A research result was presented at the 46th Japan Symposium on Thermophysical Properties, held in Saga Prefecture on October 8-10.

Self-Actuating Internal Stirring Mechanism for Maintain Dispersion uniformity of Paraffin/CNT PCM Composites in Thermal Energy Storage

Presenter: Yinfeng XIA (Science Tokyo) Pictured below

Co-Auther: Takushi SAITO (Science Tokyo)

     Paraffin-based phase change materials (PCMs) enhanced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) usually suffer from long-term performance degradation due to nanoparticle agglomeration.

     This research presents a novel, self-actuating internal stirring mechanism harnessing the PCM's own thermal expansion to drive an impeller, without need for external power nor control.

     Experimental validation over 50 thermal cycles demonstrated that the mechanism preserves composite homogeneity and sustains thermal performance.

     The stirred sample retained 90% of its initial enhanced thermal conductivity, significantly outperforming the control group’s 74%, proving this is an effective solution for ensuring long-term reliability in thermal energy storage systems.

We will apply the feedback received from these presentations to further our research and contribute to the advancement of high-performance of machines.