Ea. Levitskij et al., CHEMICAL HEAT ACCUMULATORS - A NEW APPROACH TO ACCUMULATING LOW POTENTIAL HEAT, Solar energy materials and solar cells, 44(3), 1996, pp. 219-235
The first presentation of new composite Chemical Heat Accumulation mat
erials based on granulated open-porous matrix filled with a hygroscopi
c substance is given. At storing heat, the materials operate in a reve
rsible hydration/dehydration mode. When crystalline hydrates of simple
salts are used as the hygroscopic substance, the new materials allow
to reach the heat storing capacity up to 2000 kJ kg(-1) even for accum
ulation of low temperature heat (of circa 20-40 degrees C). The materi
als also possess improved properties for mass and heat transfer. All t
hese make a serious advantage of these materials in comparison with th
ose using a latent melting-solidification heat as well as with zeolite
s capable of reversible hydration/dehydration. The new materials can b
e widely used in energy efficient and freons-less air conditioning dev
ices, for cooling the electronic units, fire-extinguishing and some ot
her applications.