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Thermo
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Advances in PCMs as Thermal Energy Storage in Energy Systems
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Advances in PCMs as Thermal Energy Storage in Energy Systems

A special issue of Thermo (ISSN 2673-7264).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 23503

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Behzad Rismanchi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Infrastructure Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT Engineering Block C, Building 174, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
Interests: thermal energy storage; energy management; renewable energy; energy saving; complex system modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Seyedmostafa Mousavi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Infrastructure Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and IT Engineering Block C, Building 174, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
Interests: thermal energy storage; building energy; energy efficiency; energy modelling; renewable energy

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As we well know, buildings are critical for our transition to a future world with lower carbon emissions. They are responsible for more than a third of global final energy consumption and CO2 emissions. With this in mind, the building sector is constantly looking for new solutions to make buildings more energy efficient.

Innovative thermal storage materials with the ability to support the management of energy demand and save energy in buildings have been developed and applied. Among the different types of thermal storage materials developed, phase change materials (PCMs), due to their excellent storage capacity and specific thermophysical features during latent heat transfers, have been introduced as promising materials for energy as well as thermal management in buildings.

This Special Issue focuses on all aspects of PCM applications in buildings, in particular innovative PCMs, advances in modelling and analysis, and the design of PCM-based systems for building services and operations. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Development of advanced PCM products for building applications;
  • Design and integration of PCMs in building envelopes and/or services (HVAC, refrigeration, electricity supply, cold and hot water supply, façade design, etc.);
  • Potential assessment of PCM storage systems in demand-side management strategies;
  • Numerical modelling and experimental evaluation of PCM systems in buildings;
  • Life cycle assessment, economic analysis, and safety evaluation of PCM storage systems in building applications.

You are welcome to submit your recent research studies or relevant state-of-the-art reviews on PCM applications in buildings. We look forward to your contribution.

Dr. Behzad Rismanchi
Dr. Seyedmostafa Mousavi
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.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Thermo is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1000 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.

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 3523 KiB  
Article
Laboratory Experiments on Passive Thermal Control of Space Habitats Using Phase-Change Materials
by Claudia Ongil, Úrsula Martínez, Pablo Salgado Sánchez, Andriy Borshchak Kachalov, Jose Miguel Ezquerro and Karl Olfe
Thermo 2024, 4(4), 461-474; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo4040025 - 29 Oct 2024
Viewed by 684
Abstract
Here, we investigate the performance of phase-change materials (PCMs) in the passive thermal control of space habitats. PCMs are able to absorb and release large amounts energy in the form of latent heat during their (typically, solid-to-liquid) phase transition, which makes them an [...] Read more.
Here, we investigate the performance of phase-change materials (PCMs) in the passive thermal control of space habitats. PCMs are able to absorb and release large amounts energy in the form of latent heat during their (typically, solid-to-liquid) phase transition, which makes them an ideal choice for passive temperature control. In this study, a conceptual design of an igloo-shaped habitat is proposed. A scaled model for laboratory experiments is manufactured via 3D printing, using tap water as the PCM. The setup is used to conduct experiments and analyze PCM performance, based on temperature measurements inside and outside the habitat. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of PCMs in increasing thermal inertia and stabilizing the habitat interior temperature around the melting temperature, confirming that PCMs can be a suitable alternative for passive thermal control. The present study holds significant interest for the future of space exploration, with the emerging need to design habitats that are capable of accommodating astronauts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in PCMs as Thermal Energy Storage in Energy Systems)
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27 pages, 4327 KiB  
Article
On the Effective Thermophysical Properties of Phase Change Materials Embedded in Metallic Lattice Structures with Generic Topological Parameters
by Stefano Piacquadio, Johannes Soika, Maximilian Schirp, Kai-Uwe Schröder and Sauro Filippeschi
Thermo 2023, 3(4), 566-592; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo3040034 - 7 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1292
Abstract
The recent literature has introduced the use of architected materials with a metallic lattice structure-based topology to enhance the thermal conductivity of phase change materials (PCM). The potential of such structures lies in the freedom of design with complex geometries. This, however, has [...] Read more.
The recent literature has introduced the use of architected materials with a metallic lattice structure-based topology to enhance the thermal conductivity of phase change materials (PCM). The potential of such structures lies in the freedom of design with complex geometries. This, however, has introduced novel challenges regarding the analytical description of these materials’ effective thermophysical properties, which are used in order to treat the composite as a homogenized material. Only a few limited works have been presented thus far that have holistically addressed the calculation of such properties. The wide variety of possible geometric parameters in these materials can only be appropriately treated via an adaptable approach that can be extended to upcoming lattice geometries. With this aim in mind, the present work introduces a method to calculate the effective thermal conductivity of the discussed composite PCM. A cell-based approach to calculate the effective thermal conductivity is introduced. The method makes use of Steinmetz’s solids as a basis from which one can derive the porosity of unit cells with variable geometric parameters. Empirical factors are introduced to account for limitations due to the complex geometry and eventual manufacturing imperfections of these structures. Thus, semi-analytical formulae to describe the effective thermal conductivity of the lattice cells are derived for a variety of cuboid and hexagonal prismatic unit cells with generic topological parameters. The formulae are validated against the models and experimental results present in the literature. Finally, an analysis and discussion of the limited validity of homogenization techniques for lattice structures is presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in PCMs as Thermal Energy Storage in Energy Systems)
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16 pages, 846 KiB  
Article
Preliminary Design of a Space Habitat Thermally Controlled Using Phase Change Materials
by A. Borshchak Kachalov, P. Salgado Sánchez, U. Martínez and J. M. Ezquerro
Thermo 2023, 3(2), 232-247; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo3020014 - 12 Apr 2023
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2388
Abstract
We explore the preliminary design of a space habitat thermally controlled using phase change materials (PCMs). The PCM is used to maintain a suitable, habitable temperature inside the habitat by isolating it from the external solar radiation. The system is studied numerically considering [...] Read more.
We explore the preliminary design of a space habitat thermally controlled using phase change materials (PCMs). The PCM is used to maintain a suitable, habitable temperature inside the habitat by isolating it from the external solar radiation. The system is studied numerically considering only diffusive heat transport (conduction), a scenario with practical application to microgravity or reduced gravity environments. The system dynamics are explored for a wide range of governing parameters, including the length of the PCM cell L, the thermo-optical properties—absorptivity α and emissivity ε—at the external boundary of the habitat wall exposed to solar radiation, the eclipse (illumination) fraction τe (τi) of the solar cycle, and the PCM used. We find that the thermo-optical properties at the external radiated boundary, characterized by the absorptivity–emissivity ratio (α/ε), play a key role in the system response and largely define the optimal design of the habitat. This optimum balances the heat absorbed and released by the PCM during repeated illumination and eclipse cycles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in PCMs as Thermal Energy Storage in Energy Systems)
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16 pages, 3545 KiB  
Article
Experimental Work on Salt-Based Cooling Systems
by Damian Park, Isye Hayatina, Mohammed Farid and Amar Auckaili
Thermo 2023, 3(1), 200-215; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo3010012 - 22 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3523
Abstract
The energy consumption for space cooling is progressively increasing. Integrating renewable energy into space cooling systems is critical for reducing CO2 emissions from the building sector. The salt-based cooling system is an appealing alternative as it can be charged by solar energy. [...] Read more.
The energy consumption for space cooling is progressively increasing. Integrating renewable energy into space cooling systems is critical for reducing CO2 emissions from the building sector. The salt-based cooling system is an appealing alternative as it can be charged by solar energy. This system is based on the characteristic of endothermic salts, which generate a considerable cooling effect when dissolved in water. A screening test was performed in this work to evaluate the cooling performance of several endothermic salts. Furthermore, a laboratory-scale system was developed to demonstrate the endothermic salt-based thermal storage and cooling generation system. Temperature decreases up to 12.3 °C were observed in the system containing Potassium Chloride salt. The temperature drop was maintained after the system underwent a charging/discharging cycle; however, the cooling period was shortened. The system demonstrated an inherent low efficiency due to the large volume of water required in the discharging phase, demanding a considerable amount of energy to evaporate the water in the charging phase. As a result, the application of this system will be restricted to the usage of low-grade energy during the charging phase. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in PCMs as Thermal Energy Storage in Energy Systems)
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Review

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28 pages, 3698 KiB  
Review
Wall Insulation Materials in Different Climate Zones: A Review on Challenges and Opportunities of Available Alternatives
by Yitong Dong, Jiashu Kong, Seyedmostafa Mousavi, Behzad Rismanchi and Pow-Seng Yap
Thermo 2023, 3(1), 38-65; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo3010003 - 6 Jan 2023
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 13894
Abstract
Buildings account for nearly one-third of overall energy consumption in today’s world energy status, in which a considerable part is used for indoor conditioning. Energy efficiency enhancement of buildings components and technologies is a key priority, given the essential need for carbon neutrality [...] Read more.
Buildings account for nearly one-third of overall energy consumption in today’s world energy status, in which a considerable part is used for indoor conditioning. Energy efficiency enhancement of buildings components and technologies is a key priority, given the essential need for carbon neutrality and climate change mitigation around the world. Exterior wall insulation is considered as the most effective technology for protecting buildings against continual ambient fluctuations. Proper design and implementation of wall insulation would lead to performance enhancement, energy conservation as well as improved thermal comfort. They can also protect building structures against corrosion and heat fatigue, extending the life of buildings. There are many different types of thermal insulation materials currently on the market, each with its own set of thermal qualities and functionality. This paper aims to examine the qualities, benefits, and drawbacks of several exterior wall insulation technologies, and provide recommendations for how to use various forms of exterior wall insulation in different climates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in PCMs as Thermal Energy Storage in Energy Systems)
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