Preparation of mono-sized high sphericity Al-Si alloy particles for thermal energy storage materials by pulsated orifice ejection method

• Published in: Powder technology 2024-05, Vol.440, p.119789, Article 119789
• Main Authors: Lian, Yunxiu, Dong, Wei, Xu, Fumin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Al-Si particles; alloys; High sphericity; latent heat; Phase change energy storage; Pulsated orifice ejection method; solidification; technology; thermal analysis; thermal energy
• ISSN: 0032-5910; 1873-328X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.powtec.2024.119789

The demand for Al-Si particles with high sphericity and narrow size distribution is growing in the field of thermal energy storage. In this study, a novel pulsated orifice ejection method (POEM) was successfully employed to produce different-sized Al-Si alloy particles. The analysis indicates that such particles exhibit high sphericity, with each particle having a sphericity exceeding 0.9. The particles are precisely size-controllable and mono-sized, thereby ensuring that they have the identical thermal history. The combination of cooling rate calculation and particle structure analysis indicates that the particles prepared by POEM exhibit higher cooling rates through rapid solidification, resulting in finer and more uniform microstructures. The thermal analysis results demonstrate that the Al-Si alloy particles prepared in this study have high melting latent heat (approximately 500.87 J/g) and solidification latent heat (approximately 467.26 J/g), showcasing their potential as high-efficiency phase change materials for high-temperature thermal energy storage. [Display omitted] •Successfully produced mono-sized, high-sphericity Al-Si particles by the POEM.•POEM-prepared particles with finer and more uniform microstructures.•Al-Si alloy particles exhibit a notable capacity for high thermal energy storage.