Thermal Energy Storage

As latent heat accumulators, phase-change materials (PCM) increase the heat capacity of buildings and ensure a stable and pleasant indoor climate. In production, its operating temperature can be adjusted from -10°C to 80°C (14°F to 176°F). Of particular importance is the usage in lightweight construction, as they can be directly integrated in the plaster or dry construction panel in form of microcapsules. Besides buildings, PCM can also be used in any application where there is need for a high heat storage capacity in a small area, for example in heat exchangers or water heaters. Experts at Fraunhofer also work on pumpable high performance refrigerants like ice suspensions for use in process and transportation cooling or in the food industry. Absorption and adsorption processes also make heat and cold storage possible. This so-called sorptive or thermochemical heat storage provides the advantage of achieving a very high storage density and covering a wide range of temperatures. Moreover, thermal energy losses during the storage period are minimized.