ECHANGEUR DE CHALEUR A MATERIAU A CHANGEMENT DE PHASE

The invention relates to a phase change material (PCM) heat exchanger device comprising heat exchanger cells (1a, 1b) operating on the regenerative countercurrent principle, phase change material (PCM) accumulators (2, 3) provided in the heat exchanger cells and a vortex tube (6, 7, 8). When the directions of the air, gas and liquid flows are cyclically reversed in the apparatus, energy is recovered into the heat exchanger cell and the PCM accumulator, and during the subsequent cycle, the energy is released from the heat exchanger cell and PCM accumulator. While one heat exchanger cell and PCM accumulator is being charged, the other heat exchanger cell and PCM accumulator are simultaneously discharged. The cool/hot flow from the vortex tube is used to enhance/create needed temperature differences. The invention is applicable to buildings, vehicles, climate control rooms, single or multiple devices such as computers, and in various processes, such as, but not limited to, cryogenic methods, and in space technology and supercritical carbon dioxide applications.