Latent heat storage and method for temperature control of an internal combustion engine

Abstract

A latent heat storage for an internal combustion engine is described having a crystallizable storage medium for storing heat while utilizing the enthalpy of a melting procedure. The storage medium has a state of supercooled molten mass at ambient temperature. Furthermore, the latent heat storage includes a crystallization nucleus provider for providing a crystallization nucleus in the storage medium, in order to trigger a crystallization of the storage medium to release stored heat in the state of supercooled molten mass. Additionally, an internal combustion engine is provided having such a latent heat storage and a method for temperature control of an internal combustion engine. In a first step of the method, a crystallized storage medium is melted in order to store heat while utilizing the enthalpy of the melting procedure. The storage medium then cools down at most to the ambient temperature and forms a supercooled molten mass in the process. A crystallization nucleus in the storage medium is provided in order to trigger a crystallization of the storage medium to release stored heat in a defined way.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A latent heat storage for an internal combustion engine, comprising:
 a crystallizable storage medium, to store heat while utilizing enthalpy of a melting procedure, which may have a state of supercooled molten mass at ambient temperature; and   a crystallization nucleus provider to provide a crystallization nucleus in the storage medium to trigger a crystallization of the storage medium to release stored heat in a state of supercooled molten mass.   
     
     
         13 . The latent heat storage as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the crystallization nucleus provider has a separating device to preserve, thermally separated from the storage medium, the crystallization nucleus below a melting point. 
     
     
         14 . The latent heat storage as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the crystallization nucleus provider is designed to apply a thermodynamic potential variable to the storage medium in order to create the crystallization nucleus in the storage medium. 
     
     
         15 . The latent heat storage as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the crystallization nucleus provider has a cooling device for local cooling of the storage medium to a crystallization nucleus formation temperature below an ambient temperature. 
     
     
         16 . An internal combustion engine having a latent heat storage, the latent heat storage including:
 a crystallizable storage medium to store heat while utilizing enthalpy of a melting procedure, which may have a state of supercooled molten mass at ambient temperature; and   a crystallization nucleus provider to provide a crystallization nucleus in the storage medium to trigger a crystallization of the storage medium to release stored heat in a state of supercooled molten mass;   wherein the storage medium is situated in an area of an oil sump of the internal combustion engine at least partially on or below a resting oil level of the oil sump when the internal combustion engine is resting.   
     
     
         17 . The internal combustion engine as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the storage medium is situated at least partially above an operating oil level of the oil sump when the internal combustion engine is in operation. 
     
     
         18 . The internal combustion engine as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the storage medium has a surface, which is inclined and over which oil, returning into the oil sump, flows when the internal combustion engine is in operation. 
     
     
         19 . A method for temperature control of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
 melting a crystallized storage medium, which has a melting point above an ambient temperature to store heat while utilizing enthalpy of the melting procedure;   cooling the storage medium down to at most an ambient temperature; and   providing a crystallization nucleus in the storage medium to trigger a crystallization of the storage medium to release stored heat.   
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 19 , further comprising:
 separating the crystallization nucleus from the remaining storage medium before the storage medium reaches the melting point.   
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the providing includes applying a thermodynamic potential variable including one of a temperature or a static pressure to the storage medium to create the crystallization nucleus in the storage medium. 
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the thermodynamic potential variable is applied to the storage medium over an application period of time of 1 second to 60 seconds before or during a start of the internal combustion engine.