Metal nitrate based compositions for use as phase change materials
AssigneeSunamp Limited
InventorsAndrew John Bissell, David Oliver, Colin Richard Pulham, Emily Jane Goddard, Gylen Odling, Kate Fisher
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Abstract
There is disclosed herein metal nitrate hydrates as phase change materials (PCMs). More particularly, there is disclosed herein metal nitrate hydrate PCMs containing group II metal nitrates as nucleation agents. A further disclosure herein is the combination of multiple chemical species in the PCM formulation which act together to induce nucleation of metal nitrate PCMs. Furthermore, physical mechanisms by which nucleation of metal nitrate hydrate based PCMs and crystallisation rate increased are disclosed.
Claims7
A phase-change material (PCM) consisting essentially of:
- calcium nitrate tetrahydrate;
- a nucleation agent, wherein the nucleation agent is a mixture of:
- magnesium nitrate or a hydrate thereof, and
- strontium nitrate and a hydrate thereof;
- and
- optionally, copper nitrate, zinc nitrate, iron nitrate, or a hydrate thereof.
A method of preparing a phase-change material (PCM) composition, comprising:
- heating a mixture of metal nitrate components consisting essentially of calcium nitrate tetrahydrate, a nucleation agent, and, optionally, copper nitrate, zinc nitrate, iron nitrate, or a hydrate thereof above a melting transition temperature of one or more of the metal nitrate components and stirring to form the PCM composition as a single pourable liquid,
- wherein the nucleation agent consists essentially of a mixture of:
- magnesium nitrate or a hydrate thereof, and
- strontium nitrate or a hydrate thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.