Invention Reference Number
Buildings are energy intensive and contribute to carbon dioxide emissions while accounting for one-third of energy consumption worldwide. Heat pump technology can assist in electrification and decarbonization efforts. While heat pump technology elevates the need for electricity, thermal energy storage (TES) integration into heat pumps can improve grid resilience by helping to control energy demand. For this purpose, a new TES material was produced for building applications. This TES material is a phase-change material which can efficiently store and release thermal energy at near-ambient temperatures (18-22 degrees Celsius). The new material is designed for building heating and cooling units; however, it can be utilized in other applications such as building insulation.
Description
As heat pumps replace gas furnaces in buildings, new technologies are necessary to reduce the carbon footprint and reduce energy consumption. The key to deploying thermal energy storage, or TES, in buildings is developing low-cost, high-performance, and durable materials that operate near room temperature. This technology is a new phase change material that is extremely attractive for this use. They are abundant, cost-effective, non-flammable, and non-toxic, and do not suffer phase separation and instability due to incongruent melting as typical thermal energy storage units do. A phase change material with a near-room-temperature melting point is particularly important in heating and cooling applications because the material can absorb and release thermal energy at temperatures close to the desired room temperature, so it can help regulate the temperature in a room or building without requiring significant amounts of energy. The material has a melting temperature near ambient temperature, is stable and keeps its beneficial properties with minimized supercooling.
Benefits
- One of the only phase change materials that work near ambient temperature
- Suitable for building applications
- Low cost and easy to prepare
- Can integrate into heat pump systems or insulation
Applications and Industries
- Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry
- Building construction industry
Contact
To learn more about this technology, email partnerships@ornl.gov or call 865-574-1051.
