Compact thermochemical reactor with optimised transfers and maintenance

Abstract

A device for heating and/or cooling a medium contained in a compartment, includes a reactor, a reservoir containing a fluid able to change states in a determined temperature and pressure range, and elements for circulating gaseous fluid between the reactor and the reservoir, a rigid enclosure that contains a reactive medium able to absorb and desorb the fluid in the gaseous state through a thermochemical reaction, elements for diffusing the gaseous fluid in and from the reactive medium, heat transfer elements between the reactive medium and the outside medium. The enclosure of the reactor is formed from two bodies assembled by a peripheral flange, at least the first of which adopts the general shape of a cap with a circular or quasi-circular straight section that contains the reactive medium in the form of at least one block hugging the general shape of the cap.

1 . An apparatus for heating and/or cooling a medium contained in a compartment external to said apparatus, comprising i) a reactor ( 1 ), ii) a reservoir containing a liquid or gaseous fluid capable of changing state in a determined range of temperatures and of pressures, and iii) means of circulating the gaseous fluid between the reactor ( 1 ) and the reservoir, said reactor comprising:
 a rigid enclosure defining a vessel which contains a reactive medium able to absorb and desorb said fluid in the gaseous state through a thermochemical reaction,   diffusing means ( 13 ) for diffusing said gaseous fluid into and from said reactive medium,   heat-transfer means ( 14 ) for transferring heat between said reactive medium and said external medium,   wherein the enclosure of the reactor ( 1 ) is formed of two bodies ( 11 ) assembled by a peripheral flanged joint ( 3 ), the first of which bodies at least adopts the overall shape of a cap of circular or near-circular cross section which contains said reactive medium in the form of at least one block ( 12 ) conforming to the overall shape of said cap.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second bodies ( 11 ) respectively comprise a first and a second peripheral flange ( 31 ) extending in an equatorial plane to constitute the halves of the flanged joint ( 3 ) which are assembled by reversible clamping means ( 23 ). 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the means of circulating the gaseous fluid between the reservoir and the reactor ( 1 ) comprise a communication pipe ( 21 ) entering the vessel between the first and the second flanges ( 31 ), which are held apart by spacer lips ( 22 ) collaborating with the clamping means ( 23 ). 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heat-transfer means ( 14 ) for transferring heat between the reactive medium and the external medium comprise a pipe ( 15 ) entering the vessel between the first and the second flanges ( 31 ) which are held apart by spacer lips ( 22 ) collaborating with the clamping means ( 23 ). 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the means of circulating the gaseous fluid between the reservoir and the reactor ( 1 ) comprise a communication pipe ( 21 ) that splits into a plurality of tubes ( 171 ), and the heat-transfer means ( 14 ) for transferring heat between the reactive medium and the external medium comprise a heat-transfer pipe ( 15 ) that splits into a plurality of tubes ( 172 ), said tubes ( 171 ,  172 ) entering the vessel through the enclosure at various locations and extending along various axes inside said at least one block ( 12 ) of reactive medium. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure of the reactor ( 1 ) is formed of two bodies ( 11 ) assembled by a peripheral flanged joint ( 3 ), the first body ( 112 ) adopting the overall shape of a cap of circular or near-circular cross section, and the second body ( 113 ) being in the form of a circular plate fitting the first body, the reactor containing a reactive medium formed of at least one block ( 12 ) conforming to said overall shape of a cap. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure of the reactor ( 1 ) is formed of two bodies ( 11 ) assembled by a peripheral flanged joint ( 3 ), the first body ( 111 ) and the second body ( 112 ) each adopting the overall shape of a cap of circular or near-circular cross section fitting together and containing a reactive medium formed of at least two blocks ( 12 ) each one conforming to said overall shape of a cap. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the diffusion means ( 13 ) for diffusing the gaseous fluid comprise two perforated sheets ( 16 ) extending in the equatorial plane of said cap-shaped bodies ( 111 ,  112 ) and separating the reactive blocks ( 12 ) of each of said bodies of the reactor ( 1 ), the perforated sheets ( 16 ) being fixed some distance apart so as to form an intermediate diffusion chamber ( 2 ) between them. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the perforated sheets ( 16 ) of the intermediate chamber ( 2 ) comprise a plurality of perforated tubes ( 171 ) which extend inside said blocks ( 12 ) of reactive medium. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the perforated sheets ( 16 ) comprise a curved zone forming a central cavity ( 18 ) in the intermediate chamber ( 2 ). 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the heat-transfer means comprise a plurality of tubules ( 172 ) which extend through orifices made in said perforated sheets ( 16 ) into said blocks ( 12 ) of reactive medium. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the heat-transfer means consist of at least one heat-conducting element containing a pure fluid, or heat pipe. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the block ( 12 ) of reactive medium is made of a composite material based on expanded natural graphite and on a reactive salt, said composite material having a layered structure with the layers arranged along concentric surfaces that follow the shape of the cap-shaped body ( 11 ) in which the block ( 12 ) is housed. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the means of circulating the gaseous fluid between the reservoir and the reactor ( 1 ) comprise a communication pipe ( 21 ) entering the vessel between the first and the second flanges ( 31 ), which are held apart by spacer lips ( 22 ) collaborating with the clamping means ( 23 ). 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the heat-transfer means ( 14 ) for transferring heat between the reactive medium and the external medium comprise a pipe ( 15 ) entering the vessel between the first and the second flanges ( 31 ) which are held apart by spacer lips ( 22 ) collaborating with the clamping means ( 23 ). 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the means of circulating the gaseous fluid between the reservoir and the reactor ( 1 ) comprise a communication pipe ( 21 ) that splits into a plurality of tubes ( 171 ), and the heat-transfer means ( 14 ) for transferring heat between the reactive medium and the external medium comprise a heat-transfer pipe ( 15 ) that splits into a plurality of tubes ( 172 ), said tubes ( 171 ,  172 ) entering the vessel through the enclosure at various locations and extending along various axes inside said at least one block ( 12 ) of reactive medium. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the enclosure of the reactor ( 1 ) is formed of two bodies ( 11 ) assembled by a peripheral flanged joint ( 3 ), the first body ( 112 ) adopting the overall shape of a cap of circular or near-circular cross section, and the second body ( 113 ) being in the form of a circular plate fitting the first body, the reactor containing a reactive medium formed of at least one block ( 12 ) conforming to said overall shape of a cap. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the enclosure of the reactor ( 1 ) is formed of two bodies ( 11 ) assembled by a peripheral flanged joint ( 3 ), the first body ( 111 ) and the second body ( 112 ) each adopting the overall shape of a cap of circular or near-circular cross section fitting together and containing a reactive medium formed of at least two blocks ( 12 ) each one conforming to said overall shape of a cap. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the diffusion means ( 13 ) for diffusing the gaseous fluid comprise two perforated sheets ( 16 ) extending in the equatorial plane of said cap-shaped bodies ( 111 ,  112 ) and separating the reactive blocks ( 12 ) of each of said bodies of the reactor ( 1 ), the perforated sheets ( 16 ) being fixed some distance apart so as to form an intermediate diffusion chamber ( 2 ) between them. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the perforated sheets ( 16 ) comprise a curved zone forming a central cavity ( 18 ) in the intermediate chamber ( 2 ).