Method and apparatus for accumulating, storing and releasing thermal energy

Patent · Mon Jun 22 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5311202

Minto, W L

A heat storage medium is disclosed includes a halide or sulfate salt of a divalent or trivalent metal which salt has hydrated and dehydrated states with high heat of hydration. The medium is dehydrated by heating it with heat derived from a natural source such as solar or geothermal energy or from industrial waste heat and the evolved water removed from the medium. The heat is recovered by rehydrating the medium by the addition of water. The medium may be a porous mass, a slurry of the salt in a water immiscible liquid or a suspension of the salt in a gas and it may be dehydrated by source heating the slurry and separating the water or by passing a source heated gas or immiscible liquid through the medium and the heat may be released from the medium by injecting water into the slurry or by passing a water carrying gas or immiscible liquid through the permeable mass. The storage and recovery procedure may be continuous or batch with the medium being recycled.

• Assignee: Sunpower Systems Inc.
• Patent Number(s): US 4403643
• OSTI ID: 5311202
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

25 ENERGY STORAGE
250600* -- Energy Storage-- Thermal
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
DESIGN
ENERGY STORAGE
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HEAT SOURCES
HEAT STORAGE
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDRATION
LATENT HEAT STORAGE
MAGNESIUM COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM SULFATES
MATERIALS
OPERATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS
RECYCLING
SOLVATION
STORAGE
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION