Heat storage apparatus and method of using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10077948-B2
Application number	US-201615286034-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 5, 2016
Priority date	Oct 9, 2015
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A heat storage apparatus includes: a first tank; a second tank that is provided above the first tank; an on-off valve; and a heat storage solution that is accommodated in the first tank and the second tank. The heat storage solution has a characteristic of absorbing heat and separating into a first liquid and a second liquid having a lower density than the first liquid at a lower critical solution temperature or higher, the first liquid and the second liquid have a characteristic of releasing heat and mixing with each other at a temperature lower than the lower critical solution temperature, and when the heat storage solution separates into the first liquid and the second liquid, the first liquid is accommodated in the first tank and the second liquid is accommodated in the second tank.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A heat storage apparatus comprising:
a first tank;
a second tank that is provided above the first tank;
an on-off valve having one end connected to an upper portion of the first tank and having another end connected to a lower portion of the second tank;
a heat storage solution that is accommodated in the first tank and the second tank, wherein
the heat storage solution has a characteristic of absorbing heat and separating into a first liquid and a second liquid having a lower density than the first liquid at a lower critical solution temperature or higher, the first liquid and the second liquid have a characteristic of releasing heat and mixing with each other at a temperature lower than the lower critical solution temperature, and when the heat storage solution separates into the first liquid and the second liquid, the first liquid is accommodated in the first tank and the second liquid is accommodated in the second tank; and
the first liquid is a tetra-n-butylphosphonium trifluoromethanesulfonyl leucine aqueous solution and the second liquid is water.

2. The heat storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a heat release pipe filled with a heating medium is provided at least in the first tank or in the second tank.

3. The heat storage apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
a heat absorption pipe filled with a heating medium is provided at least in the first tank or in the second tank.

4. The heat storage apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the heat release pipe is connected to a battery of a hybrid vehicle.

5. The heat storage apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the heat absorption pipe is connected to an internal combustion engine of a hybrid vehicle.

6. A method of using the heat storage apparatus according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
a) opening the on-off valve at the lower critical solution temperature or higher to obtain a heat storage state in which the first liquid is accommodated in the first tank and the second liquid is accommodated in the second tank, and then closing the on-off valve to maintain the heat storage state; and
b) opening the on-off valve at the temperature lower than the lower critical solution temperature such that the heat storage state is changed to start heat release.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ohashi Yoshio
• Watanabe Masaki

Classifications

• F28D2020/0082

  Multiple tanks arrangements, e.g. adjacent tanks, tank in tank · CPC title

• F28F27/02

  for controlling the distribution of heat-exchange media between different channels ({static flow control means in header boxes F28F9/026}; arrangements of guide plates or guide vanes F28F9/22, F28F25/12) · CPC title

• F28D2021/008

  for vehicles · CPC title

• B60K6/00

  Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines · CPC title

• F28D20/0039 Primary

  with stratification of the heat storage material · CPC title