The present invention generally relates to solar water heaters, in particular to solar water heaters using glass vacuum tubes as both solar energy collector and thermal energy storage device, without a hot water storage tank. To improve the efficiency of thermal energy storage, a novel medium for thermal energy storage is disclosed, which utilizes the heat of solution of aluminum sulphate, comprising water and 40% to 47% of Al.sub.2(SO.sub.4).sub.3. The working temperature range of such energy storage medium is between 50 C. and 100 C. The energy storage medium is contained in plastic capsules, submerged in water and placed in glass vacuum tubes.

A thermal energy storage system, including an ice brick having at least one inlet and at least one outlet for a heat transfer fluid, and multiple capsules having a phase change medium therein, where the capsules are arranged inside the ice brick, where an average length of an actual flow path of the heat transfer fluid from a front end of the ice brick to a back end of the ice brick is larger than a length of the ice brick, and where the ice brick is shaped as a tube with a rectangular cross section having a ratio of the length of the ice brick to the width of the ice brick is in a range of 4 to 50 and/or a ratio of a width of the ice brick to the height of the ice brick is in a range of 0.5 to 4.

Systems, methods, and computer-implemented embodiments consistent with the inventions herein are directed to storing and/or transferring heat. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a system for transferring/storing heat comprised of a heat exchange/storage apparatus including a chamber, and a heat input device adapted to heat/provide a vapor into the chamber. Other exemplary implementations may include one or more features consistent with a heat output device through which a working medium/fluid passes, a thermal storage medium located within the chamber, and/or a heat exchange system that delivers a heat exchange medium/fluid to the thermal storage medium.

The present invention relates to an AACAES system and method in which a heat transfer fluid makes it possible to store heat. The heat transfer fluid, which comprises balls of heat storage material, circulates between two tanks: a hot tank and a cold tank, and passes through at least one heat exchanger.

Systems, methods, and computer-implemented embodiments consistent with the inventions herein are directed to storing and/or transferring heat. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a system for transferring/storing heat comprised of a heat exchange/storage apparatus including a chamber, and a heat input device adapted to heat/provide a vapor into the chamber. Other exemplary implementations may include one or more features consistent with a heat output device through which a working medium/fluid passes, a thermal storage medium located within the chamber, and/or a heat exchange system that delivers a heat exchange medium/fluid to the thermal storage medium.

An element for an easily scalable thermal energy storage, distinctive in that the element includes an outer shell being a combined casting form and reinforcement, a solid thermal storage medium in the form of hardened concrete, which concrete has been cast and hardened into said outer shell. A method for building and use of the element is also disclosed.

A method for producing a latent heat accumulator may include filling a can body with a phase-change material in the liquid or solid aggregate state, and closing the can body filled with said solid or liquid phase-change material by flanging such that fluid cannot pass through.

A phase change material container assembly for use in a thermal energy storage system. The container assembly includes a plurality of containers (plates, wedges . . . etc.) where the containers are generally flat and each approximating a segment of a ball or it may be a single device including features of a plurality of component containers as previously described. The components may be spherical segments, spherical wedges (ungula), hemispheres, spherical sectors, spherical caps or any combination. The plurality of containers are assembled to approximate a sphere's external perimeter. The plurality of containers are spaced apart to allow water, or other fluids, to flow between the plurality of containers.

An evaporative cooling system includes an indirect cooling coil containing a cooling fluid to be circulated and a blower assembly configured to generate an inlet air stream through the indirect cooling coil. The cooling fluid in the indirect cooling coil is a slurry of water and phase change material.

In accordance with the purpose(s) of the present disclosure, as embodied and broadly described herein, the disclosure, in one aspect, relates to energy storage articles. In one aspect, the energy storage articles are composed of a mixed metal oxide, wherein the mixed metal oxide (i) is reduced when heated to produce a reduced solid state while liberating oxygen and (ii) when in the reduced state, the mixed metal oxide is oxidized by exposing it to an oxygenated gas, and the mixed metal oxide is electrically conductive. The energy storage articles can be manufactured in a variety of different configurations to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the energy storage article.