LATENT HEAT STORAGE AND SUPPLY SYSTEM AND METHOD

摘要

LATENT HEAT STORAGE AND SUPPLY SYSTEM AND METHOD Latent heat storage and supply system and method in which a body of crystallizable phase change material and a separate body of a special crystallization nucleator for the phase change material are associated for heating as a unit to melt the phase change material, for cooling to bring the molten phase change material to supercooled condition in which heat is stored as latent heat of crystallization and thereafter for transferring a controlled portion of the nucleator into the body of phase change material to induce crystallization and release of latent heat of crystallization. The special nucleator includes a component which, after the heating and cooling steps, will contain crystals for nucleating the phase change material and which has a solubility in the phase change material such that the controlled portion added to the body of phase change material will dissolve in that body during the heating step.