Study of Melting and Solidification of the Phase Change Materials

Abstract

This study experimentally investigate the melting and solidification characteristics of selected phase change materials (PCMs). PCMs were polyethylene glycols (PEGs) and Palmitic acid. By using an aluminum box, the PCMs was heating then cooling for melting and solidification respectively. The box divided into three sections. One of them was the heating source (hot water at 100°C), the middle section filled with tested PCM and the remaining section was a cooling source (cold water at 25°C). Twelve thermocouples used for each processes (charging and discharging). The study conclude that the heat storage of Palmitic acid was higher than these of polyethylene glycols due to the higher latent heat storage of Palmitic acid.