PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS

WE WISH TO DEVELOP DURABLE, STABLE, CONVENTIONAL MASONRY MATERIALS (CONCRETE BLOCKS AND BRICKS) FOR THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE (TES), INCORPORATING PRE-PACKAGED PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS (PCM'S) WITHIN THE MASONRY MATRIX, IN PELLET FORM (DEVELOPER - PENNWALT CORP)* AND AS CRYSTAL-MODIFIED GLAUBER'S SALT PACKAGED IN PLASTIC FILM (DEVELOPER - ENERGY CONVERSION INSTITUTE)*. PARAMETERS FOR STUDYING BUILDING MATERIALS INCLUDE: POSSIBLE INTERACTION BETWEEN PELLET CAPSULE WALLS OR LAMINATED FILM AND CONCRETE; POSSIBLE WATERVAPOR MIGRATION BETWEEN PCM'S AND CARRIER MATRIX; EFFECT OF ABOVE PHENOMENA ON THERMAL STORAGE; EFFECT OF POSSIBLE PCM LEAKS. TESTING WILL INCLUDE ACCELERATED AGING; CHEMICALTHERMAL ANALYSIS; MECHANICAL, PHYSICAL TESTS ON PROTOTYPE SAMPLES. THE EFFECT OF MOISTURE BARRIERS (I.E. SEALANTS) ONDURABILITY OF PCM MASONRY MATERIALS WILL BE EXPLORED. HERETOFORE, DIFFICULTY EXISTED IN CONTAINERIZING PCM'S WITHIN CONCRETE. IN MANY INSTANCES, IMPROPER INTEGRATION TECHNIQUES OR UNSTABLE PCM WERE USED. THE SMALL PELLET FORM AND VERSATILE FILM PACKAGES HAVE SHOWN LONG TERM DURABILITY, ESPECIALLY WHEN STABLE PCM FORMULATION BASED ON CRYSTAL-MODIFIED GLAUBER'S SALT IS USED, AS PER RECENTLY ISSUED PATENT LICENSED TO INSOLAR, INC. IMPROVED PRE-PACKAGED PCM'S FOR TES WITHIN CONVENTIONAL BUILDING MATERIALS WITH DURABILITY, STABILITY AND FUTURE COMMERCIAL ACCEPTANCE IS THE GOAL.