Phase Change Material Nanoemulsions for TES Application: Design, Characterization, and Thermal Performance

Due to their high latent heat, phase change materials have can store and release a large amount of thermal energy during phase change. Meanwhile, phase change material nanoemulsions have received much attention due to their suitable heat transfer properties and high heat storage capacity. In addition to the sensible heat capacity of the carrier fluid, these materials also have the ability to store thermal energy by using the latent heat capacity of phase change materials in the form of a dispersed phase. Also, due to the large surface to volume ratio of the dispersed phase on very small scales, heat transfer accelerates in this nanoemulsion system. In the present work, a comprehensive study on the formulation, thermophysical and rheological properties of nanoemulsion phase change materials is presented, in order to provide an insight into the advantages and challenges of using these materials. In addition to the experimental investigations on emulsions stability during storage time, and under thermal cycles and shear mechanical stresses have also been discussed. The effect of droplet size, stabilizer type and dispersed phase concentration on supercooling and other rheological and thermophysical properties of nanoemulsions such as thermal conductivity and density have also been investigated in order to determine the cooling-heating rate and volume required for energy storage, respectively. Finally, the potential of phase change material nanoemulsions for the effective management of thermal energy and promoting the methods of using renewable energy in different fields has been reviewed.