# US 11,391,519 B2 · Heat battery

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- Number: US 11,391,519 B2
- Document ID: US11391519B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/278,774
- Filed: 2019-09-30
- Published: 2021-10-07
- Granted: 2022-07-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-09-28
- Assignees: Sunamp Limited
- Applicants: Sunamp Limited
- Inventors: Maurizio Zaglio; Santokh Singh Gataora; Andrew Bissell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11391519B2

## CPC

- F28D 20/02: using latent heat
- F28D 20/021: {the latent heat storage material and the heat-exchanging means being enclosed in one container (F28D20/023 - F28D20/028 take precedence)}
- F28D 20/028: {Control arrangements therefor}
- F28D 2020/0078: {Heat exchanger arrangements}
- F28F 2265/14: for preventing damage by freezing, e.g. for accommodating volume expansion
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- Y02E 60/14: Thermal energy storage
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

There is herein described a heat battery design for horizontal and vertical planes and a heat battery using a separate volume compensator. In particular, there is described an improved heat battery design which overcomes the problem of over-pressurisation within a battery cell during use.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A heat battery located in a substantially vertical or substantially horizontal orientation comprising:
a battery cell case;
phase change material (PCM) located within the battery cell case;
at least one or a plurality of heat exchangers located within the battery cell case and immersed in the PCM;
an expandable device in the form of an inflatable gas balloon member which is capable of being inflated and/or deflated, the expandable device is located within the battery cell case and is capable of expanding and/or contracting to manage expansion and/or volumetric changes within the battery cell case;
a gas filling valve which extends through the battery cell case and is connected to the expandable device, wherein the gas filling valve is used to increase and/or decrease the pressure and/or amount of gas held within the expandable device;
control sensors which are used to monitor the expansion and/or contraction of the PCM by monitoring the level of the PCM;
a controller configured to pressurize and/or depressurize the inflatable gas balloon member based on the control sensors monitoring the level of the PCM such that the cross-sectional diameter of the inflatable gas balloon member is expanded and/or contracted and such that the inflatable gas balloon member is inflated and/or deflated to adapt for the expansion and/or contraction of the PCM and/or any gas/air trapped within the battery cell case and to prevent over-pressurization within the battery cell case; and
wherein the expandable device is located within and against an inner surface of the battery cell case and also extends across an upper surface of the PCM and along an upper surface of the at least one or the plurality of heat exchangers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A heat battery according to claim 1, wherein the heat battery is located in a vertical orientation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A heat battery according to claim 1, wherein the heat battery is located in a horizontal orientation.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A heat battery according to claim 1, wherein the battery cell case is in the form of an airtight enclosure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A heat battery according to claim 1, wherein the battery cell case comprises an opening in the form of a filling port through which PCM is capable of being poured.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

A heat battery according to claim 1, wherein the battery cell case comprises battery flow and return pipes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A heat battery according to claim 6, wherein the battery flow and return pipes are located on the side of the battery cell case above a filling port.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

A heat battery according to claim 6, wherein the battery flow and return pipes are located at or face towards an upper surface of the PCM.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

A heat battery according to claim 1, wherein the battery cell case comprises a removable cover plate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A heat battery according to claim 9, wherein the removable cover plate is located in the upper area of the heat battery cell which allows the expandable device to be removed.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A heat battery according to claim 1, wherein there is one expandable device, two expandable devices or a plurality of expanded devices located in the upper area of the battery cell case above the PCM.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

A heat battery according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional diameter of the expandable device is expanded and/or contracted to cover at least about 5% of the vertical height of the battery cell case.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A heat battery according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional diameter of the expandable device is capable of being expanded and/or contracted by less than about 5% to alter the pressure of the gas within the expandable device.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A heat battery according to claim 1, wherein the control sensors transmit their measurements to a control system which are then capable of activating a pressurisation and/or depressurisation of the expandable device.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A heat battery according to claim 1, wherein the expandable device is formed from metallised plastic.