Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage Systems An Introduction

Phase change materials are considered efficient thermal energy storage systems due to their extensive range of phase transition capabilities and their ability to store thermal energy at a high density while maintaining a nearly constant temperature. Latent heat storage systems possess a better energy storage ability than sensible heat storage systems, making them an effective technique to store the waste heat and minimize the difference between energy demand and supply. The various types of phase change materials used as thermal energy storage along with their thermo-physical properties and their advantages have been discussed. This chapter also gives an insight into the research and analysis done on the many thermal energy storage systems by employing phase change materials in different applications such as buildings, textiles, automotive, electronics, biomedicine, etc.