Thermal Energy Storage Apparatus

Abstract

A thermal energy storage apparatus, including: a block of a heat-absorbing material, and a plurality of heat storage elements, the heat storage elements including a phase change material stored in a containment vessel; wherein each heat storage element is in thermal contact with the block of heat-absorbing material.

1 . A thermal energy storage apparatus, including:
 a block of a heat-absorbing material, the block being a single mass of compressed material in the form of machinable sintered graphite and having a plurality of holes machined therein; and   a plurality of heat storage elements, the heat storage elements including a phase change material stored in a containment vessel;   wherein each heat storage element is in thermal contact with the block of heat-absorbing material, each storage element being received in a respective hole machined in the block; and   wherein the holes are evenly spaced with predetermined intervals therebetween.   
     
     
         2 .- 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . A thermal energy storage apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined intervals are chosen to optimise heat transport in the heat storage region. 
     
     
         7 . A thermal energy storage apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including one or more heating elements in thermal contact with the heat storage region. 
     
     
         8 . A thermal energy storage apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the one or more heating elements are seated in a second plurality of holes in the heat storage region. 
     
     
         9 . A thermal energy storage apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the heating elements are electric heating elements. 
     
     
         10 . A thermal energy storage apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the heating elements are individually controllable to supply different amounts of heat to different areas of the heat storage region. 
     
     
         11 . A thermal energy storage apparatus according to  claim 10 , further including one or more temperature sensors associated with each of the different areas of the heat storage region. 
     
     
         12 . A thermal energy storage apparatus according to  claim 1 , further including means for extracting heat from the heat storage elements. 
     
     
         13 . A thermal energy storage apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the means for extracting heat is a closed-cycle heat engine coupled to the heat storage region. 
     
     
         14 . A thermal energy storage apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the closed-cycle heat engine is a Carnot cycle heat engine. 
     
     
         15 . A thermal energy storage apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the closed-cycle heat engine is a Stirling engine, and the Stirling engine is coupled to the heat storage region via a wick. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A thermal energy storage apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the phase change material includes silicon metalloid or a eutectic, hypereutectic or hypoeutectic silicon composition. 
     
     
         18 .- 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method of storing thermal energy, including:
 providing a block of a heat-absorbing material, the block being a single mass of compressed material in the form of machinable sintered graphite and having a plurality of holes machined therein; and   placing a plurality of heat storage elements in thermal contact with the block, each storage element being received in a respective hole machined in the block, wherein the holes are evenly spaced with predetermined intervals therebetween, and wherein the heat storage elements include a phase change material stored in a containment vessel.   
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the phase change material includes silicon metalloid or a eutectic, hypereutectic or hypoeutectic silicon composition. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 23 , wherein the containment vessel includes silicon carbide. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method according to  claim 23 , further including providing a plurality of heating elements in thermal contact with the heat storage region. 
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28 , wherein the heating elements are individually controllable to supply different amounts of heat to different areas of the heat storage region. 
     
     
         30 . A method according to  claim 23 , further including maintaining a melt fraction of the phase change material between 1% and 99%.