Jesumathy Jesumathy

By Ponnuraj Stella Jesumathy

Latent heat thermal energy storage systems (LHTESS) are versatile due to their heat source at constant temperature and heat recovery with small temperature drop. In this context, latent heat thermal energy storage system employing phase change material (PCM) is the attractive one due to high-energy storage density with smaller temperature difference between storing and releasing functions. PCMs are generally possessed with low thermal conductivity, which leads to decreased rates of heat storage and extraction during melting and crystallization process. However, the low thermal conductivity of paraffin limits its use as a thermal energy storage material. In this chapter, experiments are conducted to investigate the enhancement of thermal conductivity of paraffin wax by adding alumina nanoparticles. Stable composites containing 5 and 10 vol% nanoparticles in paraffin were prepared by intense sonification. The thermophysical properties of the alumina nanoparticle enhanced paraffin (ANEP) specifically the melting and freezing temperature, latent heat, thermal conductivity, and dynamic viscosity were measured and compared with paraffin wax. These results as well as the thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity variations with respect to temperature and nanoparticle volume concentration are discussed. Comparison of predicted Maxwell’s model of a recent study shows higher enhancement than the Arasu predicted Maxwell’s model.

Part of the book: Phase Change Materials and Their Applications