Surface Roughness-Governed Shape Stability of the Coal Fly Ash-Based Phase Change Material: Molten Salt Processing and Thermal Properties

Denian Li, Jizhang Yang, Menglei Chang, Yue Zhao, Haoran Yuan and Yong Chen
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Denian Li: Laboratory of Integrated Technology for “Urban and Rural Mines” Exploitation, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.2 Nengyuan Road, Wushan, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510640, China
Jizhang Yang: Laboratory of Integrated Technology for “Urban and Rural Mines” Exploitation, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.2 Nengyuan Road, Wushan, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510640, China
Menglei Chang: School of Materials and Energy, Foshan University, Foshan 528225, China
Yue Zhao: Laboratory of Integrated Technology for “Urban and Rural Mines” Exploitation, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.2 Nengyuan Road, Wushan, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510640, China
Haoran Yuan: Laboratory of Integrated Technology for “Urban and Rural Mines” Exploitation, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.2 Nengyuan Road, Wushan, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510640, China
Yong Chen: Laboratory of Integrated Technology for “Urban and Rural Mines” Exploitation, Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.2 Nengyuan Road, Wushan, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 510640, China

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-10

Abstract: Coal fly ash (FA) valorization is of great significance and sustainable interests to addressing the current environmental challenges faced by coal power industry. Herein, this work attempted a novel molten salt Na 2 CO 3 treatment for processing FA into a robust matrix to support lauric acid (LA) toward construction of latent phase change composite. Their micromorphology, physiochemical, and thermal properties were monitored with scanning and transmission microscopy, X-ray diffraction and FT-IR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, among others. As Na 2 CO 3 dosage increased from 20% to 40%, the FA experienced firstly higher loss of SiO 2 and then substantial loss of Al 2 O 3 , and yet exhibited merely varied porosity. Then, both the composites revealed a maximum LA content of 20% that doubled that of pristine FA. Nevertheless, the optimal composite was disclosed with thermal conductivity of 0.5668 W/mK, which was 69% higher than its FA-based counterpart. It was proposed that the surface roughness evidenced by the formation of tremendous grooves and gaps during thermal alkaline processing were accountable for the promoted carrying capacity toward organic component. Furthermore, the latent phase change composite revealed excellent durability, including negligibly varied phase transition temperature and enthalpy even after 1500 thermal cycling, which promised great interest in passive building cooling. Meanwhile, the finds here led to a new understanding into the structural origin of adsorption capacity by inorganic FA, and may provide guidance for better exploration of its characteristics for other applications.

Keywords: fly ash; molten salts; surface roughness; enhanced thermal conductivity; phase change material (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: 2021
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