Cast Thermal Storage Unit for High-Pressure Fluid Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thermal storage units (TSUs) face challenges in efficiently containing and delivering heated compressed air while being cost-effective and flexible, as they often require expensive machining and assembly, and struggle with pressure containment and design flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A TSU constructed using a casting process, where a conduit is enveloped with thermal storage material, allowing for a cohesive and integrated design that maximizes heat storage and pressure containment, and reduces manufacturing costs by using inexpensive materials like ductile iron, enabling independent selection of conduit and cast material compositions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If tube flow through elongated cavities embedded in a solid medium is used, then pressure containment is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to costly drilling operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical drilling process with a chemical etching process. Instead of mechanically drilling holes through the solid medium, chemical etchants are used to create the flow passages. This substitution eliminates the high cost and complexity associated with precision drilling operations while maintaining the pressure containment benefits of the solid medium structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameter from mechanical removal (drilling) to chemical removal (etching). This parameter change allows for more cost-effective production of complex flow passage geometries within the solid medium, reducing manufacturing costs while preserving the structural integrity and pressure containment capabilities.
2Adaptability or versatility
If parallel plates are used to create channels, then design flexibility is improved, but pressure containment deteriorates due to leakage flow between plates and housing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the flow channel structure with the solid medium by embedding the channels directly within the solid medium matrix. This integration eliminates the separate plates and housing structure, thereby eliminating leakage paths between components while maintaining the design flexibility of channel configuration through the solid medium's internal geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical assembly of multiple plates and housing components with a monolithic solid medium structure. This substitution eliminates the interfaces between components where leakage occurs, providing superior pressure containment while retaining design flexibility through the ability to create complex internal channel geometries.
3Stress or pressure
If multiple small-diameter holes are drilled throughout a solid medium, then pressure containment is improved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the manufacturing approach from mechanical drilling to chemical etching. This parameter change enables the creation of numerous flow passages at lower cost, as chemical etching is more economical than precision drilling when multiple passages are required, while still maintaining the pressure containment benefits of the solid medium structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent substitutes the mechanical drilling system with a chemical etching system. This replacement reduces manufacturing costs significantly for producing multiple flow passages through the solid medium, as chemical etching requires less equipment investment, lower operational costs, and can create complex geometries more efficiently than mechanical drilling.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides enhanced design flexibility, efficient heat transfer, and cost-effective pressure containment, enabling TSUs to achieve previously unattainable mass flow and thermal transfer properties, suitable for high-pressure applications like TACAS systems without the need for fuel combustion.
Implementation Method 1
This invention relates to thermal storage units (TSUs) that provide sensible heat thermal energy storage and delivery
Implementation Method 2
a solid thermal conducting mass having a fluid conducting passageway
Data Source
AI summary
A thermal storage unit having at least one conduit around which a cast is made is provided. The thermal storage unit uses conventional piping or tubing to create conduits that economically maximize the surface area of flow in contact with the thermal mass by proving multiple passes for the fluid through the cast. This enables the thermal storage unit to economically provide heat storage as well as effective heat delivery and pressure containment for a fluid flowing through the conduit.