USF researchers have proposed a way to encapsulate thermal energy storage media, such as phase change materials (PCMs). The invention has one or more PCMs contained within a ceramic capsule. A hollow ceramic capsule body is initially fabricated, the capsule body is filled with one or more PCMs. This new approach alleviated the issue with molten PCM/encapsulating material incompatibility of material of the past. Furthermore, the capsules are designed to accommodate the expansion and contraction of the PCM as a result of phase change. This new method of producing encapsulated PCMs can provide a more effective means of thermal energy storage for a variety of applications.
A Flow Diagram of a Method for Closing and Sealing a Body of a Ceramic PCM Capsule