Fluid flow in thermal storage containers
AssigneeNostromo Ltd.
InventorsYaron Ben Nun, Eyal Ziv, Nadav Amir
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal-storage container used in thermal systems to exchange heat by fluid flow though phase-changing material disposed inside the thermal-storage container, including a thermal-storage container housing, a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and one or more capsules containing the phase-change material, and defining a plurality of passages configured to direct the flow of the fluid at different portions inside the housing, wherein an actual fluid flow length from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet is longer than a direct length measured between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet through all sections through which the fluid flows. Related apparatus and methods are also described.
Claims19
A thermal-storage container used in thermal systems to exchange heat by fluid flow though phase-changing material disposed inside the thermal-storage container, comprising:
- a thermal-storage container housing;
- a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, to allow fluid flow in a general direction of a longitudinal axis of the thermal-storage container, the container having, along the longitudinal axis, an upstream portion followed by a downstream portion;
- and
- capsules containing the phase-change material, each capsule having two heat exchanging surfaces with a surface area larger than all other faces of the capsule, the capsules defining a plurality of passages between the capsules, the passages configured to direct the flow of the fluid at different portions inside the housing,
- wherein one or more of the capsules in the upstream portion of the thermal storage container are oriented such that the two heat-exchanging surfaces are vertical and in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container and one or more capsules in an adjacent downstream portion of the thermal storage container are oriented such that the two heat-exchanging surfaces are horizontal and in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container.
A method for exchanging heat by fluid flowing through thermal-storage container, the container having, along a longitudinal axis, an upstream portion followed by a downstream portion, the method comprising:
- inserting the fluid into the thermal-storage container, via a fluid inlet;
- allowing the fluid to flow in a general direction of the longitudinal axis of the thermal-storage container;
- allowing heat exchange between the fluid and phase-changing material inside capsules, each capsule having two heat-exchanging surfaces with a surface area larger than all other faces of the capsule, in the thermal-storage container;
- and
- outputting the fluid from the thermal-storage container, via a fluid outlet;
- wherein the method further comprises orienting one or more of the capsules in the upstream portion of the thermal storage container such that the two heat-exchanging surfaces are vertical and in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container and orienting one or more capsules in an adjacent downstream portion of the thermal storage container such that the two heat-exchanging surfaces are horizontal and in parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.