Influence of functionalized carbon flake on phase change characteristics of deionized (DI) water for cool thermal storage system
A. Sathishkumar, M. Cheralathan
Abstract
The current work aims to study the influence of thermal-resistance (R) and the time constant (τ) in phase change properties of carbon flake-based phase change materials (CPCM) experimentally. The CPCMs were prepared using chemically functionalized graphene flake (f-GP) in three various mass fractions (0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75%) suspended in deionized (DI) water. The phase transition characteristics were recorded using DSC214-polyma with a heat-flow rate of 1 K/min. The remarkable variation in the peak crystallization and melting during charging and discharging processes were recorded with the combined τ -R correction method. The true peak during charging (−12.21 °C) and discharging (3.91 °C) processes is recorded through the correction of time constant for CPCM with 0.75% of f-GP. In addition, the CPCM with 0.75% f-GP has a maximum reduction in melting and freezing time of 36.01% and 27.75%, respectively. The prediction of phase change properties (peak crystallization and melting temperatures) is very important to design a cool thermal energy storage (CTES) system with maximum storage density. The selection of correct operating temperature of the CTES system reduces the energy input to the chiller plant.