Preparation and Properties of Capric–Myristic Acid/Expanded Graphite Composite Phase Change Materials for Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage

Dongyi Zhou, Jiawei Yuan, Yuhong Zhou and Yicai Liu
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Dongyi Zhou: School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Jiawei Yuan: School of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shaoyang University, Shaoyang 422000, China
Yuhong Zhou: School of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Shaoyang University, Shaoyang 422000, China
Yicai Liu: School of Energy Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-12

Abstract: A novel composite phase change material (CPCM), capric–myristic acid/expanded graphite (CA–MA/EG) CPCM, was prepared by absorbing liquid CA–MA (as the phase change material (PCM)) into EG (as the substrate material) for heat storage in the backfill materials of soil-source heat pump systems. The thermal characteristics and microstructure of the novel CPCM were analyzed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The thermal conductivities of CA–MA/EG CPCM were surveyed. The thermal stability of the CA–MA/EG was analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and thermal cycle tests. The results showed that the optimal mass content of CA–MA in CPCM was approximately 92.4% and the CA–MA was uniformly distributed in the vesicular structure of EG; the CA–MA/EG CPCM had an appropriate phase change temperature ( T m : 19.78 °C, T f : 18.85 °C), high latent heat ( H m : 137.3 J/g, H f : 139.9 J/g), and excellent thermostability and thermal reliability. The thermal conductivity of the CPCM was remarkably enhanced after adding EG. Therefore, the CPCMs demonstrated outstanding thermal performance and can be utilized in low-temperature latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems, such as soil-source heat pump systems.

Keywords: fatty acids; expanded graphite; thermal properties; thermal energy storage; phase change materials (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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