Thermal battery with encapsulated phase-change material

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermal battery having an enclosure (2) containing a bundle (3) comprising tubes (3′) of encapsulated phase change material, the bundle (3) being formed by a stack of banks of tubes (3′), said banks comprising tubes (3′) placed parallel to one another and being connected by bracing and supporting bars (5), said bars (5) comprising, on at least one of their faces, individual housings separated from one another by a lateral wall, each housing being capable of receiving one tube (3′).

1 . A thermal battery comprising:
 an enclosure comprising a fluid inlet and outlet, and containing a bundle comprising tubes of encapsulated phase change material,   wherein the bundle is formed by a stack of banks of tubes, said banks comprising tubes placed parallel to one another and being connected by bracing and supporting bars,   said bars comprising, on at least one of their faces, individual housings separated from one another by a lateral wall, each housing being capable of receiving one tube.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the separation between the tubes within a bank is defined by the width of the lateral wall between two housings. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the housings have a shape complementary to that of the tubes, and have an insertion opening smaller than the diameter of the tubes, so that said tubes are clipped into the housings. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bars of successive banks are placed in a quincuncial arrangement on planes parallel to one another and perpendicular to the tubes. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the bars of successive banks are grouped on two parallel planes and separated by a distance which is at least greater than the width of the bars. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bundle is contained in a frame. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the frame comprises flanges surrounding the bundle and external braces connecting said flanges. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the flanges comprise grooves into which bars are inserted. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the banks comprise internal braces between the bars. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the banks are flat. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bundle is cylindrical and the banks are curved and concentric. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bars comprise housings on two of their opposed faces, so as to support two superimposed banks, the spacing between said banks being defined by a thickness of the wall of said bars separating the housings located on either side of the bars. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the housings on one face of the bars and the housings on the other face of said bars are placed in a quincuncial arrangement. 
     
     
         14 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the bars comprise housings on only one of their faces. 
     
     
         15 . The thermal battery as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein the tubes of two successive banks are placed in a quincuncial arrangement, the tubes of the upper bank resting on the lateral wall of the bar of the lower bank, the spacing between the tubes of said banks being defined by the height of said lateral wall.