The　transient　heat　transfer　characteristics　of　a　new　kind　of　combined　multilayer　thermal　insulation　material　(MTIM)　were　numerically　investigated　in　this　paper.　This　new　kind　of　multilayer　thermal　insulation　is　composed　by　silica　aerogel　and　alumina　aerogel　doping　with　erythritol　and　stearic　acid　phase　change　materials.　Finite　Volume　method　combined　with　Enthalpy　method　as　well　as　the　Discrete　Ordinate　method　is　used　to　consider　the　combined　conduction　and　radiation　heat　transfer　with　phase　change　problems.　Based　on　the　constructed　numerical　model,　the　transient　heat　transfer　characteristics　of　the　MTIM　with　two　kinds　of　different　arrangements　were　calculated　and　analyzed　in　detail.　The　results　indicated　that:　(1)　putting　the　PCMs　at　the　bottom　of　the　MTIM　fails　to　enhance　the　thermal　insulation.　performance　of　the　MTIM;　(2)　in　contrast,　putting　the　PCMs　at　the　middle　of　the　MTIM　can　enhance　the　thermal　insulation　performance　of　the　MTIM　successfully;　(3)　there　is　an　optimum　doping　content　of　the　PCMs　that　can　lead　to　the　lowest　of　the　temperature　of　the　MTIM　which　makes　the　thermal　insulation　performance　of　the　MTIM　to　be　the　best.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.