Accumulator tank with partition walls

Abstract

An accumulator tank for handling a heat transfer medium, is disclosed having a tank top section and a bottom section. The accumulator tank is connected to at least one heat emitting system and at least one heat-absorbing system. The accumulator tank has a plurality of partition walls located inside the tank and arranged between the bottom section and the top section for the purpose of dividing the tank into a plurality of spaces. The systems being each connected to at least one respective space so that a temperature gradient is created between the bottom section and the top section. Also disclosed is a system for distributing and handling heat and / or cold, including the accumulator tank.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD[0001]The invention relates to an accumulator tank for handling a heat transfer medium, comprising a tank with a top section and a bottom section, wherein said accumulator tank is connected to at least one heat-emitting system and at least one heat-absorbing system. The invention further concerns a system for distributing and handling heat and / or cold, comprising an accumulator tank as described above.BACKGROUND ART[0002]When distributing and handling heat, hot water and / or cold in a house, a vehicle, a machine or an industrial plant an accumulator tank for storing hot or cold medium is provided in most cases. In a heating system for a house the accumulator tank is normally a hot-water heater with an integrated electric heater. Several other heating systems are often connected to said system, such as a heat pump, solar heat or a pellet boiler. In vehicles such as cars, lorries or boats the cooling water of the motor and / or a burner / heater is / are often used to heat the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]By dividing the tank into spaces the stratification in the tank can be improved and maintained also during draining / refilling of accumulator medium, during heating of the medium and during cooling of the medium.

[0010]Preferably, the partition walls of the accumulator tank are provided with holes for allowing the communication of medium between said spaces. In this way, the flow of heating medium between the spaces can be regulated so as to obtain a suitable flow which maintains correct heat stratification. If the water in a space is heated the medium in that space should move upwards if it becomes hotter than the space above in order to obtain the appropriate heat stratification.

[0011]It is further preferred for the partition walls of the accumulator tank to comprise aluminium, which facilitates the heat transfer in the tank due to the excellent thermal conductivity of the material. Using aluminium also makes the tank light, which makes it less expensive to transport and at the same time easy to recycle. Irrespective of the choice of material, it is also further preferred for the partition walls to be welded onto said accumulator tank, whereby the partition walls will increase considerably the strength of the tank.

[0012]In one embodiment of the present invention, said at least one heat-emitting system is located inside said accumulator tank. In another embodiment, said at least one heat-emitting system is located outside said accumulator tank. The heat-emitting system can comprise a heat exchanger which transfers the heat from an external heat source. This facilitates the connection of different heating systems to the accumulator system and their disconnection therefrom and makes it easy to switch heat source. The heat source can for example be selected from the group consisting of a solar heating plant, a water / water heat pump, an air / water heat pump, a rock source heat pump, a ground source heat pump, a groundwater heat pump, an electric heating system, a pellet heating system, a wood heating system and an oil heating system.

[0016]The accumulator tank according to the invention is also connected to at least one heat-absorbing system, which consumes the heat that is stored in the accumulator tank. The heat-absorbing system too can be connected by way of a heat exchanger. The heat-absorbing system can be one selected from the group consisting of a radiator, an electric heater, an underfloor heating coil, a ceiling heating coil, a wall heating coil, a tapwater heat exchanger. The advantage of using a heat exchanger with the heat-absorbing system is that this too makes it easier to connect and disconnect without interrupting the operation of the other systems. Moreover, in the case of tapwater, problems with bacteria in the accumulator tank can be avoided as can problems caused by the use of aluminium in the tank.

[0020]Moreover, the medium of the accumulator tank preferably comprises water, which is a cheap and simple energy carrier. In the case where heat exchange is used in connection with the drawing of tap water, the water can preferably be mixed with glycol or any other medium that has an anti-corrosive effect and / or prevents the system from freezing if it is not used and the surrounding environment has a temperature below the freezing point.

Problems solved by technology

As water is drawn from the heater new water is introduced under pressure from below and this normally creates turbulence in the tank.

When water is drawn after stratification has occurred and new, cold water is supplied from below turbulence is created and the stratification is destroyed.

The mixing of water reduces the maximum temperature and results in inefficient heating.

A problem with this type of tank arises when there is more than one heat source.

If the different heat sources used are, for example, a heat pump and a burner / wood boiler / pellet boiler / oil boiler where, for instance, the temperature of the outlet water from the heat pump is significantly lower than that of the boilers, it will be difficult to achieve in an efficient manner an energy exchange from the heat pump through coils in the tank if the boiler is used at the same time.

A further problem associated with prior art is that the coils used to heat the water of the accumulator tank are not very efficient, since the surface of the coils that is exposed to the water of the accumulator tank is relatively small.

However, plate heat exchangers are expensive and they also cause problems as regards the stratification in the tank and may cause the water of the accumulator tank to start self-oscillating, which will destroy the stratification and reduce the heat exchange efficiency.

Images