Heat accumulator, method for manufacturing heat accumulator, and vehicle-mounted thermal system including accumulator

Abstract

In an accumulator including a vacuum heat-insulating layer 2 at the outer periphery of a liquid reserving portion 1 , the liquid reserving portion 1 and the vacuum heat-insulating layer 2 are formed by stacking a plurality of tank constituting elements 10 composed of plate members of an identical cross-sectional shape. The liquid reserving portion 1 is composed of liquid reserving portion spaces 10 f made to communicate by stacking the tank constituting element 10 . The vacuum heat-insulating layer 2 is composed of heat insulating layer space 10 e which are made to communicate by stacking the tank constituting elements 10 and are evacuated. The openings of the stacked tank constituting elements 10 at the both ends are closed with inlet and outlet cover plates 8 and 9.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
   
   
       23 . A heat accumulator, comprising:
 a liquid reserving portion;
 a heat-insulating layer provided on an outer periphery of the liquid reserving portion; 
   a plurality of stacked tank constituting elements configured to form the liquid reserving portion and the heat-insulating layer, the tank constituting elements being formed by plate members of an identical cross-sectional shape;   an inlet cover plate provided at an inlet of the stacked tank constituting elements and to which an inlet pipe is connected; and   an outlet cover plate provided at an outlet of the stacked tank constituting elements and to which an outlet pipe is connected,   each of the tank constituting elements including first and second partition walls which are coaxially arranged and a heat-insulating layer space formed between the first and second partition walls,   the liquid reserving portion being formed by a liquid reserving portion space surrounded by the second partition wall of each of the plurality of tank constituting elements stacked,
 the heat-insulating layer being formed by the heat-insulating layer spaces which are made to communicate by stacking the tank constituting elements and are evacuated. 
 a brazing fill material which is warmed under evacuation being provided between at least adjacent tank constituting elements. 
   
   
   
       24 . The heat accumulator according to  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a heat storage layer between the liquid reserving portion and the heat-insulating layer, the heat storage layer being filled with a heat storage material absorbing and releasing heat along with its phase transition between liquid and solid phases.   
   
   
       25 . The heat accumulator according to  claim 24 , wherein
 the heat storage material includes, as a latent heat storage material, a paraffin material storing heat of fusion during its phase transition from the solid to liquid phase in a temperature range not lower than a melting point and releasing heat of solidification during its phase transition from the liquid to solid phase in a temperature range not higher than a freezing point.   
   
   
       26 . The heat accumulator according to  claim 25 , wherein
 the heat storage material is paraffin capsules including the paraffin material encapsulated in spherical coatings as microcapsules, and   the heat storage layer is filed with aggregates of the paraffin capsules taking an account of a change in volume during the phase transition between the liquid and solid phases.   
   
   
       27 . The heat accumulator according to  claim 24 , further comprising as constituent parts:
 an inlet end plate,   an inlet cover plate,   an outlet end plate,   an outlet cover plate, and   the tank constituting elements, the heat accumulator characterized in that   an inlet pipe is fixed to at least any one of the inlet cover and end plates,   an outlet pipe is fixed to at least any one of the outlet cover and end plates, and   an inner rib protruding in a direction orthogonal to a flow of a heat medium from an inlet to an outlet is formed on a partition wall separating the liquid reserving portion space of each of the tank constituting elements.   
   
   
       28 . The heat accumulator according to  claim 24 , wherein
 each of the tank constituting elements includes first, second, and third partition walls coaxially arranged; a heat-insulating layer space is formed between the first and second partition walls; a heat storage layer space is formed between the second and third partition walls; and a liquid reserving portion space is surrounded by the third partition wall,   the plurality of tank constituting elements are stacked with openings of the stacked tank constituting elements at both ends closed with the inlet and outlet cover plates to constitute a container,   the liquid reserving portion is composed of the liquid reserving portion spaces made to communicate by stacking the tank constituting elements,   the heat-insulating layer is composed of the heat-insulating layer spaces which are made to communicate by stacking the tank constituting elements and are evacuated, and   the heat storage layer composed of the heat storage layer spaces made to communicate by stacking the tank constituting elements.   
   
   
       29 . The heat accumulator according to  claim 24 , wherein
 the heat accumulator is manufactured by: stacking the plurality of tank constituting elements with brazing filler metal applied thereto; closing the openings of the stacked tank constituting elements at the both ends with the inlet and outlet cover plates to temporarily assemble a container; evacuating the temporarily assembled container in a furnace and increasing the temperature of the furnace for vacuum brazing to evacuate both the heat-insulating layer and heat storage layer; and then filling the evacuated heat storage layer with the heat storage material by vacuum suction.   
   
   
       30 . A method of manufacturing a heat accumulator including a vacuum heat-insulating layer at the outer periphery of a liquid reserving portion, comprising:
 a part processing step of processing constituent parts constituting the heat accumulator;   a temporary assembly step of assembling the processed constituent parts into a container; and   a brazing step of evacuating the temporarily assembled container in a furnace and increasing temperature of the furnace to braze the constituent parts into a unit in vacuum atmosphere.   
   
   
       31 . The method of manufacturing a heat accumulator according to  claim 30 , wherein
 the heat accumulator includes the vacuum heat-insulating layer at the outer periphery of the liquid reserving portion,   in the part processing step, an inlet cover plate, an outlet cover plate, and a plurality of tank constituting elements which are composed of plate members of an identical cross-sectional shape and which each have a liquid reserving portion space and a vacuum heat-insulating layer space are processed, and   in the temporary assembly step, the plurality of tank constituting elements are stacked, and then, openings of the stacked tank constituting elements are closed with the inlet and outlet cover plates to form the liquid reserving portion and vacuum heat-insulating layer.   
   
   
       32 . The method of manufacturing a heat accumulator according to  claim 31 , wherein
 the temporary assembly step includes: a brazing filler metal applying step of applying brazing filer metal to the tank constituting elements; a sub-assembly step of stacking the tank constituting elements with the brazing filler metal applied thereto; and an assembly step of closing the openings of the stacked tank constituting elements with the inlet and outlet cover plates to constitute a container.   
   
   
       33 . The method of manufacturing a heat accumulator according to  claim 30 , wherein
 the heat accumulator includes a heat storage layer and a vacuum heat-insulating layer at the outer periphery of the liquid reserving portion, and the heat storage layer is filled with a heat storage material absorbing and releasing heat along with its phase transition between liquid and solid phases,   in the part processing step, an inlet cover plate, an outlet cover plate, and a plurality of tank constituting elements which are composed of plate members of an identical cross-sectional shape and which each have a liquid reserving portion space, a heat storage layer space, and a vacuum heat-insulating layer space are processed, and   in the temporary assembly step, the plurality of tank constituting elements are stacked, and then, openings of the stacked tank constituting elements are closed with the inlet and outlet cover plates to form the liquid reserving portion, heat storage layer, and vacuum heat-insulating layer.   
   
   
       34 . The method of manufacturing a heat accumulator according to  claim 33 , wherein
 air grooves are provided at joint portions in joint surfaces of the stacked tank constituting elements, each joint portion connecting the liquid reserving portion space and the vacuum heat-insulating space with the heat storage layer space interposed therebetween, and   in the brazing step, at evacuation in the furnace, the liquid reserving portion spaces and the respective vacuum heat insulating layer spaces are allowed to communicate with each other through the air grooves and, at brazing by increasing the temperature of the furnace, the air grooves are filled with the brazing filler metal by capillary to close the air grooves.   
   
   
       35 . The method of manufacturing a heat accumulator according to  claim 33 , wherein
 in the brazing step, the heat storage layer is evacuated together with the vacuum heat-insulating layer to lower than atmospheric pressure at the end of the process, and   the method further comprises, after the brazing step, a heat storage material encapsulation step of filling the evacuated heat storage layer with the heat storage material by vacuum suction and then sealing a portion through which the heat storage material is filled in.   
   
   
       36 . The method of manufacturing a heat accumulator according to  claim 35 , wherein
 a thin-wall portion made thinner than a standard thickness is formed in a heat storage material encapsulation port formed in any one of the inlet and outlet members, and   in the heat storage material encapsulation step, a tip of an injector charged with the heat storage material is inserted into the heat storage material encapsulation port to break through the thin-wall portion to suck the heat storage material into the heat storage layer by vacuum suction force, and then, a cap is inserted into and engaged with the broken heat storage material encapsulation port to close the broken heat storage material encapsulation port.   
   
   
       37 . The method of manufacturing a heat accumulator according to  claim 30 , wherein
 the heat accumulator includes a heat storage layer and a vacuum heat-insulating layer at the outer periphery of a liquid reserving portion, the heat storage layer being filled with a heat storage material absorbing and releasing heat along with its phase transition between liquid and solid phases,   in the part processing step, an inlet plate member, an outlet plate member, and three cylindrical members forming the liquid reserving portion, heat storage layer, and vacuum heat-insulating layer are processed, and   in the temporary assembly step, the three cylindrical members are assembled in a coaxial fashion, and then, openings thereof are closed with the inlet and outlet plate members to form the liquid reserving portion, heat storage layer, and vacuum heat-insulating layer.   
   
   
       38 . A vehicle-mounted thermal system including a heat accumulator,
 the vehicle-mounted thermal system comprising:   a vehicle-mounted heat source heating a heat medium while a power unit is being driven;   a vehicle-mounted heat demand source requiring a hot heat medium when the power unit starts from a stopped state where temperature of the heat medium decreases; and   a heat medium circuit connecting the vehicle-mounted heat source and the vehicle-mounted heat demand source, characterized in that   the heat medium circuit is provided with the heat accumulator whose inlet is connected to the vehicle-mounted heat source and whose outlet is connected to the vehicle-mounted heat demand source,   the heat accumulator includes a heat storage layer between a liquid reserving portion and a heat-insulating layer, the heat storage layer being filled with a heat storage material absorbing and releasing heat along with its phase transition between liquid and solid phases,   a circuit connecting the vehicle-mounted heat source and the inlet of the heat accumulator is provided with a first valve,   a circuit connecting the vehicle-mounted heat demand source and the outlet of the heat accumulator is provided with a second valve, and   the heat accumulator includes heat medium circulation control means which opens the first and second valves while the power unit is being driven; closes the first and second valves when the power unit stops; and opens the first and second valves when the power unit starts.   
   
   
       39 . The vehicle-mounted heat system including the heat accumulator according to  claim 38 , wherein
 the vehicle-mounted heat source is an engine heating coolant while being driven,   the heat-mounted heat demand source is the engine allowing temperature of coolant to decrease while being stopped and a heater core of an air conditioner using the engine coolant as a heating medium,   the heat medium circulation control means opens the second valve to the engine at the start of the engine when engine warm-up has priority and opens the second valve to the heater core at the start of the engine when passenger compartment heating has priority.   
   
   
       40 . The vehicle-mounted heat system including the heat accumulator according to  claim 38 , characterized in that
 the vehicle-mounted heat source is an engine heating coolant while being driven,   the heat-mounted heat demand source is the engine allowing temperature of coolant to decrease while being stopped and a heater core of an air conditioner using the engine coolant as a heating medium,   a circuit connecting the second valve and the heater core is provided with a pump,   the heat medium circulation control means opens the second valve to the engine at the start of the engine when engine warm-up has priority, and   the heat medium circulation control means opens the second valve to the heater core and activate the pump to regulate a rate of flow from the heat accumulator to the heater core at the start of the engine when passenger compartment heating has priority.   
   
   
       41 . The vehicle-mounted heat system including the heat accumulator according to  claim 38 , wherein
 the vehicle-mounted heat source is an inverter cooler heating inverter coolant while being driven and a battery cooler heating battery coolant while being driven,   the heat-mounted heat demand source is a heater core of an air conditioner using the inverter and battery coolant as a heating medium, and   the heat medium circulation control means opens the first and second valves at the start of an engine.   
   
   
       42 . The vehicle-mounted heat system including the heat accumulator according to  claim 38 , wherein
 the vehicle-mounted heat source is an inverter cooler heating inverter coolant while being driven and a battery cooler heating battery coolant while being driven,   the heat-mounted heat demand source is a heater core of an air conditioner using the inverter and battery coolant as a heating medium,   a circuit connecting the second valve and the heater core is provided with a pump, and   the heat medium circulation control means opens the first and second valves and activates the pump to regulate a rate of flow from the heat accumulator to the heater core at the start of an engine.