对于住宅供暖和制冷应用，最有前途的蓄热相变材料（PCM）是无机盐水合物。大多数常见的盐水合物在循环冻结和融化过程中分离，失去储存能力。一类水合物，即同成分的熔融物质，不会受到这种不利影响。其中四种现在以散装化学品的形式在市场上出售，其配方中含有抑制过冷的成核添加剂。讨论了这些相变材料的性质。引用:研讨会，ASHRAE交易，第88卷，第2部分，加拿大多伦多

For residential heating and cooling applications, the most promising heat storage phase-change materials (PCM's) are the inorganic salt hydrates. Most of the common salt hydrates segregate during cyclic freezing and melting, losing storage capacity. A class of hydrates, congruent melting materials, does not suffer this disadvantage. Four of these are now available commercially as bulk chemicals, formulated with nucleating additives to suppress supercooling. The properties of these PCM's are discussed.