Myo-inositol based nano-PCM for solar thermal energy storage

The thermo-physical behavior of Myo-Inositol (MI), (a sugar alcohol), was investigated as a potential material for developing more compact solar thermal energy storage systems than those currently available. This latent heat storage medium could be utilized for commercial and industrial applications using solar thermal energy storage in the temperature range of 160-260 °C, if its thermal performance was modified. The objective of this investigation was to determine via experimentation, if Al2O3 and CuO nanoparticles dispersed in pure MI for mixtures of 1, 2 and 3% (by weight) improved the thermal performance of MI for solar thermal energy systems. Nanoparticles only physically interacted with MI, and not chemically, even after 50 thermal cycles. The distribution of CuO nanoparticles in the nano-PCM was found to be more uniform than alumina nanoparticles. After cycling, nano-MIs studied here suffered a lower decrease in heat of fusion than pure MI, which makes nano-MIs more suitable for solar thermal storage applications at 160-260 °C. Between CuO and Al2O3 nanoparticles, latter was found to be more suitable for compact solar thermal energy storage owing to an increase in melting point observed.