Xylitol Used as Phase Change Material: Nucleation Mechanisms of the Supercooling Rupture By Stirring

Abstract

Owing to its high energy density, Xylitol is a very promising Phase Change Material (PCM) for low temperature applications (< 100°C). However, it presents a high and persistent supercooling that inhibits the latent heat restitution during thermal discharges. Bubbling in the supercooled PCM is known as an efficient way to trigger Xylitol crystallization. This paper proposes an experimental investigation leading to a new description of the nucleation mechanisms behind this triggering technique based on secondary nucleation. Adding a seeding step to the crystallization process is also proposed to increase the efficiency and reproducibility of the heat restitution.