Experimental investigation for the thermal management of a coaxial electrical cable system using a form-stable low temperature phase change material

Abstract

This novel study was addressed to estimate the affecting rate of phase change materials (PCMs) on the thermal management of co-axial electrical cables applied in various applications. Four independent variables were selected to fulfill the objective based on the previous research studies in the literature on thermal management properties of PCMs and co-axial electrical cable features. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) density, mass fraction of stearic acid (SA), as the utilized PCM, mass fraction of form-stable phase change material (FSPCM), and cable jacket's thickness were the studied parameters to seek out the intended responses. A melt impregnation method was used to embed the SA into the kaolin, which is used as supporting material to fabricate the aimed FSPCM composites. Besides, to gain a satisfying and precise point of view about the effects of PCM application in electronic cables, it is vital to investigate any possible mechanical properties variation affected by the selected parameters. Accordingly, tensile strength (stress) and elongation were also considered and compared with the expected PVC results. The application of FSPCMs in co-axial electrical cables was led to control and drop of the surface temperature by over 28.47 °C and a 4.62% decrease in cable loss.