Phase Change Materials Selection for Latent Heat Thermal Energy Storage Systems (LHTESS): An Industrial Engineering Initiative Towards Materials Science

Abstract

Phase change materials (PCM) are extensively investigated for latent heat thermal energy storage systems (LHTESS). Lack of understanding between materials properties and engineering requirements is the reported roadblock in the development efficient PCM based LHTESS. This study illustrates a methodology for selection of optimal PCM and simultaneously tries to bridge the gaps between materials science of PCM in contrast to the engineering requirements of LHTESS. Engineering requirements for such systems includes sensible heat (QSensible), latent heat (QLatent), heat of conduction (QConduction) and convection (QConvection), thermal efficiency, effectiveness and weight. These requirements depend on various thermo-physical properties such as latent heat of fusion (� ), density (� ), thermal conductivity (k), specific heat capacity (Cp). Therefore, we have employed quality function deployment (QFD) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in combination with classical multiple attribute decision making (MADM). Though both the methods provide quantitative weightage to the materials properties on the basis of verbal reasoning, QFD is a transparent approach and has additional benefit of addressing the aforementioned objectives in a more effective manner. Consequently, the final ranks and rank indices (for degree of closeness) of important PCM are determined using VlseKriterijumska Optimisacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) technique. Stearic acid (QFD-VIKOR) and n-Octadecane (AHP-VIKOR) are found to be the top rated PCM for LHTESS.