Project description
Warming up to sustainable heat storage
Traditional heating systems rely on carbon-intensive energy sources. Seasonal and short-term heat storage using phase change materials (PCMs) offers a sustainable alternative, particularly with paraffin waxes showing promise. However, this is costly and difficult to scale. Bio-based PCMs, while cheaper, are often inconsistent, making their heat storage performance unpredictable. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the HeatScopy project will develop advanced experimental methods to understand how mixture composition and heterogeneities affect PCM efficiency. Using techniques such as atomic force microscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance, researchers will analyse both conventional and plant-based waxes. This approach aims to create a workflow to optimise heat storage, thereby paving the way for greener, more affordable renewable heating solutions.
Objective
Seasonal and short-term heat storage with phase change materials (PCMs) represent a promising alternative to traditional carbon-intensive energy systems. They could reduce greenhouse emissions and provide sustainable renewable heating systems. Paraffin waxes have demonstrated potential for this purpose and fillers to enhance the thermal conductivity of waxes have been developed. However, these mixtures are expensive and unsustainable to upscale. Bio-based PCMs are cheaper, but often come with large heterogeneities, for which heat storage performance is difficult to predict. This study proposes the advancement of experimental methodologies to identify the impact of heterogeneities and mixture composition on phase change material performance for the development of sustainable products. An experimental approach is particularly beneficial, since computational techniques often require assumptions for high purity, which deviate significantly from the composition of naturally-occuring waxes. In this context, the proposed project will build on new experimental tools enabling to characterize heterogeneous and more complex mixtures, shed light on literature gaps about the mechanism of co-crystallization and speed up the selection of more sustainable and less costly PCMs. This study proposes to use atomic force microscopy, low field nuclear magnetic resonance, inverse gas chromatography and T-history, to reveal the mechanism behind the structural evolution during the phase change. A workflow will be developed using conventional paraffin wax and filler mixtures. Then, the established workflow will be applied to plant-based waxes, such as soy wax and coconut oil-based wax. The final goal is to predict heat storage performance of novel materials, from the evolution of structural features characterized experimentally. This workflow will facilitate the selection and testing for PCM to ensure optimal heat storage performance and a reduction in greenhouse emissions for heating.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
5612 AE Eindhoven
Netherlands
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