Ut-battelle, Inc.

William E Asher

Kashif Nawaz

Joseph D Rendall

Xiaoli Liu

Jamieson Brechtl

Ahmed F Elatar

Keju An

Jian Sun

Mingkan Zhang

A medium for energy storage includes a plurality of capsules. Each capsule contains a phase changing material (PCM) configured to undergo a liquid-solid phase transition at a solidification temperature, T. The PCM undergoes a relative volume change due to the phase transition. A shell is filled with the PCM. The shell contains a first heat-conducting material, and is configured to comply to the relative volume change. The relative volume change is configured to cause a buoyancy force, which acts on the capsule when the capsule is disposed in water at a water temperature, T, to be larger than the capsule's weight for T>T, and equal to or smaller than the capsule's weight for T<T. The Tcan be within ±5° F. of a design water temperature Tat the outlet of a water tank. The capsule can be neutrally buoyant in water at T.

Density controlled phase-changing material (PCM) spheres for increased heating power and optimal delivery temperature in hot-water tanks

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Chicago, IL, United States of America

William E Asher