Challenges in Computer Modeling of Phase Change Materials

Challenges in Computer Modeling of Phase Change Materials

journal article in Web of Science

en

Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are a well established category of materials with many possible applications ranging from the stabilization of temperature to the heat or cold storage. The main principle of PCMs is the utilization of latent heat of phase change for the energy storage. Though many pure chemical elements can be used as PCMs, a PCM very often consists of a number of substances. The main reason for creating the PCM as mixtures of various sub-stances is to achieve a desirable melting temperature for a particular application. However, these mixed PCMs require accurate and reliable methods for the determination of physical properties, since for numerical modeling the thermal properties of materials and their proper determination represent a significant issue that considerably affects the accuracy and credibility of numerical simulations and their outcomes. The thermal properties of PCMs are usually obtained by the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) method based on the temperature and heat measurement of desired and reference materials. There exist several approaches how the materials comprising phase changes can be modeled. In the paper, the main attention is aimed at the enthalpy approach and the effective heat capacity method. Both the techniques, which utilize results from a particular DSC measurement, allow treating with the latent heat, thereby the desired heat or cold storage may efficiently be simulated. The presented methods were implemented with using the results of DSC measurements in order to simulate the solar air collector with a PCM. The obtained results are presented and discussed. The paper also concerns with problems of uncertainty of material properties and their impact on numerical simulations.

Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are a well established category of materials with many possible applications ranging from the stabilization of temperature to the heat or cold storage. The main principle of PCMs is the utilization of latent heat of phase change for the energy storage. Though many pure chemical elements can be used as PCMs, a PCM very often consists of a number of substances. The main reason for creating the PCM as mixtures of various sub-stances is to achieve a desirable melting temperature for a particular application. However, these mixed PCMs require accurate and reliable methods for the determination of physical properties, since for numerical modeling the thermal properties of materials and their proper determination represent a significant issue that considerably affects the accuracy and credibility of numerical simulations and their outcomes. The thermal properties of PCMs are usually obtained by the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) method based on the temperature and heat measurement of desired and reference materials. There exist several approaches how the materials comprising phase changes can be modeled. In the paper, the main attention is aimed at the enthalpy approach and the effective heat capacity method. Both the techniques, which utilize results from a particular DSC measurement, allow treating with the latent heat, thereby the desired heat or cold storage may efficiently be simulated. The presented methods were implemented with using the results of DSC measurements in order to simulate the solar air collector with a PCM. The obtained results are presented and discussed. The paper also concerns with problems of uncertainty of material properties and their impact on numerical simulations.

Phase Change Materials (PCMs) are a well established category of materials with many possible applications ranging from the stabilization of temperature to the heat or cold storage. The main principle of PCMs is the utilization of latent heat of phase change for the energy storage. Though many pure chemical elements can be used as PCMs, a PCM very often consists of a number of substances. The main reason for creating the PCM as mixtures of various sub-stances is to achieve a desirable melting temperature for a particular application. However, these mixed PCMs require accurate and reliable methods for the determination of physical properties, since for numerical modeling the thermal properties of materials and their proper determination represent a significant issue that considerably affects the accuracy and credibility of numerical simulations and their outcomes. The thermal properties of PCMs are usually obtained by the Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) method based on the temperature and heat measurement of desired and reference materials. There exist several approaches how the materials comprising phase changes can be modeled. In the paper, the main attention is aimed at the enthalpy approach and the effective heat capacity method. Both the techniques, which utilize results from a particular DSC measurement, allow treating with the latent heat, thereby the desired heat or cold storage may efficiently be simulated. The presented methods were implemented with using the results of DSC measurements in order to simulate the solar air collector with a PCM. The obtained results are presented and discussed. The paper also concerns with problems of uncertainty of material properties and their impact on numerical simulations.

phase change material, enthalpy method, effective heat capacity, solar air collector

phase change material, enthalpy method, effective heat capacity, solar air collector

2012

02.07.2012

Inštitut za kovinske materiale in tehnologije Lubljana

Lubljana, Slovinsko

1580-2949

46

4

335–338

4