Characterization of Unripe and Mature Avocado Seed Oil in Different Proportions as Phase Change Materials and Simulation of Their Cooling Storage

Abstract

Environmental problems have been associated with energy consumption and waste management. A solution is the development of renewable materials such as organic phase change materials. Characterization of new materials allows knowing their applications and simulations provide an idea of how they can developed. Consequently, this research is focused on the thermal and chemical characterization of five different avocado seed oils depending on the maturity stage of the seed: 100% unripe, 25% mature-75% unripe, 50% mature-50% unripe, 75% mature-25% unripe, and 100% mature. The characterization was performed by differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The best oil for natural environments corresponded to 100% matured seed with an enthalpy of fusion of 52.93 J·g−1, and a degradation temperature between 241–545 °C. In addition, the FTIR analysis shows that unripe seed oil seems to contain more lipids than a mature one. Furthermore, a simulation with an isothermal box was conducted with the characterized oil with an initial temperature of −14 °C for the isothermal box, −27 °C for the PCM box, and an ambient temperature of 25 °C. The results show that without the PCM the temperature can reach −8 °C and with it is −12 °C after 7 h, proving its application as a cold thermal energy system.

PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS: TYPES, PROPERTIES and APPLICATIONS in BUILDINGS

“…Environmental friendliness of commercial materials is becoming more and more important in all sectors of industry to improve sustainability and minimize to the environmental impact and carbon footprint. Paraffin is a petroleum-based substance, and hence the materials used in its production contributes to global warming [22]. Nonparaffin materials are mostly obtained from foods (vegetable oil) and are nature-friendly.…”