An overview of phase change material slurries: MPCS and CHS

Phase change material slurries (PCS) can serve as both the heat transfer fluids and energy storage media, consequently, they are potentially applicable to the thermal systems, e.g., the secondary refrigeration and air conditioning loops, so as to improve the energy efficiency and to reduce the quantity of refrigerant used in the system. The design of the system using PCS needs the quantitative information about the thermal and fluidic behaviors of PCS. Here we provide an overview of the characteristics of two big groups of PCS, namely microencapsulated phase change material slurry (MPCS) and semi-clathrate hydrate slurry (CHS). The focuses are placed on the flow and heat transfer features and thermal properties, such as specific heat, viscosity and thermal conductivity. The suitable materials for making PCS are also discussed and compared based on the available data in the literature, and some examples of the applications of PCS are summarized as well.