Recycled Aluminum Paraffin Composite for Passive Cooling Application in Buildings

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Sustainable Engineering
• Thermal Engineering

Background:

• Phase change materials (PCMs) are crucial for thermal energy storage.
• Enhancing the thermal conductivity of PCMs is essential for efficient heat transfer.
• Recycled materials offer sustainable alternatives in composite development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel composite phase change material (PCM) using paraffin and recycled aluminum sawing chips.
• To enhance the thermal conductivity of paraffin while minimizing material usage.
• To evaluate the thermal performance and environmental impact of the developed composite PCM.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a paraffin-aluminum composite PCM with optimized aluminum sawing chip volume fraction (~15%).
• Characterization of thermal properties, including latent heat capacity and thermal conductivity.
• Experimental testing of the composite PCM incorporated into brick cavities for thermal regulation.
• Assessment of the Global Warming Potential (CO2eq) for environmental impact evaluation.

Main Results:

• The composite PCM exhibited a 236% increase in thermal conductivity compared to pure paraffin.
• Latent heat capacity was reduced by 20%, with an active temperature range of 33-65 °C.
• Incorporation into brick cavities reduced daily temperature fluctuations by up to 3 °C.
• The composite material demonstrated a lower Global Warming Potential (CO2eq) than other recycled composites.

Conclusions:

• The developed paraffin-aluminum composite PCM effectively enhances thermal conductivity while maintaining significant latent heat capacity.
• The composite material shows promise for passive thermal regulation in buildings, reducing diurnal temperature variations.
• Utilizing recycled aluminum sawing chips presents an environmentally sustainable approach to PCM development with reduced carbon footprint.