PhaseChangingMaterialinSolarThermalEnergyStorageTiffanyWuEnergyTechnologyandPolicyUniversityofTexasatAustin()ContentsIntroductionBenefitsandDrawbacksofPCMPCMOptionsEncapsulationIncreasingThermalConductivityConclusionIntroductionMostsystemshaveadisconnectbetweensupplyanddemandIntermittentsolarenergysupplycanbemaximizedwithaheatstoragesystemThermalenergycanbestoredbothassensibleandlatentheatContinuedeffortstofindaphasechangingmaterialiscurrentlyunderway(Fath,1998;Kousksou,2007;Pasupathy,2008)BenefitsandDrawbacksofPCMBenefits:HigherstoragedensitythansensibleheatSmallervolumeSmallertemperaturechangebetweenstoringandreleasingenergyDrawbacks:HighcostCorrosivenessDensitychangeLowthermalconductivityPhaseseparationIncongruentmeltingSupercooling(Pasupathy,2008)PCMOptions(Pasupathy,2008)PCMOptionsInorganicGlauber’ssalt,calciumchloridehexahydrate,sodiumthiosulfatepenthydrate,sodiumcarbonatedecahydrateBenefits:LowcostandreadilyavailableHighvolumetricstoragedensityRelativelyhighthermalconductivityDrawbacks:CorrosiveDecompositionIncongruentmeltingSupercooling(Pasupathy,2008;Farid,2004)PCMOptionsOrganicParaffinwaxesandfattyacidsBenefits:MeltscongruentlyChemicallyandphysicallystableHighheatoffusionDrawbacks:MoreexpensiveandflammableLowthermalconductivityinsolidstateLowerheatstoragecapacitypervolume(Pasupathy,2008;Farid,2004)PCMOptionsEncapsulationPreventsreactivitytowardsenvironmentCompatiblewithstainlesssteel,polypropylene,andpolyolefinControlsvolumeasphaseschangePreventslargedropsinheattransferrates(Farid,2004)(Kenisarin,2007)IncreasingThermalConductivityMetallicfillersMetalmatrixstructuresFinnedtubesAluminumfillingwithVSP25andVSP50PCM-GraphiteMatrix(Farid,2004;Kenisarin,2007)FinnedTubes(Kenisarin,2007)TheVSP25fillingprovidedthehighestthermalconductivityof1W/(mK),whichisaboutsixtimesthatofpureparaffinTotalsolidificationtimeofPCMisshorterwithfinsandlessingrings,butthetotalquantityofstoredheatisslightlysmallerConclusionThermalenergystorageisimperativetomakesolarenergymorereliableandcompetitiveFurtherresearchinphasechangingmaterialcanimprovetheefficiencyofenergystorageDesignofthesystemisalsoimportantinoptimizingenergystorageReferencesAghbalou,F.,F.Badia,andJ.Illa.“ExergeticOptimizationofSolarCollectorandThermalEnergyStorageSystem.”InternationalJournalofHeatandMassTransfer49.7-8(Apr.2006):1255-1263.ScienceDirect.Elsevier.16Nov.2007Badescu,Viorel.“ModelofaThermalEnergyStorageDeviceIntegratedintoaSolarAssistedHeatPumpSystemforSpaceHeating.”EnergyConversionandManagement44.10(June2003):1589-1604.ScienceDirect.Elsevier.16Nov.2007Denholm,Paul,andRobertM.Margolis.“EvaluatingtheLimitsofSolarPhotovoltaics(PVs)inElectricPowerSystemsUtilizingEnergyStorageandOtherEnablingTechnologies.”EnergyPolicy35.9(Sept.2007):4424-4433.ScienceDirect.Elsevier.16Nov.2007Farid,MohammedM.,etal.“AReviewonPhaseChangeEnergyStorage:MaterialsandApplications.”EnergyConversionandManagement45.9-19(June2004):1597-1615.ScienceDirect.Elsevier.17Nov.2007Fath,HassanE.S.“TechnicalAssessmentofSolarThermalEnergyStorageTechnologies.”RenewableEnergy13.1-4(Summer1998):35-40.ScienceDirect.Elsevier.17Nov.2007Kenisarin,Murat,andKhamidMahkamov.“SolarEnergyStorageUsingPhaseChangeMaterials.”RenewableandSustainableEnergyReviews11.9(Dec.2007):1913-1965.ScienceDirect.Elsevier.17Nov.2007Koca,Ahmet,etal.“EnergyandExergyAnalysisofaLatentHeatStorageSystemwithPhaseChangeMaterialforaSolarCollector.”RenewableEnergy(May2007):1-8.ScienceDirect.Elsevier.16Nov.2007Kousksou,T.,etal.“SecondLawAnalysisofLatentThermalStorageforSolarSystem.”SolarEnergyMaterialsandSolarCells91.14(Sept.2007):1275-1281.ScienceDirect.Elsevier.19Nov.2007Pasupathy,A.,R.Velraj,andR.V.Seeniraj.“PhaseChangeMaterial-basedBuildingArchitectureforThermalManagementinResidentialandCommercialEstablisments.”Renewable&SustainableEnergyReviews12.1(Jan.2008):39-64.ScienceDirect.Elsevier.18Nov.2007Regin,A.Felix,S.C.Solanki,andJ.S.Saini.“HeatTransferCharacteristicsofThermalEnergyStorageSystemUsingPCMCapsules:AReview.”RenewableandSustainableEnergyReviews(Aug.2007):1-14.ScienceDirect.Elsevier.20Nov.2007CoolingofheatandelectricalenginesCooling:useofoff-peakratesCooling:food,wine,milkproducts(absorbingpeaksindemand),greenhousesHeatingandhotwater:usingoff-peakratesMedicalapplications:transportationofblood,operatingtables,hot–coldtherapiesPassivestorageinbio-climaticbuilding/architecture(HDPE,paraffin)Safety:temperaturelevelmaintenanceinroomswithcomputersorelectrical/electronicappliancesSmoothin