Study on Fabrication Technology and Melting Heat Transfer Process of Salt/Ceramic Composite Phase Change Energy Storage Materials

A novel spontaneous melt infiltration methodology was developed for the preparation of salt/ceramic composite phase-change energy storage materials (CESM). Thermo-physical properties including phase change latent heat, thermal energy storage density, thermal conductivity, specific heat and thermal diffusivity were measured detailed. The composition and micro-structure were characterized by SEM and XRD. Numerical simulation by finite difference method and experimental studies on melting heat transfer process of CESM were performed. The results demonstrated that this methodology is effective and successful to prepare energy storage materials using Na₂SO₄/SiO₂ as an example and numerical simulation results of melting heat transfer process are in good agreement with experimental results.