Phase change material composition and method of preparation thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11692116-B2
Application number	US-201816496955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 23, 2018
Priority date	Mar 23, 2017
Publication date	Jul 4, 2023
Grant date	Jul 4, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a phase change material (PCM) composition and a process for preparation thereof, wherein said composition comprising a phase change material, glass fibers and xanthan gum. In a preferred embodiment, the phase change material is water (or ice) and the g lass fibers are glass wool. The disclosure also relates to a stackable and sealable package enclosing the PCM composition. In a particular embodiment, the PCM composition is used to prepare a cold box that may be used in cold chain transportation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A phase change material (PCM) composition comprising:
a. a phase change material,
b. glass fibers and glass microparticles, and
c. xanthan gum.

2. The composition of claim 1 , further comprising a polyacrylic salt.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the PCM is selected from fatty acids, paraffin wax, water or mixtures thereof.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the PCM is water.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the glass microparticles are microspheres having a diameter of between 10 to 100 μm.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the PCM is present in an amount of at least 90 wt. % or between 90 wt. % and 99 wt. % based on the total weight of the composition.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the glass fibers are present in an amount between 0.3 and 5 wt. % based on the total weight of the composition.

8. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the glass fibers to xanthan gum is between 25:1 to 1:10.

9. A stackable, sealable package enclosing a phase change material (PCM) composition within said package, wherein the PCM composition comprises:
a phase change material,
glass fibers and glass microparticles, and
xanthum gum;
wherein said package further comprises at least one three-dimensional support structure inserted therein, said at least one three-dimensional support structure being conformed to the dimensions of the package to thereby provide a fixed geometrical shape to said package.

10. The package of claim 9 , wherein said at least one three-dimensional support structure is configured to substantially abut the interior surface of the package to maintain the fixed geometrical shape of said package.

11. The package of claim 9 , wherein the package is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polyester, polycarbonate, polypropylene and aluminum.

12. The package of claim 11 , wherein the package is composed of aluminum.

13. The package of claim 9 , wherein said at least one three-dimensional support structure is composed of a polyacrylate lattice structure.

14. A method of preparing a phase change material (PCM) composition comprising:
a phase change material,
glass fibers and glass microparticles, and
xanthan gum;
wherein the method comprises:
a. providing the PCM in a solid state;
b. adding to the solid PCM, glass fibers, glass microparticles and xanthan gum, and optionally a polyacrylic salt;
c. changing the PCM into a liquid state to thereby form a liquid mixture comprising the PCM and said additives; and
d. agitating the liquid mixture obtained from operation c to form the PCM composition.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein prior to addition operation b, the method further comprises an operation of reducing the dimensions of the glass fibers.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the glass fibers are reduced to a size of 1 to 3 mm in length and 1 to 2 mm in width.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the glass fibers having reduced dimensions are heated to above 90° C. prior to operation b.

18. An insulation layer comprising at least a stackable, sealable package enclosing a phase change material (PCM) composition within said package, wherein the PCM composition comprises:
a phase change material,
glass fibers and glass microparticles, and
xanthan gum;
wherein said package further comprises at least one three-dimensional support structure inserted therein, said at least one three-dimensional support structure being conformed to the dimensions of the package to thereby provide a fixed geometrical shape to said package, where said package is coupled to at least one additional layer of glass microparticles, which are vacuum sealed in a packaging material.

19. The insulation layer of claim 18 , wherein the glass microparticles of the PCM comprise glass microspheres having a diameter of 20 μm to 50 μm.

20. An insulation device comprising a phase change material (PCM) composition comprising:
a phase change material,
glass fibers and glass microparticles, and
xanthan gum.

Assignees

• Agency Science Tech & Res

Inventors

• Zhu Qiang
• Tang Tao
• Low Ying Ying Lesley
• Soo Xiang Yun Debbie
• Xu Jian Wei

Classifications

• F25D2303/085

  Compositions of cold storage materials · CPC title

• C09K5/063 Primary

  Materials absorbing or liberating heat during crystallisation; Heat storage materials · CPC title

• Y02E60/14

  Thermal energy storage · CPC title

• B65D81/38

  with thermal insulation · CPC title

• B32B7/027

  Thermal properties · CPC title