Device and system for quantifying the useful thermal energy available in a tank
AssigneesCentre National De La Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Universite
InventorStephane Launay
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for quantifying a useful thermal energy available in a tank for storing a heated or cooled fluid or solid includes: a plurality of thermoelectric converters configured to be distributed in plural locations of the storage tank; an electric circuit interconnecting the thermoelectric converters; a device measuring a single electrical variable of the electric circuit; and a converter converting a single measurement of the single electrical variable into a value for quantification of the useful thermal energy available in the storage tank.
Claims18
A device for quantifying a useful thermal energy available in a tank for storing a heated or cooled fluid or solid, the device comprising:
- plural thermally sensitive electric converters configured to be distributed in plural locations of the storage tank;
- an electric circuit interconnecting the thermally sensitive electric converters;
- a device measuring a single electrical variable of the electric circuit;
- means for converting a single measurement of the single electrical variable into a value for quantification of the useful thermal energy available in the storage tank in which the thermally sensitive electric converters are configured to be distributed,
- wherein each thermally sensitive electric converter includes an electrical temperature sensor and at least one electrical resistance, and
- wherein the electrical temperature sensors and the electrical resistances are arranged in the thermally sensitive electric converters such that:
- the electrical temperature sensors are arranged in series together in the interconnection electrical circuit;
- and
- each electrical resistance connects an output terminal of the electrical temperature sensor of the thermally sensitive electric converter to which it belongs to a first terminal, common to all of the electrical resistances, of the device for measuring.
A device for quantifying useful thermal energy available in a tank for storing a heated or cooled fluid or solid, the device comprising:
- plural thermally sensitive electric converters configured to be distributed in plural locations of the storage tank;
- an electric circuit interconnecting the thermally sensitive electric converters;
- a device measuring a single electrical variable of the electric circuit;
- means for converting a single measurement of the single electrical variable into a value for quantification of the useful thermal energy available in the storage tank in which the thermally sensitive electric converters are configured to be distributed,
- wherein each thermally sensitive electric converter includes an electrical temperature sensor and at least one electrical resistance, and
- wherein the electrical temperature sensors and the electrical resistances are arranged in the thermally sensitive electric converters such that:
- the electrical resistances are arranged in series together in the interconnection electrical circuit;
- and
- each electrical temperature sensor connects a terminal of the electrical resistance of the thermally sensitive electric converter to which it belongs to a first terminal, common to all of the electrical temperature sensors, of the device for measuring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.