Alkane-Alcohol Heat Storage Mixture for Stable Phase Change
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional heat storage material compositions struggle to maintain a stable and adjustable temperature within the range of 0°C to normal body temperature, as they often exhibit varying melting and solidification behaviors due to production lot inconsistencies and impurities, making them unsuitable for precise temperature management of pharmaceutical products and specimens.
Innovation Solution
A heat storage material composition comprising a mixture of higher alkanes with carbon numbers between 9 and 24 and higher alcohols with carbon numbers between 6 and 20, blended in specific ratios to achieve a single melting peak and stable temperature, using hydroxypropyl cellulose to gelate the mixture and enhance handling and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional heat storage material compositions (water-based or single-component organic) are used, then they provide basic heat storage function, but they exhibit varying melting and solidification behaviors due to production lot inconsistencies and impurities, resulting in unstable temperature management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials by combining higher alkane and higher alcohol in specific ratios. This composite approach allows the mixture to exhibit a substantially single melting peak with stable temperature characteristics, overcoming the composition instability and varying melting behaviors observed in conventional single-component or water-based heat storage materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the carbon numbers of the higher alkane (9-24) and higher alcohol (6-20) and their mixing ratios. By adjusting these parameters, the composition achieves a substantially single melting peak in DSC curves, providing consistent and predictable melting behavior that resolves the reliability issue.
2Adaptability or versatility
If water-based heat storage material with freezing point depressant is used for temperature management at or below 0°C, then it provides adequate heat storage capacity, but it cannot be used for temperature management above 0°C which is required for many pharmaceutical and biological products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the heat storage material from water-based to higher alkane and higher alcohol-based composition. This parameter change enables the material to function at temperatures above 0°C while maintaining stable melting behavior, making it suitable for regulated temperature ranges required for pharmaceutical and biological products.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces water-based materials (which have limited temperature range applicability) with higher alkane and higher alcohol compositions that offer broader temperature adaptability. Although the new materials may have different cost characteristics, they provide extended versatility for temperature management across different regulated ranges.
3Temperature
If higher alcohol alone is used as heat storage material to control temperature above 0°C, then it provides adjustable melting temperature, but it exhibits multiple melting peaks and unstable solidification behavior due to different crystal structures and impurities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines higher alkane and higher alcohol to create a composite heat storage material. This composite formulation resolves the multiple melting peaks and unstable solidification behavior of pure higher alcohol by creating a mixture that exhibits a substantially single melting peak, while still maintaining adjustable melting temperature through composition ratio control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent promotes homogeneity in the melting behavior by using a specific combination of higher alkane and higher alcohol. The mixture creates a more uniform phase transition characteristic with a single dominant melting peak, eliminating the heterogeneous multiple peaks observed in pure higher alcohol systems.
4Adaptability or versatility
If heat storage material composition with multiple components is used to adjust melting temperature, then it provides temperature adaptability, but it increases complexity of composition and difficulty in achieving consistent melting behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite material system with higher alkane and higher alcohol, which provides temperature adaptability through composition ratio adjustment while maintaining relatively simple binary composition. This approach balances complexity and versatility better than multi-component systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent manages composition complexity by focusing on controlling key parameters: the carbon numbers of the higher alkane (9-24) and higher alcohol (6-20) and their mixing ratios. By concentrating on these specific parameters, the system achieves temperature adaptability without excessive complexity in formulation and manufacturing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The composition provides a heat storage material with a constant melting temperature and high latent heat capacity, suitable for managing temperature-sensitive goods, ensuring stable temperature management within the desired range without the instability seen in previous materials.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing transition of phase of the alcohol so as to substantially prevent temperature change
Implementation Method 2
having a melting temperature in a predetermined temperature range and a large melting latent heat
Implementation Method 3
using hydroxypropyl cellulose to gelate the mixture and enhance handling and safety
Data Source
AI summary
A heat storage material composition having a melting temperature utilized for control of an optional management temperature, providing no variation in melting behavior and solidification behavior, and having a constant melting temperature. The heat storage material composition consists primarily of a mixture of a higher alkane having carbon number of 9 to 24 and a higher alcohol having carbon number of 6 to 20, and the mixture has a substantially single melting peak in DSC curve measured by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC).