Technical equipment, in particular the inlet area for a thermal accumulator, and thermal accumulator

Abstract

The present invention relates to an inlet region 14 for a technical device 10, particularly for a heat storage device, wherein a flow deflection element 16 is positioned in the inlet region 14 to deflect a gaseous medium flowing through the inlet region 14 toward a region of the technical device through which the flow should pass. The inlet region 14 is designed such that the medium flowing into the inlet region 14 along the inlet direction 18 is deflected in the inlet region 14 by the flow deflection element 16 toward a region 12 through which the flow should pass.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technical facility, particularly an inlet region for a heat accumulator, and a heat accumulator.

Background Art

[0002] The type of inlet region under discussion is used to direct a gaseous medium into the region through which the flow should pass. The inlet region and the region through which the flow should pass herein are components of a technical facility, particularly in the field of chemical process engineering and / or thermal process engineering.

[0003] The challenge of the inlet region is not only to direct the medium into the region through which the flow should pass, but often, particularly through appropriate flow management, to ensure that the flow conditions suitable for the medium to pass through the region through which the flow should pass are already met before the medium enters the region through which the flow should pass, according to the respective purpose of the technical facility.

[0004] The technical facility is particularly a heat accumulator. The type of heat accumulator under discussion is used to store heat. This is done in the case of a heat accumulator by a gaseous medium, which is a heat transfer medium, dissipating heat to a heat storage material when the heat accumulator stores heat. When the heat accumulator releases heat, the heat storage material, in turn, releases thermal energy to the gaseous heat transfer medium. Thus, the heat transfer medium can dissipate thermal energy from the heat accumulator or supply thermal energy to the heat accumulator depending on whether the heat transfer medium has a higher temperature or a lower temperature than the heat storage material.

[0005] To actually enable heat transfer between the heat transfer medium and the heat storage material, the region through which the flow through the heat accumulator should pass has a heat storage region through which the flow of the gaseous heat transfer medium can pass. The heat storage material through which the flow of the heat transfer medium can pass is arranged in this heat storage region. As a result, heat transfer takes place while flowing through the heat storage material.

[0006] In reality, thermal storage materials have considerable flow resistance with respect to the flow of the heat transfer medium. The heat transfer medium is usually supplied to the thermal storage material by pipelines. In these pipelines, the heat transfer medium has a relatively high flow rate. Terminating such supply lines in or directly within the thermal storage material results in the heat transfer medium flowing into the thermal storage material at a high velocity through a relatively small cross-section. In this case, the heat transfer medium flow collides directly with the high flow resistance of the thermal storage material at a relatively high flow rate. This leads to undesirable fluid conditions. In addition, the relatively point-like introduction of the heat transfer medium leads to the non-uniform distribution and diffusion of the heat transfer medium in the thermal storage material, and therefore to inefficient flow through the thermal storage material.

[0007] Therefore, in practice, accumulators have been developed that have an inlet region that stores the flow of heat transfer medium supplied to the accumulator in a diffuser manner. Such an inlet region has an enlarged cross-section in the flow direction. The enlargement of the cross-section reduces the velocity of the flowing heat transfer medium and increases its static pressure. At the end of the inlet region, the heat transfer medium can also flow into the accumulator region and thus into the accumulator material through a relatively large cross-section. Here, the cross-section of the transition between the inlet region and the accumulator region corresponds in particular to the cross-section that the accumulator region subsequently maintains constant in the flow direction. This allows for a very uniform flow through the accumulator region.

[0008] However, the inlet region known from prior art is disadvantageous in many respects, particularly as a component of a thermal storage system. Therefore, a typical enlargement of such an inlet region required for effective flow backup is about 8° to 10°, thereby giving such an inlet region considerable length in the flow direction. However, the inlet region itself does not contain any thermal storage material, and therefore the high spatial requirements resulting from the inlet region in the flow direction unfavorably increase the overall size of the thermal storage system.

[0009] Thermal accumulators with corresponding inlet regions are known in the current state of the art, for example, in the form of Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, or Patent Document 3. However, they all have considerable length due to small expansion angles, or they have much larger expansion angles and correspondingly significantly smaller space requirements, which has a very bad effect on the internal fluid dynamics, and in the worst-case scenario, the heat transfer medium flowing through the line is simply distributed over the correspondingly larger inlet cross-section of the thermal accumulator, and the desired diffuser effect is lost. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2015 / 106815 [Patent Document 2] European Patent Application Publication No. 2902740 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2016 / 156054 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] The drawbacks of the inflow area known in conventional technology, as explained with thermal storage devices, can also be applied to the known inflow areas of other technological equipment.

[0012] Therefore, the present invention is based on the objective of presenting technical equipment, in particular an inlet region for a thermal accumulator, and a thermal accumulator equipped with an inlet region, wherein the inlet region has only a short length with respect to the flow direction of the region through which the flow is to pass, and nevertheless enables favorable fluid conditions for the inlet. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] This objective is achieved by an inlet region and a heat storage device having the features of the independent claim. The features of the dependent claim relate to an advantageous embodiment.

[0014] The inflow area is, in particular, a component of the technical equipment. The technical equipment can be a technical facility in chemical process engineering and / or thermal process engineering. Specifically, the technical equipment is a heat accumulator, but it could also be, for example, a chemical reactor.

[0015] The technical equipment has a region through which a gaseous medium flow is to pass. For example, this region through which the flow is to pass may be enclosed by a housing. The material through which the medium flow is to pass may be housed within the region through which the flow is to pass. The material through which the flow is to pass may be a heat storage material in particular, or it may be a catalyst for the chemical transformation of the medium, for example.

[0016] Furthermore, the technical equipment has an inflow area. The medium supplied to the technical equipment can flow through the inflow area into the area through which the flow should pass.

[0017] This objective is achieved, in particular, by placing flow deflection elements in the inflow region to deflect the gaseous medium flowing through the inflow region. The inflow region described herein 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 should pass by the flow deflection elements within the inflow region.

[0018] In connection with the present invention, it has been demonstrated that by using flow deflection elements in the inflow region, it is possible to design the inflow region to have only a small length extension in the direction of the flow of the medium through the region through which the flow should pass, but nevertheless enable the creation of favorable flow conditions for the inflow into the region through which the flow of the medium should pass.

[0019] Flow deflection elements are particularly of a planar design. The planar design of flow deflection elements allows for a strong influence on the flow with relatively low additional flow resistance from the flow deflection elements themselves, while still being used. Flow deflection elements can be positioned behind each other in the inflow direction. This type of arrangement allows the flow deflection elements to be continuously impacted by the medium flowing into the inflow region, and thus, in each case, to deflect a portion of the flow of the incoming medium in the direction of the region through which the flow should pass. In this way, a uniform distribution of the incoming medium can be achieved by the transition cross-section, and the medium flows through the transition cross-section from the inflow region to the region through which the flow should pass.

[0020] Flow deflection elements can be designed and arranged so that they form a fin-shaped structure. This type of flow deflection element design and arrangement has the advantage that the flow deflection elements can enable flow deflection while simultaneously expanding the cross-section through which the flow passes, in which, in the inflow direction, a portion of the flow of the medium flowing into the inflow region is directed in each case through the spaces between adjacent fins of the fin-shaped structure formed by the flow deflection elements.

[0021] The inflow cross-section through which the medium passes when it flows into the inflow region is smaller than the transition cross-section through which the medium flows when it moves from the inflow region to the region through which the flow should pass. This allows the inflow region to produce a diffuser effect through its flow deflection elements, but without having the large length in the flow direction of the medium as it flows through the region through which the flow should pass, which is necessary for an effective diffuser effect in conventionally designed inflow regions.

[0022] The inflow region can be designed such that the medium is deflected by 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 should pass is at least approximately 90°. If a flow deflection of at least approximately 90° takes place through the inflow region, this enables an advantageous arrangement of technical equipment, in particular regenerators. For example, a plurality of technical equipment such as regenerators can be arranged next to each other and / or on top of each other, and the flow of the medium can pass through continuously by means of "snake-like" flow management. In the process, the medium flows through the individual regions of the individual regenerators through which the flow should pass, particularly in a straight flow direction. Here, in particular, the change in the flow direction that causes the snake-like profile of the flow management through the plurality of technical equipment is effected by the inflow region of the technical equipment and, in particular, optionally existing outflow regions. Through them, after the medium has passed through the regions through which each flow should pass, it exits from the individual technical equipment again. In this case, the inflow region can contribute to the snake-like flow management and the necessary flow deflection in that a part of the U-shaped flow deflection between adjacent technical equipment is effected by the inflow region of one of these technical equipment. The medium can then be advantageously directed into this inflow region from the direction of the adjacent technical equipment.

[0023] The flow deflection element can have a profile for creating and / or promoting the Bernoulli effect during the deflection of the medium. In particular, the profile can be an airfoil profile, i.e., a profile in which the flow path along one surface side of each flow deflection element is longer than the other surface side facing away from this surface side.

[0024] The flow deflection element can in each case have a leading edge facing the flow of the medium. The leading edge of the flow deflection element facing the flow of the medium can be designed to be rounded. Such a rounded design creates favorable inflow conditions, particularly for reducing the flow resistance of the flow deflection element.

[0025] The flow deflection element can be configured to be adjustable to control the deflection of the medium. Using such an adjustable configuration of the flow deflection element, the current flow conditions can be taken into account to ensure the most favorable flow conditions possible in the inflow region, even under varying operating conditions, and thus influence the flow conditions in the inflow region. Thus, for example, fluctuations in the volumetric flow rate of the medium and the necessarily associated fluctuations in the pressure and flow rate and / or temperature of the medium can be accounted for by adjusting the flow deflection element taking into account the change in the flow conditions.

[0026] The adjustable configuration of the flow deflection element can be implemented by the adjustability of the partial region in each case of each flow deflection element, including the leading edge of each flow deflection element facing the flow of the medium. It has been demonstrated that an effective influence on the flow conditions can already be achieved simply by adjusting the partial region of each flow deflection element including the leading edge facing the flow of the medium. The inflow to the leading edge is particularly important insofar as the position and design of the leading edge also depend, in particular, on the proportion of the overall flow of the medium deflected by each deflection element.

[0027] Furthermore, the adjustability of the partial region including the leading edge of each flow deflection element can be implemented such that the edge or partial region of the flow deflection element facing the flow direction, which includes the edge of the flow deflection element facing the flow direction, is rigid, i.e., thus particularly non-adjustable, while nevertheless providing the adjustability of each flow deflection element. This can be advantageous especially when the flow deflection element is intended to perform a supporting function with respect to the medium. This possibility will be discussed in more detail below.

[0028] Multiple flow deflection elements can be positioned behind each other in a direction perpendicular to the inflow direction and to the flow direction of the medium in the region through which the flow should pass. This reduces the range that individual flow deflection elements must have in this direction to enable effective flow deflection over as large a portion of the transition cross-section as possible, and especially across the entire width of the transition cross-section.

[0029] In other words, this can be interpreted as meaning that within a single fin of a fin-shaped structure formed by flow deflection elements, multiple flow deflection elements are positioned behind each other in directions perpendicular to the inflow direction and to the flow direction in the region through which the flow should pass. This results in a kind of subdivision of the fin, reducing the "span" of individual fins.

[0030] Support structures for mechanically supporting flow deflection elements can be positioned in each case, particularly between adjacent flow deflection elements, and especially between adjacent flow deflection elements within a single fin. These support structures allow for the absorption of forces acting on the flow deflection elements due to flow deflection. The distance that the flow deflection elements must span is thereby significantly reduced, which is related to a correspondingly lower mechanical load on the material of the flow deflection elements.

[0031] In a fin-shaped structure, flow deflection elements positioned behind each other in a direction perpendicular to the inflow direction and the flow direction of the medium in the region through which the flow should pass are arranged to be offset from each other. This allows for a favorable influence on the flow through the region, particularly when the region through which the flow should pass has correspondingly offset individual flow channels. For example, in the region through which the flow of the medium should pass, the cross section through which the flow of the medium passes can be divided into a hexagonal subsection and correspondingly offset subsections.

[0032] The subdivision of the region through which the flow should pass, which leads to multiple separate channels through which the flow should pass, can be carried out by corresponding subdivisions of the region through which the flow should pass, which are in particular filled with granular material through which the flow can pass, such as granular heat storage material. Alternatively and / or additionally, geometrically defined flowable material, in particular geometrically defined heat storage material, can define correspondingly subdivided channels for the medium, for example in the form of a coating material.

[0033] In particular, the flow deflection elements, which are offset from each other, are arranged such that each flow deflection element is assigned to one of the flow paths defined by the design of the technical equipment, such that a portion of the overall flow of the medium deflected by the flow deflection element assigned to that flow path passes through it, at least primarily. In this way, the flow through each individual flow path can be influenced in the target manner.

[0034] Flow deflection elements may, in particular, have heating elements for heating the medium. For example, these may be electric heating elements. Such heating elements can, for example, raise the temperature level of the heat flow supplied to the heat accumulator. This may be meaningful, for example, when considering the overall efficiency in relation to the electrical and thermal aspects.

[0035] 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 may be meaningful, for example, to deflect heat flow from a medium before it reaches a material through which the flow is to pass, particularly a heat storage material, and / or to supply a medium to "preheat" the medium with residual heat otherwise generated when the heat storage material dissipates heat. Due to their function, flow deflection elements have an interface toward the medium flowing around them, and this interface is of a favorable design for heat transfer; therefore, flow deflection elements can be advantageously utilized for integrating heating elements and / or for being configured as heat exchangers.

[0036] The material through which the flow can pass can be, in particular, a granular and / or fluid material. The granular and / or fluid material has the advantage that it can make good use of the area through which the flow is to pass, especially in the form of a packed bed.

[0037] Flow deflection elements can exhibit a mechanical holding function, particularly for granular and / or fluid materials through which flow is permitted. This is particularly advantageous because this function of the flow deflection element eliminates the need for additional holding elements, particularly for granular and / or fluid materials, that are to be contained within the region through which the flow is permitted. According to the prior art, separate holding elements are used for this purpose; however, these provide additional flow resistance.

[0038] In particular, when the flow deflection elements form a fin-shaped arrangement, such retaining elements can be advantageously omitted, especially since the packed bed of granular and / or fluid material, through which the flow can pass, is supported on the flow deflection elements.

[0039] The mechanical holding function of flow deflection elements is particularly advantageous in combination with a configuration of flow deflection elements that provides adjustability for a sub-region including the leading edge of each flow deflection element facing the flow. In these cases, the sub-region of each flow deflection element used to support a flow-passable material, particularly granular and / or fluid, can be of a rigid embodiment. Thus, flow deflection elements can be configured to have a mechanical holding function, and nevertheless be adjustable.

[0040] Technical equipment may have pressure vessels. Such pressure vessels advantageously provide the possibility of implementing overpressure or vacuum within the technical equipment, particularly within a heat accumulator. This is particularly advantageous with respect to the use of an inlet region acting as a diffuser, because this inlet region naturally causes a pressure increase in the static pressure of the flowing medium.

[0041] Advantageously, the inflow region and the region through which the flow should pass can be located within a common pressure vessel. In this way, an overall compact design mode can be implemented.

[0042] Pressure vessels can have a basic rectangular shape, such as a container. Alternatively and / or additionally, pressure vessels can have a circular cross-section in the flow direction of the region through which the flow should pass. This type of circular cross-section leads to a very favorable ratio of sealed volume to surface of the pressure vessel, which is particularly useful with respect to the reduction of surface area that allows heat transfer, but is also useful from a mechanical standpoint, especially in the case of high pressure differences. On the other hand, rectangular-shaped equipment such as condensers can often be advantageously arranged in a space-saving manner. For example, they can be placed next to each other or on top of each other, thereby occupying a relatively small space.

[0043] The technical equipment is designed such that the region through which the flow should pass is such that the medium flowing into this region via the inlet region passes in a linear flow direction. After the flow has passed through the region through which it should pass in a linear flow direction, further deflection of the flow can be performed by a correspondingly designed outlet region. In this context, the linear flow direction is understood to be the primary flow direction. This means that, in particular, while local flow directions different from the primary flow direction may occur at individual locations within the region through which the flow should pass, when considering local flow directions from an overall perspective, the resulting average flow direction is the linear flow through the region through which the flow should pass. This is especially true when the region through which the flow should pass contains material to which the flow can pass, and the flow of the medium through the material is subject to local influences.

[0044] This objective is further particularly achieved by a heat accumulator having an inlet region as described above. In the case of a heat accumulator, the medium that flows through the inlet region to the region through which the flow is to pass is the heat transfer medium. In the case of a heat accumulator, the region through which the flow is to pass is the heat storage region. The material through which the flow of the heat transfer medium can pass is contained in the heat storage region in the form of a heat storage material.

[0045] Further practical embodiments and advantages of the present invention are described below in the context of the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0046] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing an exemplary technical facility in the form of a heat storage device. [Figure 2] This is a simplified schematic cross-sectional view showing some of the technical equipment from Figure 1. [Figure 3] This figure shows a schematic and exemplary embodiment for a design embodiment of a flow deflection element. [Figure 4] This figure shows a schematic and exemplary embodiment for a design embodiment of a flow deflection element. [Figure 5] This figure shows a schematic and exemplary embodiment for a design embodiment of a flow deflection element. [Figure 6] This is a simplified cross-sectional view showing an alternative exemplary embodiment of the technical equipment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0047] The technical equipment 10 shown as an example in Figure 1 can be a heat storage device as shown in the example. The technical equipment 10 has a region 12 through which a gaseous medium flow is to pass. As in the example shown, the medium can be a heat transfer medium, and the region 12 through which the flow is to pass can be a heat storage region. Materials that are not shown for illustrative purposes but through which the medium flow is to pass can be contained in the region 12 through which the flow is to pass. Materials through which the flow is to pass can be heat storage materials.

[0048] The technical equipment 10 shown as an example in Figure 1 further includes an inflow area 14. The medium supplied to the technical equipment 10 can flow through the inflow area 14 into the area 12 through which the flow is to pass.

[0049] A flow deflection element 16 is positioned in the inlet region 14 to deflect the medium flowing through the inlet region 14. The technical equipment 10 is designed such that the medium flowing into the inlet region 14 along the inlet direction 18 is deflected in the inlet region 14 by the flow deflection element 16 in the direction of the region 12 through which the flow should pass. In this case, the medium is given a flow direction 20 that corresponds to the flow direction of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow should pass, particularly due to the deflection by the flow deflection element 16.

[0050] As shown in the example in Figure 1, the flow deflection elements 16 can be of a planar design. Furthermore, the flow deflection elements 16 can be positioned behind each other in the inflow direction 18. This arrangement of the flow deflection elements 16 can be derived, in particular, from the simplified cross-sectional view in Figure 2.

[0051] As shown in the example, the flow deflection elements 16 may be designed so that they form a fin-shaped structure. In this way, the flow deflection elements 16 shown in the example are also particularly suitable for mechanically supporting flowable granular and / or fluid material contained in a region 12 through which the flow is to pass, or for providing a mechanical retention function for this heat storage material.

[0052] For this purpose, as can be seen in Figure 2, the flow deflection elements 16 can be designed and arranged such that, in particular, the flow deflection elements 16 forming adjacent fins of the fin structure overlap in the vertical direction Z. The overlap here is advantageously two to three times the diameter of the individual particles of the material through which the flow can pass. In this way, even if there is thermal expansion of the material through which the flow can pass, it can be effectively prevented from overcoming the mechanical barrier formed by the fin structure and entering the inflow region 14.

[0053] As shown in the example, the inflow cross-section 22 through which the medium passes when it flows into the inflow region 14 can be smaller than the transition cross-section 24 through which the flow of the medium passes when it transitions from the inflow region 14 to the region 12 through which the flow should pass. As a result, the diffuser effect can be generated by the inflow region 14.

[0054] As can be deduced from the examples shown, particularly from Figure 2, the technical equipment 10 can be designed such that the medium is deflected by an angle of 90°, or such that the angle between the inflow direction 18 and the flow direction 20 of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow should pass is 90°.

[0055] The technical equipment 10 is designed such that, in particular, the region 12 through which the flow is to pass passes, as shown in the example, the medium flowing from the inlet region 14 to the region 12 through which the flow is to pass, passes in a linear flow direction 20. After the linear flow through the region 12 through which the flow is to pass, further deflection of the flow may be performed by a correspondingly designed outlet region, which is not shown in the figure. The linear flow direction 20 may be the primary flow direction 20, as shown in the example.

[0056] As shown in the example, multiple flow deflection elements 18 can be positioned behind each other in a direction Y perpendicular to the inflow direction 18 and to the flow direction 20 of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow should pass. In particular, as shown in the figure, multiple flow deflection elements 16 can be positioned behind each other within one fin 26 of a fin-shaped structure in a direction Y perpendicular to the inflow direction 18 and to the flow direction 20 of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow should pass.

[0057] The support structure 28 for mechanically supporting the flow deflection elements 16 can be positioned between adjacent flow deflection elements 16 in each case. The support structure 28 has the effect of shortening the distance that each flow deflection element 16 must straddle, and therefore significantly reducing the material stress that increases disproportionately with respect to this distance.

[0058] In adjacent fins 26 of a fin-type structure, flow deflection elements 16 positioned behind each other in a direction Y perpendicular to the inflow direction 18 and to the flow direction 20 of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow should pass can be positioned offset from each other. What this means is highlighted in Figures 3 to 5. Figure 3 shows an embodiment in which each individual fin 26 of the fin-type structure is formed by only a single flow deflection element in each case.

[0059] Figure 4 shows an embodiment in which each individual fin 26 is formed from a plurality of flow deflection elements 16 positioned behind each other in a direction Y perpendicular to the inflow direction 18 and to the flow direction 20 of the medium in the region 12 through which the flow is to pass. In the embodiment of Figure 5, these flow deflection elements 16 positioned behind each other are arranged to be offset from each other in adjacent fins 26. Such an offset arrangement can be useful, for example, when the region 12 through which the flow is to pass is subdivided into a plurality of separate channels 28 for the medium. In this context, as shown in the example of Figure 6, these can be, for example, channels 28 having a hexagonal cross-section, which can be implemented by corresponding subdivision of the technical equipment, for example, using corresponding gas-impermeable separation elements 30.

[0060] Such hexagonal subdivision, as implemented in the example shown in Figure 6, is particularly suitable when the technical equipment has a pressure vessel 32 having a circular cross-section. Alternatively, the pressure vessel 32 of such technical equipment may be of a rectangular design, for example in the form of a container, as in the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 1. The technical equipment in the exemplary embodiments shown in Figures 2 to 6, as in the example shown in Figure 1, can also be a thermal accumulator.

[0061] Features of the present invention disclosed herein, in the drawings, and in the claims may be relevant to carrying out the invention in various embodiments, both individually and in any desired combination. The invention is not limited to the embodiments described. The invention can be modified within the scope of the claims and in consideration of the knowledge of those skilled in the art. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 10. Technical equipment, especially thermal storage devices 12. Regions through which the flow should pass, especially heat storage regions. 14 Inflow area 16 Flow biasing factors 18 Inflow direction 20 Flow direction 22 Inflow cross section 24 Transition Section 26 fins 28 Support structure X direction Y direction Z direction

Claims

1. Technical equipment (10), in particular an inlet region (14) for a heat storage device, wherein a flow deflection element (16) is arranged in the inlet region (14) to deflect a gaseous medium flowing through the inlet region (14) towards the region of the technical equipment through which the flow should pass. 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 inflow region (14) by the flow deflection element (16) in the direction of the region (12) through which the flow should pass.

2. The inflow region according to claim 1, characterized in that the flow deflection elements (16) are of a planar design and are arranged behind each other in the inflow direction (18).

3. The inflow region according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the flow deflection elements (16) are designed and arranged in such a manner that they form a fin-shaped structure.

4. An inflow region according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inflow cross-section (22) through which the medium passes when it flows into the inflow region (14) is smaller than the transition cross-section (24) through which the flow of the medium passes when it transitions from the inflow region (14) to the region (12) through which the flow should pass.

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

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

7. The inflow region according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flow deflection element (16) has a leading edge facing the flow of the medium in each case, and the leading edge of the flow deflection element (16) facing the flow of the medium is designed to be rounded.

8. The inflow region 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 region according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjustable configuration of the flow deflection elements (16) is carried out by the adjustability of a partial region in each case of each flow deflection element (16), including the leading edge of each flow deflection element (16) facing the flow of the medium.

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

11. The inflow region according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in adjacent fins (26) of the fin-shaped structure, the flow deflection elements (16) which are positioned behind each other in a direction perpendicular to the inflow direction (18) and to the flow direction (20) of the medium in the region (12) through which the flow is to pass are arranged to be offset from each other.

12. The inflow region 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 a further heat transfer medium.

13. An inflow region according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a granular and / or fluid material, particularly a heat storage material, through which a flow can pass, is contained in the region through which the flow is to pass, and the flow deflection element (16) exhibits a mechanical holding function with respect to the material.

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

15. A heat storage device (10) having an inflow region (14) as described in any one of the preceding claims, A heat storage device characterized in that the medium that flows through the inflow region (14) to the region (12) through which the flow is to pass is a heat transfer medium, and the region (12) through which the flow is to pass is a heat storage region in which a material through which the flow of the heat transfer medium can pass is contained in the form of a heat storage material.

Images