THE POSSIBILITY OF HIGH-TEMPERATURE HEAT-CAPACITY MEASUREMENTS BY DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY

We have been conducting series of heat capacity measurements by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) on various latent thermal storage materials such as NaOH-NaNO3. Our concern is now shifting to higher temperature applications of latent thermal storage: space solar dynamic power systems (solar thermal electric power generation systems in space) and so on. Such applications require storage materials which can be operated above 1000 K. Needs for heat-capacity measurements at higher temperatures are increasing. In the present paper, some results of our heat capacity measurements by DSC at intermediate temperatures are presented. Several items which should be considered in order to realize the heat capacity measurements above 1000 K by DSC are discussed. © 1990 Plenum Publishing Corporation.