Applications of Organic Phase Change Materials Embedded in Adsorbents for Controlling Heat Produced by Charging and Discharging Natural Gas

This paper studied the thermal effect resulting from the adsorption of natural gas on both charge and discharge on an absorbed storage system using a phase change material (PCM) as heat exchanger. A kind of organic PCM whose phase change heat is 153 J/g, measured by DSC,consisting of decanoic acid and lauric acid was prepared. The PCM was used to control the heat effect during the adsorption and desorption of natural gas. By adding the volume ratio of 6.10 % of the PCM into the adsorption tank, the temperature change can be reduced 21.8 °C during adsorption and can be increased 22.7 °C during desorption. Meanwhile, the delivered natural gas volume was increased 39.4 % with the use of the PCM compared to the case without PCM for a 0–3.5 MPa of pressure swing. Application of this kind of cheap PCM in the adsorption tank is an effective method to reduce the adverse effects of adsorption heat and thereby enhance storage capacity and delivery.