US4993481A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Thermal storage unit
Assignee: Ibiden Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1989-09-26
•
Granted: 1991-02-19
•
Expires: 2009-09-26
Abstract
Abstract A thermal storage unit has a thermal storage material which performs heat exchange through a fluid filled in a thermal storage body arranged within a vessel having an opening communicated to outside. The thermal storage body is a porous ceramic molding which contains the thermal storage medium.
Inventors
- 👤 Masayuki Kamimoto
- 👤 Yoshiyuki Abe
- 👤 Yoshio Takahashi
- 👤 Ryuji Sakamoto
- 👤 Kotaro Tanaka
- 👤 Akira Negishi
- 👤 Hidetoshi Yamauchi
- 👤 Kiyotaka Tsukada
- 👤 Yoshimi Ohashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:32
CPC Classifications
F; F28; F28D; F28D20/00; F28D20/02; C; C04; C04B; C04B38/00; C04B38/0006; F28D20/023; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A thermal storage unit, comprising: a vessel having an opening communicating with the outside for receiving a fluid; a thermal storage body arranged within said vessel; said thermal storage body comprising: a porous ceramic molded body member having opposite ends; said porous ceramic molded body m ember having hollow portions and having a thermal storage material received in said hollow portions thereof; and sealing means at both opposite ends of said hollow portions of said porous ceramic molded body member for sealing said thermal storage material in said hollow portions of said porous ceramic molded body member; and means in said vessel for defining a flow path for said received fluid such that said received fluid flows through said porous ceramic molded body member and through said thermal storage material sealed therein.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
A thermal storage unit, comprising: a vessel having an opening communicating with the outside for receiving a fluid; a thermal storage body arranged within said vessel; said thermal storage body comprising: a porous ceramic molded body member having opposite ends; said porous ceramic molded body m ember having hollow portions and having a thermal storage material received in said hollow portions thereof; and sealing means at both opposite ends of said hollow portions of said porous ceramic molded body member for sealing said thermal storage material in said hollow portions of said porous ceramic molded body member; and means in said vessel for defining a flow path for said received fluid such that said received fluid flows through said porous ceramic molded body member and through said thermal storage material sealed therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
98 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said porous ceramic molded body member comprises a honeycomb structure having opposite ends, said honeycomb structure comprising: a number of through-holes extending axially therethrough; said sealed hollow portions comprising a number of closed hollow areas extending axially through said honeycomb structure, said thermal storage material being received in and sealed by said sealing means in said closed hollow areas; and partitioning walls arranged spaced apart from each other and extending along the axial direction of said honeycomb structure and defining partitions between said through-holes and said closed hollow areas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 2, wherein said porous ceramic molded body member is a sintered body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 3, wherein said sintered porous ceramic molded body member is sintered at a temperature of from 1700° to 2500° C.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 3, wherein said sintered porous ceramic molded body member is sintered at a temperature of from 1800° to 2300° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said porous ceramic molded body member comprises at least one elongated hollow member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 6, wherein said at least one elongated hollow member comprises at least one elongated cylindrical member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said thermal storage body comprises a plurality of porous ceramic molded body members, each having said sealed hollow portions therein and receiving said thermal storage material in said sealed hollow portions thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said porous ceramic molded body member is a sintered body.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 9, wherein said sintered porous ceramic molded body member is sintered at a temperature of from 1700° to 2500° C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 9, wherein said sintered porous ceramic molded body member is sintered at a temperature of from 1800° to 2300° C.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said porous ceramic molding has a pore ratio of 80 to 30% by volume.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 12, wherein said porous ceramic molding has a pore ratio of 55 to 35% by volume.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said porous ceramic molding has an average pore size of 50 μm or less.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 14, wherein said porous ceramic molding has an average pore size of 30 μm or less.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said thermal storage material is at least one selected from LiF, NaF, KF, MgF 2 , CaF 2 , LiH and mixtures containing at least one of these as the component.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
83 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 16, wherein said mixture is selected from the group consisting of KF--MgF 2 , NaF--MgF 2 , NaF--KF--MgF 2 , CaF 2 --MgF 2 , LiF--CaF 2 , LiF--MgF 2 , CaF 2 --MgF 2 --NaF, LiF--KF--MgF 2 , NaF--KF, LiF--NaF--MgF 2 , NaF--KF--MgF 2 , LiF--LiH, NaF--FeF 2 , MgF 2 --BeF 2 , LiF--NaF, LiF--NaF--CaF 2 , KCl--LiF--NaF, LiF--NaF--NaCl, LiF--KF, LiF--LiCl, LiF--BeF 2 , LiF--NaF--KF, LiF--LiCl--LiH, LiF--NaF--KF--MgF 2 , LiF--LiOH and NaF--BeF 2 .
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 1, wherein said porous ceramic molding comprises the starting material containing at least one selected from aluminum nitride, silicon carbide, silicon, titanium carbide, zirconium boride, titanium boride, boron carbide, boron nitride and carbon.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A thermal storage unit according to claim 18, wherein said porous ceramic molding has a mechanical strength of 500 kg/cm 2 or higher.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3681843A
Cited
US3604504A
Cited
US3901311A
Cited
US4018269A
Cited
US3844342A
Cited
US4003426A
Cited
US4194559A
Cited
US4221259A
Cited
US4351388A
Cited
US4408659A
Cited
US4414961A
Cited
US4512388A
Cited
US4509584A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-02-18 | 1994-08-20 | 1995-02-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-02-18 | 1998-08-20 | 1999-02-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-02-18 | 2002-08-20 | 2003-02-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |