Enhancement of thermal energy absorption/storage performance of paraffin wax (PW) phase change material by means of chemically synthesized Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) rubber network

Phase change materials (PCMs) are kind of energy storage systems utilized for thermal energy storage (TES) by virtue of high fusion latent heat property. In this research, Paraffin wax (PW) PCM and Ethylene-Propylene-Diene-Monomer (EPDM) were Vulcanized together by using various Benzoyl Peroxide contents to determine EPDM rubber network characteristics required for low leakage and high thermal performance. PCM systems were developed using vulcanized EPDM impregnation in high temperature molten PW. It is depicted that PW PCM system containing 5 wt.% Benzoyl Peroxide for EPDM curing has resulted in significantly higher thermal characteristics, while leakage was merely 0.81%, which is negligible and achieved along with PW shape stability in rubber network. Time-temperature performance of optimum PCM denotes that PW PCM presence could decrease rate of temperature change significantly. Furthermore, for adequate PCM system, more than 60% of inflow heat flux was absorbed.

Automated summary

The study utilized vulcanized EPDM rubber and paraffin wax phase change materials to construct a system with low leakage and high thermal performance, finding that the paraffin wax system containing 5% benzoyl peroxide had significantly higher thermal characteristics with minimal leakage.