当前申请(专利权)人地址：
Northampton Square, London, EC1V 0HB, United Kingdom
摘要：
A store 1 for thermal energy comprises a housing 5 defining an internal chamber having an inlet and an outlet and a plurality of receptacles 7 provided within the internal chamber and spaced from one another so that a heat transfer fluid can flow over and around the receptacles as the fluid is communicated from the inlet to the outlet. The receptacles have an internal cavity (9, fig 2) for the storage of a phase change material (PCM) so that thermal energy is transferred between the PCM and the heat transfer fluid. The receptacles may have a closeable port or may be coupled together whereby the internal cavities are filled with the PCM. The housing may have a peripheral flange 8 so that a plurality of stores may be stacked on top of one another and transverse flange 10 to couple a plurality of stores side by side. The store may be made from a heat resistant alloy (Inconel) for high temperature applications and may be made by additive manufacturing (3D printing). The receptacles may be provided with vanes or fins to enhance energy transfer.
权利要求：
CLAIMS
91. A store for thermal energy, the store comprising:
a housing defining an internal chamber having an inlet and an outlet, and
a plurality of receptacles provided within the internal chamber and spaced from one another so that heat transfer fluid can flow over and around the receptacles as the fluid moves from the inlet to the outlet;
wherein each said receptacle defines an internal cavity for the storage of phase change material (PCM) so that thermal energy can transfer between the stored PCM material and the heat transfer fluid as the fluid passes over and between the receptacles.
2. A store according to Claim 1, wherein each of said receptacles comprises a closable port that enables access to be had to said internal cavity for the installation of PCM therein.
3. A store according to Claim 1, wherein a plurality of said receptacles are coupled together so that PCM can flow between respective internal cavities of coupled receptacles, a port being provided to enable PCM to be installed in the internal cavities of said coupled receptacles.
4. A store according to any preceding claim, wherein said housing is configured so that a plurality of stores may be stacked one of top of another to form an array.
5. A store according to Claim 4, wherein said housing includes a pair of peripheral structural features, a first partly surrounding said outlet and a second partly surrounding said inlet, said structural features being configured so that a said structural feature on said store can be coupled to a structural feature on a second store when said store and said second store are stacked on top of one another.
6. A store according to any preceding claim, wherein said housing is configured so that a plurality of stores may be installed side-by-side.
7. A store according to Claim 6, wherein a first wall of said housing includes first and second structural features laterally extending from opposite peripheries of said wall, said structural features being configured so that a said structural feature on said store can be coupled to a structural feature on a second store when said store and said second store
are side-by-side with respective first walls abutting.
8. A store according to any preceding claim, wherein the store is of a heat resistant material.
9. A store according to Claim 8, wherein said store is of a heat resistant alloy (for example, Inconel for high temperature applications).
10. A store according to any preceding claim wherein said store is manufactured using an additive manufacturing technique (for example, 3D printing).
11. A store according to any preceding claim, wherein the store is configured for storing heat at temperatures between about 100 and 1000 degrees centigrade.
12. A store according to any preceding claim, wherein at least some of said receptacles are provided with vanes or fins to enhance energy transfer between the PCM and the heat transfer fluid.
13. An energy storage array comprising a plurality of energy stores according to any preceding claim stacked one on top of another.
14. An energy storage array comprising a plurality of energy stores according to any preceding claim arranged side-by-side.
15. A system comprising:
a heat source having an exhaust through which heated heat transfer fluid is exhausted;
an energy store according to any preceding claim arranged so that said inlet is coupled to said exhaust, heat from the heated heat transfer fluid from said heat source being transferred to said PCM in use; and
a fluid pump coupled to said energy store for pumping cooler heat transfer fluid into said store for the transfer of heat energy from said PCM to raise the temperature of said cooler heat transfer fluid.
16. A modular energy store configured for assembly with another like energy store to form a stacked series array of energy stores or back-to-back with another like energy store
to form a parallel array of energy stores; said modular energy store comprising:
a housing having a first, second, third and fourth walls; said first wall being coupled at opposite extremities to said second and third walls, respectively; said fourth wall being coupled at opposite extremities to said second and third walls, respectively; said first, second, third and fourth walls co-operating to define: (i) an internal chamber, (ii) an inlet adjacent a first periphery of said first, second, third and fourth walls, and (iii) an outlet adjacent a second periphery of said first, second, third and fourth walls opposite said first periphery;
a plurality of receptacles provided within the internal chamber and spaced from one another so that heat transfer fluid can flow over and around the receptacles as the fluid moves from the inlet to the outlet; each said receptacle defining an internal cavity for the storage of phase change material (PCM) so that thermal energy can transfer between the stored PCM material and the heat transfer fluid as the fluid passes over and between the receptacles from said inlet to said outlet;
first and second structural features extending outwardly from the first and second peripheries respectively of said second, third and fourth walls, said first and second structural features being configured so that said energy store can be assembled in a stack with a like energy store so that said outlet of said energy store aligns with and is adjacent to said inlet of said like energy store; and
third and fourth structural features extending outwardly from opposite third and fourth peripheries, respectively, of said first wall; said third and fourth structural features being configured so that said energy store can be assembled back-to-back with a like energy store so that said first wall of said store abuts said first wall of said like energy store;
wherein said fourth wall defines an opening for accessing openable ports by means of which PCM can be poured into said receptacles.