Latenttilämpömateriaali

Latenttilämpömateriaali, often abbreviated as LTM, is a substance designed to absorb or release significant amounts of thermal energy during a phase change. This energy is known as latent heat, and it is released or absorbed without a change in temperature. Common examples of phase changes utilized in LTMs include melting and freezing, boiling and condensation. The primary characteristic of LTMs is their high latent heat capacity, meaning they can store a large amount of thermal energy in a small mass or volume. This property makes them attractive for various thermal management applications.

The selection of a suitable LTM depends on the specific application and its operating temperature range. Materials like paraffins, salt hydrates, and eutectics are frequently employed due to their availability, cost-effectiveness, and appropriate phase change temperatures. Paraffins, for instance, offer good thermal stability but can suffer from low thermal conductivity. Salt hydrates provide high latent heat but can experience incongruent melting, leading to performance degradation over time. Eutectic mixtures can overcome some of these limitations by offering both a suitable phase change temperature and congruent melting.

LTMs find applications in thermal energy storage systems, where they can store solar energy for later use, or in building insulation to moderate indoor temperatures. They are also used in electronic cooling to dissipate heat from components and in passive temperature control for sensitive goods during transport. The development of LTMs continues to focus on improving thermal conductivity, enhancing long-term stability, and expanding the range of available phase change temperatures.