Phase change material capsule structure
By employing a multi-layered shell structure and core design, the mechanical strength and heat exchange performance issues of the phase change material capsule were resolved, resulting in higher safety and heat exchange efficiency.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422564516.0
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-23
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-07
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-10-23
AI Technical Summary
Existing phase change material capsules struggle to balance mechanical strength and heat transfer performance. Single-layer shells are prone to cracking, and increasing shell thickness leads to a decrease in heat transfer performance.
It adopts a multi-layer shell structure, including a heat exchange layer, a structural layer and an anti-corrosion layer. The core is composed of phase change material and is encapsulated by microencapsulation technology to form a continuous and seamless sealed structure.
The mechanical strength of the capsule was improved, the risk of leakage was reduced, the safety of use was enhanced, and the heat exchange efficiency and heat capacity were increased.
Smart Images
Figure CN223522462U_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates to the technical field of phase change materials, and in particular to a phase change material capsule structure. BACKGROUND
[0002] Phase change materials are materials that can store or release large amounts of latent heat through a change in physical state, usually a solid-liquid phase change. This property makes phase change materials an important part of energy-saving buildings, solar energy storage systems, electronic device cooling, etc. However, in practical applications, phase change materials undergo a transition from solid to liquid during phase change, and repeated melting and solidification can generate pressure on the container, increasing the risk of leakage. In addition, some phase change materials are corrosive and can damage the packaging material or surrounding structure.
[0003] The prior art wraps these phase change materials in a shell by physical or chemical methods to prevent leakage and pollution of the surrounding environment. However, traditional phase change material capsules usually use a single-layer shell structure, which can provide a certain degree of mechanical protection, but the single-layer shell of the phase change material capsule is prone to rupture when subjected to external pressure or impact, especially after multiple cycles of use, the integrity of the shell gradually decreases, resulting in leakage of the phase change material. Increasing the thickness of the shell layer can easily lead to a decrease in heat exchange performance.
[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a phase change material capsule structure to at least solve the above problems. SUMMARY
[0005] One of the technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure is how to solve the problem that the mechanical strength and heat exchange performance of the existing phase change material capsule are difficult to be ensured simultaneously.
[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the present disclosure provides a phase change material capsule structure, comprising: a shell, the shell comprising at least one shell layer, the shell layer enclosing a containing space; a plurality of cores, the plurality of cores being arranged in the containing space, and each core having phase change material inside.
[0007] In some embodiments, the shell layer is a continuous and seamless sealing structure.
[0008] In some embodiments, the shell comprises two shell layers, which are a heat exchange layer and a structural layer, the heat exchange layer has a containing space inside, the heat exchange layer covers the cores in the containing space, and the heat exchange layer is covered by the structural layer.
[0009] In some embodiments, the shell comprises three shell layers, which are a heat exchange layer, a structural layer, and a corrosion-resistant layer from inside to outside, the corrosion-resistant layer covers the structural layer, the structural layer covers the heat exchange layer, the heat exchange layer has a containing space, and the heat exchange layer covers the cores in the containing space.
[0010] In some embodiments, the heat exchange layer is made of graphene material, the structural layer is made of polycarbonate material, and the corrosion-resistant layer is made of acid-resistant heat-conducting corrosion-resistant material.
[0011] In some embodiments, the thickness of the heat exchange layer and the corrosion-resistant layer is 200-500 μm, and the thickness of the structural layer is not more than 1 mm.
[0012] In some embodiments, the plurality of inner cores located in the accommodation space are of the same volume or different volumes.
[0013] In some embodiments, the diameter of the inner core is at least one of less than 1 μm, between 1 μm and 1000 μm, or greater than 1 mm.
[0014] In some embodiments, the number of inner cores is 5.
[0015] In some embodiments, the shape of the shell is at least one of spherical, elliptical, cylindrical, cubic, irregular.
[0016] The phase change material capsule structure provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure forms a multi-layer shell structure by arranging a plurality of inner cores containing phase change material in a large shell, thereby greatly improving the mechanical strength of the capsule. The multi-core structure increases the contact area of the capsule with the external environment, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency. The problems of insufficient mechanical strength of the traditional phase change capsule and possible decrease in heat exchange efficiency when thickening the shell are solved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0017] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present disclosure or the prior art, the drawings needed to be used in the embodiments or prior art description will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present disclosure, and other drawings can be obtained by those skilled in the art without creative labor.
[0018] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of the phase change material capsule structure disclosed by the embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0019] Explanation of reference signs:
[0020] 1, shell; 11, corrosion-resistant layer; 12, structural layer; 13, heat exchange layer; 2, inner core. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in further detail below with reference to the drawings and examples. The following detailed description of the examples and the accompanying drawings are provided to illustrate the principles of the present disclosure, and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The present disclosure can be implemented in numerous ways, including, but not limited to, the specific embodiments described in this document. Rather, any number of variations and modifications of the described embodiments can be used to implement the present disclosure, and each such variation and modification is intended to fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0022] The present disclosure provides these examples in order to more completely illustrate the principles of the present disclosure and to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the disclosure. It is expressly noted, however, that the examples set forth in these examples are intended to be exemplary only and should not be used to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
[0023] It should be noted that, in the description of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "a plurality of" is greater than or equal to two; the relative position or orientation relationship indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "inner", "outer" and the like is only for the convenience of describing the present disclosure and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a particular orientation, be constructed and operated in a particular orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present disclosure. When the absolute position of the described object changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.
[0024] In addition, the "first", "second", and similar words used in the present disclosure do not indicate any order, number, or importance, but are only used to distinguish different parts. "Vertical" is not strictly vertical, but within the allowable range of error. "Parallel" is not strictly parallel, but within the allowable range of error. "Include" or "contain" and similar words mean that the elements before the word cover the elements listed after the word, and do not exclude the possibility of also covering other elements.
[0025] It should also be noted that, in the description of the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified and limited, the terms "mounting", "connecting", "connection" should be interpreted broadly, for example, it can be fixed connection, or detachable connection, or integral connection; it can be directly connected, or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the present disclosure can be understood according to the specific circumstances. When it is described that a specific device is located between a first device and a second device, there can be an intermediate device between the specific device and the first device or the second device, or there can be no intermediate device.
[0026] All terms used herein are intended to have the same meaning as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs unless otherwise specifically defined. It should also be understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly diactionary, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and not in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
[0027] Techniques, methods, and apparatus known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art can not be discussed in detail, but should be considered part of the specification where appropriate.
[0028] Embodiment 1
[0029] To solve the problems existing in the prior art, the embodiments of the present disclosure provide a phase change material capsule structure, as shown in Figure 1 The shell 1 includes at least one shell layer, which can be constructed with different materials and layers according to specific requirements. For example, high-strength polymer materials can be selected as the shell layers, which are mutually enclosed to form a containing space. The size and shape of the containing space can be optimized for the number and size of the inner cores 2 to ensure that multiple inner cores 2 can be effectively accommodated. Inside each inner core 2, there is phase change material, and these inner cores 2 can be existing single-layer phase change capsule structures.
[0030] By adopting a large shell 1 with multiple inner cores 2 containing phase change material, a multi-layer shell layer structure is constructed, significantly improving the mechanical strength of the phase change material capsule structure. This design enables the capsule to better resist external forces, reducing the risk of rupture or damage, thereby enhancing the safety and reliability of the phase change material. The layout of multiple inner cores 2 ensures the stability of the phase change material capsule structure inside, even if some inner cores 2 fail, other inner cores 2 can still maintain normal operation, ensuring the stability of the overall performance. Even if some inner cores 2 leak, the shell 1 structure can protect the phase change material from leaking, reducing the risk of volume change of the phase change material, further improving the stability of the capsule structure, and prolonging its service life.
[0031] In addition, the layout of multiple inner cores 2 expands the contact area between the phase change material capsule structure and the external environment, thereby improving the heat exchange performance. Due to the presence of more phase change material, the overall heat capacity is increased, enabling the phase change material capsule structure to store or release more heat when responding to temperature changes. This design effectively solves the problem of reduced heat exchange efficiency that traditional phase change capsules may encounter when increasing the thickness of the shell 1.
[0032] In addition, the layout of multiple inner cores 2 expands the contact area between the phase change material capsule structure and the external environment, thereby improving the heat exchange performance. Due to the presence of more phase change material, the overall heat capacity is increased, enabling the phase change material capsule structure to store or release more heat when responding to temperature changes. This design effectively solves the problem of reduced heat exchange efficiency that traditional phase change capsules may encounter when increasing the thickness of the shell 1.
[0033] In some embodiments, the shell is a continuous, seamless, sealed structure.
[0034] The shell employs a continuous, seamless design, meaning the entire shell 1 has no seams or openings, but is manufactured using integral molding or seamless connection techniques. This design eliminates weaknesses at seams, prevents leakage and reduction in mechanical strength, and improves sealing performance. Manufacturing techniques for the seamless shell include injection molding, blow molding, rotational molding, etc., which ensure the consistency and integrity of the shell. To achieve a continuous, seamless sealing structure, materials with excellent sealing properties and plasticity can be selected, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, and other polymers. These materials can be processed into a uniform and continuous shell through specific processing techniques.
[0035] In this embodiment, the phase change material capsule structure can be prepared using advanced microencapsulation technology. For example, interfacial polymerization and in-situ polymerization techniques can be used to encapsulate multiple cores 2 inside a shell 1, forming a stable capsule structure. The continuous, seamless shell structure provides excellent sealing performance, effectively preventing leakage of the phase change material during storage or use, and ensuring the long-term stability and reliability of the capsule structure.
[0036] In some embodiments, the housing 1 includes two shell layers, namely a heat exchange layer 13 and a structural layer 12. The heat exchange layer 13 has an accommodating space inside, and the heat exchange layer 13 covers the core 2 within the accommodating space. The heat exchange layer 13 is covered by the structural layer 12 on the outside.
[0037] The heat exchange layer 13 is located inside the shell 1, forming an accommodating space that directly contacts the core 2, facilitating heat absorption and release. The inner heat exchange layer 13 helps reduce the heat exchange path, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency. A shorter path means lower heat loss during heat transfer from a high-temperature region to a low-temperature region. The material selected for the heat exchange layer 13 should have good thermal conductivity to ensure a rapid response to temperature changes. The structural layer 12 is located around the heat exchange layer 13, protecting the core 2 and the heat exchange layer 13 from potential damage caused by external impacts and pressures. The material of the structural layer 12 should have high mechanical strength to withstand external pressure and impacts, and should also possess sufficient toughness to prevent crack propagation.
[0038] In some embodiments, such as Figure 1 As shown, the shell 1 includes three shell layers, which from the inside out include a heat exchange layer 13, a structural layer 12 and an anti-corrosion layer 11. The anti-corrosion layer 11 covers the structural layer 12, the structural layer 12 covers the heat exchange layer 13, the heat exchange layer 13 has an accommodating space, and the heat exchange layer 13 covers the core 2 within the accommodating space.
[0039] The shell 1 adopts a three-layer structure design, including a heat exchange layer 13, a structural layer 12 and a corrosion-resistant layer 11, to comprehensively improve the heat exchange efficiency, mechanical strength and corrosion resistance of the phase change material capsule. The heat exchange layer 13 as the innermost layer directly contacts the core 2 and forms a containing space to accommodate and surround the core 2, and its main role is to provide an efficient heat conduction path to ensure that the phase change material rapidly absorbs or releases heat. The middle structural layer 12 is responsible for providing mechanical support and protection, located between the heat exchange layer 13 and the corrosion-resistant layer 11. The outermost corrosion-resistant layer 11 plays a role in preventing corrosion of the shell 1, protecting the shell 1 from external corrosive substances. This three-layer shell structure combines heat exchange, structural support and corrosion protection, achieving multifunctional design of the shell 1.
[0040] In some embodiments, the heat exchange layer 13 is made of graphene material, the structural layer 12 is made of polycarbonate material, and the corrosion-resistant layer 11 is made of acid-resistant heat-conducting corrosion-resistant material.
[0041] The heat exchange layer 13 adopts graphene material, which realizes efficient heat conduction through the light and thin layered structure of graphene, ensuring that the phase change material responds quickly to temperature changes. The structural layer 12 is composed of polycarbonate material, which provides strong support for the shell 1 due to its excellent mechanical strength, toughness and heat resistance, protecting the internal components from external pressure and impact. The corrosion-resistant layer 11 is made of acid-resistant heat-conducting corrosion-resistant material, such as ZS-722, which not only has good corrosion resistance, but also can effectively conduct heat, thereby protecting the internal structure from damage and prolonging the service life of the phase change material capsule. During manufacturing, each layer can be made through injection molding, hot pressing, electrostatic spraying, etc., and connected through bonding, hot melting, etc. to ensure the tight integration between layers.
[0042] In some embodiments, the thickness of the heat exchange layer 13 and the corrosion-resistant layer 11 is 200-500 μm, and the thickness of the structural layer 12 is not more than 1 mm.
[0043] The thickness of the graphene heat exchange layer 13 is controlled within 200-500 microns, which not only ensures sufficient heat exchange area, but also realizes lightweight, thereby improving heat exchange efficiency. The corrosion-resistant layer 11 with the same thickness range provides effective protection, avoiding damage to the heat exchange layer 13 and the structural layer 12 by environmental factors. The thickness of the polycarbonate structural layer 12 is not more than 1 mm, which not only guarantees the required mechanical strength, but also avoids excessive structure, making it suitable for portable devices.
[0044] The preparation of each layer of material can be achieved by precise electrostatic spraying, deposition or hot pressing process, etc., to ensure that the predetermined thickness is reached. For example, for the heat exchange layer 13, due to its thin characteristics, it can be in the form of graphene film or coating, which is uniformly covered inside the structural layer 12 by electrostatic spraying, deposition, etc. The anticorrosion layer 11 is selected from suitable acid-resistant heat-conducting anticorrosive materials, which is applied to the outside of the structural layer 12 by electrostatic spraying, dipping, etc., to meet the thickness requirements.
[0045] In some embodiments, the plurality of inner cores 2 located in the accommodation space have the same or different volumes.
[0046] When the plurality of inner cores 2 have the same volume in the accommodation space, the manufacturing process can adopt a unified standard size for production. For equal-volume inner cores 2, an ordered arrangement can be used, such as a matrix or honeycomb arrangement, to fully occupy the accommodation space and achieve uniform heat exchange. If the inner cores 2 have different volumes, they can be arranged according to their size. Large inner cores 2 can be placed in a specific area, while small inner cores 2 are used to fill the surrounding space, reducing gaps, which can improve space utilization and heat exchange efficiency. In applications requiring high-performance heat exchange, large-volume inner cores 2 can be selected to increase the heat capacity; while in space-limited applications, small-volume inner cores 2 can be used to adapt to the size limitations of the device. By using inner cores 2 of the same volume or different volumes, the phase change material capsule structure can adapt to different application requirements.
[0047] In some embodiments, the diameter of the inner core 2 is at least one of less than 1 pm, or between 1 and 1000 pm, or greater than 1 mm.
[0048] The diameter of the inner core 2 is designed to be one of three size levels: nanocapsules less than 1 pm, microcapsules between 1 and 1000 pm, and macrocapsules greater than 1 mm.
[0049] The shape of the inner core 2 can be designed as spherical or elliptical to optimize its arrangement in the accommodation space and heat exchange efficiency. The microcapsule-level inner core 2 can be prepared by microencapsulation techniques such as interfacial polymerization or in-situ polymerization to achieve good thermal stability and mechanical stability. The nanocapsule-level inner core 2 can be prepared by nanotechnology such as sol-gel method or self-assembly technology. The millimeter-level inner core 2 can be produced by traditional manufacturing methods such as injection molding or casting, which is suitable for scenarios that require larger heat storage capacity or specific geometric shapes.
[0050] According to application requirements, different sizes of the core 2 can be mixed. For example, in areas requiring fast response to temperature changes, nanocapsules or microcapsule-level cores 2 can be used; while in areas requiring higher heat storage capacity, large capsule-level cores 2 can be selected. Different diameters of the core 2 can be selected and arranged according to space requirements. By fully utilizing the internal space of the shell 1, efficient heat exchange and energy storage can be achieved.
[0051] In some embodiments, the number of cores 2 is 5.
[0052] In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the number of cores 2 can be multiple, and the specific number depends on the volume of the accommodation space and the required heat exchange efficiency. The optional number of cores 2 includes 1, 2, 3, or n, and the preferred number is 5. By adopting a multi-core structure, the contact area can be increased, thereby significantly improving the efficiency of phase change energy storage.
[0053] In some embodiments, the shell 1 has at least one of a spherical shape, an elliptical shape, a columnar shape, a cubic shape, and an irregular shape.
[0054] The shell 1 of the phase change material capsule can be designed in various shapes, including a spherical shape, an elliptical shape, a columnar shape, a cubic shape, or an irregular shape. The spherical and elliptical shell 1 can effectively reduce resistance in the fluid medium due to its streamlined design, and is suitable for occasions requiring movement in the fluid, such as a pipeline heat exchange system. The columnar shell 1, such as a cylindrical or hexagonal column, can be suitable for fixed installation applications, such as phase change material modules in building walls. The cubic shell 1 is convenient for stacking and arranging, and is suitable for occasions requiring compact storage or integration, such as building insulation or electronic device heat management systems. The irregularly shaped shell 1 can be customized according to specific requirements to adapt to special building structures. The embodiments of the present disclosure do not specifically limit the shape of the phase change material capsule structure.
[0055] The phase change material capsule provided by the embodiments of the present disclosure adopts a multi-layer structure, which not only ensures mechanical strength, but also maintains heat exchange performance compared with the single-layer structure of the prior art.
[0056] So far, the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail. In order to avoid obscuring the concept of the present disclosure, some details known in the art are not described. Those skilled in the art can fully understand how to implement the technical solutions disclosed herein according to the above description.
[0057] Although some specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail by way of examples, one skilled in the art should understand that the above examples are only for illustration, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. One skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments can be modified or equivalent replacements can be made to some technical features without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. In particular, the technical features mentioned in each embodiment can be combined in any manner as long as there is no structural conflict.
Claims
1. A phase change material capsule structure, characterized by, Comprising: a shell (1) comprising at least one shell layer enclosing a containing space; a plurality of cores (2) disposed in the containing space, each core (2) internally provided with a phase change material; the shell (1) comprises three shell layers, the shell layers from inside to outside in turn comprise a heat exchange layer (13), a structural layer (12) and a corrosion-resistant layer (11), the corrosion-resistant layer (11) covers the structural layer (12), the structural layer (12) covers the heat exchange layer (13), the heat exchange layer (13) has the containing space, and the heat exchange layer (13) covers the core (2) in the containing space.
2. The phase change material capsule structure according to claim 1, wherein the shell layer is a continuous and seamless sealing structure.
3. The phase change material capsule structure according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchange layer (13) is made of graphene material, the structural layer (12) is made of polycarbonate material, and the corrosion-resistant layer (11) is made of acid-resistant and heat-conducting corrosion-resistant material.
4. The phase change material capsule structure according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the heat exchange layer (13) and the corrosion-resistant layer (11) is 200-500 μm, and the thickness of the structural layer (12) is not more than 1 mm.
5. The phase change material capsule structure according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of cores (2) in the containing space are the same or different in volume.
6. The phase change material capsule structure according to claim 5, wherein the diameter of the core (2) is at least one of less than 1 μm, between 1 μm and 1000 μm, or greater than 1 mm.
7. The phase change material capsule structure according to claim 1, wherein the number of the core (2) is 5.
8. The phase change material capsule structure according to claim 1, wherein the shape of the shell (1) is at least one of spherical, elliptical, cylindrical, cubic, irregular.