LATENT HEAT ACCUMULATOR AND METHOD FOR TEMPERATURE CONTROL OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

摘要

The invention relates to a latent heat accumulator for an internal combustion engine having a storage medium that can be crystallized for storing heat utilizing the enthalpy of a melting process. The storage medium according to the invention comprises an undercooled liquid state at ambient temperature. The latent heat accumulator according to the invention furthermore comprises a crystal nucleus provider for providing a crystal nucleus in the storage medium in order to trigger a crystallization of the storage medium in the undercooled liquid state to release stored heat. Among other aspects, the invention furthermore relates to an internal combustion engine having such a latent heat accumulator and a method for temperature control of an internal combustion engine. In a first step of the method according to the invention, a crystallized storage medium is melted in order to store heat utilizing the enthalpy of the melting process. The storage medium then cools to the ambient temperature at maximum and forms an undercooled liquid. A crystal nucleus is provided in the storage medium in order to trigger a defined crystallization of the storage medium for releasing stored heat.