A modular system for thermal control of a vehicle component includes a modular thermal control unit configured to be removably installed in a vehicle, the modular thermal control unit including a housing, a heat exchange component, and a connection assembly configured to removably connect the heat exchange component in thermal communication with a thermal loop of the vehicle.

A thermal storage solution system is disclosed herein. The system includes an insulated container having a thermal storage medium, a heating element configured to heat the thermal storage medium, a heat receiving unit (e.g., thermophotovoltaic (TPV) heat engine, heat transfer fluid, an industrial process component) configured to convert heat into electric energy, and a mechanism configured to control a view factor between the thermal storage medium and the heat engine. In another embodiment, the system includes multiple thermal storage media as unit cells in a single enclosure or container with insulation between adjacent unit cells.

In an energy system in a community provided with a plurality of unit grids, each of which is an energy transfer network of a single-unit facility including a power load, the unit grids each include a photovoltaic generator, supply power generated by the photovoltaic generator thereof to the power load thereof, and, as an electric vehicle moves, form a cooperative grid that transfers power stored in a mobile storage battery mounted on the electric vehicle to and from another of the unit grids, and some of the unit grids whose geographical positional relationship is not fixed form a virtual grid for transferring power as a combination of the unit grids that form the cooperative grids changes in accordance with a destination of the electric vehicle.

A heating system including a heat pump; a thermal battery loop including a thermal battery and a pump configured to circulate a working fluid through the thermal battery; a fluid conductor for receiving the first fluid at an inlet at a first temperature and delivering the first fluid at a second temperature; a first heat exchanger configured to thermally couple the heat pump and the fluid conductor at a first location of the fluid conductor; a second heat exchanger configured to thermally couple the thermal battery loop and the heat pump; and a third heat exchanger configured to thermally couple the thermal battery and the fluid conductor at a second location of the fluid conductor, wherein the second location of the fluid conductor is a location downstream from the first location of the fluid conductor between the inlet and the outlet of the fluid conductor.

Solid-state thermoclines with internal baffle structures are in used in place of heat exchangers in a closed thermodynamic cycle power generation or energy storage system, such as a closed Brayton cycle system. The baffles limit the conductive and/or radiative transfer of heat between a solid thermal medium within different zones defined by the baffle structures.

A heat pump system and a cooling/heating system using same, the heat pump system being able to prevent the occurrence of a vortex in a process in which fluid flows into a heat storage tank, and to supply and maintain constant-temperature cooling and heating. The heat pump system according to the present invention includes: an indoor unit which functions as a condenser during heating and functions as an evaporator during cooling; an outdoor unit which functions as an evaporator during heating and functions as a condenser during cooling; a heating medium for heat exchange; and a heat storage tank in which the heating medium for cold/hot water is stored.

An enclosed storage tank for the simultaneous addition and removal, and storage, of two liquid layers of different density has a bottom wall, a cylindrical side wall, a roof, and a central column extending from the bottom wall to the roof. An upper perforated flexible tensile fabric diaphragm is disposed in the upper portion of the tank, and a low-density liquid conduit extends from outside the tank into communication with the upper portion of the tank above the upper diaphragm. A lower perforated flexible tensile fabric diaphragm is disposed in the lower part of the tank, and a high-density liquid conduit extends from outside the tank shell into communication with the lower portion of the tank below the lower liquid diaphragm. The diaphragms minimize internal mixing through thermoclines as liquid is introduced into and/or discharged from the tank, and reduce overall costs of tank installations and operations.

A phase change thermal management device includes a casing, a plurality of inner walls and a phase change material. The casing defines an internal space. The inner walls are arranged in the internal space and crossed one another to form a plurality of accommodation cells. Two adjacent accommodation cells are communicated with each other through at least one opening on one of the inner walls. The phase change material is provided in at least portions of the accommodation cells.

Solid-state thermoclines with internal baffle structures are in used in place of heat exchangers in a closed thermodynamic cycle power generation or energy storage system, such as a closed Brayton cycle system. The baffles limit the conductive and/or radiative transfer of heat between a solid thermal medium within different zones defined by the baffle structures.

The invention relates to a system for the storage and recovery of thermal energy, using, as its medium, at least one phase change material (solid-liquid) and a sensible heat solid material for storing/recovering the heat obtained from an external source in the form of phase change latent heat and sensible heat. The aforementioned materials are duly housed inside a single tank containing at least two zones which are differentiated by the range of temperatures to which they are subjected, each zone containing a different material. The most common configuration consists of three different zones located inside the tank, namely: a hot zone in the upper part of the tank, enclosing an encapsulated phase change material characterized by a high melting temperature; a cold zone housed in the lower part of the tank, containing a phase change material with a low melting temperature; and a middle zone containing a sensible heat solid material.