Energy Storage Systems

Abstract

There is herein described energy storage systems. More particularly, there is herein described thermal energy storage systems and use of energy storable material such as phase change material in the provision of heating and/or cooling systems in, for example, domestic dwellings.

Claims

1.-67. (canceled)

68. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus for heat transfer between a phase change material bank and a heat transfer fluid comprising: an insulated enclosure containing alternating layers of phase change material or phase change material composite or phase change material/composite in a matrix or honeycomb of fins made of for example but not limited to metal or graphite or conductive plastic; and formed or shaped heat exchangers made of a material for example but not limited to copper, aluminium or steel, plastic or metalized film; wherein the said material is shaped or formed by for example but not limited to applying a thin film over or vapour deposition onto a form or directly to a layer of solid phase change material/composite, or pressing, stamping or moulding said material; wherein the formed heat exchangers are formed to provide a network or networks of discrete branching or non-branching, independent or connected, crossing or non-crossing channels to carry one or more independent heat transfer fluids.

69. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 68, wherein at least one layer of heat exchanger comprises two formed heat exchangers attached back-to-back with a flat plate interposed creating separate channels on either side of the flat plate.

70. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 68, wherein different heat exchanging layers or channels of the apparatus supplies different services.

71. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 68, wherein the formed heat exchangers are applied to a phase change material or phase change material composite layer that has been pre-formed with the same pattern of channels.

72. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 68, wherein the phase change material layer reduces in thickness in the direction of flow of at least one heat transfer fluid in order to provide, when discharging, simultaneous or near-simultaneous heat depletion of all phase change material in contact with a given series of heat exchanger channels.

73. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 68, wherein the network or networks of channels form patterns on several scales, for example but not limited to: long wavelength sinusoidal displacement in one, two or three dimensions; and/or deep narrow groove indentations in the phase change material or phase change material composite layer running broadly parallel to the flow direction; and/or small scale patterns, for example, but not limited to: ridges, bumps, fins or grooves in spiral, linear, herring-bone, crossed, pseudo-random or aperiodic patterns.

74. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 68, wherein at least one phase change composite layer is constructed by forming the said layer's shape from a selected density of expanded natural graphite; wherein said forming step comprises for example but not limited to machining a pre-formed slab of expanded natural graphite of the said density, or preforming expanded natural graphite during its manufacture to the correct shape and density using a shaped press, or compressing low-density expanded natural graphite in-situ during the construction of the heat exchanger; and wherein phase change material is infiltrated into gaps within the expanded natural graphite before, during or after construction.

75. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 68, wherein magneto-calorific material is integrated into the heat exchanger either by: at least one phase change composite layer comprises phase change material mixed with a thermal conductivity enhancer and a magneto-calorific material; and/or magneto-calorific material attached to at least one heat exchanger; wherein heat is pumped to/from each bank by controlling the movement of magnets or application of magnetic fields.

76. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 68, wherein the heat exchange comprises one or more void spaces positioned at one or several sides of the layered structure or set of tubes and equipped with holes, slots or other arrangements to allow heat transfer fluid to flow between the void and the channels and tubes of the heat exchanger apparatus.

77. A heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 68, wherein the channels in the heat exchanger are configured in a biomimetic network; wherein external tubes of a given diameter extend directly to one or more main arterial channels of the same diameter; and each arterial channel tapers in size as it passes deeper into the PCM composite; wherein ⋅ each arterial channel splits in a sequence of branching steps to the smallest diameter; wherein the smallest diameter channels progressively join together to form larger and larger channels finally forming one or more large vein channels exiting the PCM or PCM composite to a pipe connector.

78.-82. (canceled)

83. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 68, comprising: a PCM-HTF heat exchanger encircles an air-HTF fin-tube heat exchanger in front of or behind which is mounted a fan; wherein at least one Tubes form continuous paths passing alternately through the PCM-filled and air-filled regions of the heat exchanger.

84. (canceled)

85. A combined thermal energy store and thermal energy collector/radiator apparatus as in claim 68, wherein the thermal store controls the flow rate and circulation path of the heat transfer fluid from a heat source, for example but not limited to solar thermal panels; by measuring the external energy input to the heat source, including but not limited to solar irradiance falling on the heat source, or measuring the temperature of the heat source; and directing the heat transfer fluid at the controlled rate to a chosen PCM bank or banks.

86. A thermal energy store apparatus as in claim 85, wherein the irradiance is indirectly measured through measurement of the heat transfer fluid at the exit point of the heat source and the heat transfer fluid flow rate.

87. A thermal energy store apparatus as in claim 85, wherein the flow rate and/or circulation path of the heat transfer fluid are chosen to return the heat transfer fluid to the heat source at a temperature selected to enhance thermodynamic efficiency of the heat source.

88. A thermal energy store apparatus as in claim 87, wherein the heat source, comprising thermally isolated segments; wherein the heat transfer fluid passes sequentially through segments of the heat source; wherein the heat imparted by the heat transfer fluid to each segment sequentially increases through thermally isolated segments.

89. A thermal energy store apparatus as in claim 85, wherein the heat source is a solar thermal energy source.

90. A PCM-HTF heat exchange apparatus as in claim 68, wherein the distribution of phase change material or phase change material composite around a tube or equivalent is not held constant: wherein the distribution is designed to ensure that all along the tube, when discharging, the time when the specific heat of the PCM is depleted is broadly the same along a portion of or the majority of the tube; Wherein the PCM-HTF exchanger geometry is such that the amount of PCM associated with each section along the tube is scaled by the power related to that section.

91. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 90, wherein the distribution of phase change material to a given tube or equivalent tapers, associating a larger amount of PCM with a tube or equivalent near the entrance of the heat transfer fluid to a smaller amount towards the end of the tube's or equivalent's path through the PCM.

92. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 90, wherein the distribution of phase change material or phase change material composite is also dependent on: Distance that the heat must travel through the PCM, PCM composite or fin in the system; and/or The specific heat of any fins, the thermal conductivity enhancer or PCM and latent heat of elements of the system.

93. A PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus as in claim 89, wherein the PCM-HTF heat exchanger apparatus comprises one or more channels formed of: Tubes or equivalent presenting, in cross-section, a spiral arrangement spiralling out from a central tube, with each alternate tube running in the opposite direction to the preceding tube, with spacing between tubes on the spiral increasing along the spiral path in a logarithmic way, and heat transfer fluid starting from the outermost tube and ending at the central tube; and/or Several rows of tubes, with decreasing vertical spacing between successive rows in the direction of heat transfer fluid flow, with each successive row containing more tubes spaced closer together; wherein every alternate tube runs in opposite directions; and/or Thick layers of PCM or PCM composite with widely spaced channels for HTF moving to thin layers of PCM or PCM composite with closely spaced channels in the direction of heat transfer fluid flow; and/or a water tank filled with metal or plastic spheres encapsulating PCM arranged in layers with larger spheres at the bottom of the tank and progressively reducing size in successive layers up the tank in which water flows in at the bottom and out at the top.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0538] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0539] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an energy storage system according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0540] FIG. 2 is schematic representation of an energy storage system according to a further embodiment of the present invention comprising a nested multi-bank phase change material heat store;

[0541] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of an energy storage system according to a further embodiment of the present invention of a nested multi-bank phase change material heat store used for underfloor heating as well as water heating;

[0542] FIG. 4 relates to a single heat pump directly connected between two PCM stores, one intended to store and provide warmth for heating and hot water and one intended to store and provide coolth for cooling according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

[0543] FIG. 5 is a reconfigured store which has two centres (one cold, one hot) and an outermost bank at or close to room temperature according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

[0544] FIG. 6 relates to a single time-shared heat pump with many-to-many (i.e. multiple) connectivity according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

[0545] FIG. 7 relates to a heat pump performing dual duty and two heat transfer buses according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

[0546] FIG. 8 relates to pulling heat from an environmental source using a heat pump and lower capacity heat pumps interposed between each bank according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

[0547] FIG. 9 relates to multi bank PCM heat & cool store for domestic heating, hot water and air conditioning from environmental heat sources using a shared heat pump according to a further embodiment of the present invention;

[0548] FIGS. 10 and 11 relate to a radiator-based central heating system according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

[0549] FIG. 12 is a representation of an integrated solar collector combining a solar thermal panel with a store of heat integrated into the panel according to the present invention;

[0550] FIG. 13 is a representation of where in sequence along each heat pipe there are several banks of PCM, each with different melting point temperatures;

[0551] FIG. 14 is a representation of where the temperature in a heat pipe is lower than the bank temperature, a decision could be made to expend electrical energy in the TED so that heat could be pumped into the bank and the TED can also be left in a condition where essentially no heat flows;

[0552] FIG. 15 is a representation of a specific embodiment of a radiator and a ceiling panel comprising two insulated banks of PCM (one melting at 18° C. and one at 24° C.), with suitable internal fins or conductivity enhancing material to allow heat to flow to/from a flat heat pipe; the flat heat pipe being arranged so that at another point it forms the bottom surface of the ceiling tile, bringing it into radiative contact with a room;

[0553] FIG. 16 is a representation of a specific embodiment having a single insulated bank of PCM (e.g. 24° C.), plus a thermoelectric device (“TED”) connecting that bank to a heat spreader (perhaps a planar heat pipe);

[0554] FIG. 17 is a representation of a further embodiment where heat pumps (for example TEDs) can be interposed between some or all of the banks of PCM, or between the heat exchangers in the exhaust air duct and their associated PCM banks, or between each PCM bank and the related inflow duct heat exchanger;

[0555] FIG. 18 is a representation of a further embodiment wherein in small volume or prototype production a pressed plate can be formed using a CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) stamping machine deploying a hemispherical and a cylindrical stamping tool;

[0556] FIG. 19 is a representation of a further embodiment where different patterns of HTF are shown;

[0557] FIG. 20 is a representation of a further embodiment of an HTF arrangement;

[0558] FIG. 21 is a representation of a further embodiment where multiple manifolds serve multiple HTFs through different channel sets, a suitable geometry and sealing is adopted to ensure no mixing of fluids and from each void a further hole (or holes), of suitable diameter to satisfy the aggregate design flow rate through all channels, leads to/from external pipe connectors supplying/removing the HTF to elsewhere in the Thermal Store;

[0559] FIG. 22 is a representation of a further embodiment which represents another method of constructing a manifold;

[0560] FIG. 23 is a representation of a further embodiment where only channel structure is shown and PCM/composite omitted for clarity in flow channels;

[0561] FIG. 24 is a representation of a further embodiment of an energy system according to the present invention;

[0562] FIG. 25 is a representation of a further energy system according to the present invention;

[0563] FIG. 26 is a representation of a further energy system according to the present invention where there is only one heat exchange circuit per tank multiplexed between loading heat from a heat pump;

[0564] FIG. 27 is a representation of where HTF can be directed to the highest melting temperature bank colder than the HTF, and subsequently directed through a sequence of ever lower temperature banks, before being pumped back to the waste water heat recovery unit;

[0565] FIG. 28 is a representation of where some or all of the tubes or heat pipes pass through fins with PCM or PCM composite between the fins, or pass through PCM composite without fins (“fin-tube-like embodiments”), the along-tube direction can be divided into several segments containing different PCMs with different melting temperatures;

[0566] FIG. 29 is a representation showing heat pumping becoming an integrated element of the PCM-HTF heat exchanger bank structure;

[0567] FIG. 30 is a representation of bank or banks of a Thermal Store being used to pre-cool mains water arriving into a building;

[0568] FIG. 31 is a representation of where a source of heat to a Thermal Store is an air source using a fan coil and a bank or banks of the Thermal Store may be directly integrated into the air source;

[0569] FIG. 32 is a representation of stacking several layers of the above embodiments behind each other (with reducing PCM temperature in each bank in sequence along the air flow direction) where more heat can be extracted from the air;

[0570] FIG. 33 is a representation of return temperature of solar HTF from a Thermal Store to a solar thermal panel which can be controlled to enhance the thermodynamic efficiency of the solar thermal panel;

[0571] FIG. 34 is a representation of where a solar panel is broken into a number of thermally isolated segments;

[0572] FIG. 35 is a representation of a further energy system according to the present invention; and

[0573] FIG. 36 is a representation of a yet further energy system according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0574] FIG. 1 is a representation of an energy storage system according to the present invention generally designated 100. The heating/cooling system comprises a series and/or a collection of banks 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, 102e, 102f, 102g and 102h which are used to collect and store thermal energy from, for example, a solar thermal panel (not shown) and, for example, later deliver thermal energy to heat up cool water. Although FIG. 1 shows eight banks, the invention is intended to cover any suitable number of banks. Each of the banks 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, 102e, 102f, 102g, 102h contains a different phase change material which therefore has a different melting point to store heat. As shown in FIG. 1, there is insulation 104 around the banks 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, 102e, 102f, 102g, 102h. Bank 102a is at temperature of about 15° C. by virtue of containing a suitable phase change material with a phase transition temperature of 15° C. Similarly, bank 102b is at temperature of about 20° C., bank 102c is at temperature of about 25° C., bank 102d is at temperature of about 30° C., bank 102e is at temperature of about 35° C., bank 102f is at temperature of about 40° C., bank 102g is at temperature of about 45° C., bank 102h is at temperature of about 50° C. Although FIG. 1 shows specific temperatures, the present invention is intended to cover any selection, of temperatures. As shown in FIG. 1 each of the banks in the energy storage system 100 contain heat exchangers 109a, 109b, 109c, 109d, 109e, 109f, 109g, 109h. Cold water is inserted from an inlet 106 into heat exchanger 109a and passes through heat exchangers 109b, 109c, 109d, 109e, 109f, 109g and 109h. Heated water may exit outlet 108 at about 45° C. Heat from, for example, a solar thermal panel (not shown) and/or from the environment or other heat sources may be fed in from any of feed points 110 using heat exchange means (not shown).

[0575] In FIG. 1, the heat storage medium in each of banks 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, 102e, 102f, 102g, 102h could be water (or some other heat storage medium), but preferably the heat storage medium is a suitable phase change material (PCM) A PCM is used for several reasons:

The energy density of the PCM heat store (kWh stored per litre) will be much higher than for water;
Large amounts of energy can be stored (melting) or extracted (freezing the PCM) within very narrow temperature bounds around the melting point—thus each bank can genuinely represent a specific temperature in a heating ladder;
There is no reason to stick to cylindrical shapes typical for water tanks: the store can be a cuboid or any shape convenient to the application which means further density advantages.

[0576] As long as over the whole storage cycle the different banks of the multi-bank PCM heat store are kept in equilibrium (i.e. as much heat is added to any given bank as is extracted from the same bank via water heating and incidental losses) it can at any given moment accept heat from any environmental heat source at any temperature from over 15° C. to over 50° C. (for the example in FIG. 1) and route it to the appropriate bank. For example when a solar panel is just warming up in the morning and it reaches 20° C., it can already start to load heat into the 15° C. bank of PCM material. At midday in bright sunlight when the solar panel's stagnation temperature could be over 100° C. the control system of the thermal store can choose an appropriate heat transfer fluid flow rate and bank into which to load heat, for instance:

[0577] A low flow rate to take heat from the solar panel at 60° C. to load into the 50° C. bank; or

[0578] A higher flow rate to take heat at 40° C. to load into the 35° C. bank.

[0579] It should be noted also that heat transfer fluid that started at the solar panel at say 60° C. is, after it exits the heat exchanger in the 50° C. bank, still at or above 50° C. This can be routed now to load heat to the 45° C. bank, and so on down to the coolest bank. Thus heat transfer fluid can be made to return to the solar panel at around 15° C. in this example to be warmed again. So almost all the useful heat collected by the solar panel can be extracted and stored. Also the solar thermal panel itself will perform more efficiently, with lower thermal losses, by virtue of the low temperature of heat transfer fluid entering it.

[0580] A further preferred embodiment is to nest the banks of PCM inside each other like Russian dolls. Such an energy storage system 200 is shown in FIG. 2 which has nested banks 202a, 202b, 202c, 202d, 202e, 202f, 202g, 202h. Bank 202a is at temperature of about 15° C., bank 202b is at temperature of about 20° C., bank 202c is at temperature of about 25° C., bank 202d is at temperature of about 30° C., bank 202e is at temperature of about 35° C., bank 202f is at temperature of about 40° C., bank 202g is at temperature of about 45° C., bank 202h is at temperature of about 50° C. (For clarity purposes insulation has been omitted from FIG. 2).

[0581] The innermost bank 202h would be the hottest, with the outermost bank 202a the coolest. Of course there would still be maintained some insulation between each layer. In this case the loss of heat from each bank would be proportional to the much smaller ΔT between each bank and its outer neighbour.

TABLE-US-00001 Bank (° C.) ΔT (° C.) Derived by (° C.) 55 5 55-50 50 5 50-45 45 5 45-40 40 5 40-35 35 5 35-30 30 5 30-25 25 5 25-20 20 5 20-15 15 −5 15-20

[0582] By contrast, the embodiment of FIG. 1 separately insulates each bank from the local environment. If the insulation is of identical type and thickness around each bank then the higher temperature banks will lose more heat to their surroundings than the lower temperature ones, because heat loss is proportional to the ΔT between the bank and its surroundings.

[0583] For a multi-bank PCM store inside a house, with surrounding temperature 20° C.:

TABLE-US-00002 Bank (° C.) ΔT (° C.) Derived by (° C.) 55 35 55-20 50 30 50-20 45 25 45-20 40 20 40-20 35 15 35-20 30 10 30-20 25 5 25-20 20 0 20-20 15 −5 15-20

[0584] The embodiment of FIG. 1, or a regular hot water tank, over time loses energy to the local environment. The nested multi-bank PCM heat store of FIG. 2 can, by suitable choice of outermost bank temperature to be equal to or lower than the local environment temperature, be made virtually neutral. For example in FIG. 2, if the local environment is at 20° C., the thermal store's outermost 15° C. layer will slowly absorb heat from the local environment.

[0585] This means energy storage system 200 will store the heat put into it much better than energy storage system 100 (although over time the grade of heat it holds will reduce as heat flows from the high temperature core out to lower temperature banks around it). It will also be cool to the touch making it possible to integrate it into places one would not want to put a hot water tank.

[0586] It should be noted that everything described so far can also apply in inverse for cold applications, with a coldest layer as the innermost bank, well below environmental temperature, and increasingly warm layers surrounding it, with the outermost layer the warmest at close to environmental temperature.

[0587] We now refer to FIG. 3 which relates to an energy storage system 300. There are banks 302a, 302b, 302c, 302d, 302e, 302f. Bank 302c is preferably the largest bank as this is connected to an underfloor heating system 310 which has insulation 312 around its pipes where they pass through other banks 302a and 302b in the energy storage system 300. The energy storages system 300 contains an inlet 304 for mains cold water and heat exchangers 306 in each of the banks 302a, 302b, 302c, 302d, 302e, 302f. There is also an outlet 308 for hot water which also benefits from insulation 312 when it passes through banks 302e, 302d, 302c, 302b and 302a.

[0588] We now refer to FIG. 4 which is a further energy storage system 400 according to the present invention. There is a multi-bank phase change material (MBPCM) heat store generally designated 410. There are a series of banks 402a, 402b, 402c, 402d, 402e, 402f connected with heat exchangers 404. There is also a cold water inlet 406 and a hot water outlet 408. The energy storage system 400 also has a heating loop 410 and a heating/cooling loop 412. There is also a multi-bank phase change material (MBPCM) cold store generally designated 420 which contains banks 422a, 422b, 422c, 422d. A heat pump 424 may be used to extract heat from selected banks (any of 422a, 422b, 422c, 422d) of cold store 420 and load it at higher temperatures into selected banks (any of 402a, 402b, 402c, 402d, 402e, 402f) of heat store 410 (for clarity purposes the heat exchangers to and from heat pump 424 have been omitted). Exiting from the cold store 420 there is a cooling loop 426 which is connected to a fan coil 428 which may blow cold air and/or may be connected at times when no heating is required to underfloor loop 412 to deliver comfort cooling.

[0589] To generate cool for air-conditioning, heat can be removed from a bank of the PCM cool store using a heat pump and concentrated to a suitable higher temperature. This higher temperature heat could be released to the environment; however an alternative is to add it to a bank of a PCM heat store that needs additional heat.

[0590] The highlighted path in FIG. 4 shows heat being removed from 10° C. bank 422b of cool store 420 via heat pump 424 and entering heat store 35° C. bank 402c. The benefit is high since this single use of a heat pump is both adding heat to the heat store 410 for later use (e.g. for hot water, space heating) and simultaneously (and with the same energy to drive the heat pump) removing heat from the cool store 420, thereby adding cool to it for later use (e.g. for air conditioning).

[0591] It is not clear that there really need to be two distinct stores (one for heat and one for cold) as the ranges of useful temperature overlap. FIG. 5 therefore shows a further energy storage system 500 with a cold store 510 and heat store 512 joined together, having two centres, one hot and one cold and an outermost bank at or close to room temperature (assuming it will be housed inside a building's thermal envelope).

[0592] In FIG. 6, a similar shared heat and cold store 600 is shown which has a single time-shared heat pump with many-to-many connectivity, connected on its input side to all except the hottest bank (the connection is multiplexed, i.e. a choice can be made of which cold source to draw upon) and on its output side connected by a multiplexed connection to all except the coldest bank.

[0593] Most practical implementations of Multi-Bank PCM Heat/Cool Stores will need to re-balance the amount of heat stored between banks. Sometimes this will be possible purely by controlling the flow of heat from environmental sources to each bank; however it is likely that this will not always be possible.

[0594] Furthermore, often some banks of PCM are required, for example for air conditioning, at below ambient temperature or below room temperature. A conveniently cold ambient source may not be available.

[0595] A multi-bank PCM heat store could be configured with one or more heat pumps. These could be connected by heat exchangers, valves, etc in such a way that the heat pump(s) can pump heat from any bank to any warmer bank.

[0596] Many practical implementations of heating and cooling systems using multi-bank phase change heat stores will likely include one or more heat pumps to provide a guaranteed way to lift heat from cooler to warmer.

[0597] A heat pump can be time multiplexed to perform dual duty both as a bank to bank heat pump and also as an external heat pump as in practice, there will be occasions when it makes sense to transfer heat directly from colder to hotter banks of a thermal store, and others when it makes sense to remove heat to or extract heat from the surrounding environment. With suitable configuration of pipes and valves it is possible to allow for all these possibilities. In that case control algorithms can add this direct transfer to their repertoire and optimise for this as well, thus dynamically choosing it when appropriate. This is shown in FIG. 7 where energy storage system 700 has a heat pump 706 performing this dual duty. There is an environmental heat source 708. (For clarity purposes the insulation and some of the valves have been omitted).

[0598] Instead of time-sharing or multiplexing a heat pump, an alternative is to interpose a lower capacity heat pump between each bank. This is illustrated in the energy storage system 800 shown in FIG. 8 which has a series of banks 802a, 802b, 802c, 802d, 802e, 802f, 802g, 802h, 802i, 802j between which are interposed heat pumps 804. (For clarity pipework, heat exchangers connecting heat pumps 804 to the banks and insulation are omitted). There is also an external heat pump 806 allowing heat to be drawn from an environmental source.

[0599] An application of a heat & cool store for domestic heating, hot water and air conditioning from environmental heat sources using a shared heat pump is shown in FIG. 9. An energy storage system 900 comprises a series of banks where heated water or other heat transfer fluids may be used for a variety of purposes. Inlet 902 is used as a heating return; outlet 904 is used for underfloor heating; outlet 906 is used for fan-coil radiator flow; outlet 908 is used for radiator flow; inlet 912 is used for cold mains; outlet 910 is used for hot water; inlet 916 is used for air conditioning return and outlet 914 is used for air conditioning flow. Inlet 918 is an environmental heat source. Heat pump 920 may be used as a heat pump or by-passed if the environmental or solar heated water from a solar panel 922 is at a sufficiently high temperature. (The insulation has been omitted for clarity and multiplexing valves omitted for clarity. On the left-hand side of FIG. 9 flows are only shown and returns are omitted for clarity. Furthermore, pathways for cooling via night-time radiation from solar panel are omitted for clarity).

[0600] Consider the case where environmental heat is loaded into an MBCPM Heat/Cool Store by using an External Heat Pump to raise the temperature at which heat is transferred from the environmental source to the Heat Store to above the temperature of the coldest bank of the Heat Store

[0601] Instead of using a heat pump to directly move heat from a lower temperature environmental source, a thermal store could instead be configured with one or more additional (colder) banks of PCM that have temperatures lower than the environmental source. The heat from the environmental source can flow into these colder banks without initial heat pumping.

[0602] Heat pumps interposed between each bank of the thermal store can be used to pump the heat so acquired to hotter banks; thereby making the heat useful and keeping the colder banks at a low enough temperature that they can continue to capture environmental heat thus eliminating the need for any external heat pumps.

[0603] We can consider the example of an MBCPM system used to drive a radiator-based central heating system, where the primary heat source is a ground loop recovering low grade heat from the earth at 5° C.

[0604] We refer to FIGS. 10 and 11 which represent energy storage systems 1000, 1100, respectively.

[0605] In one case as shown in FIG. 10, there is an external heat pump 1004 that raises the heat of the ground water 1020 to 35° C.-50° C.+ in order that it can be loaded into the PCM banks 1002a, 1002b, 1002c, 1002d at 35, 40, 45, 50° C., respectively. The heated water is fed to radiator 1006. In FIG. 11, there are PCM banks 1102a, 1102b, 1102c, 1102d which have heat pumps 1104 interposed between each bank. The heated water is fed to radiator 1106.

[0606] Bank 1102a, specially configured with PCM with melting point 0° C., is introduced. Heat is captured from ground water 1120 by passing this 5° C. fluid through heat exchange with the 0° C. bank 1102a. Later or simultaneously, this heat is pumped to the warmer banks using heat pumps 1104.

[0607] It will be clear to those of skill in the art, that the above described embodiment of the present invention is merely exemplary and that various modifications and improvements thereto may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, any suitable type of phase change material may be used which can be used to store energy.