Multi-purpose heat transfer and storage device

• Main Authors: Bradley, Joe, Litchfield, J. Bruce, Alonso, Matthew Paul
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 14.05.2024
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; BLASTING; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OFGENERAL APPLICATION; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; HEAT EXCHANGE IN GENERAL; HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS,IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT; HEATING; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; RANGES; SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS; STORING; TRANSPORTING; VENTILATING; WEAPONS

Devices, systems, and methods relating to providing a portable, rechargeable vessel for collecting, storing, and recovering thermal energy are provided. In one aspect, vessel includes a structure defining a well and an open-top portion at the top of the well; a phase-change material, wherein the phase-change material is disposed in the well, the phase-change material being configured to change phase at temperature in the range of 110-700° C.; one or more thermally-conductive fins interleaved in the phase-change material; and a thermally-conductive heat transfer plate disposed at and substantially covering the open-top portion of the structure, in direct thermal contact with the one or more fins, thereby allowing the transfer plate to directly exchange thermal energy with the phase change material.