Phase change materials are an intriguing concept, and they fall into the field of logistics. Now, the logistics industry is huge and contains various moving components.
We will look at phase change materials, but we must first understand the logistics industry a little bit more to see how phase change materials play a vital role.
What is logistics?
Logistics is the process of gathering various resources, moving those resources, and getting them to their final destination. The concept of logistics was a critical point in the area of the military at one point in time. As a matter of fact, that is where it would originate in the form it is seen today. To clarify, the modern military did not start the concept of logistics but was able to form a discipline around it and scale it up further.
They would need to figure out ways to acquire the materials, store them, and then transport them to where they had to go.
But the world would globalize further over time, and private corporations would require extensive logistics operations. Now, large corporations and even those who dropship goods use logistics to simplify their operations and expand their revenue base.
The logistics industry has come with various innovations to increase simplicity, safety, and security in logistics operations. You may realize that supply chains have high degrees of automation and innovation to ensure that goods can start at one point and get to the destination without any issues.
Phase change materials are one of these innovations that help to ship goods in a seamless way. It is one component in the large logistics industry that ranges from eight trillion to fourteen trillion dollars annually.
Let’s find out more about phase change materials and how they work.
What Are Phase Changing Materials?
Phase change materials have unique features and traits that make them useful in logistics and other industries. These phase change materials are known for their thermal capacity. Their key value stems from advanced thermal protection when transporting specific types of goods. Remember that various goods rely on different temperatures to stay in the right shape, form, and state.
When these phase change materials rise in temperature or decrease in temperature, inducing melting or freezing, or transforming from more viscous to solid matter, they continue to hold a steady temperature that is in line with their melting or their freezing point.
They are intriguing because they have a specific composition to where they can go from one phase to the next at the right temperatures to be in line with specific goods’ requirements.
How Phase Change Materials Work
But how can we think about this concept in another way? First, remember that you can use several materials as a phase change material; one of these materials you can use could be water.
Water helps to keep this concept simple as we interact with water every single day.
One can witness water in a liquid form or a solid form. It is able to have a solid/liquid phase transition point at 0 degrees Celsius. Suppose you have a good or item that you must keep cool in hotter temperatures; you might ensure that you could use water as a PCM to conduct this task.
You must start by ensuring that water will cool below its phase change temperature until it gets to a level where it turns into a more solid form (such as ice).
Then you would place the ice within the region of the specific good in a particular way to preserve the integrity of the product.
But you might wonder how exactly would that work?
You will notice that the phase change material, in this case, water, will create a zero degrees celsius thermal defense around the sensitive product and the rest of the world.
The water in its solid form of ice will take the heat. As it takes the heat, it will start to melt and turn into a liquid form. Still, it will preserve the zero degrees barrier and will defend against the heat until it is entirely in a liquid state.
But with water, you will notice that as it melts, it will start to then start to be in line with the regular temperature after a while.
Remember that phase change materials ensure to preserve the product or good regardless of the situation and will ensure to remain in a specific state with a specific melting/freezing point.
It is essential to use the right phase change materials with various goods to have the best results.
Points to Remember on Phase Change Materials
The primary point to keep in mind when dealing with phase change materials is that you must think about the origin’s right level of temperature.
To be more clear, you must ensure to start at the right temperature levels to make sure you are in line with the properties of the good that you seek to defend.
Various goods and applications ask for different phase change material conditions. One supplier might seek to have phase change materials in a solid form before a shipment takes place. At the same time, other suppliers might want to have their PCM in a liquid format.
Phase change material individuals will let you know which condition makes sense for your product after they discuss your situation. They would want to know if heat will increase or start to decline as the package moves to its destination.
You will also want to discuss whether items should be in a frozen state, mildly cool state, or kept at moderate temperatures.
Our team at Thermal Custom Packaging can offer the solutions you need to ensure that your product remains at a certain level as it moves to its destination. Find out how we can help you with phase change materials that are secure and efficient today.