Pumpable heat transfer composition

• US 6,284,158 B1
• Filed: 06/03/1999
• Issued: 09/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
• Inventors: Schlameus, Herman W., Mannheimer, Richard J., Marshall, Mary C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ogden, Necholus
• Application Number:
  US09/325,155
• Time in Patent Office: 824 Days
• Field of Search: 252/572, 252/574, 252/578, 252/70, 428/212, 427/402, 165/53
• US Class Current: 252/572
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/063 Materials absorbing or liberating heat during crystallisation; Heat storage materials
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/10 Liquid materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree

Abstract

The invention relates to pumpable heat transfer compositions wherein a solid polymeric porous structure having absorbed therein a polar or non-polar phase change material is incorporated with a heat transfer carrier liquid, with the phase change material being present in an amount sufficient to increase the heat capacity and/or heat transfer coefficient of the carrier liquid. The invention also relates to the method of increasing the heat capacity and/or heat transfer coefficient of a heat transfer carrier liquid by adding thereto a solid polymeric porous structure having absorbed therein a polar or non-polar phase change material.

Claims

1. A heat transfer

medium consisting essentially of heat transfer carrier liquid and one or more solid structures dispersed therein, said solid structures being selected from the group consisting of chemical absorbent comprising an amount of phase change material absorbed thereto and polymeric microporous structures comprising pores comprising said amount of phase change material entrapped therein;

wherein said amount of phase change material is effective to increase a property of said medium selected from the group consisting of heat capacity and heat transfer coefficient.

4. The heat transfer medium of claim 1 wherein said phase change material is insoluble in said medium.

7. The heat transfer medium of claim 1 wherein said phase change material is selected from the group consisting of at least one polyoxyethylene C₁₂ to C₁₈ ester, at least one paraffin, at least one polyethylene glycol, at least one decane of the formula CH₃(CH₂)_xCH₃ where x is from about 8 to about 17, and combinations thereof.

10. The heat transfer medium of claim 1 wherein said polymeric microporous structure is selected from the group consisting of acrylate copolymers, sintered colloidal silica particles, and open pored silicone polymers.

13. The heat transfer medium of claim 1 wherein said heat transfer carrier liquid is selected from the group consisting of an aqueous fluid, a silicate ester fluid, and a polyalphaolefin-based fluid.

19. The heat transfer medium of claim 1 wherein said solid structures comprise an outer encapsulating material effective to maintain separation of said phase change material and said medium in the event of release of said phase change material from said solid structures.

2. A heat transfer

medium consisting essentially of heat transfer carrier liquid and solid chemical absorbent dispersed therein, said absorbent comprising an amount of phase change material absorbed thereto;

wherein said amount of phase change material is effective to increase a property of said medium selected from the group consisting of heat capacity and heat transfer coefficient.

5. The heat transfer medium of claim 2 wherein said phase change material is insoluble in said medium.

8. The heat transfer medium of claim 2 wherein said phase change material is selected from the group consisting of at least one polyoxyethylene C₁₂ to C₁₈ ester, at least one paraffin, at least one polyethylene glycol, at least one decane of the formula CH₃(CH₂)_xCH₃ where x is from about 8 to about 17, and combinations thereof.

12. The heat transfer medium of claim 8 wherein said polymeric microporous structure is selected from the group consisting of acrylate copolymers, sintered colloidal silica particles, and open pored silicone polymers.

14. The heat transfer medium of claim 2 wherein said heat transfer carrier liquid is selected from the group consisting of an aqueous fluid, a silicate ester fluid, and a polyalphaolefin-based fluid.

16. The heat transfer medium of claim 8 wherein said heat transfer carrier liquid is selected from the group consisting of an aqueous fluid, a silicate ester fluid, and a polyalphaolefin-based fluid.

17. The heat transfer medium of claim 12 wherein said heat transfer carrier liquid is selected from the group consisting of an aqueous fluid, a silicate ester fluid, and a polyalphaolefin-based fluid.

20. The heat transfer medium of claim 2 wherein said solid structures comprise an outer encapsulating material effective to maintain separation of said phase change material and said medium in the event of release of said phase change material from said solid structures.

3. A heat transfer

medium consisting essentially of heat transfer carrier liquid one or more dispersed polymeric microporous structures comprising pores comprising an amount of phase change material entrapped therein;

wherein said amount of phase change material is effective to increase a property of said medium selected from the group consisting of heat capacity and heat transfer coefficient.

6. The heat transfer medium of claim 3 wherein said phase change material is insoluble in said medium.

9. The heat transfer medium of claim 3 wherein said phase change material is selected from the group consisting of at least one polyoxyethylene C₁₂ to C₁₈ ester, at least one paraffin, at least one polyethylene glycol, at least one decane of the formula CH₃(CH₂)_xCH₃ where x is from about 8 to about 17, and combinations thereof.

11. The heat transfer medium of claim 3 wherein said polymeric microporous structure is selected from the group consisting of acrylate copolymers, sintered colloidal silica particles, and open pored silicone polymers.

15. The heat transfer medium of claim 3 wherein said heat transfer carrier liquid is selected from the group consisting of an aqueous fluid, a silicate ester fluid, and a polyalphaolefin-based fluid.

18. The heat transfer medium of claim 3 wherein

said heat transfer carrier liquid is a polyaphaolefin-based fluid;

said polymeric microporous structure is an acrylate copolymer; and

said phase change material is pentadecane.

21. The heat transfer medium of claim 3 wherein said solid structures comprise an outer encapsulating material effective to maintain separation of said phase change material and said medium in the event of release of said phase change material from said solid structures.

22. The heat transfer medium of claim 15 wherein said solid structures comprise an outer encapsulating material effective to maintain separation of said phase change material and said medium in the event of release of said phase change material from said solid structures.

23. An additive for a heat transfer composition consisting essentially of one or more solid structures selected from the group consisting of a chemical absorbent comprising an absorbate consisting essentially of phase change material, and a polymeric microporous structure comprising pores consisting essentially of entrapped phrase change material.

26. The additive of claim 23 wherein said phase change material is selected from the group consisting of at least one polyoxyethylene C₁₂ to C₁₈ ester, at least one paraffin, at least one polyethylene glycol, at least one decane of the formula CH₃(CH₂)_xCH₃ where x is from about 8 to about 17, and combinations thereof.

29. The additive of claim 23 wherein said polymeric microporous structure is selected from the group consisting of acrylate copolymers, sintered colloidal silica particles, and open pored silicone polymers.

31. The additive of claim 23 wherein said solid structures comprise an outer encapsulating material effective to maintain separation of said phase change material and said medium in the event of release of said phase change material from said solid structures.

24. An additive for a heat transfer composition consisting essentially of one or more solid structures comprising a polymeric microporous structure comprising pores consisting essentially of entrapped phase change material.

27. The addictive of claim 24 wherein said phase change material is selected from the group consisting of at least one polyoxyethylene C₁₂ to C₁₈ ester, at least one paraffin, at least one polyethylene glycol, at least one decane of the formula CH₃(CH₂)_xCH₃ where x is from about 8 to about 17, and combinations thereof.

30. The additive of claim 24 wherein said polymeric microporous structure is selected from the group consisting of acrylate copolymers, sintered colloidal silica particles, and open pored silicone polymers.

32. The additive of claim 24 wherein said solid structures comprise an outer encapsulating material effective to maintain separation of said phase change material and said medium in the event of release of said phase change material from said solid structures.

25. An additive for a heat transfer composition consisting essentially of one or more solid structures comprising a chemical absorbent comprising an absorbate consisting essentially of phase change material.

28. The additive of claim 25 wherein said phase change material is selected from the group consisting of at least one polyoxyethylene C₁₂ to C₁₈ ester, at least one paraffin, at least one polyethylene glycol, at least one decane of the formula CH₃(CH₂)_xCH₃ where x is from about 8 to about 17, and combinations thereof.

33. The additive of claim 25 wherein said solid structures comprise an outer encapsulating material effective to maintain separation of said phase change material and said medium in the event of release of said phase change material from said solid structures.

34. A composition consisting essentially of one or more microporous polymeric structures comprising an acrylate copolymer comprising pores consisting essentially of entrapped phase change material.

35. The additive of claim 34 wherein said solid structures comprise an outer encapsulating material effective to maintain separation of said phase change material and said medium in the event of release of said phase change material from said solid structures.

36. The additive of claim 34 wherein said phase change material comprises pentadecane.

37. The additive of claim 35 wherein said phase change material comprises pentadecane.

38. A method for making a heat transfer medium comprising:

providing a medium comprising at least one heat transfer carrier liquid; and

adding to said medium one or more solid structures comprising an amount of at least one phase change material, said solid structures being selected from the group consisting of chemical absorbent comprising said phase change material absorbed thereto and polymeric microporous structures comprising pores comprising said phase change material entrapped therein;

wherein said amount of phase change material is effective to increase a property of said medium selected from the group consisting of heat capacity and heat transfer coefficient.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein said phase change material is selected from the group consisting of at least one polyoxyethylene C₁₂ to C₁₈ is ester, at least one paraffin, at least one polyethylene glycol, at least one decane of the formula CH₃(CH₂)_xCH₃ where x is from about 8 to about 17, and combinations thereof.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein said polymeric microporous structure is selected from the group consisting of acrylate copolymers, sintered colloidal silica particles, and open pored silicone polymers.

41. The method of claim 40 further comprising encapsulating said solid structures in an encapsulating material effective to maintain separation of said phase change material and said medium in the event of release of said phase change material from said solid structures.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein said medium consists essentially of said heat transfer carrier liquid, said one or more solid structures, and said phase change material.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein said solid structures consist essentially of said phase change material.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein said solid structures, consist essentially of said phase change material.