Efficient Solar-to-Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage with High-Thermal-Conductivity and Form-Stabilized Phase Change Composite Based on Wood-Derived Scaffolds
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The Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering seeks to apply knowledge of the laws, forces, and materials of nature to the construction, planning, design, and maintenance of public and private facilities. The Civil Engineering option focuses on transportation systems, bridges, roads, water systems and dams, pollution control, etc. The Construction Engineering option focuses on construction project engineering, design, management, etc.
History
The Department of Civil Engineering was founded in 1889. In 1987 it changed its name to the Department of Civil and Construction Engineering. In 2003 it changed its name to the Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering.
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1889-present
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- Department of Civil Engineering (1889-1987)
- Department of Civil and Construction Engineering (1987-2003)
- Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering (2003–present)
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- College of Engineering (parent college)
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Abstract
Solar-to-thermal energy conversion is one of the most efficient ways to harvest solar energy. In this study, a novel phase change composite with porous carbon monolith derived from natural wood is fabricated to harvest solar irradiation and store it as thermal energy. Organic phase change material n-octadecane is physically adsorbed inside the porous structure of the carbonized wood, and a thin graphite coating encapsulates the exterior of the wood structure to further prevent n-octadecane leakage. The carbonized wood scaffold and the graphite coating not only stabilize the form of the n-octadecane during phase change, but also enhance its thermal conductivity by 143% while retaining 87% of its latent heat. Under 1-sun irradiation, the composite achieves an apparent 97% solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency.
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This article is published as Chen, Bolin, Meng Han, Bowei Zhang, Gaoyuan Ouyang, Behrouz Shafei, Xinwei Wang, and Shan Hu. "Efficient Solar-to-Thermal Energy Conversion and Storage with High-Thermal-Conductivity and Form-Stabilized Phase Change Composite Based on Wood-Derived Scaffolds." Energies 12, no. 7 (2019): 1283. DOI: 10.3390/en12071283. Posted with permission.