Characterization and estimation of specific heat capacity for composite phase change material

This study describes the preparation of an epoxy resin composite phase change material (ERPCM) for regulating asphalt pavement temperature and measures its specific heat capacity using a self-designed heat flow meter apparatus (HFMA) system in both dynamic and steady state modes. An optimization method for fitting the specific heat capacity curve with a trapezoidal curve is proposed. The error in describing the specific heat capacity during the melting and crystallization processes using the trapezoidal curve accounts for 24.1 % and 34.2 % of that of the rectangular curve, respectively. When the specific heat capacity measured in HFMA steady state mode is used as the input material parameter, the simulated temperature curve has the smallest error, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.63. Numerical simulations based on specific heat capacity curves measured in steady state mode show that the addition of ERPCM can effectively increase the pavement’s minimum temperature by 0.9 °C and decrease the maximum temperature by 1.6 °C. The specific heat capacity characterized by DSC and dynamic mode significantly underestimates the LHTI during the heating phase, by 35.4 % and 11.9 % compared to the steady state mode, respectively.