Clathrates and liquid conjugating binary systems form the basis for new latent heat materials under investigation as storage media for offpeak building heating or cooling. Clathrate compounds formed with water as a constituent are particularly attractive for this application, because they freeze at temperatures higher than ice but still low enough for effective building cooling. Partially miscible binary systems that possess a usable heat of mixing in the building heating/cooling temperature range have also been identified. These offer an advantage as thermal storage media in that they remain in -liquid form. This paper describes clathrate and conjugating binary storage concepts currently, being explored and discusses the technical and practical issues involved with each.

Units: SI