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Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage: Advances and Applications

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "G2: Phase Change Materials for Energy Storage".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 May 2026) | Viewed by 4819

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Langella

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Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Napoli Federico II, 80125 Napoli, Italy
Interests: fluid machine; energy systems; energy storage
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Abolfazl Nematpourkeshteli

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Faculty of Engineering Technology, Department of Thermal and Fluid engineering (TFE), University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
Interests: flat plate solar collector; phase change materials; thermal energy storage; extended surfaces; heat exchangers

Prof. Dr. Nicola Bianco

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Department of Industrial Engineering, Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II, Piazzale Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
Interests: heat transfer; nearly and net zero energy buildings; building envelope; HVAC systems and equipment; renewable energy sources at the building scale; fire safety
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Prof. Dr. Marcello Iasiello

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Department of Industrial Engineering, Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, 80125 Napoli, Italy
Interests: heat transfer; cellular materials; porous materials; topology optimization; thermal management; bioheat transfer; multi-objective optimization; batteries’ thermal management; thermal storage; electronic cooling; hyperthermia
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The ever-increasing use of renewable energies in recent decades, carried out to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and the carbon footprints of energy systems, has encouraged the study and development of thermal energy storage (TES) systems. TES systems improve the hourly availability of energy and resolve source intermittency, preserving energy that would otherwise go to waste as both sensible and latent heat. This energy is then used when needed, such as during peak periods, extending the capacities of both power plants and most direct cooling or heating facilities. Among TES systems, those that use phase changing materials (PCM) are very scientifically and technologically relevant due to their advantages and potential. Due to their high latent heat, they allow considerable storage per unit of mass and, moreover, release them at a constant temperature. Such systems are, therefore, much more compact than those using sensible heat. Scientific research on this topic is leading to notable progress through improving techniques, such as their combination with metal foams and nanoparticles, the search for new materials, the geometric optimization of exchange surfaces, and the optimized management of storage.

This Special Issue will present and disseminate the most recent advances related to the use of PCM in TES technologies.

Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

Advanced TES technologies;
Advanced PCM;
Optimized management of PCM-TES;
Enhancement of PCM-TES by metal foams;
Enhancement of PCM-TES by nanoparticles.

Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Langella
Dr. Abolfazl Nematpourkeshteli
Prof. Dr. Nicola Bianco
Dr. Marcello Iasiello
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

thermal energy storage
phase changing materials
advanced materials for thermal storage
metal foams
nanoparticles
smart thermal energy storage systems

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

32 pages, 9956 KB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Natural Stratified Cooling Release Characteristics of Micro-Encapsulated Phase Change Material Suspension

by Minghao Yu, Xun Zhou, Haibo Hong, Gangxin Lyu, Zack Lueng and Jiali Pei

Energies 2026, 19(9), 2236; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19092236 - 6 May 2026

Viewed by 251

Abstract

To enhance the energy efficiency of data center cooling systems, this study introduces Micro-encapsulated Phase Change Material Suspension (MPCMS) into a naturally stratified cold storage system. Leveraging its superior properties, including high latent heat, high specific heat, and excellent fluidity, a three-dimensional transient numerical model was developed to investigate the thermal stratification characteristics during the discharging process. The analysis focuses on the impacts of operational conditions (flow rate and mass fraction) alongside key tank structural parameters (height-to-diameter ratio, uniform flow plate perforation rate, installation position, and aperture). The results indicate that the thermal stratification performance of MPCMS is significantly superior to that of water. Specifically, during the middle discharge stage (t* = 0.4) at a high flow rate of 12.56 m³/h, the thermocline thickness of MPCMS-10 wt% is restricted to only 245 mm, representing a 93.82% reduction compared to 3964 mm for water. Furthermore, at the initial discharge stage (t* = 0.05), the thermocline thickness decreases significantly with increasing MPCMS mass fraction; as the mass fraction rises from 10 wt% to 30 wt%, the thickness sharply drops from 421 mm to 120 mm (a 71.44% reduction), and the stratification number (Str) reaches an optimal 1.00. In terms of macroscopic structural optimization, a height-to-diameter (H/D) ratio between 2 and 4 provides the best balance of stratification stability and cold storage efficiency. Mechanistically, integrating a uniform flow plate effectively suppresses thermal jet disturbances. During the initial discharge stage, a plate with a 10% perforation ratio reduces the thermocline thickness by 69.12% (from 421 mm to 130 mm) relative to the no-plate baseline. The optimal flow plate configuration was identified as a 10% perforation rate, a 20 mm aperture, and an installation spacing of 1.25% of the tank height. Ultimately, this study validates the substantial potential of MPCMS through robust quantitative data, providing a solid theoretical foundation and precise design guidelines for high-efficiency cold storage systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage: Advances and Applications)

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21 pages, 3323 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Graphene Nanoplatelet Size on the Thermal Properties of Bio-Based Phase-Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage

by Elisangela Jesus D’Oliveira, Yolanda Sanchez-Vicente, Saeid Mehvari and Sol Carolina Costa Pereira

Energies 2026, 19(6), 1504; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19061504 - 18 Mar 2026

Viewed by 513

Abstract

The rising environmental impact of building energy consumption has intensified the demand for sustainable energy solutions. Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) using phase-change materials (PCMs) offers a highly effective approach to improve energy efficiency; however, the intrinsically low thermal conductivity of most PCMs limits their practical performance. This study explores the thermophysical properties of a commercially available bio-based PCM (CrodaTherm^TM 60) enhanced with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) to improve heat transfer performance. Nano-enhanced PCMs (NePCMs) were prepared using a two-step process combining magnetic stirring and ultrasonication, incorporating GNPs at 2, 4, and 6 wt.%. Solid-phase density measurements of the NePCMs and viscosity measurements of the pure PCM were also conducted to support material characterisation. The results indicate distinct behaviours for the two nanoparticle sizes. At 6 wt.% nanoparticle loading, for 2 nm particles, the thermal conductivity increases by up to 13.9%, whereas for 6–8 nm particles, the enhancement is 148.9% of the pure PCM. Additionally, a reduction in latent heat is observed, with a proportional relationship to mass loading, as expected. These findings underscore the need for improved nanoparticle dispersion and formulation strategies to optimise both thermal performance and stability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage: Advances and Applications)

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16 pages, 1217 KB

Open AccessArticle

Thermal Characterization of Paraffin-Based Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage and Improved Thermal Comfort

by Lydia Ferdjallah, Magali Fois and Laurent Ibos

Energies 2025, 18(23), 6331; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18236331 - 2 Dec 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1163

Abstract

Urban densification intensifies urban heat islands (UHIs), leading to higher temperatures in cities which negatively affect residents’ health and comfort and increase energy consumption for air conditioning, thereby raising carbon emissions. Reducing UHIs is therefore essential. Phase change materials (PCMs) are a promising solution, as they can store and release significant amounts of thermal energy during phase transitions. Selecting paraffins with suitable properties is crucial for effective application. In this study, three paraffins (RT28HC, RT31, and RT35HC) with phase change temperatures of 28 °C, 31 °C, and 35 °C were characterized to evaluate their potential for summer UHI mitigation. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and measurements of thermophysical properties and density were performed. Results showed that RT28HC and RT35HC exhibit relatively simple and efficient phase transitions, while RT31 has a more complex mechanism with a wide phase change temperature range. During limited summer day–night temperature variations, RT31 may not fully crystallize, reducing the effective utilization of stored energy. These findings highlight the importance of selecting paraffins with appropriate phase change temperatures and thermal properties to optimize the performance of PCMs for urban heat mitigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage: Advances and Applications)

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37 pages, 16879 KB

Open AccessArticle

Total Energy Balance During Thermal Charging of Cylindrical Heat Storage Units: Thermodynamic Equilibrium Limit

by Valter Silva-Nava, José A. Otero, Jesús Enrique Chong-Quero and Ernesto M. Hernández-Cooper

Energies 2025, 18(21), 5770; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18215770 - 31 Oct 2025

Viewed by 845

Abstract

The local energy balance at the liquid-solid front has been widely used in the literature. However, depending on the initial state of the system, the boundary conditions, and the thermodynamic properties of the phase change material, the local energy balance can lead to inaccuracies. The total energy balance has been applied to phase change processes; however, discrepancies have been reported regarding the dynamics of the melting front obtained through this approach. In this work, the concept of thermodynamic equilibrium is used to determine the exact liquid-solid coexistence state in adiabatic systems. Thermodynamic equilibrium of saturated mixtures is used to validate the proposed energy balance. We found that the melting front position obtained from a local energy balance can be underestimated by as much as

37.4 %

when compared with the equilibrium value. In contrast, the interface position estimated by the total energy balance was in good agreement with equilibrium, with relative differences between

0.082 %

and

0.11 %

. Finally, a melting experiment using paraffin RT50 was conducted in a thermally insulated cylindrical unit. The experimental front position was underestimated by the local energy balance, with differences between

2.4 %

and

6.9 %

, while the total energy balance showed smaller discrepancies between

0.28 %

and

5.71 %

. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage: Advances and Applications)

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15 pages, 2537 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Comparative Experimental Analysis of a Cold Latent Thermal Storage System Coupled with a Heat Pump/Air Conditioning Unit

by Claudio Zilio, Giulia Righetti, Dario Guarda, Francesca Martelletto and Simone Mancin

Energies 2025, 18(13), 3485; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18133485 - 2 Jul 2025

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1320

Abstract

The decarbonization of residential cooling systems requires innovative solutions to overcome the mismatch between the renewable energy availability and demand. Integrating latent thermal energy storage (LTES) with heat pump/air conditioning (HP/AC) units can help balance energy use and enhance efficiency. However, the dynamic behavior of such integrated systems, particularly under low-load conditions, remains underexplored. This study investigates a 5 kW HP/AC unit coupled with an 18 kWh LTES system using a bio-based Phase Change Material (PCM) with a melting temperature of 9 °C. Two configurations were tested: charging the LTES using either a thermostatic bath or the HP/AC unit. Key parameters such as the stored energy, temperature distribution, and cooling capacity were analyzed. The results show that, under identical conditions (2 °C inlet temperature, 16 L/min flow rate), the energy stored using the HP/AC unit was only 6.3% lower than with the thermostatic bath. Nevertheless, significant cooling capacity fluctuations occurred with the HP/AC unit due to compressor modulation and anti-frost cycles. The compressor frequency varied from 75 Hz to 25 Hz, and inefficient on-off cycling appeared in the final phase, when the power demand dropped below 1 kW. These findings highlight the importance of integrated system design and control strategies. A co-optimized HP/AC–LTES setup is essential to avoid performance degradation and to fully exploit the benefits of thermal storage in residential cooling. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage: Advances and Applications)

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