Device and method for measuring thermal charging state in latent heat thermal energy storage systems

Abstract

A device and a method for measuring a thermal charging state in a latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) system are provided. The device includes an energy storage unit with a phase change material (PCM) and one or more thermistor wires disposed along the length of the PCM. A control circuit is electrically connected to the thermistor wires. The control circuit passes an electric current through the one or more thermistor wires and measures the resulting resistance change. A processor, in communication with the control circuit, is configured to determine the thermal charging state of the PCM based on the measured resistance change. This configuration allows for an integrated thermal measurement along the entire length of the PCM to provide an accurate assessment of the stored energy.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.