Thermal Properties of Cu–Al–Ge Alloy PCM for Improving Thermal Energy Storage of Current CSP

Metallic phase change material was proposed and examined at melting/eutectic temperatures less than 600 °C for latent heat storage in concentrated solar power. The PCM alloy can potentially charge/discharge thermal energy as a sensible/latent heat at the temperature range of 414-527 °C. The working temperatures of PCM alloy are in operation temperatures of current molten-salt based CSP plant. In this study, thermal response testing of PCM alloy and sensible/latent storage unit that PCM alloy was loaded in a ceramic honeycomb were prepared in a laboratory scale. The thermal charging/discharging performance of PCM alloy and sensible/latent storage unit were experimentally examined and compared. The storage unit provided thermal release/absorption behaviour at close to temperatures of the thermodynamic equilibrium state.