Phase Change Matters

Luisa Cabeza and Mohammed Farid, two internationally renowned authorities on phase change materials and thermal energy storage, have joined Entropy Solutions’ advisory board.

Dr. Cabeza, a professor at the University of Lleida, Spain, is the director of GREA Innovació Concurrent, a research group that is developing thermal energy storage concepts and systems for solar water tanks, HVAC systems, industrial applications and concentrated solar power plants. She has co-written more than 100 papers and published several books on phase change material and thermal energy storage.

Here's the last in our series highlighting PCM-related gift ideas this holiday season:

Isaora’s Phase Change Insulated Shirt comes in black and navy. A layer of PCM microcapsules lies beneath an ultralight nylon shell. The PCMs absorb body heat when the wearer is too warm and release it when the wearer is too cold. 

http://www.isaora.com/pages/the-pcm-insulated-shirt

The Lava Lunch box, right, can keep your food hot for up to five hours, depending on ambient temperatures. The secret: PCM-infused, microwaveable Lava Rocks engineered to maintain temperatures between 120 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

http://www.amazon.com/Lava-Lunch-Heated-keeps-Lemon-Lime/dp/B00GSJFB5G

Chillin' Brew cooler packs use phase change material to keep beer at “beer cave” temperature of 28F much longer than the same volume of ice.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Arctic-Ice-Chillin-Brew-Extra-Large-Cooler-Pack-28-3F-Degree-1211/205125071?N=5yc1vZc452Z1z0u6es

• Mortars with Phase Change Materials - Part I: Physical and Mechanical Characterization [Key Engineering Materials]
  
  
• Mortars with Phase Change Materials - Part II: Durability Evaluation [Key Engineering Materials]
  
  
• Three-Dimensional Simulation On The Thermal Performance Of A Novel Trombe Wall With Venetian Blind Structure [Energy and Buildings]
  
  
• Super-Cooling Suppression of Microencapsulated PCM [Advanced Materials Research]

The Edge, Deloitte’s new headquarters in Amsterdam, has won BREEAM certification as the world’s most-sustainable building.

Here are a few more PCM-related gift ideas:

High-tech clothier Ministry of Supply offers PCM-infused dress shirts, sweaters and even a scarf. It's the same technology used in spacesuits to regulate an astronaut's body temperature: Phase change material absorbs heat when the wearer is overheated, then releases it when the wearer is cold.

http://ministryofsupply.com/collections/shop

This one would be difficult to gift-wrap and wouldn't fit under most trees. But it looks pretty comfy. The memory foam in Serta's iComfort mattress -- or "Sleep System," as the manufacturer calls it -- is blended with gel beads that contain phase change material.

http://www.dealbeds.com/serta-icomfort-insight-everfeel-mattress

The Chilly Dog® Cool Vest is designed for use by police and military dogs. But any dog out for a walk on a hot humid day deserves to chill out. 

http://store.coolvest.com/rpcm-chillydog-dog-cooling-vest-black 

Thermophysical and Mechanical Properties of Hardened Cement Paste with Microencapsulated Phase Change Materials for Energy Storage [Materials]

Thermal Performance Evaluation of Two Thermal Energy Storage Tank Design Concepts for Use with a Solid Particle Receiver-Based Solar Power Tower [Energies]

Experimental study on solving the blocking for the direct contact mobilized thermal energy storage container [Applied Thermal Engineering]

Thermal conductivity enhancement of lauric acid phase change nanocomposite in solid and liquid state with single-walled carbon nanohorn inclusions [Thermochimica Acta] 

http://www.ebolagrandchallenge.net/news/2014/12/12/united-states-announces-results-of-grand-challenge-to-fight-ebola

http://www.process-worldwide.com/engineering_construction/operational_excellence/operational_excellence/articles/470050

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/advanced-phase-change-material-pcm-market-1087.html

http://www.esmagazine.com/articles/96914-ashrae-announces-technology-award-winners