The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 12, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 23, 1998
Richard O Rhodes, San Francisco, CA (US);
Hollend F Bishop, Livermore, CA (US);
Fafco, Inc., Redwood City, CA (US);
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for extracting stored thermal energy using a combined internal and external melt cycle are disclosed. The present invention relates, in one aspect, to a heat exchange system which uses both an internal melt cycle and an external melt cycle to extract stored thermal energy. The heat exchange system includes a thermal energy storage medium and a heat exchanger which is in communication with the thermal energy storage medium. The heat exchanger is arranged to hold a heat exchange liquid and to facilitate the indirect transfer of heat between the heat exchange liquid and the thermal energy storage medium. The heat exchange system further includes a fluid supply which provides a fluid which directly contacts the thermal energy storage medium to transfer heat between the fluid and the thermal energy storage medium.