Thermal energy storage apparatus

Patent · Tue Aug 25 00:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5764398

Horton, J F

A thermal energy storage apparatus and method are described in which containers holding a salt hydrate heat storage material are rotated by convection currents created in a bath liquid surrounding the containers, thereby increasing the life of the heat storage material without having to supply energy for an externally located rotating means. More specifically, an enclosure for a bath liquid is provided, the enclosure containing two vertically-extending baffles which together define a column of bath liquid in which the heat storage containers are rotatably mounted. A heat transfer means is provided at the bottom of the column between the two baffles and a heat removal means is provided at the top. As heat is transferred to the bath liquid, a convection current is created which in turn rotates the containers while heat energy is being transferred from the bath liquid to the salt hydrate material. The cooler bath liquid at the top of the enclosure flows downwardly to the bottom of the enclosure along a route defined by the baffles which is partially isolated from an upwardly flowing portion of the convection current.

• Assignee: IFI; EDB-82-038842
• Patent Number(s): US 4285389
• OSTI ID: 5764398
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 26 Dec 1979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
CONVECTION
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMEN
HEAT TRANSFER FLUIDS
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPME
DESIGN
BAFFLES
CALCIUM CHLORIDES
CURRENTS
HEAT STORAGE
HYDRATES
ROTATION
SALTS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SODIUM HYDROXIDES
SODIUM SULFATES
SOLAR COLLECTORS
THERMAL RADIATION
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM HALIDES
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY STORAGE
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
FLUIDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROXIDES
MOTION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
STORAGE
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
142000* - Solar Energy- Heat Storage- (1980-)