Experimental Study on the Development of Modified Organic Eutectic PCM for Microwaveable Thermal Energy Storage Applications
摘要
Phase change materials (PCMs) are critical components in latent heat thermal energy storage systems. However, their performance is heavily dependent on the conventional heating systems based on solar-thermal and electromagnetic methods, which face significant limitations due to equipment requirements, material constraints, and site-specific challenges. To address these issues, there is a pressing need to diversify PCM heating technologies. Microwave heating emerges as a promising alternative for ultrafast, or even instant, charging of PCMs. Nevertheless, the inherent non-responsiveness of organic PCMs to microwave radiation has hindered their practical application in engineering systems. This study introduces a novel organic eutectic PCM composite comprised of paraffin wax (PW) and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) prepared using the melt mixing technique. Ten consecutive heating cycles demonstrated good thermal stability and reliability of the developed composite. Furthermore, the composite exhibited exceptional microwave radiation absorption, with a melting time 21 times faster as compared to conventional heating methods. The developed composite holds significant potential for advancing microwaveable thermal energy storage applications, offering a rapid and scalable solution for energy management systems.