Thermal mass for heat pre-load and time-controlled dispersion in building heating systems
A heating and/or cooling temperature adjusting apparatus disposed proximate a point of use comprising a heat exchange structure, at least one thermal mass unit comprised of a material which changes phase at a predetermined temperature, and a housing which at least partially encloses the heat exchange structure and thermal mass unit. Additionally, a plurality of thermal mass units can be employed, each with equivalent, or differing, temperature threshold points for conversion between solid, liquid or gaseous phases. The presence of the thermal mass unit at the point of use allows for the heating/cooling system to rapidly adjust the temperature of the room while simultaneously decreasing the duty cycle of the heating/cooling generator (e.g. boiler).
1. A system, comprising:
a thermal mass unit configured to passively extract and store heat emitted by a radiator configured for heating a room;
a housing containing the thermal mass unit within an interior cavity defined by the housing, the housing and the thermal mass unit collectively configured to be retrofitted to the radiator such that the housing is configured to be positioned to at least partially enclose the radiator; and
at least one processor configured to operate a fan such that air from outside the housing is pushed inside the housing to be heated, at least in part, by the thermal mass unit,
the processor, the fan, and the thermal mass unit collectively configured to re-emit heat generated by the radiator and stored within the housing by the thermal mass unit to an exterior of the housing and into the room on-demand.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal mass unit includes a phase change material.
3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the phase change material includes a gel.
4. The system of claim 2 , wherein the phase change material is solid at room temperature and configured to at least one of melt or undergo a solid-solid phase change when heated by the radiator.
5. The system of claim 2 , wherein the phase change material is liquid at room temperature and configured to boil when heated by the radiator.
6. The system of claim 2 , wherein the thermal mass unit is sized to extend along a length of the at least one heat exchange structure.
7. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a radiation shield layer disposed between the thermal mass unit and an exterior wall of the housing, the radiation shield layer configured to inhibit radiation from the thermal mass unit to the exterior of the housing.
8. The system of claim 2 , wherein the phase change material is within a component configured to withstand thermal contraction or expansion of the phase change material.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a condensation collection reservoir disposed under the thermal mass unit.
10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fan is disposed outside and external to the housing and is configured to push the air from outside the housing.
11. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the thermal mass unit is a first thermal mass unit from a plurality of thermal units disposed within the interior cavity;
the phase change material is a first phase change material configured to change phase at a first temperature, the system further comprising:
a second thermal mass unit from the plurality of thermal units and that includes a second phase change material configured to change phase at a second temperature different from the first temperature.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first thermal mass unit is on a first side of the heat exchange structure, and the second thermal mass unit is on a second side of the heat exchange structure opposite the first side.
13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
an energy source external to the housing, the energy source configured to transfer energy to the radiator.
14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal mass unit is configured to inhibit convective heat transfer from the radiator when the housing and the thermal mass unit are retrofitted to the radiator.
15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal mass unit within the housing is sized and shaped to at least one of conform to or match a size and shape of at least a portion of the radiator when the housing and the thermal mass unit are retrofitted to the radiator.
16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the thermal mass unit is integrated into the housing such that the thermal mass unit and the housing are collectively configured to be retrofitted to the radiator.
17. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the radiator has a thermal mass, the thermal mass unit being configured to add thermal mass to the thermal mass of the radiator.
18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the radiator is a cast iron radiator, the thermal mass unit and the housing are collectively configured to be retrofitted to the cast iron radiator.