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Phase Change Matters Newsletter Oct 26 2018

The Phase Change Matters e-mail newsletter is a weekly summary of the latest news and research on phase change materials and thermal energy storage. To subscribe, visit www.puretemp.com/subscribe. For more frequent updates, follow @puretemp on Twitter or visit the Phase Change Matters blog, www.puretemp.com/pcmatters.

IN BRIEF

Array radiator

• What happens when designers and scientists collaborate on new materials? Ten teams set out to answer that question over a six-month period. The results were on display at Dutch Design Week 2018 earlier this month. A metallic radiator filled with phase change materials and nanowires was one of 10 projects featured in the “What Matter_s” exhibition in Eindhoven. The “Array” radiator, the work of furniture designer Amy Wang, architect Tim Söderström and two nanotechnologists, Professor Magnus Borgström and Dr. Vilgailè Dagytè, is designed to absorb and disperse heat in reaction to changing ambient temperatures.

Prem Sundharam, global sustainability leader for DLR Group, will be among the speakers at next week’s California Green Technology Schools and Community College Conference in Pasadena. “Looking forward to discussing about Zero-Net Energy Buildings, California’s Duck-Curve and the application of Phase Change Materials (PCM) as an effective solution,” he wrote on LinkedIn this week. “Bonus: Also sharing how to integrate innovative energy technology (PCM) into school curriculum and have students be active participants in this cutting-edge research!”  

EnergyNest thermal battery EnergyNest of Norway is partnering with the Italian utility Enel to analyze the potential for integrating industrial-scale thermal batteries into Enel’s thermal power plants. EnergyNest’s battery, right, consists of steel cassettes with pipes encased in Heatcrete, a special type of concrete developed in partnership with HeidelbergCement.

• New from QY Research: “Global (United States, European Union and China) Salt Hydrate Market Research Report 2018-2025

• As the solar industry has grown, the market has been flooded with cheaply made Chinese panels. The panels are wearing out in as little as five years, the Verge reports, and recycling isn’t economically viable right now. “It’s going to be a major problem,” said Mary Hutzler, a senior fellow at the Institute for Energy Research.  

Vertellus, the specialty chemicals company based in Indianapolis, has named John Van Hulle its new chief executive officer. He previously served as president of global color and additives for Ohio-based PolyOne, and CEO of Wisconsin-based chemical supplier ChemDesign

PureTemp LLC is moving its Minnesota administrative office from Plymouth to Minneapolis, effective Oct. 31. The new address: 4232 Park Glen Road, Minneapolis, MN 55416.

• SolarReserve has been selected to receive a $2 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy‘s Solar Energy Technologies Office to advance concentrating concentrating solar power research and development. SolarReserve’s CSP technology uses molten salt as a heat transfer fluid and thermal energy storage medium.

PATENTS

A system and method for cooling a space utilizing thermal energy storage

U.S. patent application 20180283709 (applicant NETenergy, Chicago, Ill.):

“A system and method of using the system is provided for cooling a building space through the use of thermal storage and release of energy by charging and discharging a phase change material comprising low temperature wax.”

Battery module and use of a propagation protection element

U.S. patent application 20180309177 (applicant Robert Bosch GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany):

“A battery module comprising at least one battery cell, wherein the battery module further comprises a propagation protection element which is connected in a thermally conductive manner to the battery cell and which is designed in such a way that, when a specific value for a temperature of the at least one battery cell is exceeded, an endothermic process which is being executed within the propagation protection element absorbs heat which is given off by the at least one battery cell.”

Thermal energy storage systems

PCES TES patent drawing

U.S. patent application 20180283800 (applicant Phase Change Energy Solutions Inc., Asheboro, N.C.):

“In one aspect, thermal energy storage systems are described herein. In some embodiments, a thermal energy storage system comprises a thermal energy storage system comprising a container and a heat exchange apparatus disposed within the container. The heat exchange apparatus comprises a tank, a manifold at least partially disposed within the tank, and a phase change material disposed within the tank and in thermal contact with the manifold.”

Thermo protection storage cell for cold transport box

U.S. patent application 20180283761 (applicant Swissmedpack Technologien JP. Buettiker GmbH, Basel, Switzerland):

“A thermo-protection-storage-cell for the ensuring of a temperature range from a lower temperature exposure limit to an upper temperature exposure limit contains a thermo-cell body and at least one filling chamber which is arranged in the thermo-cell body. At least one filling chamber is filled with a first phase-change material which changes its phase at the point of the lower temperature exposure limit. The at least one filling chamber is filled with a second phase-change material which changes its phase at the point of the upper temperature exposure limit. The thermo-protection-storage-cell facilitates an efficient and safe ensuring of a temperature-sensitive good in a useful way, especially during its transport.”

PCM module heat exchanger assembly

U.S. patent application 20180283726 (applicant Air Innovations Inc., North Syracuse, N.Y.):

“A phase change material (PCM) module heat exchanger assembly includes a multi-section PCM container rotatingly supported about a center long axis of the multi-section PCM container, or a multi-section PCM container where one or more sections are slidingly mounted to the multi-section PCM container. Each section of a plurality of rotatably or slidingly selected PCM sections is selectably insertable into an air flow. A method of placing one of a group of two or more PCM sections into a building’s heating, ventilation, or air conditioning (HVAC) ductwork and a method to harvest heating or cooling capacity for later use are also described.”

Mattress containing microencapsulated phase change material

U.S. patent application 20180279796 (applicant Milliken & Co., Spartanburg, S.C.):

“A mattress containing a core section, a high loft non-woven layer at least partially covering a first side of the core section and containing a plurality of heat and flame resistant fibers, bulking fibers, and binder fibers, a ticking layer at least partially covering the high loft non-woven layer and containing a textile layer, a pattern coated layer. The pattern coated layer may be printed on the high loft non-woven layer, the ticking layer, or any layer between the high loft non-woven layer and the ticking layer. The pattern coated layer contains a blend of microencapsulated phase change material (PCM) and a binder, wherein the PCM is fully encapsulated by the binder.”

RESEARCH ROUNDUP

For our full list of recent academic research, see puretemp.com/academic. Here are highlights from the past week:

From Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry:

Synthesis and characterization of the n-butyl palmitate as an organic phase change material

From Renewable Energy:

Encapsulation of high-temperature inorganic phase change materials using graphite as heat transfer enhancer

From Synthesis, Technology and Applications of Carbon Nanomaterials:

Activated Carbon for Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Material

From Applied Energy:

Thermal conductivity enhancement of phase change materials with 3D porous diamond foam for thermal energy storage

From Energy and Technology Journal:

Enhancement of Thermal Storage Properties of Phase Change Material by Using Metallic Swarf [pdf]

From ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering:

Fabrication and Characterization of Flame-Retardant Nanoencapsulated n-Octadecane with Melamine–Formaldehyde Shell for Thermal Energy Storage

From Energy Storage Materials:

Polyurethane-Based Flexible and Conductive Phase Change Composites for Energy Conversion and Storage

From Materials Today:

Emulsion-templated pullulan monoliths as Phase Change Materials encapsulating matrices

From Journal of Cleaner Production:

Dopamine functionalization for improving crystallization behaviour of polyethylene glycol in shape-stable phase change material with silica fume as the matrix

NETWORKING

Connect with PCM experts and industry leaders on LinkedIn

More than 1,375 people have joined a LinkedIn group devoted to the discussion of phase change material and thermal energy storage. The Phase Change Matters group is an interactive complement to the award-winning blog and newsletter of the same name.

You are invited to join the group and connect with PCM and TES experts from around the world. This week we welcome Carl Jarecki, co-founder at Lindsay Hatcher Co., Orange County, Calif.; Marino Lavorgna, researcher at CNR, Naples, Italy; Jeena James Kulangara, thermal design engineer at Cold Chain Technologies, Franklin, Mass.; and Patti Blessing, VP for sales and business development at ATI Microtek, Dayton, Ohio.