Inflow region for technical system, in particular for heat accumulator, and heat accumulator

Abstract

The invention relates to an inflow region (14) for a technical plant (10), in particular for a heat accumulator, a flow deflection element (16) being provided in the inflow region (14) for deflecting a gaseous medium of a region of the technical plant through which an inflow flow through the inflow region (14) is to pass. The inflow region (14) is designed in such a way that a medium flowing into the inflow region (14) in the inflow direction (18) is deflected in the inflow region (14) by means of the flow deflection element (16) in the direction of the region (12) through which the flow will pass.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to technical equipment, particularly to the inflow area of ​​a heat accumulator and the heat accumulator itself. Background Technology

[0002] The inflow area discussed is used to guide a gaseous medium into the area through which the flow will pass. In this paper, the inflow area and the area through which the flow will pass are components of technical equipment, particularly in the fields of chemical processing engineering and / or thermal processing engineering.

[0003] The task of the inflow zone is not only to guide the medium to the area through which the flow will pass, but also usually to ensure that the flow conditions are met before the medium enters the area through which the flow will pass, especially through appropriate flow management, which are suitable for the medium to flow through the area through which the flow will pass, depending on the specific purpose of the technical equipment.

[0004] This technology, particularly heat accumulators, involves storing heat. This is achieved by a gaseous medium (in the case of a heat accumulator, the heat transfer medium) dissipating heat to the accumulator material when the accumulator is charged. When the accumulator releases heat, the accumulator material releases heat back to the gaseous heat transfer medium. Thus, depending on whether the temperature of the heat transfer medium is higher or lower than the temperature of the accumulator material, the heat transfer medium can dissipate heat from the accumulator or provide heat to the accumulator.

[0005] To achieve heat transfer between the heat transfer medium and the accumulator material in practice, a accumulator region is created where the gaseous heat transfer medium can flow through. This accumulator region contains accumulator material through which the heat transfer medium can pass. Therefore, heat transfer occurs simultaneously with the flow of the accumulator material.

[0006] In practice, the heat accumulator material exhibits significant flow resistance in terms of the heat transfer medium flow. The heat transfer medium is typically supplied to the accumulator via pipes. In these pipes, the heat transfer medium has a high flow velocity. Allowing such a supply line to terminate directly in the heat accumulator material, or at that point, will have the following effect: the heat transfer medium flows into the heat accumulator material at high speed with a small cross-section. The heat transfer medium flow will then directly impact the high flow resistance of the heat accumulator material at a high velocity. This will lead to unfavorable fluid conditions. Furthermore, the relatively point-like introduction of the heat transfer medium will result in uneven distribution and diffusion of the heat transfer medium within the heat accumulator material, thereby leading to inefficient flow through the heat accumulator material.

[0007] Therefore, in practice, heat accumulators with inflow regions have been developed, which concentrate the flow of heat transfer medium supplied to the accumulator in a diffuser-like manner. This inflow region has a cross-section that widens along the flow direction. This widening cross-section reduces the velocity of the flowing heat medium and increases its static pressure. At the end of the inflow region, the heat transfer medium can also flow into the accumulator region and thus into the accumulator material via a larger cross-section. Here, the cross-section of the transition between the inflow region and the accumulator region specifically corresponds to the cross-section of the accumulator region and then remains constant in the flow direction. This allows for a very uniform flow through the accumulator region.

[0008] However, the inflow region known in the prior art is disadvantageous in many ways, especially as a component of the heat storage unit. Therefore, the typical expansion of this inflow region required for effective flow backup is approximately 8-10°, resulting in a considerable length of this inflow region in the flow direction. However, the inflow region itself does not contain any heat storage material, which is why the resulting high space requirements of the inflow region in the flow direction adversely increase the overall size of the heat storage system.

[0009] Regenerators with corresponding inflow areas are known in the prior art in the form of, for example, WO 2015 / 106815 A1, EP 2 902740 A1, or WO 2016 / 156054 A1. However, they all have a considerable length due to a small expansion angle, or they have a much larger expansion angle and a correspondingly smaller space requirement, which has a very unfavorable effect on the internal fluid dynamics; in the worst case, the heat transfer medium flowing through the pipeline is only distributed over a correspondingly large inflow cross-section of the regenerator material, but the desired diffuser effect is lost.

[0010] The disadvantages of the inflow region known in the prior art, which has been described with the aid of a heat storage device, also apply to the known inflow regions of other technical devices. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to demonstrate an inflow region for technical equipment, particularly for a heat accumulator, and a heat accumulator having an inflow region, wherein the inflow region has only a short length relative to the flow direction through which the flow will pass, and yet still achieves favorable fluid conditions for inflow.

[0012] This objective is achieved through an inflow area and a heat storage device having the features of the independent claim. The features of the dependent claims relate to advantageous embodiments.

[0013] The inflow area is particularly a component of the technical equipment. This technical equipment can be technical equipment in chemical processing engineering and / or thermal processing engineering. This technical equipment is particularly a heat storage device, but it can also be, for example, a chemical reactor.

[0014] This technical device has a region through which a gaseous medium will flow. For example, this region may be surrounded by a shell. Materials through which the medium flow can pass can be received within this region. These materials may, in particular, be heat storage materials or, for example, catalysts used for the chemical transformation of the medium.

[0015] In addition, the technical equipment has an inflow area. The medium supplied to the technical equipment can flow through the inflow area into the area that the flow will pass through.

[0016] This objective is achieved, in particular, by providing a flow deflection element in the inflow region for deflecting the gaseous medium flowing through the inflow region. In this paper, the inflow region is designed such that the medium flowing into the inflow region along the inflow direction is deflected in the direction of the region through which the flow will pass by means of the flow deflection element.

[0017] In the context of this invention, it has been demonstrated that the inflow region can be designed by using a flow deflection element in the inflow region such that the inflow region has only a small length extension in the direction through which the medium flows through the region through which the flow will pass, but still allows for the setting of favorable flow conditions for the medium to flow into the region through which the flow will pass.

[0018] Flow deflecting elements are particularly characterized by a planar design. This planar design allows for a strong convection effect with relatively low additional flow resistance from the element itself. Flow deflecting elements can be arranged one behind the other in the inflow direction. This arrangement allows the elements to be continuously impacted by the medium flowing into the inflow region, thereby deflecting the sub-flow of the inflow medium in each case in the direction the flow will traverse. Thus, a uniform distribution of the inflow medium can be achieved through a transition cross-section, which allows the medium to flow from the inflow region through the transition cross-section into the region the flow will traverse.

[0019] Flow deflection elements can be designed and arranged to form a finned structure. This design and arrangement of flow deflection elements has the following advantages: the flow deflection elements can allow flow deflection while expanding the cross-section through which the flow passes, because the sub-flow of the medium flowing into the inflow region in the inflow direction is guided in each case between adjacent fins of the finned structure formed by the flow deflection elements.

[0020] The inflow cross-section through which the medium flows into the inflow region is particularly smaller than the transition cross-section through which the medium flows as it transitions from the inflow region to the region through which the flow will pass. This allows the inflow region to produce a diffuser effect through its flow deflection elements, but it does not have a large length in the direction of medium flow when passing through the region through which the flow will pass, which is necessary for an effective diffuser effect in the inflow region of a conventional design.

[0021] The inflow region can be designed such that the medium is deflected at an angle of at least approximately 90°, and / or the angle between the inflow direction and the flow direction of the medium in the region through which the flow will pass is at least approximately 90°. When a flow deflection of at least approximately 90° occurs through the inflow region, this enables advantageous arrangements of technical devices, particularly heat accumulators. For example, multiple technical devices (such as heat accumulators) can be arranged adjacent to and / or stacked on top of each other, and the medium can flow continuously through them by means of "zigzag" flow management. In this process, the medium flows through the respective regions of the individual heat accumulators through which the flow will pass, particularly along a straight flow direction, wherein, in particular, changes in flow direction (which result in a zigzag profile of flow management through the multiple technical devices) are achieved through the inflow regions of the technical devices and, in particular, optionally existing outflow regions, through which the medium exits the individual technical devices again after having flowed through the respective regions through which the flow will pass. In this case, the inflow region can facilitate zigzag flow management and the necessary flow deflection, because the portion of the U-shaped flow deflection between adjacent technical devices is implemented through the inflow region of one of these technical devices. The medium can then be easily guided into the inflow area from the direction of adjacent technical equipment.

[0022] Flow deflection elements may have a profile that generates and / or promotes the Bernoulli effect during the deflection of the medium. This profile may in particular be an airfoil profile, i.e., a profile that has the effect that the flow path along one surface side of the respective flow deflection element is longer than the flow path on the other surface side of the flow deflection element away from that surface side.

[0023] In every case, the flow deflector element can have a leading edge facing the medium flow. The leading edge of the flow deflector element facing the medium flow can have a circular design. This circular design produces favorable inflow conditions, which in particular reduces the flow resistance of the flow deflector element.

[0024] Flow deflection elements can be configured to be adjustable in order to control the deflection of the medium. By using this adjustable configuration of the flow deflection element, the flow conditions in the inflow region can be influenced while taking into account the current flow conditions, so as to ensure the most favorable flow conditions in the inflow region even under fluctuating operating conditions. Thus, for example, by adjusting the flow deflection element in consideration of changes in flow conditions, fluctuations in the volumetric flow rate of the medium, as well as the unavoidable related fluctuations in the pressure, velocity, and / or temperature of the medium, can be taken into account.

[0025] The adjustable configuration of the flow deflection element can be implemented through the adjustability of a sub-region of the corresponding flow deflection element, which includes the leading edge of the corresponding flow deflection element facing the medium flow, in each case. It has been demonstrated that by simply adjusting the sub-region of the corresponding flow deflection element, including the leading edge facing the medium flow, it is possible to effectively influence the flow conditions. The inflow to the leading edge is particularly important, as the position and design of the leading edge, especially, also depend on the proportion of the entire medium flow deflected by the corresponding deflection element.

[0026] Furthermore, the adjustability of the sub-regions including the leading edge of the corresponding flow deflection element has the advantage that the flow-direction-oriented edge or sub-region of the flow deflection element (including the flow-direction-oriented edge of the flow deflection element) can be implemented as rigid, in other words, thereby particularly as non-adjustable, while still providing the adjustability of the corresponding flow deflection element. This is particularly advantageous when the flow deflection element is to provide support for the medium. This possibility will be discussed in more detail below.

[0027] Multiple flow deflection elements can be arranged one behind the other in a direction perpendicular to the inflow direction and the flow direction of the medium in the region through which the flow will pass. This reduces the range that each flow deflection element must have in that direction, so as to allow effective flow deflection over as large a portion of the width of the transition cross section as possible, especially over the entire width of the transition cross section.

[0028] In other words, this can refer to a finned structure formed by flow deflection elements in which multiple flow deflection elements are arranged one after another in a direction perpendicular to the inflow direction and perpendicular to the flow direction in the region through which the flow will pass. This creates a subdivision of the fin, thereby reducing the “span” of each fin.

[0029] Support structures for mechanically supporting flow deflection elements can be arranged, in particular, between adjacent flow deflection elements, especially within a single fin. These support structures allow the absorption of forces acting on the flow deflection elements due to flow deflection. This significantly reduces the distance the flow deflection elements must traverse, which is associated with correspondingly lower mechanical loads on the material of the flow deflection elements.

[0030] In a finned structure, flow deflecting elements arranged one after another in adjacent fins, perpendicular to the inflow direction and the flow direction of the medium in the region through which the flow will pass, are configured to be offset from each other. This allows for a particularly advantageous effect on the flow passing through the region through which the flow will pass, especially when the flow has discrete flow paths with corresponding offsets. For example, in the region through which the flow will pass, the cross-section through which the medium flow passes can be divided into hexagonal sub-cross-sections and correspondingly offset sub-cross-sections.

[0031] The subdivision of the region through which the flow will pass (which creates multiple separate flow paths through the region through which the flow will pass) can be implemented by correspondingly subdividing the region through which the flow will pass, in particular filled with particulate material that can be flowed through, such as particulate accumulator material; alternatively and / or additionally, geometrically defined material that can be flowed through, in particular geometrically defined accumulator material, can define corresponding subdivisions of flow paths for the medium, for example, in a coated manner.

[0032] In particular, the mutually offset flow deflection elements are arranged such that each flow deflection element is assigned to one of the flow paths defined by the design of the technical device, such that the flow path is traversed at least primarily by a sub-flow of the entire medium flow that has already been deflected by the flow deflection element assigned to that flow path. In this way, the flow through each flow path can be selectively influenced.

[0033] The flow deflection element may, in particular, have a heating element for heating the medium. For example, these heating elements may be electric heating elements. Such heating elements, for example, can enable the heat flow supplied to the heat accumulator to reach a higher temperature level. This can be meaningful, for example, when considering the overall efficiency related to both electrical and thermal aspects.

[0034] Alternatively and / or additionally, flow deflection elements can be configured as heat exchangers. This allows flow deflection elements to be used to exchange thermal energy between a medium and another heat transfer medium. This can be meaningful, for example, for separating heat flow from the medium before the medium reaches materials that can be flowed through and are arranged in the area through which the flow will pass, especially accumulator materials, and / or for supplying a medium, for example, to “preheat” the medium using the residual heat that additionally occurs when releasing energy to the accumulator. Due to the function of the flow deflection element, the flow deflection element has a boundary surface toward the medium flowing around the flow deflection element, which has an advantageous design for heat transfer, which is why they can be advantageously used to integrate heating elements and / or configured as heat exchangers.

[0035] Materials that can be flowed through can be, in particular, granular and / or free-flowing materials. Granular and / or free-flowing materials offer the advantage that they can make full use of the area through which the flow will pass, especially in the form of a packed bed.

[0036] Flow deflection elements can provide a mechanical holding function, particularly for particles and / or free-flowing materials that can be flowed through. This is particularly advantageous because, due to this function of the flow deflection element, additional holding elements, especially for particles and / or free-flowing materials, which can be flowed through and received in the area through which the flow will pass, can be eliminated. According to the prior art, separate holding elements are used for this purpose. However, these holding elements provide additional flow resistance.

[0037] Especially when the flow deflection element is arranged in a finned manner, since the flow deflection element is supported by a bed of packed material, especially particles and / or free-flowing material, through which the flow passes, the holding element can be advantageously omitted.

[0038] In conjunction with the construction of the flow deflection element, the mechanical holding function of the flow deflection element is particularly advantageous, as the construction provides adjustability for a sub-region comprising the flow-facing leading edge of the respective flow deflection element. In these cases, the sub-region of the respective flow deflection element used to support materials, especially particles and / or free-flowing materials, that can be flowed through can be a rigid embodiment. In this way, the flow deflection element can exhibit a mechanical holding function while still being constructed to be adjustable.

[0039] Technical equipment may have pressure vessels. Such pressure vessels advantageously provide the possibility of implementing overpressure or vacuum within the technical equipment, particularly within heat accumulators. This is especially advantageous for use in the inflow area as a diffuser, as the latter naturally leads to an increase in the static pressure of the flowing medium.

[0040] Advantageously, the inflow area and the area through which the flow will pass can be arranged within a common pressure vessel. This allows for a compact overall design.

[0041] Pressure vessels can have a basic cuboid shape, such as that of a shipping container. Alternatively and / or additionally, pressure vessels can be pressure vessels with a circular cross-section in the direction of flow through the area through which the flow will pass. This circular cross-section results in a very favorable ratio of the closed volume to the surface area of ​​the pressure vessel, which is particularly useful for reducing the surface area that allows heat transfer, and is also particularly useful mechanically, especially in the case of high pressure differentials. On the other hand, cuboid-shaped technical devices (such as heat accumulators) can often be advantageously arranged in a space-saving manner; for example, they can be placed adjacent to each other or stacked on top of each other, thus occupying a relatively small space.

[0042] The technical equipment is specifically designed such that the region through which the flow will pass is traversed by the medium flowing into that region via the inlet region in a straight flow direction. After flowing through the region through which the flow will pass in a straight flow direction, further deflection of the flow can occur through a correspondingly designed outlet region. In this context, the straight flow direction is understood as the primary flow direction. This specifically means that local flow directions different from the primary flow direction may occur at various locations in the region through which the flow will pass, but when considering the local flow directions from an overall perspective, the resulting average flow direction is a straight flow through the region through which the flow will pass. This can be especially true when receiving material that can be flowed through the region through which the flow will pass, and when the flow of the medium through the material is locally affected.

[0043] Furthermore, this objective is achieved in particular by a heat accumulator having an inflow region as described above. In the case of a heat accumulator, the medium through which the flow enters the region is a heat transfer medium. In the case of a heat accumulator, the region through which the flow will pass is a heat accumulator region. In the heat accumulator region, a material capable of being passed through by the flow of the heat transfer medium is received in the form of heat accumulator material. Attached Figure Description

[0044] Further embodiments and advantages of the invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 A perspective view of an exemplary technical device in the form of a heat accumulator is shown; Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A simplified schematic cross-sectional view of a part of the technical equipment; Figures 3 to 5 A schematic exemplary embodiment of a design embodiment of a flow deflection element is shown; and Figure 6 A simplified cross-sectional view of an alternative exemplary embodiment of the technical device is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0045] exist Figure 1 The technical device 10, illustrated by way of example, can be a heat storage device, illustrated by way of example. The technical device 10 has a region 12 through which a gaseous medium will flow. As in the example shown, the medium can be a heat transfer medium, and the region 12 through which the flow will flow can be a heat storage region. A material that can be passed through by the medium flow can be received in the region 12 through which the flow will flow, and is not shown for illustrative purposes. The material that can be passed through by the flow can be a heat storage material.

[0046] Figure 1 The technical device 10, illustrated by way of example, also includes an inflow region 14. The medium supplied to the technical device 10 can flow through the inflow region 14 into the region 12 through which the flow will pass.

[0047] A flow deflection element 16 is arranged in the inflow region 14 to deflect the medium flowing through the inflow region 14. The technical device 10 is designed such that the medium flowing into the inflow region 14 along the inflow direction 18 is deflected in the direction of the region 12 through which the flow will pass by means of the flow deflection element 16. In this case, the medium is given a flow direction 20, which corresponds to the flow direction of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow will pass, especially due to the deflection of the flow deflection element 16.

[0048] As in Figure 1 In the example shown, the flow deflection element 16 can have a planar design. Furthermore, the flow deflection element 16 can be arranged one behind the other in the inflow direction 18. This arrangement of the flow deflection element 16 is particularly advantageous from… Figure 2 It is derived from the simplified sectional view in the figure.

[0049] As in the example shown, the flow deflection elements 16 can be designed such that they form a finned structure. Thus, the flow deflection elements 16 shown by way of example are also particularly suitable for mechanically supporting particles and / or free-flowing materials that can be flowed through and received as a packed bed in the region 12 through which the flow will pass, or for applying a mechanical holding function to the heat storage material.

[0050] Therefore, such as Figure 2 As shown, the flow deflection elements 16 can be designed and arranged such that the flow deflection elements 16 of adjacent fins forming the fin structure overlap in the vertical direction Z. Advantageously, this overlap is two to three times the diameter of a single particle of the material that can be flowed through. Thus, even in the event of thermal expansion of the material that can be flowed through, this overcomes the mechanical barrier formed by the fin structure and extends into the inflow region 14.

[0051] As shown in the example, the inflow cross-section 22 through which the medium flows into the inflow region 14 can be smaller than the transition cross-section 24 through which the medium flows as it transitions from the inflow region 14 to the region 12 through which the flow will pass. Therefore, a diffuser effect can be generated by means of the inflow region 14.

[0052] As shown in the examples, especially from Figure 2 It can be concluded that the technical device 10 can be designed to deflect the medium by 90°, or the angle between the inflow direction 18 and the flow direction 20 of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow will pass is 90°.

[0053] As in the example shown, the technical device 10 is specifically designed such that the medium flows in a straight flow direction 20 through a region 12 that the flow will pass through, the medium entering the region 12 through an inflow region 14. After the straight flow passes through the region 12, the flow can be further deflected by a correspondingly designed outlet region, which is not illustrated in the figure. As in the example shown, the straight flow direction 20 can be the primary flow direction 20.

[0054] As illustrated in the example, multiple flow deflection elements 16 may be arranged one after the other in a direction Y perpendicular to the inflow direction 18 and the flow direction 20 of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow will pass. This can be particularly understood as, as illustrated, multiple flow deflection elements 16 arranged one after the other in a fin 26 of a finned structure in a direction Y perpendicular to the inflow direction 18 and the flow direction 20 of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow will pass.

[0055] The support structure 28 for mechanically supporting the flow deflection element 16 can be arranged between adjacent flow deflection elements 16 in each case. The support structure 28 has the following effect: shortening the distance that the corresponding flow deflection element 16 needs to cross, thereby significantly reducing the material stress that increases disproportionately with the distance.

[0056] In the adjacent fins 26 of the finned structure, the flow deflection elements 16 arranged one after the other in the direction Y perpendicular to the inflow direction 18 and the flow direction 20 of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow will pass can be arranged to be offset from each other. Figures 3 to 5 This meaning is highlighted in the text. Figure 3 The example illustrates an embodiment in which, in each case, each fin 26 of the finned structure is formed by only a single flow deflection element.

[0057] exist Figure 4 The illustration shows an embodiment in which individual fins 26 are each formed by a plurality of flow deflection elements 16 arranged one behind the other in a direction Y perpendicular to the inflow direction 18 and the flow direction 20 of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow will pass. Figure 5 In some embodiments, these flow deflection elements 16, arranged one after the other, are positioned in adjacent fins 26 to offset each other. This offset arrangement can be useful, for example, if the region 12 through which the flow will pass is subdivided into multiple separate flow paths 28 for the medium. In this context, as... Figure 6 As shown in the example, these flow paths can be, for example, flow path 28 with a hexagonal cross-section, which can be implemented by corresponding subdivisions of technical equipment, such as with corresponding airtight separation elements 30.

[0058] When the technical equipment has a pressure vessel 32 with a circular cross-section, such as in Figure 6 This hexagonal subdivision is particularly suitable for the example shown. Alternatively, the pressure vessel 32 of this technical device can also have a rectangular design, for example, in the form of a container, as in... Figure 1 In the case of the exemplary embodiments illustrated. For example, in Figure 1 In the example shown, in Figures 2 to 6 The technical device in the exemplary embodiment shown may also be a heat storage device.

[0059] The features of the invention disclosed in this specification, drawings, and claims can be individually, as well as in any desired combination, relevant to the implementation of the invention in its various embodiments. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments. The invention can be varied within the scope of the claims and based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[0060] List of reference numerals 10. Technical equipment, especially heat storage devices The 12 streams will pass through the area, especially the heat storage area. 14 Inflow Areas 16-flow deflection element 18 Inflow Directions 20 Flow direction 22 Inflow cross section 24 transition cross section 26 fins 28 Supporting Structure X direction Y direction Z direction

Claims

1. An inflow area (14) for technical equipment (10), particularly for a heat storage device, wherein, A flow deflection element (16) is provided in the inflow region (14) for deflecting the gaseous medium that the inflow through the inflow region (14) will pass through the area of ​​the technical equipment. The inflow region (14) is designed such that the medium flowing into the inflow region (14) along the inflow direction (18) is deflected in the direction of the region (12) through which the flow will pass by means of the flow deflection element (16).

2. The inflow area (14) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow deflection element (16) has a planar design and is arranged one in front of the other along the flow direction (18).

3. The inflow area (14) according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that, The flow deflection elements (16) are designed and configured to form a finned structure.

4. The inflow area (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The inflow cross section (22) through which the medium flows into the inflow region (14) is smaller than the transition cross section (24) through which the medium flows from the inflow region (14) to the region (12) through which the flow will pass.

5. The inflow area (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The heat storage device (10) is designed such that the medium is deflected at an angle of at least about 90°, and / or the angle between the inflow direction (18) and the flow direction (20) of the medium in the region (12) through which the flow will pass is at least about 90°.

6. The inflow area (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The flow deflection element (16) has a profile, particularly an airfoil, for generating and / or promoting the Bernoulli effect during the deflection of the medium.

7. The inflow area (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The flow deflection element (16) has a leading edge facing the medium flow in each case, and the leading edge facing the medium flow of the flow deflection element (16) has a circular design.

8. The inflow area (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The flow deflection element (16) is configured to be adjustable in order to control the deflection of the medium.

9. The inflow area (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The adjustable configuration of the flow deflection element (16) is achieved by the adjustability of the sub-regions of the respective flow deflection element (16) in each case, the sub-regions including the leading edge of the respective flow deflection element (16) facing the medium flow.

10. The inflow area (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, In a direction perpendicular to the inflow direction (18) and the flow direction (20) of the medium in the region (12) through which the flow will pass, particularly within one fin (26) of the finned structure, a plurality of flow deflection elements (16) are arranged one after the other, and in particular, a support structure (28) for mechanically supporting the flow deflection elements (16) is arranged between adjacent flow deflection elements (16) in each case.

11. The inflow area (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, In adjacent fins (26) of the finned structure, the flow deflection elements (16) arranged one after the other are set to be offset from each other in a direction perpendicular to the inflow direction (18) and the flow direction (20) of the medium in the region (12) through which the flow will pass.

12. The inflow area (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The flow deflection element (16) has a heating element for heating the medium and / or is configured as a heat exchanger to exchange thermal energy between the medium and another heat transfer medium.

13. The inflow area (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The region through which the flow will pass receives particles and / or free-flowing materials that can be passed through by the flow, especially heat storage materials, and the flow deflection element (16) applies a mechanical holding function to the materials.

14. The inflow area (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The inflow area (18) and the area through which the flow will pass (12) are located within a common pressure vessel (32).

15. A heat storage device (10) having an inflow region (14) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The medium flowing into the region (12) through the inflow region (14) is a heat transfer medium, wherein the region (12) through which the flow will pass is a heat storage region, in which a material capable of being passed through by the flow of the heat transfer medium is received in the form of heat storage material.

Images