nano-Structured PCM Composites for Compact Space Heating: n-CoSH

储能在建设可持续能源系统中发挥着至关重要的作用。在家用空间供暖和水供暖领域应对挑战的新技术将对能源消耗、二氧化碳排放和提高生活质量做出重大贡献，因为在最终用户消耗的所有能源中，约45-47%用于家用空间供暖，水供暖占另外40%。在不同的存储技术中，热能存储提供了一种独特的方法，用于高效和有效地调峰电力和热量需求，有效利用风能，潮汐能和太阳能等可再生能源，以及低品位废热，以及分布式能源和备用能源系统。在欧洲，据估计，热能储存每年可节省约140万GWh，并避免4亿吨二氧化碳排放。尽管相变材料具有重要意义和巨大的潜力，但在该领域的研究非常有限。如果我们能够解决密度和效率的挑战并克服成本障碍，基于相变材料（PCM）的技术具有很大的潜力，可以为问题提供具有成本效益的解决方案。PCM具有比使用水作为存储介质高3-6倍的能量密度，并且在每单位千瓦时的成本方面具有与诸如MgO的显热存储材料竞争的潜力，并且更紧凑，并且比电化学热存储便宜。因此，这对英国能源系统、调峰和生活质量具有重要的国家意义，但用于家庭供暖的复合相变材料却严重不足。该项目以纳米复合材料和蓄热研究的个人成就为基础，采用多机构和实验建模方法，旨在开发新的基于相变材料的纳米材料，适用于高能量密度（比现有技术高6倍）、经济实惠和可持续的PCM基复合材料热存储设备应用。它主要解决这个储能挑战电话的材料和材料设计方面，以提供高能量和功率密度。该项目还将开发实验和建模诊断工具，以监测和最大限度地提高PCM复合设备的效率。来自三所大学的五个不同研究小组的组织良好的研究人员将首先解决PCM复合材料的基本挑战，以解决低电导率，热膨胀和过冷问题，然后在模块和系统层面进行研究，以帮助验证和优化新的PCM复合材料，以实现超过92- 95%的最佳设备热效率，节省至少25%的电费，重量减轻40%，6000次循环。最后，我们将建造家用空间加热器的例子，以证明我们的材料的实际改进，我们将提供10千瓦的高效率，紧凑和低成本的设备原型在诺丁汉创意之家演示。

Energy storage plays a crucial role in building a sustainable energy system. New technology tackling challenges in the area of domestic space heating and water heating will make significant contributions to the energy consumption,CO2 emission, and to improve the quality of life, because among all energy consumed by end users, ~45-47% is for domestic space heating and water heating accounts for another 40%. Among different storage technologies, thermal energy storage provides a unique approach for efficient and effective peak-shaving of both electricity and heat demand, efficient use of renewable energy from wind, tide and sun, and low grade waste heat, as well as distributed energy and backup energy systems. In Europe, it has been estimated that around 1.4 million GWh per year could be saved-and 400 million tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided by thermal energy storage. Despite the importance and huge potential, very limited research has been done in the area.Phase Change Material (PCM) based technology has a great potential to provide a cost effective solution to the problem, if we can tackle the density and efficiency challenges and overcome the cost barrier. PCMs have an energy density 3-6 times higher than the use of water as a storage medium, and have the potential to compete with sensible heat storage materials such as MgO in terms of cost per unit kWh and is far more compact, and is cheaper than the electrochemical thermal storage. Thus, this bears significant national importance to the UK energy system, peak-shaving and quality of life, but composite PCMs for domestic heating is severely understudied.This project, building on individual achievements in nanocomposites and in thermal storage research and adopting a multi-institutional and experimental-modelling approach, aims to develop new PCM-based nanomaterials, that are suitable for high energy density (6 times higher than existing technology), affordable and sustainable PCM-based composite thermal storage device applications. It primarily addresses the Materials and Materials Design aspect of this Energy Storage Challenge Call to provide high energy and power density. The project will also develop experimental and modelling Diagnostic Tools, in order to monitor and maximise the efficiency of the PCM composite deveice. The well-organised investigators from five different research groups of three universities, will first tackle the fundamental PCM composite challenges to solve the low conductivity, thermal expanson and supercooling issues, then move on to investigate at module and system levels to assist validate and optimise the new PCM composites, to achieve optimal device thermal effiency over 92-95%, with >at lease 25% electricity bill saving, 40% weight reduction and 6000 cycle duration. Finally we will construct example domestic space heater to demonstrate the practical improvement of our materials, and we will deliver 10 kW high effiency, compact and low cost device prototypes for demonstration at the Nottingham Creative Homes.