Heat or thermal energy storage structure
First Claim
1. A heat or thermal energy storage structure comprising a crosslinked polymeric resinous matrix having a plurality of substantially unconnected small closed cavities disposed therein and a heat sink material encapsulated within said cavities, said heat sink material having a relatively large latent heat capacity at its melting and freezing phase change which supplies heat to or removes heat from said storage structure.
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Abstract
A heat or thermal energy storage structure comprising a crosslinked polymeric resinous matrix having a plurality of substantially unconnected small closed cavities and a heat sink material encapsulated within the cavities. The structure is characterized in that the heat sink material forms an essentially stable dispersion in the uncured polymeric resinous matrix when mixed therewith before the matrix is crosslinked. The structure can beneficially be used in conjunction with low level heat or thermal energy collector means and heat transfer means to provide a space heating or cooling apparatus. The storage structure may also be effectively used to provide an additional function of a building component in a building construction such as a wall structure.
129 Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A heat or thermal energy storage structure comprising a crosslinked polymeric resinous matrix having a plurality of substantially unconnected small closed cavities disposed therein and a heat sink material encapsulated within said cavities, said heat sink material having a relatively large latent heat capacity at its melting and freezing phase change which supplies heat to or removes heat from said storage structure.
- 7. An apparatus for space heating or cooling comprising a low level heat or thermal energy collector means, a heat or thermal energy storage structure and heat or thermal energy transfer means, said storage structure comprising a crosslinked polymeric resinous matrix having a plurality of substantially unconnected small cavities disposed in said matrix with a heat sink material encapsulated within said cavities, said heat sink material having a relatively large latent heat capacity at its melting and freezing phase change which supplies heat to or removes heat from said storage structure, said transfer means interconnecting said collector means, storage structure and a space the temperature of which is to be controlled whereby heat is transferred from said collector means to said storage structure and to said space when said space is being heated and from said space to said storage structure and to an alfresco environment when said space is being cooled.
Specification