Methods and systems for temperature regulation of devices and processing thermal energy obtained thereby

Abstract

A temperature regulation system includes a thermal transfer fluid, a fluid pump operable to pump the thermal transfer fluid, a fluid heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fluid pump, and a secondary heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fluid pump and the fluid heat exchanger. The fluid heat exchanger is configured for disposition in thermal communication with a device and configured to transfer heat from the device to the thermal transfer fluid. The secondary heat exchanger is configured to dissipate at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A temperature regulation system comprising:
 a thermal transfer fluid;   a fluid pump operable to pump the thermal transfer fluid;   a fluid heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fluid pump, the fluid heat exchanger configured for disposition in thermal communication with a device and to transfer heat from the device to the thermal transfer fluid; and   a secondary heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fluid pump and the fluid heat exchanger, the secondary heat exchanger configured to dissipate at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 1 , wherein the device is a photovoltaic (PV) module, and wherein the fluid heat exchanger is configured for attachment to the PV module. 
     
     
         3 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary heat exchanger comprises a storage tank. 
     
     
         4 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 3 , wherein the storage tank is configured to be buried underground. 
     
     
         5 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 2 , wherein the secondary heat exchanger comprises an array of tubes. 
     
     
         6 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 5 , wherein the array of tubes is configured to be buried underground. 
     
     
         7 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 5 , wherein the array of tubes is configured for disposition under a floor to provide underfloor heating. 
     
     
         8 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 5 , wherein the array of tubes is configured for disposition in a body of water. 
     
     
         9 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary heat exchanger comprises an array of coils. 
     
     
         10 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 9 , wherein the array of coils is configured to be buried underground. 
     
     
         11 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 9 , wherein the array of coils is configured for disposition under a floor to provide underfloor heating. 
     
     
         12 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 9 , wherein the array of tubes is configured for disposition in a body of water. 
     
     
         13 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 1 , wherein the secondary heat exchanger is configured to indirectly dissipate at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid to a second fluid. 
     
     
         14 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 13 , wherein the second fluid is air. 
     
     
         15 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 13 , wherein the second fluid is water. 
     
     
         16 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 15 , wherein the secondary heat exchanger is coupled to a water storage tank to provide the water to the water storage tank after dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid to the water. 
     
     
         17 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 15 , wherein the secondary heat exchanger is coupled to a body of water to provide the water to the body of water after dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid to the water. 
     
     
         18 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 17 , wherein the body of water is a pool. 
     
     
         19 . The temperature regulation system of  claim 13 , wherein the secondary heat exchanger comprises a phase change material based heat exchanger. 
     
     
         20 . A method of operating a photovoltaic (PV) system including at least one PV module, the method comprising:
 transferring heat from the PV module to a thermal transfer fluid in a fluid heat exchanger in thermal communication with the PV module; and   dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid in a secondary heat exchanger in fluid communication with the fluid heat exchanger.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising pumping the thermal transfer fluid from the fluid heat exchanger to the secondary heat exchanger. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising pumping the thermal transfer fluid from the secondary heat exchanger to the fluid heat exchanger after the at least some of the heat has been dissipated. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid in a secondary heat exchanger comprises dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid in a secondary heat exchanger comprising one of a storage tank, an array of tubes, and an array of coils. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid in a secondary heat exchanger comprising one of a storage tank, an array of tubes, and an array of coils comprises dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid in a secondary heat exchanger that is one of buried underground, disposed under a floor in a building, and disposed in a body of water. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid in a secondary heat exchanger comprises indirectly dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid to a second fluid. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein indirectly dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid to a second fluid comprises indirectly dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid to water. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , indirectly dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid to water comprises indirectly dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid to water in a water storage tank to provide the heated water. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , indirectly dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid to water comprises indirectly dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid to water in a pool of water. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid in a secondary heat exchanger comprises dissipating at least some of the heat contained in the thermal transfer fluid in a phase change material based secondary heat exchanger.