Easy and industrially applicable impregnation process for preparation of diatomite-based phase change material nanocomposites for thermal energy storage. (5th December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Konuklu, Yeliz; Ersoy, Orkun; Gokce, Ozgur
• Is Part Of: Applied thermal engineering. Volume 91(2015:Dec.)
• Page Start: 759
• Page End: 766
• Publication Date: 2015-12-05
• Subjects: Phase change material -- Nanocomposite -- Diatomite -- Thermal energy storage; Heat engineering -- Periodicals; Heating -- Equipment and supplies -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 621.40205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2015.08.040
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-4311

Abstract

Abstract: The high porosity, high oil and water absorption capacity and low density of diatomite make it ideal for industrial applications. The porous structure of diatomite protects phase change materials (PCMs) from environmental factors as a supporting matrix and phase changes occur in nanopores of diatomite. Previous research on diatomite/PCMs composites aimed optimal composite preparation but many methods were feasible only in laboratory scale. In large scale industrial fabrication, easy, continuous and steady state methods are need to be performed. The main purpose of this study was to prepare leakage-free, thermally stable nanocomposite PCMs (nanoCPCMs) by an easy, continuous and steady state method for high temperature thermal energy storage applications. A series of nanoCPCMs with different paraffin:diatomite mass ratios were prepared. The properties of nanoCPCMs have been characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The leak (exudation) test was performed on prepared composites at higher temperatures (95 °C) in comparison with literature. As the optimum composite for thermal energy storage applications, thermal reliability of nanoCPCM was evaluated after 400 cycles of melting and freezing. NanoCPCM melted at 36.55 °C with latent heat of 53.1 J/g. Highlights: Diatomite-based phase change material nanocomposites were prepared. An easy and industrially applicable impregnation process was developed. Influence of diatomite: PCM mass ratio on thermal properties reported.