DOE OSTI2021
Phase change (solid/liquid or liquid/vapor) is a process that enables a large heat transfer capacity for a broad range of engineering applications, such as steam generators, condensers, thermal energy storage, thermosyphons, and heat pipes. Water has been the most usable phase-change cooling medium. Advanced applications are proposing alkali metals (e.g., sodium, potassium, lithium) to increase the total heat transfer rate for moderate and high-temperature applications. Sodium and potassium have the advantage of relatively low melting temperatures (98 and 64°C, respectively) make them suitable for high-temperature applications (700–1100 K). At too high of temperatures (above 1200 K), lithium is an excellent choice as a working fluid because of its high latent heat vaporization and high-surface tension. The low vapor pressure of alkali metals makes them candidates for closed spaces applications, such as thermosyphons and heat pipes. Lithium has the lowest vapor pressure than potassium and sodium, which can work at a much higher temperature without over-pressurizing the container.
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗