Heat storage in alloy transformations. Final report

Abstract

A study conducted to determine the feasibility of using metal alloys as thermal energy storage media is described. The study had the following major elements: (1) the identification of congruently transforming alloys and thermochemical property measurements, (2) the development of a precise and convenient method for measuring volume change during phase transformation and thermal expansion coefficients, (3) the development of a numerical modeling routine for calculating heat flow in cylindrical heat exchangers containing phase-change materials, and (4) the identification of materials that could be used to contain the metal alloys. The elements selected as candidate media were limited to aluminum, copper, magnesium, silicon, zinc, calcium, and phosphorus on the basis of low cost and latent heat of transformation. Several new eutectic alloys and ternary intermetallic phases have been determined. A new method employing x-ray absorption techniques was developed to determine the coefficients of thermal expansion of both the solid and liquid phases and the volume change during phase transformation from data that are obtained during one continuous experimental test. The method and apparatus are discussed and the experimental results are presented. The development of the numerical modeling method is presented and results are discussed for both salt and metal alloy phase-change media. Candidate materials were evaluated to determine suitable materials for containment of the metal alloys. Graphite was used to contain the alloys during the volume change measurements. Silicon carbide has been identified as a promising containment material and surface-coated iron alloys were considered.