Research on the Phase Change Solar Energy Fresh Air Thermal Storage System

In this article, a new kind of solar fresh air system is designed in order to realize the improvement of thermal efficiency by the integrated application of the PCMs and heat pipe technology. Under the adequate sunshine condition, the fresh air is directly delivered into the indoor environment after being heated by the solar collector. When the sun radiation is reduced, the heated air temperature can not satisfy the need of supply of air temperature.The main heat source is changed to phase change heat storage equipment instead of solar energy. The system adopt heat pipe for a high-efficiency and isothermal heat transfer which recover the shortcomings of PCMs such as： low coefficient of thermal conductivity and poor thermal efficiency. This article establishes the physical model of phase change solar energy fresh air thermal storage system and creates the mathematical model of its unsteady heat transfer to simulate and analyse the operation process by using Fluent software. The results of the study show that, compared to normal fresh air system, the phase change solar energy fresh air thermal storage system has a significant improvement in energy saving and indoor comfort level and will play an important role in the energy sustainable development.

Microencapsulation of stearic acid with polymethylmethacrylate using iron(Ⅲ) chloride as photo-initiator for thermal energy storage

Aiming to identify the validity of fabricating microencapsulated phase change material(PCM) with polymethylmethacrylate(PMMA) by ultraviolet curing emulsion polymerization method using iron(III) chloride as photoinitiator,SA/PMMA microcapsules were prepared and various techniques were employed to determine the ignition mechanism,structural characteristics and thermal properties of the composite.The results shown that the microcapsules containing SA with maximum percentage of 52.20 wt% formed by radical mechanism and only physical interactions existed in the components both in the prepared process and subsequent use.The phase change temperatures and latent heats of the microencapsulated SA were measured as 55.3 °C and 102.1 J·g^(-1) for melting,and 48.8 °C and 102.8 J·g^(-1) for freezing,respectively.Thermal gravimetric analysis revealed that SA/PMMA has good thermal durability in working temperature range.The results of accelerated thermal cycling test are all shown that the SA/PMMA have excellent thermal reliability and chemical stability although they were subjected 1000 melting/freezing cycles.In summary,the comparable thermal storage ability and good thermal reliability facilitated SA/PMMA to be considered as a viable candidate for thermal energy storage.The successful fabrication of SA/PMMA capsules indicates that ferric chloride is a prominent candidate for synthesizing PMMA containing PCM composite.

Polarization readout analysis for multilevel phase change recording by crystallization degree modulation

Four different states of Si15Sb85 and Ge2Sb2Te5 phase change memory thin films are obtained by crystallization degree modulation through laser initialization at different powers or annealing at different temperatures. The polarization characteristics of these two four-level phase change recording media are analyzed systematically. A simple and effective readout scheme is then proposed, and the readout signal is numerically simulated. The results show that a high-contrast polarization readout can be obtained in an extensive wavelength range for the four-level phase change recording media using common phase change materials. This study will help in-depth understanding of the physical mechanisms and provide technical approaches to multilevel phase change recording.

Enhanced Phase Change Heat Storage of Layered Backfill Body under Different Boundary Conditions

In view of the high temperature problem faced by mining activities,the coordinated mining of ore deposit and geothermal energy is a solution in line with the concept of green mining.The layered backfill body with finned double-pipe heat exchanger continuously exchanges heat with the surrounding thermal environment,which plays an effective role in gathering geothermal energy.In this paper,the heat storage process of each layered backfill body under different boundary conditions is simulated by Fluent.The results show the heat storage characteristic of layered backfill body can be significantly improved by adding fins to the double-pipe heat exchanger.On the whole,the heat storage effect of bottom layer backfill body(BLBB)is the best.The total heat storage capacity of top layer backfill body(TLBB),middle layer backfill body(MLBB)and BLBB with the finned double-pipe heat exchanger is 666.3 kJ,662.2 kJ,1003.0 kJ;1639.0 kJ,1760.8 kJ,1911.2 kJ and 1731.1 kJ,1953.3 kJ,1962.8 kJ respectively at 1 h,8 h and 24 h.This study explores the law of heat storage of layered backfill body under different boundary conditions and also expands the idea for layered backfill body to efficiently accumulate geothermal energy.

Synthesis and thermal properties of poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)-graft-polyethylene glycol copolymers as novel solid–solid phase change materials for thermal energy storage

A novel poly（styrene-co-acrylonitrile）-graft-polyethylene glycol （SAN-g-PEG） copolymer was synthesized as new solid-solid phase change materials （SSPCMs） by grafting PEG to the main chain of poly（styrene-co-acrylonitrile）. The chemical structure of the SAN-g-PEG was confirmed by the Fourier transform infrared （FT-IR） and proton nuclear magnetic resonance （1H NMR） spectroscopy techniques. The thermal energy storage properties and the storage durability of the SAN-g-PEG were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）. The SAN-g-PEG was endowed with the solid- solid phase transition temperatures within the range of 23-36 ℃ and the latent heat enthalpy ranged from 66.8 kJ/kg to 68.3 kJ/kg. Thermal cycling tests revealed that the SAN-g-PEG kept great heat storage durability after 1000 thermal cycles. The thermal stability was evaluated by a thermal gravity analysis （TGA）, and the initial decomposition temperature （Td） of SAN-g-PEG is 350 ℃, which proves that the SAN-g-PEG possessed good thermal stabilitv.

Preparing and Studying of Phase Change Energy Storage Materials

The thermal energy storage phase change material used for building has been prepared with a few of fatty acids based on the principle of binary low eutectic point. The thermal behaviors such as phase transition temperature and enthalpy of compound energy storage material are researched through differential scanning calorimeter(DSC) and scanning electron microscope(SEM) . The results show that the thermal energy storage phase change composite material can be used in the wall panels well as its higher latent heat.

Novel and durable composite phase change thermal energy storage materials with controllable melting temperature

The development of high temperature phase change materials(PCMs)with great comprehensive performance is significant in the future thermal energy storage system.In this study,novel and durable Al-Si/Al_(2)O_(3)-Al N composite PCMs with controllable melting temperature were successfully synthesized by using pristine Al powder as raw material and tetraethyl orthosilicate as SiO_(2)source.The Al_(2)O_(3)shell and Al-Si alloy were in-situ produced via the substitution reaction between molten Al and SiO_(2).Importantly,the crack caused by the incomplete encapsulation of the Al_(2)O_(3)shell could repair itself by the nitridation reaction of internal molten Al and thereby forming a highly dense Al_(2)O_(3)-Al N composite shell.The produced dense Al_(2)O_(3)-Al N composite shell could significantly improve the thermal cycling stability of composite PCMs,and thus,the thermal storage density decrease of the Al-Si/Al_(2)O_(3)-Al N(59.8 J/g to77.7 J/g)was far less than that of the Al-Si/Al_(2)O_(3)(118.5 J/g)after 3000 thermal cycles.Moreover,the synthesized Al-Si/Al_(2)O_(3)-Al N still exhibited a controllable melting temperature(571.5-637.9℃),relatively high thermal storage density(105.6-150.7 J/g),great dimensional stability and structural stability after3000 thermal cycles.Hence,the synthesized Al-Si/Al_(2)O_(3)-Al N composite PCMs,as promising preferential thermal energy storage materials,can be stably used in the energy utilization efficiency improvement of various systems for more than 6 years.

Thermal Cycling Stability of Mg-25Al-15Zn-14Cu PCM

Thermal cycling tests of repeated melting/freezing processes were performed to check the thermal stability of Mg-25Al-15Zn-14 Cu alloy as phase change thermal storage material（PCM）. Latent heat storage capacity and phase transition temperature of the PCMs were determined by differential scanning calorimetry（DSC） technique as a function of repeated thermal cycles such as 0, 100, 200, and 1000. The present work also comprised the investigation of the density and microstructure of Mg-25Al-15Zn-14 Cu alloy before and after thermal cycles by using the hydrostatic method and optical microscopy（OM）, X-ray diffraction（XRD）, and electron probe microanalysis（EPMA）, respectively. The results show that the melting temperature of alloy after 1000 thermal cycles is 415.1 ℃ and the latent heat value is 190.4 J/g. Compared with the original alloy, the phase transition temperature will increase by 1.87% and the value of phase change latent heat will decrease by 7.35%, which are in a suitable range. Therefore, Mg-25Al-15Zn-14 Cu alloy has a good thermal reliability in terms of the change in its thermal properties with respect to thermal cycling for 1000, and can be used for a middle-temperature thermal storage utility.

Performance of a collector-storage solar air heating system for building mechanical ventilation preheating in the cold area

The application of solar thermal energy to preheat cold fresh air for mechanical ventilation could save a lot of energy and ensure the stable operation of the ventilation system.In this paper,a kind of collector-storage solar air heating system(CSSAHS),in which the thermal storage unit(TSU)is characterized by a dual S-channel for heat transfer,is proposed and the mathematical model for the integrated system was established.The model including the TSU,solar air collector,heat recovery device,and the fan was verified by an experimental study set up in a typical cold city in China.The model has been verified by experiments.The simulation results demonstrate that fresh air is the most important factor affecting storage/release efficiency.The increasing rate of heat release efficiency in the range of fresh air temperature-6-18°C is about 1.58%/°C.The solar heat collector area and the size of the TSU suitable for representative cities in cold regions are optimized based on multi-condition simulation analysis.The CSSAHS can preheat fresh air for 5 h after heat storage and the release efficiency is between 52 and 74%.Compared with other systems,the energy-saving rate of the CSSAHS is 26.5-33.3%in cold winter,and the heat supply ratio of the TSU is 24.4-35.1%.

Ka-Band CTDRSS Terminal Technology for Meeting the Needs of Launch Vehicle TT&C

To meet the application requirements for a Ka-band space-based TT&C terminal for a launch vehicle,this paper proposes the implementation scheme of a space-based TT&C terminal,analyzes and solves the miniaturized design of equipment and the key technology for high-efficiency heat dissipation.The phased array antenna test shows that without external heat dissipation measures,the phased array antenna can work for a long time to meet the working requirements of launch vehicle,which has been verified in the LM-8 mission,and has wide engineering application prospects.

Carbonate-salt-based composite materials for medium- and high-temperature thermal energy storage

This paper discusses composite materials based on inorganic salts for medium- and high-temperature thermal energy storage application. The composites consist of a phase change material （PCM）, a ceramic material, and a high thermal conductivity material. The ceramic material forms a microstructural skeleton for encapsulation of the PCM and structural stability of the composites; the high thermal conductivity material enhances the overall thermal conductivity of the composites. Using a eutectic salt of lithium and sodium carbonates as the PCM, magnesium oxide as the ceramic skeleton, and either graphite flakes or carbon nanotubes as the thermal conductivity enhancer, we produced composites with good physical and chemical stability and high thermal conductivity. We found that the wettability of the molten salt on the ceramic and carbon materials significantly affects the microstructure of the composites.

Structure and electrochemical properties of LaMgNi4-xCox(x=0-0.8)hydrogen storage electrode alloys

LaMgNi（4-x）Cox（x = 0-0.8） electrode alloys used for MH/Ni batteries were prepared by induction melting. The structures and electrochemical hydrogen storage properties of the alloys were investigated in detail.X-ray diffraction（XRD） and scanning electron microscopy（SEM） analysis show that LaMgNi4 phase and LaNi5 phase are obtained. The lattice parameters of the two phases increase first and then decrease with Co content increasing.The electrochemical properties of the alloy electrodes were measured by means of simulated battery tests. Results show that the addition of Co does not change the discharge voltage plateau of the alloy electrodes. However, the maximum discharge capacity increases from 319.9 mAh·g^-1（x = 0）to 347.5 mAh·g^-1（x = 0.4） and then decreases to331.7 mAh·g^-1（x = 0.8）. The effects of Co content on electrochemical kinetics of the alloy electrodes were also performed. The high rate dischargeability（HRD） first increases and then decreases with Co content increasing and reaches the maximum value（95.0 %） when x = 0.4. Test results of the electrochemical impedance spectra（EIS）,potentiodynamic polarization curves and constant potential step measurements of the alloy electrodes all demonstrate that when Co content is 0.4 at%, the alloy exhibits the best comprehensive electrochemical properties.

A one-step method for producing microencapsulated phase change materials

This short communication reports our recent work on the synthesis and characterisation ofmicrocapsules of phase change materials using silica as the shell material through a one-step method. The method uses no surfactants or dispersants for stabilising the capsules. The results show that the one-step method allows the tuning of the size and polydispersity of the capsules, and the use of different core materials. Analyses of the capsules show that they contain about 65% phase change materials. The results also suggest no need for a stabilising agent due to self-stabilisation by the amine groups. Further work is underway to investigate the mechanical and thermal properties of the microcapsules and the scale-up of the method.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes added to Na_2CO_3/MgO composites for thermal energy storage

Na2CO3/MgO composites with added multi-walled carbon nanotubes （MWCNTs） were prepared and tested as phase change materials （PCMs） for thermal energy storage. Na2CO3/MgO composite PCMs were prepared and their chemical compatibility and thermal stability were studied. MWCNTs introduced with Na2CO3/MgO composite PCMs were also investigated and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） characterization was used to demonstrate the uniform dispersion of MWCNTs in Na2CO3/MgO composite PCMs. The composites with added MWCNTs still display good thermal stability with mass losses lower than 5%. Introducing MWCNTs into composite Na2CO3/MgO PCMs by material formation/calcination signifi.cantly enhances the thermal conductivity of the composite PCMs. The thermal conductivity of the composite PCMs was found to increase with an increase in the weight fraction of the added MWCNTs and an increase in the testing temperature. This study may present a promising way to prepare high temperature phase change materials with superior properties such as improved thermal stability.

Finite time thermodynamics analysis and research of pulsating heat pipe cold storage device

Phase change energy storage technology can effectively solve the energy mismatch in space and time.There are many disadvantages of phase change materials(PCMs),such as high supercooling,phase separation and poor heat transfer performance.As a new type of heat exchange structure,pulsating heat pipe has the advantages of simple structure,high heat transfer coefficient and good economic behavior.The system efficiency can be greatly improved by using pulsating heat pipe combined with cold storage technology.A set of pulsating heat pipe type cold storage device is developed,the finite time thermodynamic analysis is carried out,and the correlation between heat pipe efficiency and power is established.The three-dimensional physical model of pulsating heat pipe is simulated and verified by experiments.The experimental results show that in the cold storage stage,with the increase of the filling rate,the greater the pressure is,the better the heat transfer effect is;in the cold release stage,with the decrease of the filling rate,the smaller the pressure is,the better the heat transfer effect is.