The thermal performance of the capric acid and lauric acid mixture (C-L acid) in the respective composition of 65% and 35% by mote was investigated for its cooling capacity. Pentadecane was used for comparison. A vertical cylindrical storage capsule was employed for the study. The temperature distribution of the C-L acid during charging and discharging inside a vertical tube was experimentally determined in both radial and axial directions. A melting point of 18-19.5degreesC was observed. This value corroborates with the DSC-obtained values for the C-L acid. The calculated stored energy based on the radial temperature distribution during charge and discharge processes indicates that the C-L acid is a potential latent heat storage material. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.