slPCMlib - solid/liquid Phase Change Materials library

slPCMlib contains data, correlations and models for the computation of so-called "effective" thermal material properties of solid/liquid phase change materials (PCM) showing a non-isothermal phase transition behavior:

• data: single phase solid and liquid properties
• correlations: temperature dependent functions to predict
  • the progress of the phase change during complete melting and solidification processes: liquid mass, and liquid volume phase fraction functions
  • effective properties within the phase transition temperature range: density, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity and enthalpy
• models: macroscale (phenomenological) phase transition models to account for temperature shifts in latent transition changes, e.g. due to multi-step transitions and thermal hysteresis

Purpose of the library

slPCMlib provides computer code for the calculation of PCM thermal properties. The properties can be used for the numerical modeling of heat transfer in PCM and the analysis of the thermal performance of PCM enhanced materials and components. Compared with properties considering an isothermal (ideal) phase change behavior the phase transition models in slPCMlib may be more realistic and accurate.

Database

To date, commercial paraffin-, fatty acid- and hydrated salt-based PCM are included in the database.

Computer code

Generated source code for property correlations for Python, Matlab, Modelica/Dymola and Fluent/C (currently under development) is available (via copy to clipboard or save to file) in the database. Modelica/Dymola source code for correlations and phase transition models is also included in GitHub-slPCMlib.

License Information

slPCMlib is licensed under the BSD 3-Clause "New" or "Revised" License.

References

• Barz, T., Bres, A., & Emhofer, J. (2022).
  slPCMlib: A Modelica Library for the Prediction of Effective Thermal Material Properties of Solid/Liquid Phase Change Materials (PCM).
  In Proceedings of Asian Modelica Conference 2022 (pp. 63-74). Linkoping University Electronic Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3384/ecp19363