Abstract
This research article explores the behavior of a phase change material (PCM) when it undergoes interrupted melting and freezing, through experimental investigations using a heat flow meter apparatus. A fatty acid-based organic PCM, encapsulated within polyethylene and thin aluminum foil layers, was experimentally tested in this study. Experiments were designed to represent multiple interrupted phase change scenarios that could occur within PCMs applied in buildings. The experimental results were analyzed and compared with previously reported assumptions in numerical models dealing with PCM hysteresis and interrupted phase change processes. These comparisons indicated that the assumptions used in the different numerical models considered can capture the interrupted phase change phenomena with varying degrees of accuracy. The findings also highlighted the need for additional experimental research on different phase change processes that can occur in building applications of PCMs.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 8021 |
Journal | Energies |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 23 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 1 2021 |
Funding
Funding: This work was partially supported by the Building Technologies Office of the United States Department of Energy under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with UT-Battelle, LLC. Acknowledgments: The authors would like to thank Gas Technology Institute and Southern Illinois University for the support in developing this manuscript. The experimental work and portions of the analytical work described in this manuscript were performed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), which is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC, under Contract No. DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the U.S. Department of Energy. The authors would like to thank Jerald Atchley of ORNL for his support of the experimental testing reported here.
Keywords
- Heat flow meter apparatus
- Hysteresis
- Interrupted phase change
- Numerical models
- Phase change material