Thermal energy storage

Abstract

The invention is directed at articles and devices for thermal energy storage, and for process of storing energy using these articles and devices. The articles comprise a capsular structure 10 having one or more sealed spaces 14, wherein the sealed spaces encapsulate one or more thermal energy storage materials 26: wherein the capsular structure has one or more fluid passages 16 which are sufficiently large to allow a heat transfer fluid to flow through the one or more fluid passages; and when a heat transfer fluid contacts the capsular structure 10 the thermal energy storage material 26 is Isolated from the heal transfer fluid. The devices include two or more articles arranged so that a fluid, such as a heat transfer fluid, may flow through the fluid passage 16 of an article before or after flowing through a space between two of the articles.

1 . An article comprising
 a capsular structure having one or more sealed spaces wherein the sealed spaces encapsulate one or more thermal energy storage materials;   wherein the capsular structure has one or more fluid passages which are sufficiently large to allow a heat transfer fluid to flow through the one or more fluid passages, and   when a heat transfer fluid contacts the capsular structure the thermal energy storage material is isolated from the heat transfer fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the capsular structure includes two sheets capable of encapsulating the thermal energy storage material, the sheets having an outer periphery and each sheet being sealingly attached at least along the outer periphery to each other and/or to one or more additional sub-structures and forming the one or more sealed spaces therebetween containing the thermal energy storage materials. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein the sheets are sealingly attached to each other along the outer periphery and along the periphery of its opening. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the capsular structure has a top surface and an outer periphery;
 wherein the top surface includes two or more grooves each extending from the fluid passage to the outer periphery and each providing fluid connection between the passage and the outer periphery.   
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein
 the capsular structure has a first outer surface and a second outer surface, the capsular structure has a thickness defined by the average separation between the first outer surface and the second outer surface;   wherein the capsular structure is sufficiently thin so that heat can be quickly transferred out of the one or more sealed spaces;   the thermal energy storage material is a phase change material having a solid to liquid transition temperature greater than about 30° C. and less than about 350° C.; and   the one or more sealed spaces have a total interior volume, at a temperature of about 25° C., and the sealed spaces contains a total volume of thermal energy storage material, at a temperature of about 25° C., wherein the ratio of the total volume of thermal energy storage material to the total interior volume is at least about 0.50;   so that the article can store a large amount of thermal energy.   
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the fluid passage is near the geometric center of the first outer surface. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article includes 3 or more sealed spaces. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein
 the outer periphery of the article includes one or more indents, so that when a stack of the articles are placed in a hollow cylinder a heat transfer fluid can flow through the space formed by the indents;   the thickness of the article is less than about 1 cm, the article has a dimension greater than about 5 cm; and   a surface of the article includes one or more protrusions so that when a plurality of the articles are stacked there will be a space between the articles for the flow of a heat transfer fluid.   
     
     
         9 - 26 . (canceled)