Heat storage device

Claim 2

A heat storage device comprising a container which contains a storage material for storing and supplying heat during melting and solidification, respectively, and means including a pump for pumping a heat carrying medium through a circuit in which it is brought into direct heat exchange contact with the storage material, characterized in that said circuit comprises a plurality of channels connecting the delivery side of the pump to a plurality of outlet openings or groups of outlet openings distributed in the storage material, and that the device includes valve means located outside the storage material for controlling flow of said heat carrying medium through at least two of said channels connecting the delivery side of the pump and the outlet openings or groups of outlet openings in response to variations in flow resistances.

Claim 3

A heat storage device according to claim 1 having a plurality of channels, characterized in that said valve means has a valve chamber in which the inlet ends of said channels form mutually offset outlet ports, and in which a valve body is so movably mounted as to establish in different positions different connections between an inlet port connected to the delivery side of the pump and the outlet ports.

Claim 4

A heat storage device according to claim 2, characterized in that the valve body is yieldably urged in one direction and affected by the pressure prevailing in the valve chamber in the opposite direction.

Claim 5

A heat storage device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the valve chamber is constituted by a cylinder closed at the bottom end, in or adjacent to which the inlet port is positioned, and that the valve body is constituted by a cylindrical piston.

Claim 6

A heat storage device according to claim 4, characterized in that the valve chamber is constituted by the upper portion of a substantially vertical, cylindrical center pipe which is coaxially enclosed by an outer pipe divided into channels by radial partitions, and that each channel communicates at its lower end with a nozzle chamber surrounding the outer pipe and provided with outlet openings through an opening in the wall of the outer pipe.

Claim 7

A heat storage device according to claim 5, characterized in that one or more or all of the nozzle chambers has/have a plurality of substantially radial nozzle arms provided with outlet openings, the outer ends of which arms are positioned in the vicinity of the wall of the container.

Claim 8

A heat storage device according to claim 2 or 3 characterized in that the channels are connected each with a respective one of a plurality of axially spaced, substantially horizontal nozzle pipes provided with preferably obliquely downwardly facing outlet openings.

Claim 9

A heat storage device according to claim 7, characterized in that one or more of the substantially horizontal nozzle pipes is/are ring shaped.

Claim 10

A heat storage device comprising a container which contains a storage material for storing and for supplying heat during melting and solidification, respectively, and means including a pump for pumping a heat carrying medium through a circuit in which it is brought into heat exchange contact with the storage material, characterized in that said circuit comprises one or more channels connecting the delivery side of the pump to a plurality of outlet openings or groups of outlet openings distributed in the storage material, and that the device includes at least one valve means for opening and for closing the connections between the delivery side of the pump and the outlet openings or groups of outlet openings in response to variations in flow resistances, said valve means having a valve chamber in which the inlet ends of said channels form mutually offset outlet ports, and in which a valve body is so movably mounted as to establish in different positions different connections between an inlet port connected to the delivery side of the pump and the outlet ports.

Claim 11

A heat storage device comprising a container which contains a storage material for storing and for supplying heat during melting and solidification, respectively, and means including a pump for pumping a heat carrying medium through a circuit in which it is brought into heat exchange contact with the storage material, characterized in that said circuit comprises one or more channels connecting the delivery side of the pump to a plurality of outlet openings or groups of outlet openings distributed in the storage material, and that the device includes at least one valve means for opening and for closing the connections between the delivery side of the pump and the outlet openings or groups of outlet openings in response to variations in flow resistances, said valve means having a valve chamber in which the inlet ends of said channels form mutually offset outlet ports, and in which a valve body is so movably mounted as to establish in different positions different connections between an inlet port connected to the delivery side of the pump and the outlet ports.

Claim 12

A heat storage device according to claim 4, characterized in that the channels are connected each with a respective one of a plurality of axially spaced, substantially horizontal nozzle pipes provided with preferably obliquely downwardly facing outlet openings.