Enthalpy-temperature plots to compare calorimetric measurements of phase change materials at different sample scales

Abstract Phase change materials (PCM) can provide high thermal energy storage capacities in narrow temperature ranges around their phase change temperature. The expectable maximum storage capacity of a PCM in a defined temperature range is equal to the enthalpy change in that range and can be determined via calorimetric measurements such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) or T-History calorimetry. T-History samples (∼15 ml) are about 1000 times larger than DSC samples (∼15 μl). Experiments in a pilot plant are performed to study the charging and discharging behaviour of even larger amounts of the PCM (∼150 l). The common practise is to investigate PCM at one scale, rarely at two scales. In this work, the characterisation was carried out at three scales (DSC, T-History, and pilot plant) for four PCM (RT58, bischofite, d -mannitol, and hydroquinone). Thereby, the question arises how the enthalpy changes measured at different scales and under different conditions can be compared. In literature, the melting enthalpy is usually assigned to a single temperature without indicating the temperature range considered for evaluation. In very few instances, the enthalpy change within a defined temperature range is stated. In both cases, results measured under different conditions are difficult to compare. In this work, it is demonstrated that enthalpy-temperature plots facilitate the comparison and interpretation of measurements obtained under different experimental methods at different sample scales.