Composite Phase Change Materials (CPCM) for Off-Grid Thermal Energy Storage (LANDINIS3_U26EMP)

Energy poverty remains a major challenge in rural regions of developing countries, where access to reliable grid electricity is limited. In such contexts, thermal energy storage (TES) offers a promising approach for capturing and reusing surplus thermal energy from solar or biomass sources. Phase change materials (PCMs) are central to this strategy due to their high energy density and near-constant temperature during phase transition.

However, conventional PCMs suffer from low thermal conductivity and phase separation during repeated cycling, which limits their practical deployment. Recent developments in composite PCMs (CPCM)—such as the incorporation of conductive fillers, encapsulation, and form-stable matrices—have led to significant improvements in thermal performance and durability. These innovations open up new possibilities for designing TES systems tailored to rural applications like water heating, space heating, and cooking.

This project aims to design, develop, and evaluate high-performance composite PCMs integrated into compact TES systems for use in off-grid households. A prototype TES unit will be conceptualised and optimised for off-grid rural applications.