Thermal energy battery with enhanced heat exchange capability and modularity
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F25D-011/00
F28D-020/00
C09K-005/06
F28D-020/02
A01J-009/04
F25D-031/00
출원번호
US-0050167
(2013-10-09)
등록번호
US-9557120
(2017-01-31)
발명자
/ 주소
Grama, Sorin
Dorson, Matthew H.
Christianson, Rebecca
출원인 / 주소
Promethean Power Systems, Inc.
대리인 / 주소
Loginov & Associates, PLLC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
1인용 특허 :
13
초록▼
This invention provides a thermal energy battery having an insulated tank contains a multitude of densely packed plastic tubes filled with a phase-change material (PCM, such as ice) that changes from solid to liquid and vice-versa. Energy is stored when the PCM transitions from liquid to solid form,
This invention provides a thermal energy battery having an insulated tank contains a multitude of densely packed plastic tubes filled with a phase-change material (PCM, such as ice) that changes from solid to liquid and vice-versa. Energy is stored when the PCM transitions from liquid to solid form, and released when the PCM transitions back from solid to liquid form. The tubes are arranged vertically, span the height of a well-insulated tank, and are immersed in heat transfer fluid (HTF) contained within the tank. The HTF is an aqueous solution with a freezing point temperature below the freezing point temperature of the chosen PCM. The HTF remains in liquid form at all times during the operation of the battery. Diffusers located allow the HTF to be extracted uniformly from the tank, pumped and cooled by a liquid chiller situated outside the tank and then and inserted back into the tank.
대표청구항▼
1. A battery for storing thermal energy is comprised of: a tank having insulated walls and containing heat transfer fluid (HTF);a plurality of vertically floating cylindrical tubes floating along a vertical axis within the tank, each of the plurality of cylindrical tubes defining a height along the
1. A battery for storing thermal energy is comprised of: a tank having insulated walls and containing heat transfer fluid (HTF);a plurality of vertically floating cylindrical tubes floating along a vertical axis within the tank, each of the plurality of cylindrical tubes defining a height along the vertical axis, each of the tubes being substantially filled with a phase change material (PCM);a plurality of ring-shaped diffusers, each defining a circular recess oriented perpendicularly to the vertical axis, each of the plurality of diffusers defining a plurality of holes oriented radially with respect to the vertical axis, the plurality of ring-shaped diffusers comprising: a first diffuser disposed in an upper portion of the tank and being operatively connected to first outlet port that provides warm HTF to a first heat exchanger configured to cool the warm HTF;a second diffuser disposed in a lower portion of the tank and being operatively connected to an outlet port that provides cold HTF to a second heat exchanger configured to cool a liquid; anda temperature sensor that senses a temperature which is indicative of amount of PCM that has changed phase located in the battery where it can provide an indication of the battery state of charge,wherein an estimate of the battery state of charge can be made by analyzing a temperature sensor trend. 2. The battery for storing thermal energy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the PCM includes a mixture of water and a nucleating agent. 3. The battery for storing thermal energy as set forth in claim 2 wherein the nucleating agent can include at least one of borax and IceMax ® powder in solution. 4. The battery for storing thermal energy as set forth in claim 3 wherein the plurality of tubes include an open space when the PCM is in a liquid phase for expansion of the PCM from liquid to solid. 5. The battery for storing thermal energy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the PCM further includes an agent that adjusts the freezing point to a predetermined level. 6. The battery for storing thermal energy as set in claim 5 wherein a freezing point suppressant includes salts. 7. The battery for storing thermal energy as set for in claim 6 wherein the salt is at least one of MKP, NaCl, and KCl. 8. The battery for storing thermal energy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the plurality of tubes are kept submersed in the HTF at all times by a restricting mesh. 9. The battery for storing thermal energy as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an inlet port operatively connected to the first diffuser such that warm HTF returning from the second heat exchanger is provided to an upper portion of the tank such that the warm HTF at the top portion of the tank does not mix with the cold HTF at the bottom portion of the tank. 10. The battery for storing thermal energy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the HTF is comprised of a mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol having a concentration adapted to a predetermined freezing point. 11. The battery for storing thermal energy as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the tubes includes an empty space therein that allows for expansion of the PCM, the empty space having a circular cross section that is perpendicular to the vertical axis. 12. A method for cooling a heat transfer fluid (HTF), comprising: passing, via a first inlet port, warm HTF to a first ring-shaped diffuser in an upper portion of a tank filled with a plurality of vertically-oriented cylindrical tubes containing phase change material (PCM) in a solid form and PCM in a liquid form, with the solid PCM floating atop the liquid PCM, each of the plurality of cylindrical tubes defining a height along a vertical axis of the tank, the vertical axis passing through the upper portion and a lower portion of the tank;passing, via a first outlet port, warm HTF from the first ring-shaped diffuser to a first heat exchanger configured to cool the warm HTF;passing, via a second inlet port, cold HTF to the lower portion of the tank in proximity to a second ring-shaped diffuser;passing, via a second outlet port, cold HTF to a second heat exchanger configured to cool a liquid. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the PCM is an aqueous-based solution. 14. A battery for storing thermal energy is comprised of: a tank having insulated walk and containing heat transfer fluid (HTF);a plurality of vertically floating cylindrical tubes floating along a vertical axis within the tank, each of the plurality of cylindrical tubes defining a height along the vertical axis, each of the tubes being substantially filled with a phase change material (PCM);a plurality of ring-shaped diffusers, each of the plurality of diffusers defining a plurality of holes, the plurality of ring-shaped diffusers comprising: a first diffuser disposed in an upper portion of the tank and being operatively connected to first outlet port that provides warm HTF to a first heat exchanger;a second diffuser disposed in a lower portion of the tank and being operatively connected to an outlet port that provides cold HTF to a second heat exchanger; anda temperature sensor that senses a temperature which is indicative of amount of PCM that has changed phase located in the battery where it can provide an indication of the battery state of charge, wherein an estimate of the battery state of charge can be made by analyzing a temperature sensor trend.
Owens, Byron Craig; Cox, Jeffrey Neal; Horwath, Peter Franz; Sawafta, Reyad I., Thermal energy storage systems including a shipping container, a heat exchange apparatus, and a phase change material.
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