The Role of Soya Oil Ester in Water-Based PCM for Low Temperature Cool Energy Storage

Abstract

This study focuses on the preparation of the water-based phase change material (PCM) with very small soya oil solution for low temperature latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES). Soya oil ester is soluble very well in water and acts as nucleating agent for a novel solid-liquid PCM candidate that is suitable for low temperature cool storage in the range between −9°C and −6°C. Thermal energy storage properties of the water with very small soya oil ester solution were measured by T-history method. The experimental results show that very small amount of soya oil ester in water can lower the freezing point and trigger ice nucleation for elimination of the supercooling degree. The phase transition temperatures of the water-based PCMs with soya oil as nucleate agent were lower than those of individual water. The thermal properties make it potential PCM for LHTES systems used in low temperature cool energy storage applications.