Energy accummulator system

• US 8,107,804 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2006
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Groupe Enerstat, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Groupe Enerstat, Inc.
• Inventors: Bilodeau, Stéphane
• Primary Examiner(s): CAMPBELL, THOR S
• Application Number:
  US12/092,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20090220220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,912 Days
• Field of Search: 392/496
• US Class Current: 392/496
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 11/00 Central heating systems using heat accumulated in storage masses self-contained storage heating units F24D15/02
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/10 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices only the heater being controlled F24H9/20
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/47 Responding to energy costs
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 5/0017 using cold storage bodies, e.g. ice
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/14 Thermal energy storage

Abstract

An energy accumulator system for accumulating heat from a heat source for subsequent supply to a heat demand, comprises an energy accumulator having a storage material in a heat-exchange relation with the heat source so as to store heat produced by the heat source. A controller is connected to the energy accumulator to obtain temperature data with respect to the storage material, and to the heat source so as to selectively actuate the heat source. An energy level calculator is associated with the controller to determine a storage capacity in the energy accumulator as a function of temperature data of the storage material. An operation identifier determines when to store energy in the energy accumulator as a function of the storage capacity and of condition data pertaining to the heat source. The controller actuates the energy accumulator and the heat source to store heat in the energy accumulator.

Claims

1. An energy accumulator system for accumulating heat from a heat source for subsequent supply to a heat demand, comprising:

an energy accumulator having a storage material adapted to be physically separated and in a heat-exchange relation with a fluid from the heat source so as to store heat produced by the heat source, the storage material and the fluid being different;

a controller connected to the energy accumulator to obtain temperature data with respect to the storage material, and to the heat source so as to selectively actuate the heat source;

an energy level calculator associated with the controller, the energy level calculator determining a storage capacity in the energy accumulator as a function of temperature data of the storage material; and

an operation identifier associated with the controller, the operation identifier determining when to store energy in the energy accumulator as a function of the storage capacity and of condition data pertaining to the heat source;

whereby the controller actuates the energy accumulator and the heat source to store heat in the energy accumulator.

2. The energy accumulator system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the heat source with the energy accumulator adapted to be in heat-exchange relation with said plurality, and a heat source identifier associated with the operation identifier so as to select one heat source of said plurality to store heat in the energy accumulator when the operation identifier commands to store energy.

3. The energy accumulator system according to claim 2, wherein one of said plurality of heat source is a cold heat source, and the other of said plurality of heat source is a hot heat source.

4. The energy accumulator system according to claim 2, wherein a first heat source of said plurality is operated by a first type of energy, a second heat source of said plurality is operated by a second type of energy, with the condition data being associated with the price/tariff of the first type and the second type of energy.

5. The energy accumulator system according to claim 1, wherein the condition data is associated with at least one of an energy price and an energy tariff as a function of the time of day.

6. The energy accumulator system according to claim 1, wherein the heat source and the heat demand operate at temperatures ranging between −

40°

C. and +10°

C., and the storage material is a compound of materials selected from at least one of biphenyl-diphenyl ether eutectic mixture, diphenil oxide, drakeol, phenyl ether, glycol, alkanes, N-paraffin hydrocarbon chain, glycerin, water, tridecane, tetradecane, hydrocarbon wax, glycerol, 1,2,3-propanetriol.

7. The energy accumulator system according to claim 6, wherein the heat source and heat demand involve refrigeration and a chilled water production system.

8. The energy accumulator system according to claim 1, wherein the heat source and the heat demand operate at temperatures ranging between +5°

C. and +70°

C., and the storage material is a compound of materials selected from at least one of biphenyl ether, phenyl ether, glycol, alkanes, N-paraffin hydrocarbon chain, glycerin, water, carbon tetrabromide, tetradecane, hydrocarbon wax, pentadecane, hexadecane, glycerol, 1,2,3-propanetriol.

9. The energy accumulator system according to claim 8, wherein the heat source and heat demand involve heating and air conditioning.

10. The energy accumulator system according to claim 1, wherein the heat source and the heat demand operate at temperatures ranging between +60°

C. and +450°

C., and the storage material is a compound of materials selected from at least one of biphenyl ether, phenyl ether, ammonium chloride, potassium chloride, boron trioxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide alkanes, N-paraffin hydrocarbon chain, glycerin, pentadecane, hexadecane, heptadecane, hydrocarbon wax.

11. The energy accumulator system according to claim 10, wherein the heat demand is for a relatively high-temperature heating application.

12. The energy accumulator system according to claim 1, wherein the storage material is selected so as to change phase during heat exchange with the heat source, and wherein the energy level calculator determines the storage capacity as a function of a calculation of the proportions of the storage material in two different phases.