US-12624902-B2 - Modular thermal energy storage and transfer in a PCM hosting system

US12624902B2US 12624902 B2US12624902 B2US 12624902B2US-12624902-B2

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments disclose a modular seasonal thermal-energy storage and transfer system that includes an energy-storage module (ESM) with a plurality of chambers that contain phase-change material (PCM) that stores thermal energy. An energy fluid is routed through the ESM, and the temperature of the energy fluid triggers a phase change in the PCM to transfer energy between the PCM and the energy fluid. A control mechanism can adjust the flow of the energy fluid through the ESM to efficiently achieve a target temperature change either in the energy fluid (e.g., using the ESM to access stored energy from the PCM) or in the PCM (e.g., use thermal energy in the energy fluid to store energy in the PCM). The disclosed techniques facilitate the charging and use of a flexible, modular year-round hot and cold energy storage.

Inventors

Barry Richard Brooks

Assignees

Barry Richard Brooks

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20250609

Claims (12)

1 . A modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system, comprising: a plurality of energy-storage modules (ESMs), wherein a given ESM in the plurality comprises a plurality of chambers that contain phase-change material (PCM) that stores thermal energy; an energy fluid routed through the plurality of ESMs, wherein the temperature of the energy fluid triggers a phase change in the PCM of the given ESM to transfer thermal energy between the PCM and the energy fluid; and a control mechanism that is configured to adjust the flow of the energy fluid through the given ESM to efficiently achieve a target temperature change in at least one of the energy fluid and the PCM; wherein the control mechanism adjusts the flow rate of the energy fluid through the PCM of the given ESM to maximize a temperature difference between the energy fluid and the PCM in the given ESM to enable a uniform phase change across the PCM of the given ESM; and wherein the plurality of ESMs are connected using an interconnecting energy fluid routing mechanism that comprises one or more actuatable valves that the control mechanism configures to selectively control the flow and flow rate of the energy fluid through the plurality of ESMs.
2 . The modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the given ESM comprises a module-housing body comprising: an external vertical side surface with a top and bottom surface; an internal partition that bisects the module-housing body into a first fluid chamber and an adjacent fluid chamber, wherein the internal partition has an opening that facilitates energy fluid transfer between the first internal fluid chamber and the adjacent fluid chamber; an inlet that penetrates the module-housing body into the first fluid chamber; an outlet that penetrates the module-housing body into the adjacent fluid chamber; a first set of PCM encapsulated in the first fluid chamber; and a second set of PCM encapsulated in the adjacent fluid chamber; wherein the energy fluid is injected into the given ESM via the inlet, flows through the first fluid chamber exchanging thermal energy with the first set of PCM, flows through the opening to the adjacent fluid chamber, flows through the adjacent fluid chamber exchanging thermal energy with the second set of PCM, and then flows through the outlet out of the given ESM; and wherein the flow of the energy fluid in the adjacent fluid chamber is opposite in direction to fluid flow in the first fluid chamber.
3 . The modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the given ESM comprises a module-housing body comprising: four equal vertical surface sides with a top and bottom surface; a partition structure that diagonally quadrisects the module-housing body into four fluid chambers that comprise a first fluid chamber, a second fluid chamber, a third fluid chamber, and a fourth fluid chamber, wherein each of the four adjacent fluid chambers comprises: encapsulated PCM secured in a support structure; a first fluid-mixing area above the support structure; and a second fluid-mixing area below the support structure; an inlet that penetrates the module-housing body into the first fluid chamber; and an outlet that penetrates the module-housing body into the fourth fluid chamber; wherein a first section of the partition wall separating the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber is porous to fluid flow; wherein a second section of the partition wall separating the third fluid chamber and the fourth fluid chamber is porous to fluid flow; wherein the partition structure comprises a first opening that facilitates fluid transfer between the second fluid chamber and the third fluid chamber; wherein the energy fluid is injected into the given ESM via the inlet, flows through the first fluid chamber exchanging thermal energy with the first chamber's PCM, flows through the porous first section; flows through the second fluid chamber exchanging thermal energy with the second chamber's PCM, flows through the first opening to the third fluid chamber, flows through the third fluid chamber exchanging thermal energy with the third chamber's PCM, flows through the second section to the fourth fluid chamber, flows through the fourth fluid chamber exchanging thermal energy with the fourth chamber's PCM, and then flows through the outlet out of the given ESM; wherein the flow of the energy fluid in the first and second fluid chamber is opposite in direction to fluid flow in the third fluid chamber and the fourth fluid chamber; and wherein the first section and second section provide structural support to the given ESM without impeding fluid flow, thereby making the given ESM substantially function as a two-chamber structure.
4 . The modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the interconnecting energy-fluid-conveying system comprises an actuatable valve that facilitates reversing fluid flows through the inlets and outlets of one or more of the ESMs; and wherein the control mechanism is configured to reverse the flow of the energy fluid through the given ESM at least once to increase the residence time of the energy fluid within the given ESM and thereby increase the uniformity of a phase change for the PCM in the given ESM.
5 . The modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ESMs comprises a heterogeneous set of independent ESMs with different PCM types and chamber configurations, wherein the control mechanism is configured to: track the state and characteristics of each ESM in the plurality of ESMs; and adjust the flow velocity of the energy fluid through the given ESM in the plurality based on characteristics of the PCM type and PCM layout in the given ESM to customize the residence time of the energy fluid in the given ESM to maximize thermal transfer and trigger a PCM state change in the given ESM.
6 . The modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system of claim 1 , wherein a set of isolation valves at the inlets and outlets of the plurality of ESMs facilitate selectively routing the energy fluid through segregated subsets of the plurality of ESMs; and wherein the control mechanism configures the set of isolation valves to store and access two or more distinct temperature levels of stored thermal energy across segregated subsets of the plurality of ESMs.
7 . The modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the given ESM comprises a module-housing body comprising: four equal vertical surface sides with a top and bottom surface; a partition structure that diagonally quadrisects the module-housing body into four fluid chambers that comprise a first fluid chamber, a second fluid chamber, a third fluid chamber, and a fourth fluid chamber, wherein each of the four adjacent fluid chambers comprises: encapsulated phase-change material (PCM) secured in a support structure; a first fluid-mixing area above the support structure; and a second fluid-mixing area below the support structure; an inlet that penetrates the module-housing body into the first fluid chamber; an outlet that penetrates the module-housing body into the fourth fluid chamber; wherein the partition structure comprises: a first opening that facilitates fluid transfer between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber; a second opening that facilitates fluid transfer between the second fluid chamber and the third fluid chamber; and a third opening that facilitates fluid transfer between the third fluid chamber and the fourth fluid chamber; wherein the energy fluid is injected into the given ESM via the inlet, flows through the first fluid chamber exchanging thermal energy with the first chamber's PCM, flows through the first opening to the second fluid chamber, flows through the second fluid chamber exchanging thermal energy with the second chamber's PCM, flows through the second opening to the third fluid chamber, flows through the third fluid chamber exchanging thermal energy with the third chamber's PCM, flows through the third opening to the fourth fluid chamber, flows through the fourth fluid chamber exchanging thermal energy with the fourth chamber's PCM, and then flows through the outlet out of the given ESM; wherein the flow of the energy fluid in the first fluid chamber and the third fluid chamber is opposite in direction to fluid flow in the second fluid chamber and the fourth fluid chamber.
8 . The modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system of claim 7 , wherein the openings between chambers are located at opposing extremes of each adjacent chamber to maximize a fluid flow path through the given ESM, thereby maximizing the path of the energy fluid through the given ESM and the energy transfer between the energy fluid and the PCM in the given ESM.
9 . The modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system of claim 7 , wherein the openings in the partition structure that separates the chambers comprise increase in area from the center of the module-housing body towards the outside perimeter of the module-housing body; and wherein increasing the area of the openings in the partition structure routes the energy fluid evenly across changing velocity and static pressures throughout the given ESM to balance fluid flows and thermal energy transfer through the chambers of the given ESM.
10 . The modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system of claim 7 : wherein the PCM in the given ESM is substantially positioned in each energy fluid congruent chamber by a retaining support system; wherein the retaining support system, the shape of the PCM, and the layout of the PCM in each chamber are configured to maximize the surface area of the PCM that is exposed the energy fluid and achieve a desired energy fluid flow that maximizes energy transfer between the PCM and the energy fluid.
11 . The modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system of claim 7 , wherein the PCM in the given ESM comprises a range of geometric shapes and configurations to optimize the amount and layout of PCM within and between chambers of the given ESM.
12 . The modular thermal-energy storage and transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the given ESM comprises: at least one of a cross sectional round shape and a rectangular geometric shape; vertical walls with aligning indentations that create structural stiffening capabilities using separate, exterior, substantially-rigid material placed within the indentations to counter liquid static pressure created within the given ESM, wherein substantially-rigid material placed within the indentations of multiple ESMs facilitates creating a locking effect between the ESMs; and a banding material substantially placed around the given ESM and one or more neighboring ESMs to retain the substantially-rigid material in place and substantially lock together and structurally support multiple ESMs in a system.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/218,044, entitled “Add-On Apparatus for Converting a Conventional Air-Source Refrigeration Cycle for Multiple Heat Transfer Options,” by inventor Barry Richard Brooks and filed on 4 Jul. 2023. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/218,044 claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/389,537, by inventor Barry Richard Brooks, entitled “Appendage Heat Transfer Enabling Apparatus,” filed 15 Jul. 2022. This application is also a continuation-in-part of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/989,373, entitled “Smart Controls for Hybrid Refrigeration Cycles,” by inventor Barry Richard Brooks and filed on 20 Dec. 2024. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/989,373 claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/613,468, by inventor Barry Richard Brooks, entitled “Integrating Applications and Methods of Self-Learning and Reasoning Smart Controls for Aftermarket Hybrid Refrigeration Cycles,” filed 21 Dec. 2023. This application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/658,540, by inventor Barry Richard Brooks, entitled “Modular Energy Storage and Transfer System,” filed 11 Jun. 2024. The contents of all of the above-referenced applications are hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND Field of the Invention This disclosure relates generally to energy systems, and more particularly to modular thermal energy storage and transfer systems that host phase change materials (PCMs) that facilitate both hot and cold temperature conditioning capabilities. Related Art Energy, and more specifically the use and source of it, has come to the forefront of our daily lives in most of the world's societies. Due to climate change governments and policy makers recognize the need to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels as it relates to the daily lives of its citizenry. One approach has been the governed shift to all electric appliances. California, US, for example, is implementing building codes that require electric heat pumps for heating and cooling of homes and light commercial buildings. A negating factor with heat pumps are the inefficiencies of these appliances during peak summer and winter conditions. Utilities are granted the ability to charge more to customers during these peak periods. This is partially because a utility's source of electricity may not be sufficient to meet demands during peak conditions. It is and will continue to be a challenge for utilities to prevent brown or black outs, along with uncertainty and high cost to consumers. This California utility and consumer dilemma will continue and will spread to other states in the US. Load-shifting technologies for residences and commercial applications attempt to collect hot and cold thermal energy during off-peak hours for use in offsetting peak demands. However, current technologies are limited to solar photovoltaic panels with battery backup for energy storage, which offer an expensive and singular approach to solving the load shifting dilemma. Hence, what is needed are techniques for providing energy storage without the above-described problems of existing techniques. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The disclosed embodiments disclose a modular seasonal thermal-energy storage and transfer system that includes an energy-storage module (ESM) with a plurality of chambers that contain phase-change material (PCM) that stores thermal energy. An energy fluid is routed through the ESM, and the temperature of the energy fluid triggers a phase change in the PCM to transfer thermal energy between the PCM and the energy fluid. A control mechanism can adjust the flow of the energy fluid through the ESM to efficiently achieve a target temperature change either in the energy fluid (e.g., using the ESM to access stored thermal energy from the PCM) or in the PCM (e.g., use thermal energy in the energy fluid to store thermal energy in the PCM). The disclosed techniques facilitate the charging and use of a flexible, modular year-round hot and cold energy storage. In some embodiments, the control mechanism adjusts the flow rate of the energy fluid through the PCM to maximize a temperature difference between the energy fluid and the PCM to enable a uniform phase change across the PCM of the ESM. In some embodiments, the ESM includes a module-housing body that includes: an external vertical side surface with a top and bottom surface; an internal partition that bisects the module-housing body into a first fluid chamber and an adjacent fluid chamber, wherein the internal partition has an opening that facilitates energy fluid transfer between the first internal fluid chamber and the adjacent fluid chamber; an inlet that penetrates the module-housing body into the first fluid chamber; an outlet that penetrates the module-housing body into the adjacent fluid chamber; a first se