Energy absorption and release devices and systems

Abstract

A thermal storage device comprising a container containing a body of zeolite comprising a zeolite sieve and thermally conducting fins extending substantially into the body of zeolite in which said thermally conducting fins are thermally connected to a heat source.

1 . A thermal storage device comprising a container containing a body of zeolite comprising a zeolite sieve and thermally conducting fins extending substantially into the body of zeolite in which said thermally conducting fins are thermally connected to a heat source. 
     
     
         2 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 1  characterised in that the fins have lateral spines extending into the bulk zeolite. 
     
     
         3 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 1  having one or more ducts to conduct water vapour into and out of the container wherein said ducts have a plurality of apertures allowing water vapour into and out of the body of zeolite. 
     
     
         4 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 3  in which the said one or more ducts are in a central core of the container. 
     
     
         5 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 3  in which the one or more ducts are disposed on an inner wall of the container. 
     
     
         6 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 5  in which the said ducts are part of said wall. 
     
     
         7 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 1  in which the heat source is a solar panel. 
     
     
         8 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 1  in which the heat source comprises at least one magnetic field generating a magnetic flux within the device. 
     
     
         9 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 1  in which the zeolite container and associated condenser and ducting and valves there between are a hermetically sealed unit pressurised initially at 0.2 Bar or less. 
     
     
         10 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 1  wherein water vapour is desorbed from the zeolite molecular sieve by heating the sieve at a pressure below that of atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         11 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 9  wherein the pressure in the container is 0.2 bar or less during desorption. 
     
     
         12 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 9  wherein the zeolite molecular sieve is at a higher pressure after any adsorption step than during any desorption step. 
     
     
         13 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 9  in which adsorption is at about 80° C. 
     
     
         14 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 9  cycleable between low and high pressures to allow desorption of water vapour from the zeolite to occur at temperatures to can be achieve by solar thermal collectors and adsorption of water vapour from the zeolite to occur at higher pressure to liberate heat at a higher temperature than that at which desorption occurs. 
     
     
         15 . A thermal storage system according to  claim 13  in which said higher temperature is at least 150° C. 
     
     
         16 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 9  wherein the heat source is a thermal collector coupled to the wall of the container by a fluid transfer duct, which duct is wrapped around the wall of the container. 
     
     
         17 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 1  in which the container comprises aluminium. 
     
     
         18 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 16  in which the container comprises a plurality of extruded aluminium panels. 
     
     
         19 . A thermal storage device according to  claim 16  in which the fins and any spines comprise aluminium. 
     
     
         20 . A thermal storage device comprising:
 At least one thermal collector having first ducts therein for the transport of a heat collecting fluid;   a container with a zeolite molecular sieve therein, the container having a means to provide for unidirectional flow of water vapour on its expulsion from the zeolite molecular sieve and means to admit water vapour to the zeolite molecular sieve;   one or more second fluid ducts in or around the container connected to the first ducts to provide a thermal path from the collector to the zeolite molecular sieve;   at least one condenser to receive water vapour driven from the zeolite molecular sieve;   at least one evaporator to supply water vapour to the zeolite molecular sieve under reduced pressure when heat is demanded of the system.   wherein the:   the zeolite molecular sieve is heated by the thermal collecting fluid passing through said second ducts to drive water vapour from the zeolite molecular sieve and out of the container;   and wherein water vapour is admitted to into the zeolite molecular sieve when heat is demanded.