Latest Advancements in Solar Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric Conversion Technologies: Thermal Energy Storage Using Phase Change Materials, Machine Learning, and 4E Analyses

Table 2

Merits and drawbacks of different PCMs.

Merits	Drawbacks
Organic PCMs
High energy density: organic PCMs have high energy density, allowing for more energy to be stored in a smaller space compared to traditional thermal storage materials like water.	Limited temperature range: organic PCMs typically have a limited temperature range, making them unsuitable for applications that require higher or lower temperatures.
Wide availability: organic PCMs are widely available and can be sourced from renewable resources.	Flammability: organic PCMs can be flammable, making them a potential safety hazard.
Good thermal stability: organic phase change materials (PCMs) exhibit favorable thermal stability, enabling them to endure multiple cycles of melting and solidification without undergoing degradation.	Cost: some organic PCMs can be expensive compared to traditional thermal storage materials like water.
Inorganic PCMs
High melting temperature: inorganic PCMs have a high melting temperature, making them suitable for high-temperature applications.	Limited energy density: inorganic PCMs have a lower energy density compared to organic PCMs, meaning more space is required to store the same amount of thermal energy.
Good thermal conductivity: inorganic PCMs have good thermal conductivity, allowing for faster heat transfer.	Limited availability: inorganic PCMs can be less widely available and more difficult to source compared to organic PCMs.
High heat capacity: inorganic PCMs have a high heat capacity, meaning they can store a large amount of thermal energy.	Phase separation: some inorganic PCMs can separate into different phases, which can lead to reduced performance and durability issues over time.
Eutectic PCMs
Wide temperature range: eutectic PCMs have a wide temperature range, rendering them suitable for a myriad of applications.	Limited availability: eutectic PCMs can be less widely available and more difficult to source compared to organic PCMs.
High energy density: eutectic PCMs have a high energy density, allowing for more energy to be stored in a smaller space compared to traditional thermal storage materials like water.	Limited thermal stability: eutectic PCMs can have limited thermal stability, meaning they may degrade over time with repeated cycles of melting and solidification.
Good thermal conductivity: eutectic PCMs have good thermal conductivity, allowing for faster heat transfer.	Cost: eutectic PCMs can be expensive compared to traditional thermal storage materials like water.