USE OF PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS TO DELAY ICING OR TO CAUSE DE-ICING IN WIND-DRIVEN POWER GENERATORS

1 . Use of phase change materials (PCMs) to delay icing or to cause de-icing in different wind-driven power generator elements.

2 . Use according to claim 1 , wherein the PCMs are confined.

3 . Use according to claim 2 , wherein the PCMs are confined in organic or inorganic micro/nanocapsules or an organic support is impregnated with same.

4 . Use according to claim 1 , wherein the PCMs are chemically anchored to the material forming different wind-driven power generator elements.

5 . Method for delaying icing or causing de-icing in different wind-driven power generator elements based on the use of phase change materials (PCMs), said method comprising the following steps:

a) obtaining the PCMs; and

b) incorporating the obtained PCMs into different wind-driven power generator elements.

6 . Method according to claim 5 , wherein the PCMs are confined.

7 . Method according to claim 6 , wherein the confinement of the PCMs can be carried out by means of:

i) encapsulating the PCMs in organic or inorganic nano/microcapsules, or

ii) impregnating an organic support with PCMs.

8 . Method according to claim 7 , wherein the confinement of the PCMs is carried out in inorganic nano/microcapsules.

9 . Method according to claim 8 , wherein the confinement of the PCMs in inorganic nano/microcapsules comprises the following steps:

A. creating an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion comprising:

1) obtaining a mixture comprising a surfactant agent or mixture of surfactants, PCMs and water, at a working temperature comprised between 25-200° C., wherein the percentage by weight of the surfactant in the mixture is 1-30% and the percentage by weight of PCMs in the mixture is 1-50%, and

2) performing mechanical or ultrasonic agitation of the mixture obtained in 1), until obtaining the emulsion consisting of drops of PCM in water;

B. adding an inorganic precursor dropwise to the emulsion created in A) for forming an inorganic nano/microcapsule around each drop of PCM by means of sol-gel processes,

C. cleaning the nano/microcapsules formed in B) with a solvent to remove surfactant and non-encapsulated PCM residues,

D. drying the capsules obtained after step C) in a vacuum oven for 4-24 hours at a temperature between 25-300° C., and

E. obtaining inorganic nano/microcapsules filled with PCM with a size comprised between 30 nm and 30 μm.

10 . Method according to claim 9 , wherein prior to step B), said method comprises a step A′) in which the inorganic precursor is hydrolyzed by means of adding water and a catalyst at an optimal concentration that acidifies the solution to a pH between 1 and 4.

11 . Method according to claim 5 , wherein in step b) the PCMs are incorporated by means of chemical anchoring to the material of different wind-driven power generator elements.

12 . Method according to claim 6 , wherein in step b) the confined PCMs are incorporated into the paint or coating or putty of different wind-driven power generator elements.

13 . Method according to claim 12 , wherein the incorporation of the confined PCMs into the paint or coating or putty of different wind-driven power generator elements is carried out by means of the following steps:

dispersing the confined PCMs in the paint or coating or putty coating different wind-driven power generator elements at a percentage between 10 and 70% by weight, and

applying the dispersion to different wind-driven power generator components by means of putty knife, roller, brush, spray or immersion.

14 . Method according to claim 6 , wherein in step b) the confined PCMs are incorporated into the structural material of different wind-driven power generator elements.

15 . Method according to claim 14 , wherein the incorporation into the structural material is carried out by means of dispersing the confined PCMs in the resins used for manufacturing the composites forming the inside of different wind-driven power generator elements.

16 . Method according to claim 14 , wherein the incorporation into the structural material is carried out by means of spraying a dispersion of the confined PCMs onto the fibers used for manufacturing the composites forming the inside of different wind-driven power generator elements, or by means of immersing said fibers in a dispersion of the confined PCMs.

17 . Method according to claim 6 , wherein the confined PCMs are deposited as a thin layer on the surface of different wind-driven power generator elements by means of spraying.

18 . Method according to claim 5 , wherein the PCMs are incorporated into wind-driven power generator blades.