Molten Salt Thermal Energy Storage

In 2011, Changzhou Sunhome Solar Water Heater Manufacture Co., Ltd. established a solar thermal electrical power storage research & development center in Changzhou science city. The R&D team comprises of 20 members including one Professor, one Doctor, six graduates and twelve undergraduates. The test facilities covering 4000 sq.m consists of high temperature storage tank, large scale molten salt heat exchanger, transmission & control of molten salt. The molten salt storage was studied at a laboratory scale before raising the research facility with a 100ton high temperature molten salt storage tank.

DOE presented opportunities to apply phase change materials

Opportunities to Apply Phase Change Materials to Building Enclosures: November 11, 2011
This webinar, presented by research team Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems (CSE), reviewed basic physical characteristics and thermal properties of phase change materials (PCMs) and provided guidance on how to effectively apply PCMs in buildings in the United States. PCMs as building materials components have the potential to achieve significant reductions in space cooling energy consumption and peak cooling loads.

Phase Change Material Trombe Wall

Appalachian State University's The Solar Homestead has taken the second place as on September 30th, 2011 in the Solar Decathlon 2011's communications content!! The Solar Homestead features a phase change material based Trombe Wall.

New Phase Change Material (PCM) Evaporator by Delphi

A Frankfurt press release on September 14, 2011 reported on a new phase change material based evaporator for hybrid vehicles that provides efficient, affordable air conditioning even when the car engine is off. The release stated that Delphi Automotive is developing an air conditioning technology that saves energy without compromising cabin comfort. The product incorporates a Phase Change Material (PCM) in the Evaporator that is expected to keep the cabin of start-stop vehicles cooler longer. The new evaporator is expected to be a direct replacement for the original air-conditioning evaporator. It will lower the cost, will be less complex than an electric air conditioning compressor and is more efficient.

Team enCORE installs savEnrg™ PCM Plenum to store heat generated from the solar thermal hot air collectors

enCORE from OSU will exhibit at Solar Decathlon 2011a unique ability to store heat generated from the solar thermal hot air collectors for extended periods of time. The structures uses a thermal battery which stores 30 hours of hot air at 86 degrees F. The thermal battery is designed using savEnrg™ Phase Change Material (PCM-29P) panels. savEnrg™ Phase Change Materials (PCM) are inorganic salt hydrates with negligible super cooling and sharp phase temperatures that have a capacity to store large amounts of energy as latent heat during their process of phase change. Phase Change Materials are non-toxic, non-combustible and made out of 100% natural, eco-friendly products.

Reseachers at UNNC develop new PCM

Researchers at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China ( UNNC) have developed a new PCM for room climate control that could be applied on wallpaper. This phase change material (PCM) retains and releases heat according to the specific temperature requirements for a building. The researchers claim large thermal energy storage capacity with fast thermal transfer properties than existing materials.

Recent development of PCM based thermal energy storage (TES) materials at the Air Force Research Laboratory

A news article today talked about a paper being published highlighting a unique application for inorganic  hydrated salt PCM. Regenerative thermal energy storage materials like hydrous salts are being highlighted for applications in thermal management of on-flight equipment like lasers and microwaves.