How do you choose a phase change material?
There are several factors that need to be considered when selecting a phase change material. An ideal PCM will have high heat of fusion, high thermal conductivity, high specific heat and density, long term reliability during repeated cycling, and dependable freezing behavior.
How does a phase change material work?
A phase change material absorbs and releases thermal energy in order to maintain a regulated temperature. The PCM, now in its liquid phase, can release the heat it absorbed as the external temperature decreases. During this time period, the PCM solidifies and provides a warming effect.
Why do materials change phases?
Phase change materials are substances that absorb and release heat energy when they change phase (known as latent heat). When a material melts, it changes from a solid phase to a liquid phase. During the phase transition, many materials are able to absorb a significant amount of heat energy.
What are the 4 processes of phase change in materials?
Melting: The transition from the solid to the liquid phase. Freezing: The transition from the liquid phase to the solid phase. Evaporating: The transition from the liquid phase to the gas phase. Condensing:The transition from the gas phase to the liquid phase.
Is paraffin a phase change material?
Paraffins are useful as phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage (TES) via their melting transition, Tmpt. Paraffins with Tmpt between 30 and 60 °C have particular utility in improving the efficiency of solar energy capture systems and for thermal buffering of electronics and batteries.
What is an example of a phase change material?
There are two principal classes of phase change material: organic (carbon-containing) materials derived either from petroleum, from plants or from animals; and salt hydrates, which generally either use natural salts from the sea or from mineral deposits or are by-products of other processes.
What is eutectic phase change materials?
Eutectic is a phase change material which remains unaffected by cyclic heating and cooling. Eutectic plates consists a mixture of two or more compounds which has low melting point than that of each individual compound. Eutectic is a solution which has phase change temperature below 0°C (32°F).
What is phase change material made from?