Thermal storage system
OwnerRobert W. Scarlatainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermal storage system for use with a solar collector and/or heat pump includes a plurality of discrete heat reservoirs having regular geometric shapes such as spheres or cylinders for forming a self-sorting array of the reservoirs when stacked in a storage bin. Each reservoir has a shell formed of heat conductive material defining an interior cavity that contains a material of high specific heat for storing heat in the reservoir. A preferred material for economy for reservoir shells in spherelike shapes is plastic with heat conductivity enhancers such as glass or metal particles incorporated into the plastic.
Claims10
A thermal storage system for use with a circulating fluid that is passed through the thermal storage system for exchange of energy between the fluid and the system, wherein the system comprises:
- (a) a storage bin having means associated therewith for, in use, receiving and discharging the circulating fluid;
- (b) a plurality of discrete heat storage reservoirs within said bin, each having a shell of regular sphere-like geometric shape defining an interior cavity within the reservoir and defining a substantially diametric passageway through the sphere-like shell;
- (c) an elongated carrying member in said bin having a plurality of said reservoirs engaged thereon through said passageway;
- and
- (d) heat storage media contained within said cavity, the shell conducting heat between the fluid and the heat storage media.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.