Thermal storage method and apparatus

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein: said first fluid is directed onto the surface of said second fluid with a force beyond that of gravity.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1 wherein: the chilling of said first fluid in said lower space of said container is carried out by means of a refrigerant evaporator therein.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein: said first fluid comprises methyl chloroform.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 wherein: said anti-freeze solution comprises a solution of methyl alcohol and water.

Claim 7

Apparatus for creating low temperature ice and then using the latent heat of fusion of the ice for cooling a space, comprising: a thermally insulated container; a high density first fluid in the lower space in said container; a second fluid in the upper space of said container, said second fluid comprising an anti-freeze solution of lower density than said first fluid and immiscible therein; refrigerant evaporator means for chilling said first fluid; means for circulating said first fluid to the surface of said second fluid, said first fluid settling downwardly through the second fluid by virtue of their different densities thereby progressively cooling said second fluid; said means for chilling and means for circulating being operated sufficiently long that the temperature of said second fluid decreases sufficiently that an adequate quantity of slush ice of a desired low temperature is formed; and means for circulating said first fluid to said space to be chilled to pick up heat therefrom and returning the warmed first fluid to the surface of said second fluid containing the ice slush so that said first fluid will be chilled by said ice slush in percolating downwardly therethrough.

Claim 8

Apparatus for creating low temperature ice and then using the latent heat of fusion of the ice for cooling a space, comprising: a thermally insulated container; a high density first fluid in the lower space in said container; a second fluid in the upper space of said container, said second fluid comprising an anti-freeze solution of lower density than said first fluid and immiscible therein; refrigerant evaporator means for chilling said first fluid; means for circulating said first fluid to the surface of said second fluid, said first fluid settling downwardly through the second fluid by virtue of their different densities thereby progressively cooling said second fluid; said means for chilling and means for circulating being operated sufficiently long that the temperature of said second fluid decreases sufficiently that an adequate quantity of slush ice of a desired low temperature is formed; and means for circulating said first fluid to said space to be chilled to pick up heat therefrom and returning the warmed first fluid to the surface of said second fluid containing the ice slush so that said first fluid will be chilled by said ice slush in percolating downwardly therethrough.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein: said means for circulating said first fluid to the surface of said second fluid includes a first loop including pump means for drawing said first fluid from said lower space and pumping it up to said upper space.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein: said means for passing said first fluid to said space to be chilled includes a second loop, said pump means being common to said first and second loops.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein: said refrigerant evaporator is located in said lower space of said insulated container.

Claim 12

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein: said refrigerant evaporator is located externally of said insulated container; and a fluid circuit is provided including fluid motive means for withdrawing said first fluid from said lower space to said evaporator and forced back to said upper space.

Claim 13

For a short haul delivery truck of the type adapted to haul locally items requiring a chilled environment, and having a thermally insulated body to receive said items, a chilling system comprising: a thermally insulated container carried by said truck; a high density first fluid in the lower space in said container; a second fluid in the upper space of said container, said second fluid comprising an anti-freeze solution of lower density than said first fluid and immiscible therein; a mechanical refrigerating system including an electrically powered compressor, and condenser, and an evaporator for chilling said first fluid when said refrigerating system is energized; a first full loop for conveying said first fluid from the bottom of said container to the surface of said second fluid and then back down to said lower space, said first fluid settling downwardly through said second fluid because of their different densities, said first loop including pump means and said evaporator, said pump means and said evaporator being operated sufficiently long that the temperature of said second fluid decreases sufficiently that an adequate quantity of said slush ice of the desired low temperature is formed in said second fluid; a second full loop, operative when said refrigerating system is deenergized and said truck body is to be chilled, said second loop including said pump means, a heat exchanger in said truck body, and pipe means, said pipe means being connected to receive said first fluid from the bottom of said container and pass said first fluid to said heat exchanger, and being connected back to the upper space in said container to return said first fluid to the surface of said second fluid containing said slush ice, said first fluid being chilled by said slush ice and percolating downwardly therethrough to said lower space in said container.

Claim 14

For a short haul delivery truck of the type adapted to haul locally items requiring a chilled environment, and having a thermally insulated body to receive said items, a chilling system comprising: a thermally insulated container carried by said truck; a high density first fluid in the lower space in said container; a second fluid in the upper space of said container, said second fluid comprising an anti-freeze solution of lower density than said first fluid and immiscible therein; a mechanical refrigerating system including an electrically powered compressor, and condenser, and an evaporator for chilling said first fluid when said refrigerating system is energized; a first full loop for conveying said first fluid from the bottom of said container to the surface of said second fluid and then back down to said lower space, said first fluid settling downwardly through said second fluid because of their different densities, said first loop including pump means and said evaporator, said pump means and said evaporator being operated sufficiently long that the temperature of said second fluid decreases sufficiently that an adequate quantity of said slush ice of the desired low temperature is formed in said second fluid; a second full loop, operative when said refrigerating system is deenergized and said truck body is to be chilled, said second loop including said pump means, a heat exchanger in said truck body, and pipe means, said pipe means being connected to receive said first fluid from the bottom of said container and pass said first fluid to said heat exchanger, and being connected back to the upper space in said container to return said first fluid to the surface of said second fluid containing said slush ice, said first fluid being chilled by said slush ice and percolating downwardly therethrough to said lower space in said container.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 11 wherein: said mechanical refrigerating system is carried by said truck.

Claim 16

The system of claim 11 wherein: said refrigerating system is separate from said truck; and said first full loop includes means for disconnecting said evaporator from said first full loop.