Phase change material heat exchanger

Claim 1

A phase change material heat exchanger, said heat exchanger comprising: container means defining a substantially closed volume; heat transfer fluid inlet means disposed in fluid communicating relation with the interior of said container means, said inlet means comprising a plurality of discharge heads serially connected to said inlet means by a corresponding plurality of discharge conduits, said inlet means further comprising N-1 check valve means, wherein N equals the number of said plurality of discharge heads, one of said check valve means being disposed in fluid flow regulating position upstream of each of said plurality of discharge heads other than the one of said plurality of discharge heads positioned in closest proximity to the bottom of said interior, each of said check valve means including adjustment means whereby each of said valve means is adjustable to open at a predetermined pressure; a phase change material placed within said container means, said phase change material being utilized in sufficient quantity to fill at least most of said container means; heat transfer fluid outlet means disposed in fluid communicating relation with the interior of said container means, said outlet means being in spaced apart relation to said inlet means; and a heat transfer fluid flowing from said inlet means through said phase change material to said outlet means, the settings of said adjustment means being graduated so that said heat transfer fluid will flow from but one of said discharge heads dependent upon the physical state of said phase change material, whereby an exchange of heat energy may take place between said phase change material and said heat transfer fluid.