Nanoparticle suspensions were prepared in two PCMs to determine the effect of the addition of nanoparticles on thermal conductivity and expediting freezing. The base PCMs used were cyclohexane and eicosane, and copper oxide nanoparticles were suspended in these hydrocarbons to produce nano-enhanced PCMs (nePCMs). The enhancement of thermal conductivity and expedited freezing were investigated by analytic, experimental, and numerical methods. The thermal conductivity in the liquid phase was significantly enhanced ...
Composite phase change materials were prepared using stearic acid, coffee grounds, and graphite. The coffee grounds were used as a supporting material for the stearic acid, and the graphite was added in an effort to enhance the thermal conductivity of the composite. The composites were characterized by SEM and FT-IR, the thermal conductivity was determined by the phase change temperature and latent heat were determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The ...
The incorporation of phase change materials (PCMs) into concrete bridge decks shows promise as a method of decreasing freeze/thaw cycling in bridge decks. The authors have conducted a study to determine the best carrier to be used for the incorporation of PCMs into concrete, as well as the effects of the incorporation of the carriers and PCMs on strength and thermal properties of mortars. Four different PCMs (PCM6, PT4, ...
The thermal and rheological properties of n-octadecane, a phase change material, with dispersed TiO2 nanoparticles were investigated at varying temperatures. The properties were investigated in both the solid and liquid phases, with varying mass fractions of TiO2 nanoparticles. The thermal conductivity was found to be enhanced in all of the composite samples when compared to the thermal conductivity of pure n-octadecane, and the maximum enhancement occurred at 3 wt. % TiO2 in ...
A composite phase change material (PCM) was formulated from commercial blended paraffin and a styrene-butadiene-styrene block. The thermo-physical properties of this composite PCM were then evaluated using the transient plane source method and differential scanning calorimetry. It was determined that there was a significant difference in the thermal conductivity of the PCM in the solid state when compared to that in the liquid state. The second part of this study ...
