LATENT HEAT STORAGE APPARATUS

PURPOSE:To prevent damage of heat storage container in the outer space by disposing a heat storage material retainer layer made of metallic felt or carbon felt, etc., having numerous pores near to the boundary between the space and the heat storage material inside the container. CONSTITUTION:A volumetric change absorbing space 4 can shift in the outer space when there is little gravity, that is, when an external force is applied for one reason or another under a condition that part or all of the heat storage material 5 is melted in the container. A heat storage material retainer layer 3 having numerous pores is disposed near to the boundary between the space 4 and the heat storage material 5 in the heat storage container 2. Although the molten heat storage material 5 enters the pores, there is a capillary pressure P as shown in the equation at the outlet of the pores to the space 4 due to the surface tension. The capillary pressure P acts to contain the heat storage material 5 in the pores, and so, if an external force is applied which is smaller than the maximum capillary pressure, the molten heat storage material 5 does not leak into the space 4. Therefore, the space 4 can occupy the intended place.