Energy cell and device for converting heat into hydraulic energy

Abstract

Energy cell for converting heat into hydraulic energy, wherein the energy cell (1) is provided with a pressure vessel (2), the pressure vessel (2) having two chambers separated by an impermeable and elastic membrane, namely a first chamber (6) filled with a phase change material (23) whose density changes with each phase change from a solid to a molten phase and vice versa, and a second chamber (7) filled with a hydraulic fluid (24) when the energy cell (1) is in use, wherein the energy cell (1) is provided with a means for alternately heating and cooling the phase change material (23), whereby the phase change material (23) alternately changes from the solid to the molten phase and vice versa, so that a volume of the first chamber (6) alternately increases and decreases, wherein a wall of the pressure vessel (2) is provided with at least one passage (26),which is arranged such that, in the event of an increase and / or decrease in volume of the first chamber (6), a flow of the hydraulic fluid (24) from and / or into the second chamber (7) is permitted, wherein the means for alternately heating and cooling the phase change material (23) comprises a tube heat exchanger (16), wherein the tube heat exchanger (16) comprises a number of straight or nearly straight tubes (17) which pass through the first chamber (6) which is filled with the phase change material (23), characterized in that the tubes (17) of the tube heat exchanger (16) have an outer diameter of at most 3.0 millimeters.