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EP0045481A1 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Fluid-operated thermal accumulator of the labyrinth type

Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-07-29
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2001-07-29
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Abstract

Abstract The thermal accumulator comprises a reservoir (1) filled with a fluid and thermally insulated, and at least a partition (12) dividing the interior of the reservoir (1) to provide a confined path (13) for the upflowing liquid as well as to inhibit the fluid convective and stirring movements while retaining a condition of thermal lamination of the fluid. The partitioned reservoir (1) is in turn connected to a utilization circuit (3) in such a manner that the fluid is picked up from the upper portion of the reservoir (1) and to a heating circuit (2) provided with a heat source (4) and withdrawing cold fluid from the reservoir bottom and reintroducing the withdrawn fluid into the reservoir top subsequently to the heating thereof.

Inventors

  • 👤 Bruno Finzi Contini

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 05:28
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28D; F28D20/00; F28D20/0034; F28D20/0039; F24; F24D; F24D11/00; F28D2020/0065; F28D2020/0086; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B10/00; Y02B10/20; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/14

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim 145 words
A thermal accumulator of the type comprising a reservoir (1) filled with a fluid and being thermally insulated, characterized in that it further comprises at least one partition (12) dividing the reservoir ( 1 ) interior to provide a confined path (13) for the upflowing fluid as well as to inhibit the fluid convective and stirring movements while retaining a condition of thermal lamination of the fluid, said partitioned reservoir (1) being in turn connected to a utilization circuit (3) in such a manner that the fluid is picked up from the upper portion of said reservoir (1) and reintroduced into the lower portion of said reservoir (1), and to a heating circuit (2) associated with a heat source (4), said heating circuit (2) withdrawing cold fluid from the reservoir bottom and reintroducing the withdrawn fluid into the reservoir top subsequently to the heating thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 145 words
A thermal accumulator of the type comprising a reservoir (1) filled with a fluid and being thermally insulated, characterized in that it further comprises at least one partition (12) dividing the reservoir ( 1 ) interior to provide a confined path (13) for the upflowing fluid as well as to inhibit the fluid convective and stirring movements while retaining a condition of thermal lamination of the fluid, said partitioned reservoir (1) being in turn connected to a utilization circuit (3) in such a manner that the fluid is picked up from the upper portion of said reservoir (1) and reintroduced into the lower portion of said reservoir (1), and to a heating circuit (2) associated with a heat source (4), said heating circuit (2) withdrawing cold fluid from the reservoir bottom and reintroducing the withdrawn fluid into the reservoir top subsequently to the heating thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 27 words
20 A thermal accumulator according to Claim 1, characterized in that said utilization circuit (3) and heating circuit (2) are in mutual communication through said reservoir (1).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 59 words
A thermal accumulator according to Claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of partitions (12) having a slightly smaller size than the inside cross-sectional area of said reservoir (1) and being arranged parallel to one another at alternate locations, such as to create an S-like path (13) extending from the bottom to the top of said reservoir.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 26 words
A thermal accumulator according to Claim 2, characterized in that a single continuous partition (212) is provided to a helical pattern extending from the bottom up.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 58 words
A thermal accumulator according to either Claim 2, 3 or,4, characterized in that said heating circuit (2), picking up fluid from the lower portion of said reservoir (1) and after heating said picked up fluid through said heat source being operative to reintroduce said fluid into the upper portion of said reservoir, includes a controlled circulation pump (7).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
A thermal accumulator according to either Claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that said heat source (4) is an alternative and/or integrative energy recovery system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 32 words
A thermal accumulator according to Claim 1, characterized in that said utilization circuit (3) communicates directly with said reservoir (1), whereas said heating circuit (2) is simply passed through said reservoir (1).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 146 words
A thermal accumulator according to Claim 7, characterized in that said reservoir (51) has a parallelepipedal shape and includes a plurality of substantially horizontal partitions (54) occupying almost the entire cross-sectional area thereof and being quinconcially arranged to define an S-like path (55) for said working fluid, said partitions (54) being in the form of plates laid horizontally and parallel to one another, said plates (54) leaving alternately on one side and the other an opening in the proximity of either opposed walls of said reservoir to create a continuous passageway (55) for the storage fluid following a pattern which may be likened to a continuous succession of "S's", said S-like path (55) being intersected by a coil pipe (59) extending through the middle portion of said reservoir and wherethrough there is circulated a fluid heated by the heat source (4) of said heating circuit (2).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 81 words
A thermal accumulator according to Claim 8, characterized in that the thermal exchange between said coil pipe (59) and the fluid filling said reservoir (51) creates a lamination in three zones, namely an upper zone whereat the temperatures of said heating fluid and working fluid are high and appreciably equal to each other, an intermediate zone whereat said heated fluid delivers its thermal energy to a working fluid, and a lower zone whereat the two fluids have the same low temperature.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 73 words
A thermal accumulator according to Claim 7, characterized in that said reservoir (68) is substantially cylindrical and the partition dividing said reservoir is substantially in the form of a cylindrical helix (69), said helical path being intersected by a coil pipe (71) traversing said path created by said helix at each turn thereof, through said helix (69) there being circulated a fluid heated by the heat source (4) of said heating circuit (2).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 92 words
A thermal accumulator according to Claim 7, characterized in that said reservoir has a prismatic shape (72) and comprises a plurality of horizontal partition plates (73) arranged offset to define an S-like path (74), said partition plates (73) having holes (76a) aligned to create a vertical passageway wherethrough a preformed exchange element is inserted, said preformed exchange element comprising vertical pipes (78) associated with small horizontal plates (80),said small plates (80) having the same shape as said holes.(76a) cut through said partition plates, whereto said small plates (73) impart continuity upon insertion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 33 words
A thermal accumulator according to either Claim 8 or 10, characterized in that said coil pipe (71) has a circular cross-sectional configuration, or alternatively a quadrangular cross-sectional configuration, and is provided with fins.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 31 words
A thermal accumulator according to Claim 7, characterized in that it includes a plurality of heating circuits (2), each of said heating circuits being connected to different thermal energy sources (4).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 25 words
A thermal accumulator according to Claim 7, characterized in that the flows of said fluids are reversed in direction to provide a cold storage accumulator.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

GB1482518A Cited
US4077464A Cited
DE2637482A1 Cited
US4172491A Cited
DE2828675A1 Cited
FR2431098A1 Cited

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