Microencapsulation of Paraffin Wax in Melamine-Formaldehyde for use in Thermal Management Study

Melamine formaldehyde microcapsules containing paraffin wax as phase change material (PCM) were synthesized. Free space was generated in-situ inside microcapsules. These were characterized by FTIR Spectrophotometer, Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Differential Scanning colorimeter (DSC), and optical microscope. It was confirmed that PCM was successfully encapsulated inside the shell material. Encapsulated PCM showed good phase change properties during heating and cooling. Enthalpy value of about 100 J/g was observed. The shape of the microcapsule, showing rough morphology is expected to help during processing and crystallization. It has been experimentally confirmed that no leakage occurs during the melting of PCM. Effectiveness in temperature control in a hot environment was also found to be satisfactory.

Simplified Thermal Performance Evaluation of a PCM-Filled Triple-Glazed Window under Arctic Climate Conditions

This paper evaluates the thermal performance of a triple-glazed glass window filled with a phase-change material (PCM) compared to the performance of a traditional triple-glazed window with air gaps. The chosen PCM was paraffin wax. A mathematical model to simulate heat transfer within the system was presented. A commercially available software, COMSOL Multiphysics, was used to numerically solve the governing equations. The analysis was carried out for the representative days of different seasons using three types of paraffin wax (5, 10, and 15) that have different melting-temperature ranges. Particularly, the study considers the unique climatic conditions of the Arctic region. Results showed that by integrating a PCM into the cavity of triple-glazing, thermal performance during summer season of the window was enhanced, while for spring and autumn thermal performance was affected by the type of paraffin selected. The thermal performance of glass windows during winter did not change with PCM integration.