A review on thermal conductivity enhancement of paraffinwax as latent heat energy storage material

Increasing energy demand calls for the implementation of proper thermal energy storage which is one of the most important components of solar energy conversion systems. Phase change material based latent heat energy storage systems have emerged as a promising option to effectively store thermal energy. Generally, paraffin wax is used as the most common phase change material for low to medium temperature storage applications because it has a large latent heat and low cost besides being stable, nontoxic and non-corrosive. The performance of paraffin wax based latent heat energy storage systems (LHESS) is limited by its poor thermal conductivity. In this paper, the previous experimental and theoretical research studies on LHESS using paraffin wax as phase change material with different performance enhancement techniques are reviewed. Further, research works related to dispersing different kind of nanoparticles in paraffin wax for the enhancement of its thermal conductivity are comprehensively reviewed with respect to synthesis, characterization and thermophysical properties of the nanoenhanced phase change material.