Experimental analysis for thermo-physical properties of phase change materials during accelerated thermal cycling

ABSTRACT

Thermo-chemical degradations of five paraffin waxes were investigated, during 750 accelerated thermal cycles to determine their suitability as phase change material in solar dryer. Discharge time was determined using T-history and Differenctial Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Fourier Transform InfraRed (FTIR) and Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) were conducted at every 250^th cycle. After 750 cycles, PW₁ possessed maximum latent heat of melting and solidification of 421.64 kJ/kg and 392.13 kJ/kg respectively and melting and solidification temperature of 58.90°C and 51.10°C respectively. PW₁ and PW₃ retained desired thermo-chemical properties after thermal cycling. PW₁ was selected as it retained highest latent heat, discharge time, 1.02% mass degradation and also found chemically stable after 750 cycles.

KEYWORDS:

• Phase change material
• accelerated thermal cycling
• thermal stability
• chemical stability and mass degradation

Nomenclature

Table

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to members of Department of Food Engineering, NIFTEM for their support and encouragement and NIFTEM for its financial support to carry out this research.

Disclosure statement

The authors have declared no conflict of interests.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any external funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors except NIFTEM’s research fund. Financial support by NIFTEM is duly acknowledged.

Notes on contributors

Onkar A. Babar

Er. Onkar A Babar is PhD research scholar of Dept. of Food Engineering at National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Sonepat-India. He has been associated with food engineering and has expertise in drying phenomenon in food materials, food engineering, new product development and application of solar thermal energy for food processes etc. He has various publications in his name related food processing engineering and technology.

Vinkel K. Arora

Dr. Vinkel K Arora is an Assistant Professor of Dept. of Food Engineering at National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Sonepat-India. He is Mechanical Engineer and has been associated with food process engineering since last 7 to 8 year. His major expertise is in CAM, CAD (Computer Aided Design), CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) designs and development, refrigeration and control and 3D printing etc. He also has expertise over processing of food materials, food engineering concepts and designs etc. He has various publications in his name. He has been awarded with several prestigious awards. He also has been handling several research grants by government, received for various research projects.

Prabhat K. Nema

Dr. Prabaht K Nema is the Professor of Dept. of Food Engineering at National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management, Sonepat-India. He is an Agriculture Engineer and possesses prolong experience in academics and research in the field of agricultural process engineering and food process engineering. He has also served His major expertise is in fruits and vegetable processing, high pressure processing and food drying etc. He has done post grad and doctoral studies from IIT Kharagpur and has edited various books about advancements in drying of fruits and vegetables and has notable publications in his name. He has been awarded with prestigious Seligman APV Fellowship (2007) by the Society of Chemical Industry, London, UK. He also has been handling several research grants by government, received for various research projects.