Advances in Latent Thermal Energy Storage: Materials, Modeling, and System Integration
A special issue of Thermo (ISSN 2673-7264).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 9
Special Issue Editors
Interests: thermodynamics; latent thermal energy storage; heat exchangers; renewable energy; numerical modeling
Interests: geothermal energy; solar energy; carbon capture and storage; zero-energy buildings; waste management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Latent thermal energy storage (LTES) systems, which harness the phase-change behavior of specialized materials to absorb and release heat, are poised to transform the flexibility and efficiency of renewable energy installations, building climate control, and industrial waste-heat recovery. At the heart of these systems lie phase-change materials (PCMs) and their engineered composites, ranging from nano-enhanced and encapsulated formulations to bio-inspired mixtures, whose thermophysical properties must be precisely tailored to achieve optimal performance. The need to overcome the inherently low thermal conductivity of many PCMs has inspired a wealth of innovative solutions, including high-conductivity fillers, finned configurations, and porous support matrices.
Simultaneously, advanced modeling and simulation techniques, encompassing multiphysics computational fluid dynamics, phase-change kinetics, and numerical optimization, are enabling researchers to predict and refine LTES behavior under realistic operating conditions. Integrating these storage units into solar-thermal collectors, building envelopes, industrial processes, and hybrid energy systems demands rigorous experimental validation, techno-economic assessment, and life-cycle analysis, as well as smart control strategies. Pilot-scale demonstrations and field trials across buildings, power plants, and district energy networks will provide invaluable case studies.
This Special Issue invites original research articles, comprehensive reviews, concise communications, and forward-looking perspectives that collectively advance materials innovation, system optimization, and application-driven insights in latent thermal energy storage.
Dr. Mateo Kirinčić
Dr. Paolo Blecich
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- latent thermal energy storage
- phase change materials
- thermal conductivity enhancement
- multiphysics modeling
- system integration and applications
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