Patent Application
20160161132
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an energy storage structure containing a cold storage liquid or a heat storage liquid and, in particular, to an energy storage tank having a function of fixing energy storage units.
2. Description of Related Art
In general, an energy storage air-conditioning system has a tank body which contains a working liquid for freezing or heating and several energy storage units. The energy storage units are scattered in the tank body. For example, ice balls are commonly used to be put in the cold storage tank.
However, the biggest problem regarding the scattered ice balls is that the density of the ice ball is smaller than that of the working liquid. Besides, a large amount of the ice balls causes accumulation and part of the ice balls will float on the working liquid. As a result, the ice balls in the upper layer of the working liquid may not be frozen and the cold storage amount is lower than expected, resulting in a low cold amount in the ice balls such that the cold amount released by the energy air-conditioning system is lower than the theoretical value.
In view of foregoing, the inventor pays special attention to the above existing technology and researches with the application of related theory to overcome the above disadvantages regarding the above related art, which becomes the goal of the inventor's improvement.
One objective of the present invention is to provide an energy storage tank having a function of fixing energy storage units, which uses installation parts and fixing parts to hold the energy storage units completely in the working liquid such that the energy storage units are fixed in the tank body in series or by group and distributed evenly in the working liquid. Compared with the traditional way in which the energy storage units are scattered and float on the working liquid, the present invention can ensure each energy storage unit completely contacts the working liquid, which enhances energy storage efficiency of the energy storage tank.
To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an energy storage tank having a function of fixing energy storage units used for a working liquid. The energy storage tank comprises a tank body used for filling of the working liquid and having a bottom plate and a fixing assembly received in the tank body. The fixing assembly comprises a fixing part and an installation part fixed at one end of the fixing part. The energy storage units are connected to the fixing part. The installation part is disposed on the bottom plate. Both of the installation part and the fixing part hold the energy storage units completely in the working liquid
The detailed description and technical details of the present invention will be explained below with reference to accompanying figures. However, the accompanying figures are only for reference and explanation, but not to limit the scope of the present invention.
Please refer to
The energy storage tank 10 is mainly used for a working liquid 100 and at least one energy storage units 200. The working liquid 100 is a refrigerating liquid or a heating liquid. Each of energy storage units 200 contains cold storage material or heat storage material such that when the energy storage unit 200 is submerged in the working liquid 100, the effect of pre-refrigeration or pre-heating can be achieved.
In addition, each energy storage unit 200 may be a geometric block such as a spherical shape, a circular shape, a cylindrical block, a rectangular block, a triangular block, an annulus block, a rectangular ring, and a triangular ring. However, the shape of the energy storage unit 200 is not limited to that of the current embodiment.
The tank body 1 is used for filling of the working liquid 100 and has a bottom plate 11. The bottom plate 11 has an internal side surface 13 and an external side surface 14.
There are plural fixing assemblies 2 in the current embodiment, but not limited to this. Each of the fixing assemblies 2 is received in the tank body 1 and comprises a fixing part 21 and an installation part 22 fixed at one end of the fixing part 21. Several energy storage units 200 are connected to individual fixing parts 21. Each of the installation parts 22 is disposed on the bottom plate 11. All of the installation parts 22 and the fixing parts 21 hold the energy storage units 200 completely in the working liquid 100.
The detailed description is given below. The installation part 22 is a counterweight block 221 which is a heavy component like a weight. The fixing part 21 is a bag 211. There are plural energy storage units 200 in the current embodiment and these energy storage units 200 altogether are received in the bags 211.
The combination of the energy storage tank 10 of the present invention uses the tank body 1 used for filling of the working liquid 100; the tank body 1 has the bottom plate 11. The fixing assembly 2 is received in the tank body 1. The fixing assembly 2 comprises a fixing part 21 and an installation part 22 fixed at one end of the fixing part 21; the energy storage units 200 are connected to the fixing part 21. The installation part 22 is disposed on the bottom plate 11; both of the installation part 22 and the fixing part 21 hold the energy storage units 200 completely in the working liquid 100. In this way, the energy storage units 200 are fixed in the tank body 1 in series or by group and distributed evenly in the working liquid 100. Compared with the traditional way in which the energy storage units 200 are scattered and float on the working liquid 100, the present invention can ensure each of the energy storage units 200 completely contacts the working liquid 100, which enhances energy storage efficiency of the energy storage tank 10.
Regarding the operation status of the energy storage tank 10 of the present invention, the plural energy storage units 200 are first received in the bag 211 and then the fixing assembly 2 is placed in the tank body 1. Because the density of the energy storage unit 200 is smaller than that of the working liquid 100, the energy storage unit 200 will float on the working liquid 100. The energy storage units 200 need to be configured with a counterweight block 221 which is a heavy component like a weight to let the counterweight blocks 221 sink to the bottom plate 11 such that the bag 211 and the energy storage units 200 are completely held under the surface of the working liquid 100 to make the energy storage units 200 be fixed in the tank body 1 in series or by group and distributed evenly in the working liquid 100 to store energy. Therefore, the energy storage units 200 of the present invention can be actually and completely held in the working liquid 100 such that each of the energy storage units 200 completely contacts the working liquid 100. Compared with the traditional way in which the energy storage units float on the working liquid, the energy storage tank 10 of the present invention has a better energy storage effect.
Moreover, as shown in
Please refer to
The detailed description is given below. The magnets 111 are install on the internal side surface 13 of the bottom plate 11. The installation part 22 is a magnetic part 222 made of a material containing iron. The magnet 111 and the magnetic part 222 attract to each other. In this way, through the magnetic attraction between the magnet 111 and the magnetic part 222, the magnetic part 222 is fixed to the bottom plate 11 such that the bag 211 and the energy storage units 200 are completely held under the surface of the working liquid 100, achieving the same function and effect as the first embodiment.
Please refer to
The detailed description is given below. The magnets 111 are installed either on the internal side surface 13 or on the external side surface 14; either of the above two cases will make the magnetic parts 222 be fixed steadily to the bottom plate 11 to achieve the same function and effect as the second embodiment.
Please refer to
A further explanation is given below. The bottom plate 11 is made of a material containing iron such that the bottom plate 11 itself is a magnetic part 112. The installation part 22 is a magnet 223. The magnet 223 and the magnetic part 112 attract to each other. In this way, through the magnetic attraction between the magnet 223 and the magnetic part 112, the magnet 223 is fixed to the bottom plate 11 such that the bag 211 and the energy storage units 200 are completely held under the surface of the working liquid 100, achieving the same function and effect as the first embodiment.
Please refer to
A further explanation is given below. The fixing part 21 is a rope 212. A through hole 201 is disposed at each of the energy storage units 200. Several energy storage units 200 are disposed in series to the rope 212 through the through holes 201. Thus, the fifth embodiment achieves the same function and effect as the first embodiment. Also, the plural energy storage units 200 will be aligned up and down and form in series or by group through the rope 212, which makes effective use of the space in the tank body 1 and thus makes the energy storage tank 10 have excellent efficiency of energy storage.
Besides, the fixing part 21 can be a rod which makes the energy storage units 200 be disposed in series to the rod through the through holes 201. Thus, the fixing part 21 of the current embodiment can be a rope 212 or a rod.
Please refer to
A further description is given below. The first hook 113 is installed on the bottom plate 11; the installation part 22 is a second hook 224. The first hook 113 and the second hook 224 hook to each other. In this way, through the hooking between the first hook 113 and the second hook 224, the second hook 224 is fixed to the bottom plate 11 such that the bag 211 and the energy storage units 200 are completely held under the surface of the working liquid 100, achieving the same function and effect as the first embodiment.
Also, the first hook 113 has a roughly U-like shape and the second hook 224 has a roughly C-like shape. The U-like hook and the C-like hook hook to each other.
Please refer to
The detailed description is given below. As shown in
Similarly, both of the first hook 113 and the second hook 224 can have a C-like shape. These two C-like hooks can hook to each other to achieve the same function and effect as the sixth embodiment.
Please refer to
A further description is given below. The fixing assembly 2 further comprises a counterweight part 23 which is a heavy component like a weight. A third hook 231 and a fourth hook 232 are individually disposed at each of two ends of the counterweight part 23. The third hook 231 and the first hook 113 hook to each other; the fourth hook 232 and the second hook 224 hook to each other. Thus, the weight of the fixing assembly 2 is increased by adding the counterweight part 23 such that the second hook 224 is more stably fixed to the bottom plate 11, achieving the same function and effect as the sixth embodiment.
Moreover, one of the third hook 231 and the first hook 113 can have a U-like shape and the other can have a C-like shape such that the third hook 231 and the first hook 113 can hook to each other. One of the fourth hook 232 and the second hook 224 can have an O-like shape and the other can have a C-like shape such that the fourth hook 232 and the second hook 224 can hook to each other. However, the fixing assembly 2 is apt to sway in the working liquid 100. The hook which has a U-like or O-like shape can prevent the two attached hooks from swaying and separating from each other to enhance the hooking stability.
Similarly, both of the third hook 231 and the first hook 113 can have a C-like shape to achieve the effect of hooking between the third hook 231 and the first hook 113. Both of the fourth hook 232 and the second hook 224 can have a C-like shape to achieve the effect of hooking between the fourth hook 232 and the second hook 224.
In summary, the energy storage tank 10 having a function of fixing energy storage units of the present invention which is not anticipated by similar products and not used in public is indeed novel, useful, and non-obvious to be patentable. Please examine the application carefully and grant it as a formal patent for protecting the rights of the inventor.
