Metallic composite phase-change materials and methods of using the same

Abstract

Metallic composite phase-change materials and methods of using are disclosed. In some embodiments, a thermal energy storage module is provide that included one or more phase change alloys having a variable phase transition temperature between about 400° C. and about 1200° C. and having a latent heat of more than about 200 kJ/kg.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal energy storage module comprising one or more phase change alloys having a variable phase transition temperature between about 400° C. and about 1200° C. and having a latent heat of more than about 200 kJ/kg. 
     
     
         2 . The thermal energy storage module of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more phase change alloys have a formula of Aluminum (Al)-Silicon (Si)—X, wherein X is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of boron (B), carbon (C), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), germanium (Ge), molybdenum (Mo), nobium (Nb), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), scandium (Sc), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), and zirconium (Zr) 
     
     
         3 . The thermal energy storage module of  claim 2 , wherein X is Fe. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal energy storage module of  claim 3 , wherein the concentration of Al is between about 40 atom percent and about 50 atom percent. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal energy storage module of  claim 3 , wherein the concentration of Si is between about 35 atom percent and about 45 atom percent. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal energy storage module of  claim 3 , wherein the concentration of Fe is between about 10 atom percent and about 20 atom percent. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal energy storage module of  claim 3 , wherein the concentration of Al is about 45 atom percent, the concentration of Si is about 40 atom percent, and the concentration of Fe is about 15 atom percent. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal energy storage module of  claim 2 , wherein X is B in concentration of between about 8 atom percent and about 28 atom percent. 
     
     
         9 . A thermal energy storage module comprising one or more phase change alloys having a general formula of Al—Si—Fe, wherein the concentration of Al is between about 40 atom percent and about 50 atom percent, the concentration of Si is between about 35 atom percent and about 45 atom percent, and the concentration of Fe is between about 10 atom percent and about 20 atom percent. 
     
     
         10 . A method of storing heat comprising:
 providing one or more phase change alloys having a variable phase transition temperature between about 400° C. and about 1200° C. and having a latent heat of more than about 200 kJ/kg;   charging the one or more phase change alloys by allowing heat transfer into the phase change alloy; and   storing heat in the one or more phase change alloys.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more phase change alloys have a formula of Aluminum (Al)-Silicon (Si)—X, wherein X is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of boron (B), carbon (C), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), germanium (Ge), molybdenum (Mo), nobium (Nb), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), scandium (Sc), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), and zirconium (Zr) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein X is Fe. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the concentration of Al is between about 40 atom percent and about 50 atom percent. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the concentration of Si is between about 35 atom percent and about 45 atom percent. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the concentration of Fe is between about 10 atom percent and about 20 atom percent. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the concentration of Al is about 45 atom percent, the concentration of Si is about 40 atom percent, and the concentration of Fe is about 15 atom percent. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein X is B having the concentration between about 8 atom percent and about 28 atom percent. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein, in the step of charging, heat is produced by a solar-thermal power system. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising releasing heat stored in the one or more phase change alloys to generate electricity. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein, in the step of charging, heat is an exhaust heat from a nuclear power station.