Phase Change Materials

"Phase Change Materials: Science and Applications" provides a unique introduction of this rapidly developing field. Clearly written and well-structured, this volume describes the material science of these fascinating materials from a theoretical and experimental perspective. Readers will find an in-depth description of their existing and potential applications in optical and solid state storage devices as well as reconfigurable logic applications. Researchers, graduate students and scientists with an interest in this field will find "Phase Change Materials" to be a valuable reference.

This book presents a comprehensive introduction to the use of solid‐liquid phase change materials to store significant amounts of energy in the latent heat of fusion. The proper selection of materials for different applications is covered in detail, as is the use of high conductivity additives to enhance thermal diffusivity. Dr. Fleischer explores how applications of PCMS have expanded over the past 10 years to include the development of high efficiency building materials to reduce heating and cooling needs, smart material design for clothing, portable electronic systems thermal management, solar thermal power plant design and many others. Additional future research directions and challenges are also discussed.

This short book provides an update on various methods for incorporating phase changing materials (PCMs) into building structures. It discusses previous research into optimizing the integration of PCMs into surrounding walls (gypsum board and interior plaster products), trombe walls, ceramic floor tiles, concrete elements (walls and pavements), windows, concrete and brick masonry, underfloor heating, ceilings, thermal insulation and furniture an indoor appliances. Based on the phase change state, PCMs fall into three groups: solid–solid PCMs, solid–liquid PCMs and liquid–gas PCMs. Of these the solid–liquid PCMs, which include organic PCMs, inorganic PCMs and eutectics, are suitable for thermal energy storage. The process of selecting an appropriate PCM is extremely complex, but crucial for thermal energy storage. The potential PCM should have a suitable melting temperature, and the desirable heat of fusion and thermal conductivity specified by the practical application. Thus, the methods of measuring the thermal properties of PCMs are key. With suitable PCMs and the correct incorporation method, latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) can be economically efficient for heating and cooling buildings. However, several problems need to be tackled before LHTES can reliably and practically be applied.

Today, the application of phase change materials (PCMs) has developed in different industries, including the solar cooling and solar power plants, photovoltaic electricity systems, the space industry, waste heat recovery systems, preservation of food and pharmaceutical products, and domestic hot water. PCMs use the principle of latent heat thermal storage to absorb energy in large quantities when there is a surplus and release it when there is a deficit. This promising technology has already been successfully implemented in many construction projects. The aim of this book is to assist the scientists and to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the properties that characterize the phase change materials from theoretical and experimental perspectives with a focus on their technological applications. The present status and future perspectives of phase change material are discussed.

High-Temperature Thermal Storage Systems Using Phase Change Materials offers an overview of several high-temperature phase change material (PCM) thermal storage systems concepts, developed by several well-known global institutions with increasing interest in high temperature PCM applications such as solar cooling, waste heat and concentrated solar power (CSP). The book is uniquely arranged by concepts rather than categories, and includes advanced topics such as thermal storage material packaging, arrangement of flow bed, analysis of flow and heat transfer in the flow bed, energy storage analysis, storage volume sizing and applications in different temperature ranges. By comparing the varying approaches and results of different research centers and offering state-of-the-art concepts, the authors share new and advanced knowledge from researchers all over the world. This reference will be useful for researchers and academia interested in the concepts and applications and different techniques involved in high temperature PCM thermal storage systems. Offers coverage of several high temperature PCM thermal storage systems concepts developed by several leading research institutions Provides new and advanced knowledge from researchers all over the world Includes a base of material properties throughout

This book focuses on latent heat storage, which is one of the most efficient ways of storing thermal energy. Unlike the sensible heat storage method, the latent heat storage method provides much higher storage density with a smaller difference between storing and releasing temperatures. Thermal Energy Storage with Phase Change Materials is structured into four chapters that cover many aspects of thermal energy storage and their practical applications. Chapter 1 reviews selection, performance, and applications of phase change materials. Chapter 2 investigates mathematical analyses of phase change processes. Chapters 3 and 4 present passive and active applications for energy saving, peak load shifting, and price-based control heating using phase change materials. These chapters explore the hot topic of energy saving in an overarching way, and so they are relevant to all courses. This book is an ideal research reference for students at the postgraduate level. It also serves as a useful reference for electrical, mechanical, and chemical engineers and students throughout their work. FEATURES Explains the technical principles of thermal energy storage, including materials and applications in different classifications Provides fundamental calculations of heat transfer with phase change Discusses the benefits and limitations of different types of phase change materials (PCM) in both micro- and macroencapsulations Reviews the mechanisms and applications of available thermal energy storage systems Introduces innovative solutions in hot and cold storage applications

Presenting an overview of the use of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) within buildings, this book discusses the performance of PCM-enhanced building envelopes. It reviews the most common PCMs suitable for building applications, and discusses PCM encapsulation and packaging methods. In addition to this, it examines a range of PCM-enhanced building products in the process of development as well as examples of whole-building-scale field demonstrations. Further chapters discuss experimental and theoretical analyses (including available software) to determine dynamic thermal and energy performance characteristics of building enclosure components containing PCMs, and present different laboratory and field testing methods. Finally, a wide range of PCM building products are presented which are commercially available worldwide. This book is intended for students and researchers of mechanical, architectural and civil engineering and postgraduate students of energy analysis, dynamic design of building structures, and dynamic testing procedures. It also provides a useful resource for professionals involved in architectural and mechanical-civil engineering design, thermal testing and PCM manufacturing.

"In this compilation, after considering solid-liquid transition, techniques required to obtain phase change materials are discussed. Various material combinations based on chemical and physical methods are also discussed, which are adopted to form solid-solid phase change. Following this, a non-parity-time-symmetric three-layer structure is introduced, consisting of a gain medium layer sandwiched between two phase-change medium layers for switching the direction of reflectionless light propagation. The concluding chapter discusses the effectiveness of phase change materials in building roofs for the reduction of energy consumption and the improvement of indoor comfort conditions"--