Patents by Inventor H. Kenneth Ring, Jr.

H. Kenneth Ring, Jr. has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11365912
    Abstract: A suction duct is disposed within a shell and tube heat exchanger. The suction duct is located relatively high and above the tube bundle so as to not entrain liquid or droplets that may be splashing and spraying upward. The suction duct is configured with an area schedule in fluid communication with a flow path inside the suction duct. The flow path is in fluid communication with an outlet of the shell. This is advantageous relative to traditional top of the shell outlets which generally have higher vertical footprints. The area schedule of the suction duct can facilitate and/or maintain relatively smooth vapor flow within the shell. The area schedule can achieve vapor flows that have some uniformity along the length of the shell, which can manage and/or avoid localized vapor flow and/or local currents, such as where high velocity may be present and where entrainment can result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jon P. Hartfield, H. Kenneth Ring, Jr., Steven E. Meloling, Florian Weber, Alain Fleurette, Benjamin Elias Dingel
  • Patent number: 10627139
    Abstract: A suction duct is disposed within a shell and tube heat exchanger. The suction duct is located relatively high and above the tube bundle so as to not entrain liquid or droplets that may be splashing and spraying upward. The suction duct is configured with an area schedule in fluid communication with a flow path inside the suction duct. The flow path is in fluid communication with an outlet of the shell. This is advantageous relative to traditional top of the shell outlets which generally have higher vertical footprints. The area schedule of the suction duct can facilitate and/or maintain relatively smooth vapor flow within the shell. The area schedule can achieve vapor flows that have some uniformity along the length of the shell, which can manage and/or avoid localized vapor flow and/or local currents, such as where high velocity may be present and where entrainment can result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jon P. Hartfield, H. Kenneth Ring, Jr., Steven E. Meloling, Florian Weber, Alain Fleurette, Benjamin Elias Dingel
  • Patent number: 10480872
    Abstract: A heat exchange tube combines an external surface feature, for example having crushed fins and cavities, which can have very high boiling enhancement characteristics, with an internal surface feature, for example having high performing intersecting helices, e.g. “cross hatched” with an intersecting helix angle. The new tube can provide a high performing tube in a shell and tube evaporator that can be relatively smaller, more efficient, and that can use relatively lower refrigerant charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: H. Kenneth Ring, Jr., Jon P. Hartfield, Todd A. Michael
  • Publication number: 20180299172
    Abstract: A suction duct is disposed within a shell and tube heat exchanger. The suction duct is located relatively high and above the tube bundle so as to not entrain liquid or droplets that may be splashing and spraying upward. The suction duct is configured with an area schedule in fluid communication with a flow path inside the suction duct. The flow path is in fluid communication with an outlet of the shell. This is advantageous relative to traditional top of the shell outlets which generally have higher vertical footprints. The area schedule of the suction duct can facilitate and/or maintain relatively smooth vapor flow within the shell. The area schedule can achieve vapor flows that have some uniformity along the length of the shell, which can manage and/or avoid localized vapor flow and/or local currents, such as where high velocity may be present and where entrainment can result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Jon P. HARTFIELD, H. Kenneth RING, Jr., Steven E. MELOLING, Florian WEBER, Alain FLEURETTE, Benjamin Elias DINGEL
  • Publication number: 20160076828
    Abstract: A heat exchange tube combines an external surface feature, for example having crushed fins and cavities, which can have very high boiling enhancement characteristics, with an internal surface feature, for example having high performing intersecting helices, e.g. “cross hatched” with an intersecting helix angle. The new tube can provide a high performing tube in a shell and tube evaporator that can be relatively smaller, more efficient, and that can use relatively lower refrigerant charge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Inventors: H. Kenneth Ring, JR., Jon P. Hartfield, Todd A. Michael
  • Patent number: 4283008
    Abstract: Pressurized control signal apparatus is disclosed, which being supplied with air from a source of variable pressure, is operative to produce a control signal essentially independent of variations in the supply pressure. In one aspect of the invention, the control signal is amplified in volume of flow; in another, it is generated in response to temperature. The apparatus is specifically adapted to effect regulation of air flow in a variable air volume (VAV) temperature conditioning system in response to temperature in a conditioned zone, wherein the supply air for the apparatus is derived from a temperature conditioned air distribution duct of the VAV system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1981
    Assignee: The Trane Company
    Inventor: H. Kenneth Ring, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4231515
    Abstract: Pressurized control signal apparatus is disclosed, which being supplied with air from a source of variable pressure, is operative to produce a control signal essentially independent of variations in the supply pressure. In one aspect of the invention, the control signal is amplified in volume of flow; in another, it is generated in response to temperature. The apparatus is specifically adapted to effect regulation of air flow in a variable air volume (VAV) temperature conditioning system in response to temperature in a conditioned zone, wherein the supply air for the apparatus is derived from a temperature conditioned air distribution duct of the VAV system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1980
    Assignee: The Trane Company
    Inventor: H. Kenneth Ring, Jr.