Sustainable synthesis of thermal energy storage materials: integrating technical and environmental metrics

Abstract

The utilization of sintering ash (SA), an industrial waste rich in sodium sulfate, as a phase change material (PCM) for thermal energy storage (TES) offers a sustainable solution for the construction sector. This study investigates the thermal properties of SA-derived PCM, evaluating its environmental performance and raw material costs. A multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach was employed to benchmark the findings against existing literature. Experimental results revealed that while SA contained 86% sodium sulfate, an average recovery rate of 58.6% was achieved. Although the production cost of this waste-based sodium sulfate (WBSS) is 81% higher than commercial alternatives, the resulting PCM (w-PCM) exhibited a latent heat of fusion of 97.4 J/g and a phase change temperature of 25.8 °C. These findings suggest that w-PCM can be effectively used indoors as a passive heat storage component, thereby mitigating industrial pollution and enhancing the thermal inertia of the building envelope.

Keywords

Industrial waste / Phase change material / Thermal energy storage / Life cycle assessment / Circular economy

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Funding

Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu(1649B032300398)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

The Author(s), under exclusive licence to the International Society of Energy and Environmental Science

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