The connection between the heat storage capability of PCM as a material property and their performance in real scale applications

Abstract

Using phase change materials (PCM) for Thermal Energy Storage, the most important material property is their heat storage capability, usually given as h(T). Ideally, h(T) changes suddenly at a single temperature. However, many PCM change phase in a temperature range and show hysteresis. In addition, experience shows that even measurements with the same device on the same material can give different results when the heating rate, the amount of sample mass or the equipment device are varied. The question thus arises how to deal with different h(T) results when trying to predict the performance of a real scale application. This paper identifies the main origins of these effects and gives strategies for dealing with them.

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Commission Seventh Framework Programme (FP/2007-2013) under grant agreement n° PIRSES-GA-2013-610692 (INNOSTORAGE) and from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 657466 (INPATH-TES). The authors would like to thank the Catalan Government for the quality accreditation given to their research groups GREA (2014 SGR 123) and DIOPMA (2014 SGR 1543). GREA and DIOPMA are certified agents TECNIO in the category of technology developers from the Government of Catalonia. This work has been partially funded by the Spanish government (ENE2015-64117-C5-1-R (MINECO/FEDER)). Dr. Camila Barreneche and Dr. Aran Solé would like to thank Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España for Grant Juan de la Cierva, FJCI-2014-22886 and FJCI-2015-25741, respectively.