Characterization of paraffin/ultrasonic-treated diatomite for use as phase change material in thermal energy storage of buildings

In this study, paraffin-/ultrasonic-treated diatomite was characterized for use as phase change material (PCM) for thermal energy storage in buildings. The diatomite was treated with ultrasound at various periods of time. The diatomite treated with ultrasound for 60 min (DA-60) was the optimum condition providing the highest surface area without structural degradation. The melting point and latent heat of the paraffin/DA-60 composite PCM were 59 °C and 45.90 J g−1, respectively. The obtained form-stable PCM had good thermal reliability after 500 cycles of thermal cycling test. The thermal performance of PCM was tested by incorporating the paraffin/DA-60 composite PCM into gypsum board. The results showed that the gypsum board containing the paraffin/DA-60 composite PCM had better thermal energy absorption and release characteristics than those of the control sample. The incorporation of paraffin/DA-60 composite PCM into suitable building materials could thus considerably reduce the energy consumption of cooling system in buildings.