Phase Change Matters

From Applied Energy:

• Form-stable and thermally induced flexible composite phase change material for thermal energy storage and thermal management applications
• Influence of the storage period between charge and discharge in a latent heat thermal energy storage system working under partial load operating conditions
• Dynamic building envelope with PCM for cooling purposes – Proof of concept

From Air Force Research Laboratory:

• High Energy Advanced Thermal Storage (HEATS) [pdf]

From Solar Energy:

• Synthesis and characterization of sensible thermal heat storage mixture containing phosphate compound of cobalt and sodium
• Thermal performance of non-ventilated multilayer glazing facades filled with phase change material

From Applied Thermal Engineering:

• Charging nanoparticle enhanced bio-based PCM in open cell metallic foams: An experimental investigation
• Thermal performance analysis and optimization of a spherical PCM capsule with pin-fins for cold storage
• A phase change material with enhanced thermal conductivity and secondary heat dissipation capability by introducing a binary thermal conductive skeleton for battery thermal management

From Materials:

• Characterization of MgCl2·6H2O-Based Eutectic/Expanded Perlite Composite Phase Change Material with Low Thermal Conductivity

From Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells:

• Size controlled lauric acid/silicon dioxide nanocapsules for thermal energy storage

From Energy Procedia:

• Life Cycle Assessment of thermal energy storage materials and components

From MATEC Web of Conferences:

• A Numerical Method for Analysing Heat Conduction in Composites Containing Encapsulated Phase Change Materials [pdf]

From Journal of Cleaner Production:

• Autonomous greenhouse microclimate through hydroponic design and refurbished thermal energy by phase change material

From Journal of Energy Storage:

• Development of heat accumulation unit based on heterogeneous structure of MF/PCM for cogeneration units

From Textile Research Journal:

• Preparation and evaluation of thermo-regulating bamboo fabric treated by microencapsulated phase change materials

From International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology:

• Development of thermo-regulating fabrics using PCM microcapsules with poly(methyl methacrylate-co-2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate) shell and n-alkane core

From Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering International Congress:

• Preparation and Properties of Nanoparticle-enhanced Composite Phase Change Material with Ceramic Porous Media

From Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells:

• A comprehensive review on phase change material emulsions: Fabrication, characteristics, and heat transfer performance

From 59th Conference on Simulation and Modelling:

• Convective Melting Modeling Approach for Phase Change Materials with Variable Boundary Heating

From Energy Conversion and Management:

• Simultaneous energy storage and recovery in the triplex-tube heat exchanger with PCM, copper fins and Al2O3 nanoparticles

From International Journal of Energy Research:

• Operation strategies guideline for packed bed thermal energy storage systems [pdf]

From Journal of Molecular Liquids:

• Solidification process of hybrid nano-enhanced phase change material in a LHTESS with tree-like branching fin in the presence of thermal radiation

From Energy:

• Experiment study on thermal performance of building integrated with double layers shape-stabilized phase change material wallboard

U.S. patent application 20180340738 (applicant Alliance for Sustainable Energy LLC, Golden, Colo.):

"Disclosed herein are multi-circuit thermal energy storage (TES) systems connected in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. The two circuits (a refrigeration circuit and a secondary fluid circuit) are designed to work together, but they might contain separate units. In certain configurations, the TES system may use a phase change composite (PCC) with high thermal conductivity, which allows for efficient heat transfer within the PCC. Thus, the PCC itself may be used as the heat transfer media between a refrigerant and a secondary fluid, allowing the refrigerant/secondary fluid heat exchanger in typical configurations of HVAC systems to be removed."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20180340738.pdf

From Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry:

• Synthesis and characterization of the n-butyl palmitate as an organic phase change material

From Renewable Energy:

• Encapsulation of high-temperature inorganic phase change materials using graphite as heat transfer enhancer

From Synthesis, Technology and Applications of Carbon Nanomaterials:

• Activated Carbon for Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Material

From Applied Energy:

• Thermal conductivity enhancement of phase change materials with 3D porous diamond foam for thermal energy storage

From Energy and Technology Journal:

• Enhancement of Thermal Storage Properties of Phase Change Material by Using Metallic Swarf [pdf]

From ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering:

• Fabrication and Characterization of Flame-Retardant Nanoencapsulated n-Octadecane with Melamine–Formaldehyde Shell for Thermal Energy Storage

From Energy Storage Materials:

• Polyurethane-Based Flexible and Conductive Phase Change Composites for Energy Conversion and Storage

U.S. patent application 20180298261 (applicant AllCell Technologies, Chicago, Ill.):

"A thermal management composite, comprising a phase change material within a carbon or graphite matrix. The matrix is coated with a polymer coating to improve flexibility. The matrix can be a molded carbon or graphite material or a carbon or graphite cloth."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20180298261.pdf

From Applied Thermal Engineering:

• Experiments on comparative performance of water thermocline storage tank with and without encapsulated paraffin wax packed bed
• Experimental study and performance prediction of the PCM-antifreeze solar thermal system under cold weather conditions
• Improving System Performance of a Personal Conditioning System integrated with Thermal Storage

From Energy:

• A methodological concept for phase change material selection based on multi-criteria decision making (MCDM): A case study

From Journal of Energy Storage:

• Experimental analysis of solar fish dryer using phase change material

From International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer:

• Experimental investigation on thermal performance of phase change material coupled with three-dimensional oscillating heat pipe (PCM/3D-OHP) for thermal management application

From Sustainable Cities and Society:

• Experimental investigation on melting and solidification behaviour of erythritol in a vertical double spiral coil thermal energy storage system

From Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry:

• Investigation of energy and exergy performance on a small-scale refrigeration system with PCMs inserted between coil and wall of the evaporator cabin

From Journal of Applied Physics:

• Optimizing the design of composite phase change materials for high thermal power density

From Energy Procedia:

• The technical and economic feasibility of utilizing phase change materials for thermal storage in district heating networks

• The Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability in Darmstadt, Germany, has developed a traction battery that can use thermal energy as a heat source in electric vehicles. A new type of fiber-reinforced composite sandwich housing protects the battery from temperature fluctuations. The phase change material composite system is designed to precondition the battery at low outside temperatures and reduce heat generation during rapid charging. The system was developed as part of the European Union's Optimized Energy Management and Use project. "We've developed material, structural and process technologies that can guarantee drivers a more reliable and uniform range for their battery-powered vehicles," said Felix Weidmann, project manager at Fraunhofer LBF.

• Airec AB of Sweden has joined the EU Horizon 2020 project SWS-Heating. The project's goal is to develop seasonal thermal storage of solar energy. The energy will be stored in phase change materials. Airec will develop heat exchangers for the project. 

• A process for extracting a biodegradable polymer from crustaceans is among the winners of this year's Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. The awards were formerly known as the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. The American Chemical Society’s Green Chemistry Institute has collaborated with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to manage the awards since their inception in 1995. The EPA dropped out this year, citing long-term certainty about the program’s financial situation.  

• Ember Technologies' temperature-control mugs are now available in Apple stores and on apple.com. The travel version right, uses phase change material to bring hot beverages down to a drinkable temperature. Earlier this year, Nordstrom began selling the mugs online and in Nordstrom popup stores.

• Capstone Turbine Corp. and Argonne National Laboratory have received funding from U.S. Department of Energy to refine Argonne’s high-efficiency, fast-charging and fast-discharging thermal energy storage system for use in combined heat and power systems. The system, originally developed for use in concentrated solar power applications, will use phase change material to capture waste heat from industrial manufacturing processes. The goal is to integrate Argonne's technology into a Capstone C200 CHP system.

• New from Persistence Market Research: "Global Market Study on Salt Hydrate: Pharmaceutical Industry to Remain Dominant Consumer Through 2026"

• New from QY Research: "Global Thermal Energy Storage Market Size, Status And Forecast 2025"

• New from Maia Research: "Inorganic PCMs Market Analysis, Market Size, Application, Analysis, Regional Outlook, Competitive Strategies And Forecasts, 2018 -2025"

• At the World Energy Engineering Congress in Charlotte, N.C., this week, Mark Richards of Phase Change Energy Solutions reports that the company demonstrated "a mini PhaseStor tank in action with 1/2 ton chiller and small heater (system hand made by Scott Queen) to charge and discharge the tank and includes on board DAQ system to show tank thermal performance." Richards presented at a panel discussion Friday, "Justifying HVAC Energy Savings in Buildings Using Phase Change Materials - A Debate with a Skeptical Engineer." Also presenting were Guy Frankenfield, energy division manager at DN Tanks Inc. ("Thermal Energy Storage - Uncovering the Value of Ice and Chilled Water TES Systems") and Ice Energy CEO Mike Hopkins ("Thermal Energy Storage in Package Units? Yes, it is Here").

From Materials:

• Thermal Energy Storage and Mechanical Performance of Crude Glycerol Polyurethane Composite Foams Containing Phase Change Materials and Expandable Graphite

From International Journal of Energy Research:

• Review on heat transfer analysis in thermal energy storage using latent heat storage systems and phase change materials

From International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer:

• Recent developments in phase change materials for energy storage applications: A review

From Energy Conversion and Management:

• Integrated power generation cycle (Kalina cycle) with auxiliary heater and PCM energy storage

From Minerals:

• Mullite Stabilized Palmitic Acid as Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage

From Applied Thermal Engineering:

• Microencapsulated phase change material (MEPCM) saturated in metal foam as an efficient hybrid PCM for passive thermal management: A numerical and experimental study
• Inverse method to estimate air flow rate during free cooling using PCM-air heat exchanger

U.S. patent application 20180277910 (applicant Regents of the University of California, Oakland, Calif.):

"A composite thermal interface material and methods are shown. Devices such as lithium ion batteries incorporating composite thermal interface materials show significant improvement in cooling performance. In one example, composite thermal interface materials shown provide cooling through both a phase change mechanism, and a heat conducting mechanism which directs heat away from the device to be cooled, such as electrochemical cells in a battery, to an external housing and/or a coupled heat exchange device such as radiating fins."

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20180277910.pdf

From Journal of Applied Physics:

• Impact of doping on bonding energy hierarchy and melting of phase change materials

From International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer:

• Two zone model for mushy region of solid–liquid phase change based on Lattice Boltzmann method

From Applied Sciences:

• Synthesis and Investigation of Thermal Properties of Highly Pure Carboxylic Fatty Esters to Be Used as PCM

From Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells:

• Fabrication of novel slurry containing graphene oxide-modified microencapsulated phase change material for direct absorption solar collector

From Buildings:

• Potential of Thermal Energy Storage Using Coconut Oil for Air Temperature Control

From International Journal for Research in Engineering Application and Management:

• Development of Phase Change Material/ Cooling Plate Coupled Battery Thermal Management System Using CFD

From Applied Thermal Engineering:

• A novel graphite-PCM composite sphere with enhanced thermo-physical properties

From Journal of Cleaner Production:

• Building-integrated solar thermal system with/without phase change material: Life cycle assessment based on ReCiPe, USEtox and Ecological footprint

From Thermal Science and Engineering Progress:

• Role of metallic foam in heat storage in the presence of nanofluid and microencapsulated phase change material

From International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer:

• Heat and flow analysis of a water droplet on hydrophobic and hydrophilic phase change material