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Nanoparticle-enhanced phase change materials (NePCMs) are nanofluids that can be used for thermal energy storage when they undergo solid-liquid phase transitions. In this study, a Thermal Constants Analyzer (TPS) measured the thermal conductivity of eicosane-based NePCM samples using the transient plane source (TPS) method. Results showed that thermal conductivity of the solid composites increased with temperature, and eicosane-CuO samples that solidified in an ice-water bath had the lowest thermal conductivities, ...
The fatty acid stearic acid has been widely studied for its use in thermal energy storage applications as a phase change material (PCM). Stearic acid shows promise for this application because of its high volumetric storage density and its favorable thermal properties; however, two properties of stearic acid limit its use as a PCM: its low thermal conductivity and its propensity to leak liquid during the phase change process. This ...
The authors are part of a European project known as DISTOR which seeks to investigate new systems for storage of thermal energy in phase change materials (PCMs). Reported in the article is a detailed model of heat transfer and fluid flow for the prediction of those values for promising PCMs. Some assumptions are made in order to prepare a simplified model. A machine is used to measure the thermal conductivity ...
Sebacic acid (SA) can be absorbed into the pores of expanded graphite (EG) to form a SA/EG composite phase change material (PCM). There is no chemical interaction between the SA and EG, they are merely integrated. The optimal amount of SA was found to be 85 wt.% of the total mixture. The 85 wt.% composite had a phase change temperature of ~ 128°C, with a latent heat of ~ 187 J/g. The thermal ...
