Phase change technology for the perfect . . . coffee cup?
By Susan Wilson
When you hear the phrase – “phase change”, coffee cups don’t really pop to mind. Star trek fire arms and transporters are more the images conjured up. Scientists at Fraunhoffer Institute decided to use “phase change” materials (PCMs) to create the perfect coffee cup.
According to Gizmag, Klaus Sedlbauer, head of the Fraunhoffer Institute for Building Physics (IBP), and his colleague Herbert Sinnesbichler were served glasses of mulled wine at Germany’s Christmas markets that were not at the correct temperature. So they used the same technology used in walls for temperature control to make a new coffee cup.
Phase change materials are usually placed within walls to keep room temperatures the same over a 24 hour period. The PCMs absorb daytime heat and release it gradually at night.
Since the idea was to maintain mulled wine (and yes, coffee and tea) at the perfect temperature 136°F, (using PCMs just made sense. Sedlbauer and Sinnesbichler created a mug to keep hot liquids at the perfect temperature for about 30 minutes.
The mug is hollow porcelain. Inside the porcelain exterior is a honeycombed interior composed of very thin strips of aluminum. The honeycomb is filled with a PCM. The scientists needed to find a PCM that would melt at 136°F. Why at that specific temperature? Because that is the temperature that you want the liquid to remain. The PCM melts, absorbing the heat from the drink and over the next half-hour it keeps your coffee, tea or mulled wine at the perfect temperature.
The process will also work to keep drinks cool, so those that drink their beer, soft drinks or even water slowly over a thirty minute period, will still be drinking a cold drink. No more pouring out a third of your drink because it became warm and nasty.
The mugs are not available yet but according to Gizmag, Fraunhoffer Institute is talking with manufacturers to make sure that these mugs will make it to a coffee house near you. Who knows maybe in time for Christmas.
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