Operating a heat exchanger

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards methods of operating a heat exchanger including transferring heat from the liquid phase change material to a heat transfer fluid through a heat exchanger surface, forming a solid on the heat exchanger surface, wherein the solid is formed from the liquid phase change material, and heating the heat exchanger surface to form a liquid portion from the solid.

1 . A method of operating a heat exchanger comprising:
 transferring heat from a liquid phase change material to a heat transfer fluid through a heat exchanger surface;   forming a solid on the heat exchanger surface, wherein the solid is formed from the liquid phase change material; and   heating the heat exchanger surface to form a liquid portion from the solid.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the solid has a density greater than a density of the liquid phase change material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid phase change material is selected from paraffin, sugar alcohols, thermoplastic polymers, organic acids, water, aqueous solutions of salts, chlathrate hydrates, salt hydrates, mixtures of salt hydrates, salts and eutectic blends of salts, and alkali metal hydroxides. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid phase change material is a salt. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the salt includes an anion selected from nitrates, nitrites, carbonates, hydroxides, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein heating the heat exchanger surface to form the liquid portion from the solid includes applying an electrical current to the heat exchanger surface. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the solid on the heat exchanger surface includes forming the solid on a first heat exchanger surface; and
 heating the heat exchanger surface to form the liquid portion from the solid includes heating a second heat exchanger surface to form the liquid portion from the solid.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , including separating a portion of the solid from the heat exchanger surface. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein separating the portion of the solid from the heat exchanger surface utilizes a gravitational force. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein separating the portion of the solid from the heat exchanger surface includes providing a flow of the phase change material. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein separating the portion of the solid from the heat exchanger surface includes providing a pressure difference for the phase change material.