Energy Storage Applications

Abstract

As discussed in Chap. 1, energy storage through solid-liquid phase change is inherently a transient process and is best suited for systems that experience repeated transients, such as on-off or periodic peaking cycles, or for those systems which require thermal energy storage for later use. PCMs are commonly used in applications for both thermal management and for thermal energy storage.Interest in PCMs for thermal management of systems can be traced back at least through the 1970s. NASA in particular was interested in the use of PCMs as what were then referred to as "thermal capacitors" and PCMs were implemented in several moon vehicles and in Skylab [1]. The 1977 NASA tech brief "A Design Handbook for Phase Change Thermal Control and Energy Storage Devices" [2] was one of the first comprehensive PCM references, and is still widely cited and used today.During the 1970s and 1980s, interest was also building in the application of PCMs in solar systems [3-5] for thermal energy storage in both large solar plants, and in smaller domestic applications such as domestic hot water systems. The concept of embedding PCMs in various types of building materials, such as wallboard and floorboards, in order to create houses and offices with lower heating and cooling loads for greater energy efficiency, also began in the 1970s/80s [6,7]. Simultaneously, a significant amount of fundamental research was being completed on PCMs, considering in-depth the melting and solidification processes, and the roles of conduction and natural convection on the phase change processes [8][9][10][11].With the growth of computing power through the 1980s and 1990s, integrated circuits began dissipating significant amounts of heat and PCM applications in the thermal management of high performance, military and consumer electronics came on the scene in the late 1990s [12][13][14]. More recently, PCMs have seen application in textile design for energy absorbing clothing for military and consumer products [15].

Thermal Inertia Performance Evaluation of Light-Weighted Construction Space Envelopes Using Phase Change Materials in Mexico City’s Climate

“…PCM energy storage processes are based on fusion latent heat-an endothermic process that leads to energy storage in the PCM-and solidification latent heat-an exothermic process that leads to the release of the stored energy in the PCM [7].…”

“…According to Fleischer [7], in order to obtain indoor temperatures with fewer oscillations with respect to the outdoor temperatures by implementing a PCM in a construction system its fusion temperature must be close to the maximum thermally admissible temperature (corresponding to the thermal comfort range upper limit temperature), so indoor temperatures are able to remain within the thermal comfort range as long as possible. The cyclical exterior temperature variations reflect indoor cyclical temperature variations as well, but are out-phased and dampened due to the thermal inertia effect of the building construction envelope materials.…”

“…There are two basic types of PCMs: (1) organic, which are those derived from oil (petroleum) and from biological beings' fatty acids, and (2) inorganic, which are majorly hydrated inorganic salts with fusion and solidification processes based on water absorption and release [3,7]. Organic PCMs exhibit a long-term physical and chemical stability and have high fusion latent heat; however, these are inflammable (their ignition temperature is around 200 • C) and can dissolve their container if it is made out of a polymer with a low thermal conductivity.…”

“…Inorganic PCMs are not as physically and chemically stable as organic PCMs and present phase segregation, meaning that the material phase transition does not completely terminate. In addition, inorganic PCMs may corrode their container in case it is made out of metal [7].…”

The Effect of Cell Death on the Stability of a Growing Biofilm

“…Nonlinearity arising through the coupling of material and interface dynamics, and the inclusion of multiple time and length scales, contribute to the difficulties associated with these problems [24]. As a result of these complications, numerical rather than analytical techniques are generally used to determine behaviour, except in some special simplified cases [16]. Dockery and Klapper [13] presented a simple moving boundary model of a single substrate limited biofilm growing into a static aqueous environment.…”