Abstract: An energy conversion device includes a first acoustic wave generator, a second acoustic wave generator, and an output unit which are provided in a pipe member. The first acoustic wave generator has a thermal energy generator configured to generate thermal energy from electric energy, and converts the thermal energy generated by the thermal energy generator into acoustic energy to generate acoustic wave in working gas by a self-excited thermo acoustic vibration. The second acoustic wave generator converts thermal energy supplied from a heat supply source into acoustic energy and generates acoustic wave in working gas by a self-excited thermo acoustic vibration. The output unit converts the acoustic energy of the acoustic waves from the first acoustic wave generator and the second acoustic wave generator into cold energy to output.

Abstract: An actuator includes a rod, an electric motor to generate a rotational driving force on supply of electricity, an output shaft to output the rotational driving force of the electric motor to the rod, a feed screw mechanism, and a rotation prevention mechanism. The feed screw mechanism includes a female screw portion formed on one of the output shaft and the rod, and a male screw portion formed on the other to mesh with the female screw portion. The rotation prevention mechanism is configured to regulate rotation of the rod caused by the rotational driving force of the electric motor.

Abstract: In a radiant heat sensor, first and second thermoelectric members are alternately arrayed one by one in a direction along a first surface of a plate-shaped member so as to be separated from each other, and each of the first and second thermoelectric members configure a portion of the first surface. First conductor patterns extend the first surface, disposed on the first surface so as to span a single first thermoelectric member and a single second thermoelectric member that are adjacent to each other, and configure hot contact portions between the first and second thermoelectric members. Second conductor patterns extend along the first surface, disposed on the first surface so as to span a single first thermoelectric member and a single second thermoelectric member that are adjacent to each other, and configure cold contact portions between the first and second thermoelectric members.

Abstract: A thermal flow-rate sensor includes: a first temperature sensor that detects the temperature at a specified location of the outer-wall surface of a pipe; a heat-transfer element that is arranged on the outer-wall surface of the pipe in a state separated from the first temperature sensor, and that exchanges heat with a measurement medium by heating or cooling the outer-wall surface of the pipe; a second temperature sensor that detects the temperature of a portion of the outer-wall surface of the pipe that is heated or cooled by the heat-transfer element; and a control unit that performs specified processing.

Abstract: An energy conversion device includes a first acoustic wave generator, a second acoustic wave generator, and an output unit which are provided in a pipe member. The first acoustic wave generator has a thermal energy generator configured to generate thermal energy from electric energy, and converts the thermal energy generated by the thermal energy generator into acoustic energy to generate acoustic wave in working gas by a self-excited thermo acoustic vibration. The second acoustic wave generator converts thermal energy supplied from a heat supply source into acoustic energy and generates acoustic wave in working gas by a self-excited thermo acoustic vibration. The output unit converts the acoustic energy of the acoustic waves from the first acoustic wave generator and the second acoustic wave generator into cold energy to output.

Abstract: In a radiant heat sensor, first and second thermoelectric members are alternately arrayed one by one in a direction along a first surface of a plate-shaped member so as to be separated from each other, and each of the first and second thermoelectric members configure a portion of the first surface. First conductor patterns extend the first surface, disposed on the first surface so as to span a single first thermoelectric member and a single second thermoelectric member that are adjacent to each other, and configure hot contact portions between the first and second thermoelectric members. Second conductor patterns extend along the first surface, disposed on the first surface so as to span a single first thermoelectric member and a single second thermoelectric member that are adjacent to each other, and configure cold contact portions between the first and second thermoelectric members.

Abstract: An actuator includes a rod, an electric motor to generate a rotational driving force on supply of electricity, an output shaft to output the rotational driving force of the electric motor to the rod, a feed screw mechanism, and a rotation prevention mechanism. The feed screw mechanism includes a female screw portion formed on one of the output shaft and the rod, and a male screw portion formed on the other to mesh with the female screw portion. The rotation prevention mechanism is configured to regulate rotation of the rod caused by the rotational driving force of the electric motor.

Abstract: A thermal flow-rate sensor includes: a first temperature sensor that detects the temperature at a specified location of the outer-wall surface of a pipe; a heat-transfer element that is arranged on the outer-wall surface of the pipe in a state separated from the first temperature sensor, and that exchanges heat with a measurement medium by heating or cooling the outer-wall surface of the pipe; a second temperature sensor that detects the temperature of a portion of the outer-wall surface of the pipe that is heated or cooled by the heat-transfer element; and a control unit that performs specified processing.

Abstract: In a refrigerant cycle device with an ejector, a branch portion is located at an upstream side of a nozzle portion of the ejector so that the refrigerant flowing out of an exterior heat exchanger is branched into first and second streams in a cooling operation mode. A passage switching portion is configured such that the refrigerant of the first stream flows through the nozzle portion of the ejector, and the refrigerant of the second stream flows through the decompression unit, the using-side heat exchanger, and the refrigerant suction port of the ejector, in the cooling operation mode. In contrast, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows into the nozzle portion after passing through the using-side heat exchanger, and the refrigerant flowing out of the exterior heat exchanger flows into the refrigerant suction port of the ejector, in the heating operation mode.

Abstract: In an air conditioner for a vehicle, in a heating operation for heating a vehicle compartment, when heating capacity is obtained by flowing a coolant through an inside of an indoor heat exchanger, the coolant flows directly in the inside of the indoor heat exchanger to heat air to be supplied to the vehicle compartment. In contrast, when the heating capacity is not obtained by flowing the coolant through the inside of the indoor heat exchanger, the coolant flows through a first water-refrigerant heat exchanger and a refrigerant in a heat pump cycle circulates so that heat of the coolant is absorbed by the refrigerant in the first water-refrigerant heat exchanger, and the air is heated in the indoor heat exchanger by using heat of the refrigerant that has absorbed the heat of the coolant.

Abstract: In a refrigerant cycle device with an ejector, a branch portion is located at an upstream side of a nozzle portion of the ejector so that the refrigerant flowing out of an exterior heat exchanger is branched into first and second streams in a cooling operation mode. A passage switching portion is configured such that the refrigerant of the first stream flows through the nozzle portion of the ejector, and the refrigerant of the second stream flows through the decompression unit, the using-side heat exchanger, and the refrigerant suction port of the ejector, in the cooling operation mode. In contrast, the refrigerant discharged from the compressor flows into the nozzle portion after passing through the using-side heat exchanger, and the refrigerant flowing out of the exterior heat exchanger flows into the refrigerant suction port of the ejector, in the heating operation mode.

Abstract: In an ejector, a nozzle includes a nozzle tapered section having an inner passage with a radial dimension reduced toward a nozzle outlet port, and a needle having a needle tapered section disposed in the inner passage. The needle tapered section has a cross sectional area reduced toward a downstream end of the needle, and the downstream end of the needle is positioned at a downstream side with respect to the nozzle outlet port. In addition, the nozzle tapered section has a taper angle (?1) which is equal to or greater than a taper angle (?2) of the needle tapered section. Therefore, a boundary face on the outside of a nozzle jet flow becomes in a balanced natural shape, and is controlled in accordance with an operating condition. Thus, the ejector cycle can be operated while keeping high efficiency, regardless of the thermal load of the ejector cycle.

Abstract: A vapor-compression refrigerant cycle system with a refrigeration cycle and a Rankine cycle includes a compressor, a radiator, a gas-liquid separator, a decompression device and an evaporator. In the vapor-compression refrigerant cycle system, a liquid pump is disposed for supplying the liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator to a heater for heating the refrigerant, a cooling means is provided for cooling the liquid refrigerant to be sucked into the liquid pump, and an energy recovery unit for expanding the refrigerant flowing out of the heater is disposed to recover thermal energy in the refrigerant from the heater. When the Rankine cycle is set so that the energy recovery unit recovers the thermal energy, the cooling means cools the liquid refrigerant to be sucked into the liquid pump. Therefore, pumping efficiency of the liquid pump can be effectively improved.

Abstract: In an ejector cycle having an ejector, a decompression amount of refrigerant between a gas-liquid separator and an evaporator is adjusted by a differential pressure control valve, so that a pressure increasing amount in a pressure increasing portion of the ejector is controlled to be equal to or lower than a predetermined amount. Therefore, a suction pressure of refrigerant to be sucked to the compressor can be restricted from being excessively increased in accordance with the increase of the pressure increasing amount in the ejector, and it can prevent heat radiating capacity of a radiator from being decreased. Thus, a sufficient cooling capacity can be always obtained in the ejector cycle.

Abstract: A vapor-compression refrigerant cycle system with a refrigeration cycle and a Rankine cycle includes a compressor, a radiator, a gas-liquid separator, a decompression device and an evaporator. In the vapor-compression refrigerant cycle system, a liquid pump is disposed for supplying the liquid refrigerant in the gas-liquid separator to a heater for heating the refrigerant, a cooling means is provided for cooling the liquid refrigerant to be sucked into the liquid pump, and an energy recovery unit for expanding the refrigerant flowing out of the heater is disposed to recover thermal energy in the refrigerant from the heater. When the Rankine cycle is set so that the energy recovery unit recovers the thermal energy, the cooling means cools the liquid refrigerant to be sucked into the liquid pump. Therefore, pumping efficiency of the liquid pump can be effectively improved.

Abstract: In an ejector cycle having an ejector, a decompression amount of refrigerant between a gas-liquid separator and an evaporator is adjusted by a differential pressure control valve, so that a pressure increasing amount in a pressure increasing portion of the ejector is controlled to be equal to or lower than a predetermined amount. Therefore, a suction pressure of refrigerant to be sucked to the compressor can be restricted from being excessively increased in accordance with the increase of the pressure increasing amount in the ejector, and it can prevent heat radiating capacity of a radiator from being decreased. Thus, a sufficient cooling capacity can be always obtained in the ejector cycle.

Abstract: In an ejector, a nozzle includes a nozzle tapered section having an inner passage with a radial dimension reduced toward a nozzle outlet port, and a needle having a needle tapered section disposed in the inner passage. The needle tapered section has a cross sectional area reduced toward a downstream end of the needle, and the downstream end of the needle is positioned at a downstream side with respect to the nozzle outlet port. In addition, the nozzle tapered section has a taper angle (&phgr;1) which is equal to or greater than a taper angle (&phgr;2) of the needle tapered section. Therefore, a boundary face on the outside of a nozzle jet flow becomes in a balanced natural shape, and is controlled in accordance with an operating condition. Thus, the ejector cycle can be operated while keeping high efficiency, regardless of the thermal load of the ejector cycle.

Abstract: An oil content measuring device measures the oil content of a refrigerant in a supercritical or a vapor phase state. A refrigeration system uses the oil content measuring device. The oil content measuring device has an electrostatic capacity measuring device for measuring an electrostatic capacity of the refrigerant containing a refrigerating machine oil, a density measuring device for measuring a density of at least one of the refrigerant and the refrigerating machine oil, a computing device for performing a computation on correlation characteristics between the electrostatic capacity and an oil content which indicates the ratio of the amount of the refrigerating machine oil to the amount of the refrigerant containing the refrigerating machine oil, using the density measured by the density measuring device. An oil content determining device determines an oil content at the measuring time from an electrostatic capacity using the correlation characteristics obtained by the computing device.

Abstract: An oil content measuring device measures the oil content of a refrigerant in a supercritical or a vapor phase state. A refrigeration system uses the oil content measuring device. The oil content measuring device has an electrostatic capacity measuring device for measuring an electrostatic capacity of the refrigerant containing a refrigerating machine oil, a density measuring device for measuring a density of at least one of the refrigerant and the refrigerating machine oil, a computing device for performing a computation on correlation characteristics between the electrostatic capacity and an oil content which indicates the ratio of the amount of the refrigerating machine oil to the amount of the refrigerant containing the refrigerating machine oil, using the density measured by the density measuring device. An oil content determining device determines an oil content at the measuring time from an electrostatic capacity using the correlation characteristics obtained by the computing device.

Abstract: In an ejector used for an ejector cycle system, a nozzle has a first refrigerant passage, a second refrigerant passage, and a third refrigerant passage in this order in a refrigerant flow direction from a refrigerant inlet toward a refrigerant outlet of the nozzle. The first refrigerant passage, the second refrigerant passage and the third refrigerant passage are formed into cylindrical shapes, respectively, each having a constant passage diameter. Further, a pressure increasing portion of the ejector is also formed into a cylindrical shape having a constant passage diameter. Accordingly, the ejector can be readily manufactured in low cost.