Phase Change Materials for Renewable Energy Storage at Intermediate Temperatures

Abstract

Thermal energy storage technologies utilizing phase change materials (PCMs) that melt in the intermediate temperature range, between 100 and 220 °C, have the potential to mitigate the intermittency issues of wind and solar energy. This technology can take thermal or electrical energy from renewable sources and store it in the form of heat. This is of particular utility when the end use of the energy is also as heat. For this purpose, the material should have a phase change between 100 and 220 °C with a high latent heat of fusion. Although a range of PCMs are known for this temperature range, many of these materials are not practically viable for stability and safety reasons, a perspective not often clear in the primary literature. This review examines the recent development of thermal energy storage materials for application with renewables, the different material classes, their physicochemical properties, and the chemical structural origins of their advantageous thermal properties. Perspectives on further research directions needed to reach the goal of large scale, highly efficient, inexpensive, and reliable intermediate temperature thermal energy storage technologies are also presented. CONTENTS References R

Advanced Phase Change Materials from Natural Perspectives: Structural Design and Functional Applications

“…PCMs can be divided into inorganic and organic materials according to their chemical composition ( Figure ). [ 19 ] The abbreviations for the PCMs and additive materials used in this review are summarized in Table 1 . Inorganic PCMs were discovered in the 1910s and mainly include water, salts, salt hydrates, and metals, which have the merits of a relatively high energy storage density, good thermal conductivity, and flame retardancy.…”

Dinuclear metal synergistic catalysis for energy conversion

“…[1][2][3] Therefore, the development of renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels is urgent, where solar, wind and tidal energies are considered to be the most promising alternatives by virtue of their large capacity, environmental benignity and low cost. [4][5][6] However, infrastructure for both energy storage and conversion is required for these renewables because of their intermittent and distributed nature. Thus, in the past few decades, a wide variety of energy storage and conversion systems have been developed, among which photo-/electro-chemical reactions, including hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), oxygen evolution reaction (OER), oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO 2 RR), and nitrogen reduction reaction (N 2 RR), have attracted extensive attention.…”

Sustainable materials for renewable energy storage in the thermal battery

“…with T m = 100–220 °C) are particularly favourable for this application as high-efficiency power generation is achievable when coupled with ORC engines. 8 Furthermore, the lower grade energy released from ORC operation at these temperatures can otherwise find use in a cascade of applications including industrial heat, space and water heating, etc .…”