Investigation on compatibility and thermal reliability of phase change materials for low-temperature thermal energy storage

Abstract

Two of the important aspects for the successful utilization of phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage systems are compatibility with container materials and stability. Therefore, the present study is focused on testing the corrosion resistance and surface characteristics of metals in contact with PCMs and thermal behavior of PCMs with heating/cooling cycles. The PCM selection is made by targeting low temperature (<100 °C) heat storage applications. The PCMs considered are paraffin wax, sodium acetate tri-hydrate, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. The metal specimens tested are aluminum, copper, and stainless steel because of their wide usage in thermal equipment. The tests are performed by the method of immersion corrosion test, and ASTM G1 standards are followed. The experiments are carried out at 80 °C and room temperature (30 °C) for the duration of 10, 30, and 60 days. Pertaining to thermal stability 1500 melting/freezing cycles are performed. Investigation has been carried out in terms of corrosion rate, SEM analysis of metal specimens, appearance of PCMs, and variation of thermophysical properties at 0th, 1000th, and 1500th thermal cycles. The most affected area of corrosion, including the dimension of pits, is presented, and comparison is made. Based on the corrosion experiments, recommendations are made for the metal–PCM pairs. Pure sodium acetate trihydrate is observed to suffer from phase segregation and supercooling. After 1500 thermal cycles, the variation in melting and freezing point temperatures for rest of the five PCMs are in the range of − 1.63 to 1.57 °C and − 4.01 to 2.66 °C. Whereas, reduction in latent heat of melting and freezing are in the range of 17.6–28.95% and 15.2–26.78%.

Compatibility Tests between Three Commercially Available Organic PCMs and Metals Typically Used in Fin-and-Tube Heat Exchangers

“…Compatibility between the PCM (RT15, RT18 HC, and RT22 HC) and metal samples (copper, aluminum, and a copper/aluminum combination) was checked for a period of 7 weeks. This time span is similar to compatibility investigations by Marín et al [ 18 ] and Devanuri et al [ 19 ]. Metal samples were extracted from the PCM after 1, 3, 4, and 7 weeks for weighing.…”

“…Moreover, in order to avoid or delay the corrosion of copper with noncorroding PCMs (SP21E and HS-24P), it is suggested to cover the copper with a protective coating. Devanuri et al [ 19 ] also investigated the material compatibility of copper, aluminum, and stainless steel with six PCMs: paraffin wax, sodium acetate trihydrate, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, and stearic acid. These tests were carried out at two constant temperatures of 30 °C and 80 °C.…”

A Review on Phase Change Materials for Sustainability Applications by Leveraging Machine Learning

“…Moreover, choosing environmentally responsible materials aligns with sustainability goals, reducing the ecological footprint and promoting responsible resource management. Compatibility not only ensures long-term cost-effectiveness by avoiding system failures but also contributes to sustainability by minimizing waste [85].…”

Latent Thermal Energy Storage System for Heat Recovery between 120 and 150 °C: Material Stability and Corrosion

“…Viscosity increase is not an issue in this work as the PCM is stacked in the heat exchanger and does not circulate. The corrosion issue has been studied over a wide range of temperatures, from cold applications [13][14][15] to high temperatures [16], especially for concentrated solar power applications and thus with molten salts used as PCMs [17][18][19], passing the building temperature level [20][21][22]. Fewer studies have focused on the medium temperature range that concerns us (120-150 • C) [23]: a recent paper investigated the compatibility between a commercial PCM named PlusIce S83 (mainly composed of magnesium nitrate) with aluminum, copper, and carbon steel [24].…”