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US 4,405,010 AGranted
Sensible heat storage unit
AssigneeSanders Associates, Inc.
InventorJacob Schwartz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensibe heat storage unit is provided which has a "step function" thermal gradient, and is constructed so as to have alternated regions of different thermal conductivity along the flow path through the unit such that, in one embodiment, there are spaced elements within the storage unit having transverse conductivities higher than the conductivity of the material in the spaces therebetween. This permits discharge of the storage unit at a uniform temperature until the storage unit is emptied.
Claims5
A step function thermal gradient sensible heat storage unit comprising:
- a housing having an inlet and an outlet and a flow path therethrough from said inlet to said outlet;
- a first plurality of structures permitting fluid flow therethrough disposed within said housing, said structures being spaced apart along substantially the entire length of said flow path;
- a second plurality of structures permitting fluid flow therethrough disposed within said housing in between said first plurality of structures, said second plurality of structures providing the principal heat storage medium for the unit;
- said first plurality of structures providing a substantially straight-line shunt between the sides of said housing and thereby yielding a substantially higher net thermal conduction transverse to said flow path throughout substantially the entire housing than the thermal conductivity of said second plurality of structures such that a step function thermal gradient is provided which permits discharge of the storage unit at a substantially constant output temperature.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.