Moving device for centering in a pipe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11054191-B2
Application number	US-201716307837-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 9, 2017
Priority date	Jun 10, 2016
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A device for heat exchange and positioning in a pipe. The device includes a central body containing a material for storing thermal energy by latent heat accumulation, to be placed in thermal exchange with a circulating surrounding fluid. The device also includes structure for positioning the central body in the volume. The positioning structure is connected to, and extends around, the central body The position structure is also connected to reserving passages that enable contact between the central body and the surrounding fluid and the circulation of the surrounding fluid.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for circulation and heat exchange with a fluid, the system comprising:
a pipe having an internal volume for circulating the fluid, in which the fluid can circulate, between an inlet and an outlet, the pipe comprising a wall,
several movable devices for heat exchange in said internal volume, with each movable device being arranged in said pipe, in which the movable devices are allowed to move, at least some of said movable devices being able to come into contact with the wall of the pipe,

wherein each movable device includes:
a central body to be placed in heat exchange with the surrounding circulating fluid, the central body including a matrix in which a material for storing thermal energy by latent heat accumulation is distributed, and
a positioning structure for movably positioning the central body in the internal volume, the positioning structure, which is allowed to slide along the wall when it comes into contact with the wall, being connected to the central body around which it extends, by reserving passages:
enabling a contact between the central body and the fluid, and
enabling the fluid to flow in the pipe between the movable devices.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the pipe is a hose or one of flexible hoses of an oil circuit of a vehicle and the pipe is connected to an oil source to deliver oil to said hose.

3. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the devices for heat exchange and positioning in said internal volume define a string of such devices that follow each other in the internal volume and the central body positioning structures of which come into contact with the wall.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning structure is free of material for storing thermal energy by latent heat accumulation, and the positioning structure of at least some of said movable devices is adapted to come into contact with the wall and comprises an external structure defining one of a cylinder and a ring and connected by transverse arms to the central body, each of said passages being defined between two transverse arms.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning structure of at least some of said movable devices:
is adapted to come into contact with the wall, and
includes an external structure:
connected by transverse arms to the central body, and,
delimited by a discontinuous sphere comprising discrete elongated curved bars, each defining a continuous curved surface there along, the discrete elongated curved bars being adapted to limit to said continuous curved surfaces said contact with the walls.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning structure is defined by a cellular structure surrounding the central body, in contact with the central body and which includes a series of rings, each defining a continuous curved surface there along that limits to a portion of some of said continuous curved surfaces said contact with the wall.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning structure is defined by at least one linear elongated curved bead surrounding the central body, in contact with the central body, the at least one elongated curved bead defining a continuous curved surface there along that limits to a portion of said continuous curved surface said contact with the wall.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning structure and the central body are made of a one-piece casting including the matrix.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein several of said movable devices are connected together in a string by a flexible link.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the matrix is a porous matrix.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the matrix is an elastomeric porous matrix.

12. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the matrix is a porous network impregnated with the material for storing thermal energy by latent heat accumulation.

13. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the material for storing thermal energy by latent heat accumulation includes a plurality of phase change materials having different phase change temperatures.

14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the matrix comprises a porous material, and the material for storing thermal energy by latent heat accumulation comprises a phase change material encapsulated in said porous material.

15. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning structure comprises recesses distributed around said body so that the recesses:
define at least some of said passages enabling the fluid to flow in the pipe between the devices, and,
reserve there between, around said body, a continuous curved surface that limits to a portion of said continuous curved surface said contact with the wall.

16. A pipe for circulating a fluid, the pipe having an internal volume and comprising a plurality of devices for thermal exchange and positioning, with each device comprising:
a central body containing a material for storing thermal energy by latent heat accumulation, to be placed in thermal exchange with a circulating surrounding fluid which circulates in said internal volume, and
a positioning structure for positioning the central body in the internal volume, the positioning structure, being connected to the central body around which it extends and reserving passages, enabling a contact between the central body and the surrounding fluid and the circulation of said fluid, the positioning structure comprising an external structure defining a cylinder and linked by arms transverse to the central body, the external structures of the movable devices:
each being solid to define each a portion of a wall of the pipe, and
being connected to each other in a fluid-tight manner.

17. A method for thermal management in a pipe having an internal volume for circulating a fluid, wherein:
several movable devices for heat exchange in said internal volume are arranged in the internal volume, in a single-file, with each movable device comprising:
a central body including a matrix in which is distributed a material for storing thermal energy by latent heat accumulation, to be placed in thermal exchange with the fluid, and
a positioning structure for movably positioning the central body in said hollow interior, with the positioning structure, which is allowed to slide along the wall where it comes into contact with the wall, being connected to the central body around which it extends and reserving passages enabling a contact between the central body and the surrounding fluid and the circulation of said fluid, and

the fluid is circulated in the internal volume along the pipe in successive thermal exchanges with the thermal energy storage materials of the successive central bodies.

18. A system for circulation and heat exchange with a fluid, the system comprising:
an enclosure having an internal volume for circulating the fluid, in which the fluid can circulate, between an inlet and an outlet, the enclosure comprising a wall,
several devices for heat exchange and positioning in said internal volume, with each device being arranged in said enclosure, surrounded by said wall, at least some of said heat exchange devices being able to come into contact with the wall of the enclosure,

wherein each device includes:
a central body to be placed in heat exchange with the surrounding circulating fluid, the central body including a material for storing thermal energy by latent heat accumulation, and
a positioning structure for positioning the

Assignees

• Hutchinson

Inventors

• Chopard Fabrice
• Chauvet Boris
• Leborgne Mathieu

Classifications

• F28D2020/0013

  the heat storage material being enclosed in elements attached to or integral with heat exchange conduits · CPC title

• F28D20/023 Primary

  the latent heat storage material being enclosed in granular particles or dispersed in a porous, fibrous or cellular structure · CPC title

• Y02E60/14

  Thermal energy storage · CPC title

• F28D2020/0021

  the heat storage material being enclosed in loose or stacked elements · CPC title