MODULAR LATENT HEAT THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE BUFFER SYSTEM

The invention provides a method for reclaiming heat from a fluid, the method having the steps of contacting the fluid to a phase change material for a time sufficient to increase the temperature of the material and or liquefy some of it; and contacting the material to a second fluid for a time sufficient to increase the temperature of the second fluid and to decrease the temperature of the material or to solidify some of it. The invention also provides a system to reclaim heat from a first fluid, the system having a first void space containing phase changing material, and a second void space in thermal communication with the first void space. The system functions as an efficient thermal storage buffer when heat supplied from the first fluid is not equal to the heat received by the second fluid at any instant of time.