Objective
The use of phase change materials (PCM) for thermal storage has attracted researchers in all over the world, mainly due to their large energy storage density, which is available within a narrow temperature range. There is unlimited number of possible applications where PCMs can be used such as buildings, glass houses, cold stores, refrigerated trucks and cooling of electronic devices. Work on PCMs has been ongoing for decades but their commercial use is still limited due to their high production and encapsulation costs. The project described in this proposal aims to develop a new technology for the production of PCMs from waste products and also to develop innovate methods of encapsulating these materials so they can be used in these different applications. Also since most of the commercial microencapsulated PCM products have not been fully tested for mechanical strength, a new technique of testing will be applied using for example nano-indentation technique. Prof. Farid has more than 25 years of experience working on PCM production and encapsulation. In PCM application, Farid will introduce his new approach of using PCM in building materials such as timber, using vacuum impregnation. To our knowledge, this has never been applied before and will lead to significant increase in the thermal mass of timber homes used in Northern Europe and other countries. Also based on his New Zealand’s expertise in food storage, he will develop a suitable method of encapsulating low temperature PCM for temperature regulation of cold stores and refrigerated trucks, which is important to most European countries. The main objective of the proposal is to host Prof. Farid who will introduce the valuable knowledge of a third country (New Zealand in this case) into Europe. The participation of Prof. Cabeza in Cost Action TU0802 will help to disseminate this knowledge to most groups working with PCM in building applications within Europe.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
FP7-PEOPLE-2009-IIF
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
MC-IIF - International Incoming Fellowships (IIF)Coordinator
25003 Lleida
Spain