ABSTRACT
Energy plays a fundamental role in the global economy, transportation, communication, and daily life in general. However, the rising demand for energy as well as the drawbacks and restrictions associated with using conventional fossil fuels has led to concerns about energy security and sustainability. The use of latent thermal energy storage (LTES) systems with phase change materials (PCMs) as a well-known thermal energy storage (TES) mechanism is one of the best ways to address these concerns, as well as make efficient use of energy resources and recover energy. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a basic understanding of PCMs to the readers by discussing the important issues related to them in a brief manner. This chapter highlights the various mechanisms of energy storage technologies available and emphasizes the significance of PCM energy storage systems in achieving efficient and economical energy systems and production. The chapter also presents different types of PCM, their low thermal conductivity problem and methods of improving their low heat transfer. In the last section, the application of PCMs is summarized.
