the “light of tomorrow”, using such innovative materials and supporting projects like MELTING BARRIERS can combine functionality, sustainability and aesthetics to build a healthier and more resilient planet Earth.