The search for sustainable new materials to store heat captured from the sun for release during the night has led scientists to a high-tech combination of paraffin wax and sand.
Their report on the heat-storing capability of this microencapsulated sand appears in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.
Benxia Li and colleagues explain the need for better materials that can store and release heat. These so-called “phase-change” materials” (PCMs) are essential, for instance, for storing heat from the sun for use in providing energy at night or during cloudy periods. PCMs absorb, store and release heat when changing “phases” from a solid to a liquid and vice versa. They have applications that range from expanding use of solar energy to heat-regulating greenhouses to clothing that keeps soldiers or campers warm on cold nights outdoors. Existing PCMs have disadvantages, such as the tendency to leak or catch fire, and Li’s team set out to find a better material.
They describe a new approach to using paraffin as a PCM. Made from petroleum, paraffin is a waxy material that absorbs heat, melts into a liquid and releases heat as it solidifies. It involves encapsulating paraffin into tiny spheres of silicon dioxide, the stuff of beach sand. The microencapsulated paraffin has several advantages, including a large surface area that can transfer heat, less reactivity with the environment and less likelihood of leaking as it changes phases. Li’s team reports successful tests of the material for 30 melting-solidifying cycles with no leaks at a temperature of 158 degrees Fahrenheit. “The high heat storage capability and good thermal stability of the composite enable it to be a potential material to store thermal energy in practical applications,” the report concluded.
The Latest Bing News on:
Solar heat storage
- Menifee battery storage plant will be one of largest in the U.S.on April 27, 2024 at 11:01 pm
Instead, the 2,000-megawatt battery storage facility taking shape in Menifee will link ... Power will cycle through Nova 24 hours a day as wind and solar energy, produced when it’s not needed, is ...
- How Do Solar Panels Work?on April 27, 2024 at 5:00 am
Find out how solar cells power a good portion of homes today—and how they might power virtually everything in the future.
- Thermal Battery Solar Technology Soon to Rapidly Deliver On-site Power Generation for Data Centerson April 26, 2024 at 3:25 pm
Exowatt has announced a new type of self-contained solar power generation, set to be available at scale later this year.
- Solar-assisted thermochemical heat pump based on caustic soda, wateron April 26, 2024 at 1:01 am
Researchers in China have designed a two-stage, solar-assisted thermochemical heat pump system that uses caustic soda and water as a working pair. The system is reportedly able to achieve an energy ...
- Best Solar Companies of 2024on April 25, 2024 at 4:16 pm
The best solar companies in 2024 are SunPower, Freedom Solar Power, Palmetto and Sunrun. Robust warranties and good customer satisfaction scores set them apart.
- California battery storage increasing rapidly, but not enough to end blackouts, Gov. Newsom sayson April 25, 2024 at 4:06 pm
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday that California continued to rapidly add the battery storage that is critical to the transition to cleaner energy, but admitted it was not enough to avoid blackouts ...
- A second solar project takes off at JFK airporton April 24, 2024 at 9:27 am
TotalEnergies began construction of an onsite solar-plus-storage system, providing energy to Port Authority and Con Edison, as well as community solar for area residents.
- Exclusive: A solar steam project kicks offon April 24, 2024 at 8:36 am
An unusual project that uses solar-powered steam and storage to decarbonize clean fuel production has started operating at a site in Southern California. Why it matters: The compa ...
- Survey finds majority of solar contractors expect growth over next three yearson April 24, 2024 at 7:00 am
Over 80% of contractors surveyed expect their annual solar installations to increase over the next three years.
- Solar-assisted heat pumps vs. air-source heat pumpson April 24, 2024 at 3:47 am
A group of researchers in Iran has analyzed the coefficient of performance and the energy consumption of a solar-assisted heat pumps and an air-source heat pumps and has found that three factors are ...
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Solar heat storage
[google_news title=”” keyword=”solar heat storage” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”] [/vc_column_text]The Latest Bing News on:
Phase change material
- With the aid battle won in Washington, we must help Ukraine win the war’s next phaseon April 27, 2024 at 1:00 pm
The additional U.S. aid, on top of Europe’s significant contributions, gives Ukraine new hope in the war. The ultimate goal should be setting the conditions in 2024 for Ukraine to launch another ...
- LADOTD begins phase one of Crescent City Connection lighting projecton April 26, 2024 at 4:17 pm
Starting Tuesday, April 30, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development says one lane in each direction of the Crescent City Connection bridge will be closed until August. The bridge ...
- More traffic changes announced amid Youngstown road projecton April 25, 2024 at 9:57 am
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – A new phase of the SMART2 Roadway project begins next week, leading to more traffic changes in Youngstown. According to a news release from the city’s Department of Public ...
- Towards novel promising perovskite-type ferroelectric materials: High-pressure synthesis of rubidium niobateon April 24, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Additionally, they characterized how polarization changes across a wide temperature range during phase transitions. This breakthrough can lead to new design guidelines for ferroelectric materials.
- Multifunctional Composite Phase Change Materials Shielding for Electronicson April 24, 2024 at 10:02 am
In a recent paper published in the journal Nano Energy Research, Chinese researchers at Beijing Normal University have been developing multifunctional composite phase change materials (PCMs) shielding ...
- Aerogel-based phase change materials improve thermal management, reduce microwave emissions in electronic deviceson April 23, 2024 at 9:24 am
Electronic devices are getting more and more complex as they are built to carry out an ever-increasing number of functions. This can be seen in the increased functionality in our personal devices such ...
- Greyhound bus shooter’s mom gives tearful testimony as trial’s sanity phase beginson April 22, 2024 at 11:06 am
Anthony Devonte Williams grew up in Maryland a normal, happy child, making friends easily and enjoying his school years, his mother said. Years later, however, ...
- Hold Rating Maintained for Cerevel Post-Positive Phase 3 Data Amid Pending AbbVie Acquisitionon April 21, 2024 at 5:45 pm
Despite Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings announcing positive Phase 3 data for their Parkinson’s disease ... He points out that any material change to Cerevel’s investment narrative is unlikely given the ...
- Nike headquarters to shed more employees in second phase of layoffson April 19, 2024 at 12:49 pm
According to Nike, these layoffs are the second phase of the ones that began a few months ago, bringing the total now to 740 employees laid off from that location. In February, Nike announced its ...
- BBI Logstics' new Astor Park office to feature speakeasy bourbon room, views of Lower.com Fieldon April 18, 2024 at 10:36 am
BBI will more than double its office footprint when it moves from 80 E. Rich St. to Astor Park. Here's how the space, which neighbors Lower.com Field, is shaping up.
The Latest Google Headlines on:
Phase change material
[google_news title=”” keyword=”phase change material” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]