This invention describes a phase change material being 1,3-propanediol ester where the 1,3-propanediol ester can be either a 1,3-propanediol monoester or a 1,3-propanediol diester. This invention further describes the use of 1,3-propanediol ester as a phase change material for releasing or absorbing latent heat during melting or crystallization. This invention also describes the use of the phase change material for use in non-food and food applications.

A piston for an internal combustion engine may include a piston crown having a closed circumferential cooling channel, a piston skirt, a first metallic coolant arranged in the cooling channel and having a metal or metal alloy with a melting point below 250° C., and a second nonmetallic coolant arranged in the cooling channel and having a melting point below 40° C. and a density which is lower than a density of the first coolant.

A heat-storage material that provides a sufficiently large amount of thermal energy as a latent-heat storage material including a semiclathrate hydrate and that improves hysteresis between the solidifying temperature and the melting starting temperature and a refrigerator and a cooling container that include the heat-storage material are provided. The heat-storage material that changes phase at a predetermined temperature includes water, a main agent including a quaternary ammonium salt that forms a semiclathrate hydrate, a pH adjuster that maintains alkaline properties, and a nucleating agent that generates a cation that exhibits positive hydration. In such an aqueous solution maintained to be alkaline, the nucleating agent becomes a nucleus in solidification, and thus, the temperature difference between the solidifying temperature and the melting temperature can be decreased.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel cold storage material composition allowing for temperature maintenance of a temperature control target article in various controlled temperature ranges in a range of −75° C. to −30° C., a method of using the cold storage material composition, a cold storage material including the cold storage material composition, and a transport container including the cold storage material. Provided is a cold storage material composition including a multicomponent eutectic which is composed of water and two or more kinds of compounds and having a melting temperature in a range of −75° C. to −30° C.

A cold storage material composition contains tetra-n-butylammonium bromide, water, and 1-propanol. The weight ratio of tetra-n-butylammonium bromide to water is greater than or equal to 37.5/62.5 and less than or equal to 40/60. The molar ratio of 1-propanol to water is greater than or equal to 0.043 and less than or equal to 0.065. The cold storage material composition has a fusion heat of greater than or equal to 135 J/g within a range of higher than or equal to 2 degrees Celsius and lower than or equal to 8 degrees Celsius and has a heat flow peak within a range of higher than or equal to 2 degrees Celsius and lower than or equal to 8 degrees Celsius.

Provided is a cold storage medium according to the present invention contains tetra-n-butylammonium ions, silver ions, at least one kind of halide ions selected from the group consisting of fluoride ions, chloride ions, and bromide ions, water, and at least one kind of carboxylic acid ions each represented by the following chemical formula R—COO.sup.− (where R represents a hydrocarbon group).

A cold storage material and a cold storage pack are provided where a single cooling medium (cold insulation pack) containing a cold storage material having a plurality of melting points can keep an object at a low temperature that is suited to a situation. The cold storage material changes phase at a prescribed temperature and contains: water; a base compound containing a quaternary ammonium salt that forms a semi-clathrate hydrate; and a supercooling inhibitor that suppresses supercooling, wherein the cold storage material has one or more melting points depending on a temperature range in which the cold storage material has been frozen. These features allow the user to set the melting point of the cold storage material as he/she wants, by properly changing the freezing temperature for intended usage

A heat exchanging liquid container system comprising a main body; a phase change material (PCM) module disposable within the main body; a PCM disposed within the PCM module; a liquid reservoir defined by the main body and/or the PCM module configured to have liquid disposed therein having a first temperature; and a temperature conditioning channel formed along a wall of the PCM module and/or through the PCM module such that the temperature conditioning channel is in thermal contact with the PCM. The temperature conditioning channel configured to provide a flow path through which the liquid can flow to dispense the liquid from the liquid reservoir such that the liquid will be in thermal contact with the PCM while being dispensed. The PCM configured to exchange thermal energy with the liquid and thereby condition the liquid to be dispensed at a second temperature that is within a desired temperature range.

The invention is directed to a method and a system for regenerating an endothermic salt composition from an aqueous solution thereof, said method comprising a) contacting a switchable-polarity compound with the aqueous solution of the endothermic salt composition to obtain a raffinate phase and an extract phase, wherein the raffinate phase comprises said endothermic salt composition in a higher concentration than said aqueous solution and said extract phase comprises the switchable-polarity compound and water; and b) separating the raffinate phase and the extract phase into a separated raffinate and a separated extract. The endothermic salt can be used in systems for cooling food, milk, medicines and/or air.

A cooling composition including a mixture of solid particles of CO.sub.2 and liquid nitrogen, wherein the content of solid particles of CO.sub.2 is between 70 and 85% by weight and the solid particles of CO.sub.2 have a diameter of less than or equal to 50 m is provided.