Materials research for passive solar systems: solid-state phase-change materials
A set of solid-state phase-change materials is being evaluated for possible use in passive solar thermal energy storage systems. The most promising materials are organic solid solutions of pentaerythritol (C/sub 5/H/sub 12/O/sub 4/), pentaglycerinve (C/sub 5/H/sub 12/O/sub 3/), and neopentyl glycol (C/sub 5/H/sub 12/O/sub 2/). Solid solution mixtures of these compounds can be tailored so that they exhibit solid-to-solid phase transformations at any desired temperature betweeen 25/sup 0/C and 188/sup 0/C, and have latent heats of transformation between 20 and 70 cal/g. Transformation temperatures, specific heats, and latent heats of transformation have been measured for a number of these materials. Limited cyclic experiments suggest that the solid solutions are stable. These phase-change materials exhibit large amounts of undercooling; however, the addition of certain nucleating agents as particulate dispersions in the solid phase-change material greatly reduces this effect. Computer simulations suggest that the use of an optimized solid-state phase-change material in a Trombe wall could provide better performance than a concrete Trombe wall four times thicker and nine times heavier. Nevertheless, a higher cost of the phase-change materials (approx. =$0.70 per pound) is likely to limit their applicability in passive solar systems unless their performance can be significantly improved through further research.
- Research Organization:
- Solar Energy Research Inst. (SERI), Golden, CO (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-83CH10093
- OSTI ID:
- 5923397
- Report Number(s):
- SERI/TR-255-1828; ON: DE85008779
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products. Original copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS
USES
CALORIMETRY
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
INFRARED SPECTRA
NUCLEATION
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TOXICITY
TROMBE WALLS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
EQUIPMENT
HEATING SYSTEMS
MATERIALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SIMULATION
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
SPECTRA
WALLS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATIONS
PHASE-CHANGE MATERIALS
SPECTROSCOPY
INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY
NEOPENTYL-GLYCOL
PENTAGLYCERINE
SOLID-TO-SOLID PHASE-CHANGE MATERIALS
140901* - Solar Thermal Utilization- Space Heating & Cooling
142000 - Solar Energy- Heat Storage- (1980-)