Abstract Phase-change materials (PCMs) offer tremendous potential to store thermal energy during reversible phase transitions for state-of-the-art applications. are
Her research interests mainly focus on the synthesis and applications of flexible phase change materials for thermal energy storage and conversion. Ge Wang received her Ph.D. in
In a previous blog post I described some problems I encountered when beginning my instruction on energy this year. From the misconceptions fostered by the biology textbooks using the phrase "high-energy phosphate
Phase change material (PCM)-based thermal energy storage significantly affects emerging applications, with recent advancements in enhancing heat capacity and cooling power. This perspective by Yang et al.
Phase change materials (PCMs) having a large latent heat during solid-liquid phase transition are promising for thermal energy storage applications. However, the relatively low thermal conductivity of the majority of promising PCMs (<10 W/ (m ⋅ K)) limits the power density and overall storage efficiency.
Phase change materials absorb thermal energy as they melt, holding that energy until the material is again solidified. Better understanding the liquid state physics of this type of thermal storage may help accelerate technology development for the energy sector.
The phase change material must retain its properties over many cycles, without chemicals falling out of solution or corrosion harming the material or its enclosure over time. Much research into phase change energy storage is centered around refining solutions and using additives and other techniques to engineer around these basic challenges.
Unlike batteries or capacitors, phase change materials don’t store energy as electricity, but heat. This is done by using the unique physical properties of phase changes – in the case of a material transitioning between solid and liquid phases, or liquid and gas. When heat energy is applied to a material, such as water, the temperature increases.
The most common way this is done is with large batteries, however, it’s not the only game in town. Phase change materials are proving to be a useful tool to store excess energy and recover it later – storing energy not as electricity, but as heat. Let’s take a look at how the technology works, and some of its most useful applications.
A wide variety of materials have been studied for heat storage through the phase change effect. Paraffin wax is perhaps one of the most commonly studied, thanks to its phase change occuring in a useful temperature range. However, its low thermal conductivity limits the rate at which energy can be exchanged, hampering performance.
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