Energy Storage Science and Technology ›› 2020, Vol. 9 ›› Issue (1): 109-116.doi: 10.19799/j.cnki.2095-4239.2019.0187

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Preparation and thermal properties of metal foam/ paraffin composite phase change materials

XU Zhong1,2,3(), HOU Jing1, WAN Shuquan1, LI Jun2,3, WU Enhui2,3, LIU Qianshu2,3, GAN Xin1   

  1. 1. College of Vanadium and Titanium, Panzhihua University
    2. Sichuan Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Solar Technology Integration
    3. Application and Solar Technology Integration Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of University, Panzhihua 617000,Sichuan,China
  • Received:2019-08-23 Revised:2019-09-11 Online:2020-01-05 Published:2019-10-10

Abstract:

Copper foam, nickel foam, and aluminum foam were used as supporting materials, and paraffin was used as the main material. Multiple composite phase change materials were prepared by constant temperature impregnation and pouring methods. Herein, the effects of adsorption temperature and time on the paraffin content of metal foam/paraffin composites and optimal conditions for preparing composite phase change materials by the constant temperature impregnation method are established. Adsorption was conducted at 70 °C for 10 min. The temperature field distribution and thermal conductivity of the multiple composite phase change materials prepared under the optimal condition were tested by the thermal conductivity measurement technology (based on the guarded hot-plate method and infrared imaging technology). The results indicate that the copper foam/ paraffin composites were the most stable and exhibited the most uniform temperature field distribution during the thermal storage and release process. With a composite thermal storage material released between 35 °C and 50 °C, the shortest duration was revealed by the aluminum foam/ paraffin composite phase change material. The thermal conductivity of composite phase change materials prepared by constant temperature impregnation was 5-9 times higher than that of pure paraffin. The composite materials were prepared by pouring 6-13 times. This study is helpful in promoting the manufacture of metal foam/ paraffin composite phase change materials and provides an experimental basis for conducting future study on the temperature field distribution of the composite phase change materials.

Key words: metal foam, paraffin, composite phase change material, thermal storage and release, thermal conductivity

CLC Number: