Evaluating the Multifunctional Performance of Structural Composites for Thermal Energy Storage
Giulia Fredi1, Andrea Dorigato1, Luca Fambri1
1INSTM Research Unit, Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 9, 38123 Trento, Italy.
Polymers
|September 28, 2021
Summary
Multifunctional composites combining structural integrity and thermal energy storage (TES) offer mass savings in applications like electric vehicles. Their efficiency depends on reinforcement and phase change material (PCM) characteristics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Composites
- Thermal Energy Storage
Background:
- Multifunctional polymer composites are needed for applications requiring both high mechanical properties and thermal energy storage (TES).
- Phase change materials (PCMs) integrated into structural composites often reduce mechanical performance.
- Despite potential property reduction, these composites can offer system-level mass savings compared to separate structural and TES components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for quantifying mass-saving potential in structural TES composites.
- To introduce a 'multifunctional efficiency' parameter for ranking these composites.
- To identify conditions favoring mass savings in multifunctional composites.
Main Methods:
- System-level analysis to determine mass-saving conditions.
- Development and application of the 'multifunctional efficiency' metric.
- Investigation of composite design parameters, including reinforcement and PCM volume fractions.
Main Results:
- The study quantifies conditions for effective mass savings in structural TES composites.
- A 'multifunctional efficiency' parameter is proposed to rank composite performance.
- Higher mass-saving potential is observed when reinforcement volume fraction is constant during PCM increase, or when individual phases possess multifunctionality.
Conclusions:
- Multifunctional composites can achieve significant mass savings by integrating structural and TES functions.
- The 'multifunctional efficiency' parameter provides a valuable metric for material selection and design.
- Optimizing the composition and inherent properties of reinforcement and PCM is key to maximizing system-level benefits.
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