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<p>The increasing demand for thermal energy in residential and industrial sectors highlights the need for reliable and efficient thermal energy storage solutions. Phase-change material-based thermal energy storage systems offer high-density heat retention, but laboratory-scale setups often rely on expensive hardware, limiting customization for iterative experimental testing and validation. This work presents the design, fabrication, and validation of a cost-efficient, customizable, open-source phase-change material-based thermal energy storage unit based on parametric modeling and fused filament fabrication 3D printing. After developing the parametric 3D model, a customized module was fabricated to validate the approach through thermal, numerical, and economic analyses. The parametric model enables rapid iterative customization using low-cost 3D printers, commercially available materials, and off-the-shelf components. Experimental validation demonstrated the ability of the module to maintain leak-free operation during hydrostatic leakage tests and repeated thermal cycles, using circular finned tubes as heat transfer elements and n-octadecane as the storage material. Increasing the heat transfer fluid flow rate from 0.0033&#xa0;kg·s⁻¹ to 0.0105&#xa0;kg·s⁻¹ enhanced heat transfer performance and reduced melting and solidification times by approximately 36% and 39%, whereas thermal imaging confirmed uniform temperature propagation within the cavity. A calibrated numerical model reproduced melting and solidification behavior with 13% and 14% prediction error. The complete prototype costs 644.88 USD, with 3D-printed parts below 4% of the total and a cost per cycle of 6.45 USD over 100 cycles. The results demonstrate an accessible approach to experimental research on phase-change material-based thermal energy storage, addressing the need for affordable, customizable setups for sustainable and renewable energy applications.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>

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Design, fabrication, and validation of cost-effective customizable 3-D printed phase-change material-based thermal energy storage modules

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月19日

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  • Alessia Romani,
  • Abolfazl Taherzadeh Fini,
  • Megan R. Cockburn,
  • Anthony G. Straatman,
  • Joshua M. Pearce

摘要

The increasing demand for thermal energy in residential and industrial sectors highlights the need for reliable and efficient thermal energy storage solutions. Phase-change material-based thermal energy storage systems offer high-density heat retention, but laboratory-scale setups often rely on expensive hardware, limiting customization for iterative experimental testing and validation. This work presents the design, fabrication, and validation of a cost-efficient, customizable, open-source phase-change material-based thermal energy storage unit based on parametric modeling and fused filament fabrication 3D printing. After developing the parametric 3D model, a customized module was fabricated to validate the approach through thermal, numerical, and economic analyses. The parametric model enables rapid iterative customization using low-cost 3D printers, commercially available materials, and off-the-shelf components. Experimental validation demonstrated the ability of the module to maintain leak-free operation during hydrostatic leakage tests and repeated thermal cycles, using circular finned tubes as heat transfer elements and n-octadecane as the storage material. Increasing the heat transfer fluid flow rate from 0.0033 kg·s⁻¹ to 0.0105 kg·s⁻¹ enhanced heat transfer performance and reduced melting and solidification times by approximately 36% and 39%, whereas thermal imaging confirmed uniform temperature propagation within the cavity. A calibrated numerical model reproduced melting and solidification behavior with 13% and 14% prediction error. The complete prototype costs 644.88 USD, with 3D-printed parts below 4% of the total and a cost per cycle of 6.45 USD over 100 cycles. The results demonstrate an accessible approach to experimental research on phase-change material-based thermal energy storage, addressing the need for affordable, customizable setups for sustainable and renewable energy applications.

Graphical Abstract