Compact thermal energy reservoirs
OwnerSeymour Jarmulinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Light weight, compact and efficient thermal energy reservoirs are described in which thin layers of a heat storage material, such as an inorganic salt having a high latent heat of fusion, are heated or cooled by an intermittent primary energy source, such as solar or off-peak electric power. The stored energy is utilized during periods when the primary energy source is not available. The heat storage material is contained in flat fluid tight packages, such as a heat sealed polyethylene film bag, which can readily be removed and replaced through removable panels or doors in the insulated reservoir enclosure.
Claims5
Compact thermal energy reservoir comprising:
- (a) an enclosure having at least one opening which provides access therein and a closure for said opening;
- (b) a plurality of adjacent, elongated mesh shelves within said enclosure, all edges of which abut said enclosure and;
- (c) a plurality of layers of heat storage material, each layer supported by one of said shelves and comprising at least one flat, fluid-tight package containing an inorganic salt melting between about 32.degree. F. and about 212.degree. F., each of said shelves being made essentially impermeable to fluid over a major portion of its area by one or more of said flat, fluid-tight packages of salt, the entire fluid permeable area being at an end of said shelf which is opposite the fluid permeable end of each adjacent shelf,
- wherein adjacent shelves and said enclosure form a single fluid conduit separating each layer, each conduit being in fluid communication with each adjacent conduit.
Compact thermal energy reservoir comprising:
- (a) an enclosure having at least one opening which provides access therein and a closure for said opening,
- (b) a plurality of adjacent elongated shelves within said enclosure, all edges of which abut of said enclosure,
- (c) a plurality of layers of heat storage material, each layer comprising at least one flat, fluid-tight package containing an inorganic salt melting between about 32.degree. F. and about 212.degree. F., each of said layers being disposed over a major portion of the area of each of said shelves, whereby said shelves are essentially impermeable to fluid in correspondence to said layers, each shelf having a fluid permeable area being entirely at an end of said shelf which is opposite the fluid permeable end of each adjacent shelf,
- wherein adjacent shelves and said enclosure form a single fluid conduit separating each layer, each conduit in fluid communication with each adjacent conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.