Thermal stability test of sugar alcohols as phase change materials for medium temperature energy storage application

Abstract

Sugar alcohols are potential phase change materials candidates as they present high phase change enthalpy values, are non-toxic and low cost products. Three promising sugar-alcohols were selected: D-mannitol, myo-inositol and dulcitol under high melting enthalpy and temperature criterion. Thermal cycling tests were performed to study its cycling stability which can be determining when selecting the suitable phase change material. D-mannitol and dulcitol present poor thermal stability. Myo-inositol shows almost no decrease in thermal properties after 50 cycles for the heating process, however in the solidification part a decrease of 20 % of enthalpy and 11 % of temperature values is observed.

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement 296006.