US4727930A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Heat transfer and storage system
Assignee: BOARD OF REGENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SEATTLE WA
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Filing: 1981-08-17
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Granted: 1988-03-01
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Expires: 2001-08-17
Abstract
Abstract An energy storage and conversion system utilizes unique heat exchange media for storing and transferring heat. In one embodiment, a refractory material is heated to the molten state by a solar furnace. The refractory material is stored in its molten form and metered to a direct-contact heat exchanger. It is fed into the heat exchanger in a plurality of streams that break into a plurality of droplets. The droplets flow through the heat exchanger in countercurrent relationship with a relatively inert gas such as argon or nitrogen. The gas is heated and expanded through an expansion engine to convert the thermal energy to mechanical energy which in turn can be utilized to produce electricity, for example. The refractory can be sufficiently cooled in the heat exchanger to fuse into beads, which can be easily recycled to the solar furnace.
Inventors
- 👤 Adam P. Bruckner
- 👤 Abraham Hertzberg
- 👤 David J. Shaw
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 20:18
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28D; F28D20/00; F28D20/0056; F02; F02C; F02C1/00; F02C1/04; F02C1/05; F02C1/10; F02C6/00; F02C6/14; F03; F03G; F03G6/00; F03G6/06; F03G6/064; F03G6/071; F24; F24S; F24S20/00; F24S20/20; F24S80/00; F24S80/20; F28C; F28C3/00; F28C3/10; F28C3/12; F28C3/14; F28D2020/006; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/40; Y02E10/46; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/14; Y02E70/00; Y02E70/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for exchanging heat between a first liquid heat exchange medium and a second gaseous heat exchange medium that is immiscible with and substantially insoluble in said first medium comprising: causing the first heat exchange medium to traverse a heat transfer zone in the form of droplets, said first heat exchange medium being injected into said heat transfer zone as a plurality of relatively small diameter liquid streams, the liquid streams being sized and the first heat exchange medium being selected to cause each of the streams to break into a plurality of droplets of substantially uniform size as they enter the heat transfer zone, said liquid streams further being externally mechanically excited to produce said droplets of substantially uniform size, and causing the second heat exchange medium to traverse the heat transfer zone in countercurrent flow relationship to said first heat exchange medium and allowing the heat exchange medium to make intimate thermal contact with each other.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
159 words
A method for exchanging heat between a first liquid heat exchange medium and a second gaseous heat exchange medium that is immiscible with and substantially insoluble in said first medium comprising: causing the first heat exchange medium to traverse a heat transfer zone in the form of droplets, said first heat exchange medium being injected into said heat transfer zone as a plurality of relatively small diameter liquid streams, the liquid streams being sized and the first heat exchange medium being selected to cause each of the streams to break into a plurality of droplets of substantially uniform size as they enter the heat transfer zone, said liquid streams further being externally mechanically excited to produce said droplets of substantially uniform size, and causing the second heat exchange medium to traverse the heat transfer zone in countercurrent flow relationship to said first heat exchange medium and allowing the heat exchange medium to make intimate thermal contact with each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: allowing said first heat exchange medium to be cooled to a solid in said heat transfer zone.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
15 words
The method of claims 1 or 2 wherein said second heat exchange medium is gaseous.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said first and second heat exchange media are substantially inert relative to each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said first heat exchange medium is a refractory oxide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said first heat exchange medium is selected from the group consisting of alumina, lime, chromic oxide, magnesia, silica, soda, lithia, zirconia, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said first heat exchange medium is injected into said heat transfer zone in a plurality of liquid streams sized to cause said first heat exchange medium in each of said streams to break into a plurality of droplets of substantially uniform size.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3185457A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-03-01 | 1991-08-31 | 1992-03-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-03-01 | 1995-08-31 | 1996-03-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-03-01 | 1999-08-31 | 2000-03-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |