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:
Jan. 30, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 22, 1998
Wilson E. Bradley, Jr., Ellicott City, MD (US);
Richard P. Merrill, Columbia, MD (US);
George R. Shriver, Sykesville, MD (US);
Evapco International, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US);
Abstract
An increased capacity thermal storage apparatus for forming frozen storage liquid during a storage cycle is provided. The apparatus comprises a container for holding a pool of storage liquid. A coil assembly having a plurality of tubes is immersed in the pool storage liquid. The tubes are adapted to transport a refrigerant therethrough to create a tubular envelope of frozen storage liquid around each tube during the storage cycle. Each tube has a non-circular cross-section with a horizontal dimension and a vertical dimension. The vertical dimension is greater than or equal to the horizontal dimension. The tubes are oriented generally horizontally and are arranged in a plurality of spaced apart, generally vertical rows. Neighboring tubes in adjacent vertical rows are horizontally spaced apart sufficiently such that unfrozen, generally vertical passageways remain between the envelopes of frozen storage liquid. The envelope of frozen storage liquid on each tube conforms to the non-circular cross-section of the tube to increase packing efficiency of the frozen storage liquid per unit volume of available space for frozen storage liquid around the coil assembly.