Periodic Reporting for period 1 - M-TES (Metallic phase change material-composites for Thermal Energy management)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-10-01 al 2024-09-30
The 3-year M-TES project “Metallic phase change material-composites for Thermal Energy management” addresses the energy saving issue by tackling heat recovery and managing in processes which produce or re-use energy in the form of heat. The overall objective is to design new metallic materials for Thermal Energy Storage and Thermal energy Management by using the heat stored or released during the phase change from solid to liquid of a metal. In the same material, but in different portions, structural and phase change metals will be combined, obtaining a composite metallic material. Care will be taken to avoid critical raw materials, and to use low-cost manufacturing processes. Optimization of composition and processing will be addressed to achieve adequate performances for future applications in energy and industrial fields.
In the first project year, a survey of alloy systems of potential interest for the production of the metallic phase change material has been performed. As a results, few systems were individuated and are currently under investigation from both experimental and modelling point of view.
Their study will provide instruments for material optimization and knowledge development. Simultaneously, processing development is ongoing, with the aim of obtaining the desired properties.
Their study will provide instruments for material optimization and knowledge development. Simultaneously, processing development is ongoing, with the aim of obtaining the desired properties.
The metallic PCM composites under investigation represent a quite new kind of materials in the framework of thermal energy storage and managements: even if at their preliminary stage of development, interesting properties have been observed that push them beyond the state of the art.