Latest Progress in Utilizing Coconut Oil as Sustainable Phase Change Materials in Thermal Energy Storage Systems: Promoting Environmentally Sustainable Energy Systems

Abstract

This review paper will present material concerning use of coconut oil with a phase change material (PCM) in thermal energy storage (TES) systems to meet increasing energy demands in different fields such as heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and building tem- perature control. The author provides a review of standard techniques of energy storage and shows their drawbacks, including low thermal efficiency and negative impact of some types of energy storage on the environment. Based on experimental results it can be concluded that coconut oil possesses good thermal characteristics illustrated by the large change in the melting point caused by natural convection and the process of solidification. The current study proves that integrating aluminum foams and nanoparticles can increase the TES unit’s thermal charging rate by as much as 41% when design modifications are made to the TES unit. The conclusion made stresses the suitability of coconut oil as a PCM, along with its efficiency and the ability to act as a natural source of energy-boosting material other than fossil fuels. Recommendations for future research include studies concerning the applicability of hybrid PCM systems, the use of more sophisticated materials to improve the thermal conductivity and the evaluation of the permanency of coconut oil and the effectiveness of this product under different conditions. More to the point of this review, it highlights the need to embrace innovative concepts in TES in order to realise sustainable energy objectives.