Efficient Solar-to-Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage with High-Thermal-Conductivity and Form-Stabilized Phase Change Composite Based on Wood-Derived Scaffolds

Chen, Bolin; Han, Meng; Zhang, Bowei; Ouyang, Gaoyuan; Shafei, Behrouz; Wang, Xinwei; Hu, Shan

doi:10.3390/en12071283

Open AccessArticle

Efficient Solar-to-Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage with High-Thermal-Conductivity and Form-Stabilized Phase Change Composite Based on Wood-Derived Scaffolds

by

Bolin Chen

¹,

Meng Han

¹,

Bowei Zhang

¹,

Gaoyuan Ouyang

²,

Behrouz Shafei

³

,

Xinwei Wang

¹ and

Shan Hu

^1,*

¹

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

²

Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

³

Department of Civil, Construction & Environmental Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Energies 2019, 12(7), 1283; https://doi.org/10.3390/en12071283

Submission received: 19 March 2019 / Revised: 1 April 2019 / Accepted: 1 April 2019 / Published: 3 April 2019

(This article belongs to the Section D1: Advanced Energy Materials)

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Abstract

Solar-to-thermal energy conversion is one of the most efficient ways to harvest solar energy. In this study, a novel phase change composite with porous carbon monolith derived from natural wood is fabricated to harvest solar irradiation and store it as thermal energy. Organic phase change material n-octadecane is physically adsorbed inside the porous structure of the carbonized wood, and a thin graphite coating encapsulates the exterior of the wood structure to further prevent n-octadecane leakage. The carbonized wood scaffold and the graphite coating not only stabilize the form of the n-octadecane during phase change, but also enhance its thermal conductivity by 143% while retaining 87% of its latent heat. Under 1-sun irradiation, the composite achieves an apparent 97% solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency.

Keywords: solar thermal energy; phase change material; thermal storage; thermal conductivity; carbonaceous material; carbon matrix composite

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MDPI and ACS Style

Chen, B.; Han, M.; Zhang, B.; Ouyang, G.; Shafei, B.; Wang, X.; Hu, S. Efficient Solar-to-Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage with High-Thermal-Conductivity and Form-Stabilized Phase Change Composite Based on Wood-Derived Scaffolds. Energies 2019, 12, 1283. https://doi.org/10.3390/en12071283

AMA Style

Chen B, Han M, Zhang B, Ouyang G, Shafei B, Wang X, Hu S. Efficient Solar-to-Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage with High-Thermal-Conductivity and Form-Stabilized Phase Change Composite Based on Wood-Derived Scaffolds. Energies. 2019; 12(7):1283. https://doi.org/10.3390/en12071283

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chen, Bolin, Meng Han, Bowei Zhang, Gaoyuan Ouyang, Behrouz Shafei, Xinwei Wang, and Shan Hu. 2019. "Efficient Solar-to-Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage with High-Thermal-Conductivity and Form-Stabilized Phase Change Composite Based on Wood-Derived Scaffolds" Energies 12, no. 7: 1283. https://doi.org/10.3390/en12071283

APA Style

Chen, B., Han, M., Zhang, B., Ouyang, G., Shafei, B., Wang, X., & Hu, S. (2019). Efficient Solar-to-Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage with High-Thermal-Conductivity and Form-Stabilized Phase Change Composite Based on Wood-Derived Scaffolds. Energies, 12(7), 1283. https://doi.org/10.3390/en12071283

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Efficient Solar-to-Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage with High-Thermal-Conductivity and Form-Stabilized Phase Change Composite Based on Wood-Derived Scaffolds

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