Phase Change Materials for Renewable Energy Storage Applications

Abstract

Solar energy is utilizing in diverse thermal storage applications around the world. To store renewable energy, superior thermal properties of advanced materials such as phase change materials are essentially required to enhance maximum utilization of solar energy and for improvement of energy and exergy efficiency of the solar absorbing system. This chapter deals with basics of phase change material which reflects, selection criteria, PCM works, distinguish thermal energy storage system, commercially available PCM, development of PCM thermal properties and durability of PCM. In addition to this chapter focused on PCM in solar water heating system for buildings particularly in India because 20–30% of electricity is used for hot water in urban households, residential and institutional buildings. Discussed Flat plate collectors (FTC) in detail which is suitable for warm water production in household temperature 55 to 70 °C owing to cost effective than the Evacuated Tube collectors (ETC), Concentrated collector (CC) and integration of different methods PCM in solar water heating system.

Performance enhancement of a thermal energy storage system using shape-stabilized LDPE/hexadecane/SEBS composite PCMs by copper oxide addition

“…It benefits various fields of study in research and application such as solar energy, smart textiles, heat transfer media and intelligent buildings. 1–4 LHTES is the most promising method in this field due to the excellent phase change behavior 5–7 and high heat storage capacity. 8,9 Up to now, phase change materials (PCMs) for the LHTES have been widely investigated in building energy storage, such as building insulation walls, 10 phase change cement boards, 11 solar space cooling and heating applications in buildings.…”