Platy Chemical Heat Storage on Metal Net to Prevent Cracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing chemical heat storage technologies face issues with durability and deformation due to volume changes during reactions, leading to cracking and reduced performance over time.

Innovation Solution

A plate-shaped chemical heat storage system utilizing a metal net substrate with a chemical heat storage material composition, which includes additives like heat conductive fillers and reinforcing fibers, supports the material on the substrate's outer surface and mesh, enhancing thermal conductivity and anchoring effects to maintain shape and efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If a chemical heat storage material is molded into a plate shape, then the heat storage amount per unit mass is high, but the material undergoes volume change during reaction causing deformation and cracking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat storage amount per unit massVSAvoiddurability against cracking and deformation
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies a flexible coating film on the plate-shaped chemical heat storage material. This film accommodates the volume changes during chemical reactions (dehydration/hydration) without restricting the material's expansion or contraction, thereby preventing cracking while maintaining the high heat storage density of the plate structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite structure by combining the chemical heat storage material (such as calcium hydroxide or magnesium hydroxide) with a flexible coating material. This composite approach allows the rigid heat storage material to benefit from the flexibility of the coating layer, solving the contradiction between maintaining plate shape for high density and accommodating volume changes during reaction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If the chemical heat storage material is constrained to maintain shape, then durability is improved, but thermal response speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshape retention and durabilityVSAvoidthermal response speed
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible coating film provides a solution that simultaneously addresses both requirements: it maintains the overall plate shape and prevents cracking (improving durability), while its flexibility allows for rapid thermal response by not constraining the material's natural expansion and contraction during heat storage and release cycles.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Shape

If a rigid structure is used to prevent deformation, then shape stability is improved, but the material cannot accommodate volume changes during reaction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshape stabilityVSAvoidability to accommodate volume change
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible coating film acts as an intermediate layer that maintains the plate's external shape stability while internally accommodating the volume changes of the chemical heat storage material during dehydration and hydration reactions. The film's flexibility allows it to deform slightly with the material without compromising overall structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The composite structure combines a rigid plate-shaped heat storage material with a flexible coating material, creating a system where the rigid core provides shape stability and the flexible coating provides volumetric adaptability during chemical reactions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

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

The plate-shaped design provides excellent shape retention, high thermal response, and efficient heat storage per unit weight, with the substrate absorbing volume changes to prevent cracking and maintain performance over multiple cycles.

Implementation Method 1

a gaseous working medium such as water reacts with the chemical heat storage material, and the heat absorption or heat generation at that time is utilized

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectChemical reaction: Chemical Bonding

Implementation Method 2

the heat absorption or heat generation at that time is utilized

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat absorption: Endothermic Reaction

Implementation Method 3

the heat absorption or heat generation at that time is utilized

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat generation: Exothermic Reaction

Implementation Method 4

the substrate composed of the net absorbs the volume change and prevents cracking and pulverization

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVolume change absorption: Deformation

Implementation Method 5

a chemical heat storage material composition, which includes additives like heat conductive fillers and reinforcing fibers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP3901234B1Platy chemical heat-storage object
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 MITSUBISHI HEAVY IND LTD
  • EP3901234B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3901234B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3901234B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

A platy chemical heat-storage object which comprises a substrate constituted of a metallic net and a heat-storage material composition fixed to the substrate, wherein the heat-storage material composition includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of the hydroxide or oxide of magnesium, the hydroxide or oxide of strontium, the hydroxide or oxide of barium, the hydroxide or oxide of calcium, and calcium sulfate and further, according to need, includes at least one substance selected from the group consisting of titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, alumina silicate fibers, E-glass fibers, and cellulose.