Abstract: Sodium acetate trihydrate is widely studied as an inorganic hydration salt latent heat thermal storage material. It has problems such as super cooling, phase separation, and low thermal conductivity when applied to energy storage projects. This article reviews the domestic and foreign research progress to solve these three types of problems. The test method was used to find nucleating agents and thickeners to solve the problem of phase separation and supercooling, but no theoretical basis has been found to determine additive formulation and dosage. Adding high thermal conductivity materials to improve their thermal conductivity, but sodium acetate trihydrate must be compounded, set, nano-micronized for its poor stability when using in phase change thermal storage devices. Finally, it concludes that the research of sodium acetate trihydrate should be combined with phase change thermal storage devices and systems. The development of a heat storage heat exchanger with high charge and discharge power is the key, and the heat transfer efficiency on the material side should be emphasized.

Key words: sodium acetate trihydrate, thermal storage material, super cooling, phase separation, phase change thermal storage device