Self-pumping phase change thermal energy device
First Claim
1. A thermal energy device for receiving and storing intermittent externally applied thermal energy, comprising:
- a thermal energy receiving means adapted to receive said intermittent externally applied thermal energy to heat and expand a fluid in said thermal energy receiving means, anda thermal energy storage means in fluid communication with said thermal energy receiving means to receive and store said heated and expanded fluid received from said thermal energy receiving means, said thermal energy storage means responsive to receiving and storing of said heated and expanded fluid such that, as said heated and expanded fluid is received and stored, said thermal energy storage means delivers more of said fluid to said thermal energy receiving means to continue accommodating said intermittent externally applied thermal energy, said thermal energy storage means also responsive to dissipation of said intermittent externally applied thermal energy into said fluid such that, as said intermittent externally applied thermal energy is dissipated and said heated and expanded fluid contracts, said thermal energy storage means returns said fluid to said thermal energy receiving means in preparation for subsequent of said intermittent externally applied thermal energy.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention relates to a thermal energy device for receiving and storing externally applied thermal energy. The thermal energy device includes a thermal energy receiver which is adapted to receive the intermittent externally applied thermal energy to heat and expand a fluid in the thermal energy receiver. A thermal energy store is in fluid communication with the thermal energy receiver to receive and store the heated and expanded fluid received from the thermal energy receiver. The thermal energy store is responsive to the receiving and storing of the heated and expanded fluid such that, as the heated and expanded fluid is received and stored, the thermal energy store delivers more of the fluid to the thermal energy receiver to continue accommodating the intermittent externally applied thermal energy. The thermal energy store is also responsive to dissipation of the intermittent externally applied thermal energy into the fluid such that, as the intermittent externally applied thermal energy is dissipated and the heated and expanded fluid contracts, the thermal energy store returns the fluid to the thermal energy receiver in preparation for subsequent intermittent externally applied thermal energy.
18 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A thermal energy device for receiving and storing intermittent externally applied thermal energy, comprising:
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a thermal energy receiving means adapted to receive said intermittent externally applied thermal energy to heat and expand a fluid in said thermal energy receiving means, and a thermal energy storage means in fluid communication with said thermal energy receiving means to receive and store said heated and expanded fluid received from said thermal energy receiving means, said thermal energy storage means responsive to receiving and storing of said heated and expanded fluid such that, as said heated and expanded fluid is received and stored, said thermal energy storage means delivers more of said fluid to said thermal energy receiving means to continue accommodating said intermittent externally applied thermal energy, said thermal energy storage means also responsive to dissipation of said intermittent externally applied thermal energy into said fluid such that, as said intermittent externally applied thermal energy is dissipated and said heated and expanded fluid contracts, said thermal energy storage means returns said fluid to said thermal energy receiving means in preparation for subsequent of said intermittent externally applied thermal energy. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A thermal energy device for receiving and storing intermittent externally applied thermal energy, comprising:
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a small bellows to store a fluid, an enclosed thermal energy receiving channel in fluid communication with said small bellows, said thermal energy receiving channel adapted to receive said intermittent externally applied thermal energy to heat and expand said fluid in said thermal energy receiving channel, a large bellows in fluid communication with said thermal energy receiving channel to receive and store said fluid heated and expanded in said thermal energy receiving channel, said large bellows having a diaphragm, said diaphragm coupled to said small bellows compressing said small bellows upon expansion of said large bellows thereby forcing said fluid towards said thermal energy receiving channel, said diaphragm responsive to dissipation of said intermittent externally applied thermal energy into said fluid such that as said intermittent externally applied thermal energy is dissipated and said heated and expanded fluid contracts, said diaphragm acts upon said large bellows compressing said large bellows upon expansion of said small bellows thereby drawing said fluid back from said thermal energy receiving channel into said small bellows, and a return spring coupled with said diaphragm, said return spring acting upon said diaphragm to ensure that as said intermittent externally applied thermal energy is dissipated and said heated and expanded fluid contracts, said diaphragm acts upon said large bellows compressing said large bellows upon expansion of said small bellows thereby drawing said fluid back from said thermal energy receiving channel into said small bellows. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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Specification