Design of inorganic phase change energy storage materials

How can phase change materials help a low carbon/green campaign?

Reutilization of thermal energy according to building demands constitutes an important step in a low carbon/green campaign. Phase change materials (PCMs) can address these problems related to the energy and environment through thermal energy storage (TES), where they can considerably enhance energy efficiency and sustainability.

Are inorganic phase change materials suitable for building integration?

Summary and conclusions In this review work, inorganic phase change materials (iPCMs) have been discussed with their properties and key performance indicators for building integration. The selection of these iPCMs mainly depends on thermophysical properties, mechanical properties soundness during phase transition and compatibility.

What are inorganic phase change materials?

Inorganic phase change materials The family of iPCMs generally includes the salts, salt hydrates and metallics.

Are inorganic PCMs a good choice for a latent heat storage system?

One of the challenges for latent heat storage systems is the proper selection of the phase change materials (PCMs) for the targeted applications. As compared to organic PCMs, inorganic PCMs have some drawbacks, such as corrosion potential and phase separation; however, there are available techniques to overcome or minimize these drawbacks.

Are inorganic PCMs a good choice for thermal energy storage?

Heat transfer enhancement Although pure inorganic PCMs possesses relatively higher thermal conductivity (up to about 1 W/m-K) than the pure organic PCMs, the thermal conductivity is still unacceptably low and this is one of the main drawbacks of their applications in many thermal energy storage systems.

What are the different methods of storing energy?

Different methods of storing energy are available including: electrical, mechanical, chemical, and thermal energy storage (TES). Thermal heat energy storage is associated with the solar thermal energy. It is divided for non-reactive materials into sensible energy storage (SHS) and latent heat energy storage (LHS) as illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 1.