With Vortex Tube, Thermoelectric, Stirling Or Air Cycle Patents (Class 62/238.2)
  • Patent number: 10954852
    Abstract: This compressed air storage power generation device 10 is provided with: a power demand receiving unit 60 which receives in real-time the power demand value of consumer equipment 3; a power supply adjustment device 19 which adjusts the amount of power generated by a generator 15; and a control device which has a power generation amount control unit 17a for controlling the power supply adjustment device 19 so as to supply the consumer equipment 3 in a timely fashion with power corresponding to the power demand value received by the power demand receiving unit 60.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Matsukuma, Ayaka Nagahira
  • Patent number: 8671677
    Abstract: An improved free piston Stirling machine having a gamma configuration. The displacer and each piston is reciprocatable within a cylinder having an unobstructed opening at its inner end into a common volume of the workspace. The common volume is defined by the intersection of inward projections of the displacer cylinder and the piston cylinders. The displacer and the pistons each have a range of reciprocation that extends into the common volume. A displacer drive rod is reciprocatable in a drive rod cylinder and both are positioned outside the common volume and on the opposite side of the common volume from the displacer. The displacer is connected to the displacer drive rod by a displacer connecting rod. Importantly, the displacer and pistons have complementary interfacing surface contours formed on their inner ends which substantially reduces the dead volume of this gamma configured machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Global Cooling, Inc.
    Inventor: David M. Berchowitz
  • Patent number: 8555657
    Abstract: An environment control apparatus for cultivating plants includes a casing having a bottom with first and second holes. A thermoelectric cooling module is mounted in the first hole and includes first and second sides. The first side faces the casing. A temperature control pipe includes two ends connected to a heat reservoir. The temperature control pipe includes a heat exchanging section in contact with the second side of the thermoelectric cooling module. A first power device is mounted on the temperature control pipe. An auxiliary heat pipe includes two ends connected to the heat reservoir. The auxiliary heat pipe includes a heat dissipating section located in the second hole. A processor is coupled to the thermoelectric cooling module and the first power device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: National Pingtung University of Science and Technology
    Inventor: Chung-Liang Chang
  • Patent number: 8316649
    Abstract: A thermal pillow apparatus comprising a pillow element, a heat exchanger, a thermal liquid, a fluid pump and a controller is disclosed. The thermal liquid circulates between the heat exchanger and the pillow element in a closed loop, transferring thermal energy between the heat exchanger and the pillow element. A fluid pump is disposed in the closed loop to aid in circulating the thermal liquid within the closed loop. A Peltier device is the typical heat pump element used in the heat exchanger. The controller coordinates the operation of the thermal pillow apparatus, for example monitoring the temperature of the thermal liquid, and activating the heat exchanger and the fluid pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Superior Quilting Ltd.
    Inventor: Bill Wolske
  • Patent number: 8286441
    Abstract: The system for collecting and delivering heat energy with modular heating and cooling apparatus includes of at least one collecting body (20) of belt (94) or plate (95) construction with lateral tubing connection (31) installed within the exterior of the house (1) within the soil trench (3), where the lay-out of axes (98) of more than one soil trench (3) is radial and/or the lay-out of the axes (98) of the trenches (3) is parallel and/or trapezoidal, the system for collecting heat energy also includes the module of controlled ventilation of the house with a soil-air exchanger (19), a module for collecting of solar radiation by collectors (6, 63, 7, 60), where the system for collecting and delivering heat energy includes at least one heat transfer body (70) of a belt (94) or plate (95) construction with lateral tubing connection (69) installed within the interior of the house (1) on the surface of the walls, ceiling, floors and/or within the sub-surface construction, where the equipment (2) is located outside
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Inventor: Pavel Simka
  • Patent number: 8186174
    Abstract: An electronic device cabinet includes a first temperature control system positioned to direct a conditioned airflow into a first electronic device storage zone of the cabinet and a second temperature control system positioned to direct a conditioned airflow into a second electronic device storage zone of the cabinet. The first temperature control system includes a first plurality of vortex tubes having a compressed air inlet and a first cooling air outlet that guides cooling air into the first device storage zone. The second temperature control system includes a second plurality of vortex tubes having a compressed air inlet and a second cooling air outlet that guides cooling air into the second device storage zone. A controller selectively delivers compressed air to respective ones of the first and second temperature control systems upon sensing a demand for cooling in corresponding ones of the first and second electronic device storage zones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Don A. Gilliland, Cary M. Huettner, Max J. C. Koschmeder
  • Publication number: 20120090340
    Abstract: A heat recovery system includes a first air cooler for cooling compressed air from a compressor, a first oil cooler for cooling a lubricant from the compressor, and a second air cooler and/or a second oil cooler serving as a heat recovering heat exchanger. The second air cooler heats water with the heat of the compressed air to be fed to the first air cooler. In contrast, the second oil cooler heats water with the heat of a lubricant to be fed to the first oil cooler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: MIURA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke OKAMOTO, Kazuyuki OOTANI
  • Patent number: 8156747
    Abstract: A supply method without cooling medium for an air conditioner comprises the steps of removing moisture, separating cold air from hot air and supplying. Under the condition of no cooling medium, the above-mentioned steps separate the moisture from the compressed air, separate the cold air from the hot air and supply the cold air and the hot air. The system using the supply method without cooling medium for an air conditioner comprises at least one air dryer having an air-moisture separation chamber for separating air from moisture and at least one separator having a separation chamber for separating cold air from hot air. The separator is connected to a pipeline to supply the cold air and the hot air. Thereby, the environment will not be destroyed, and the cold and hot air are supplied separately, which allows the user to use the cold or hot air according to his/her requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Inventor: Jack Lee
  • Patent number: 8141380
    Abstract: The purpose present invention is to provide an air refrigerant type cooling apparatus provided with an internal air cooling mechanism with high reliability and efficiency. Another object of the present invention is to provide an air refrigerant cooling/heating system with a simplified configuration using the air refrigerant type cooling apparatus. To accomplish the purpose, a heat radiating means is provided in a motor of an air refrigerant type cooling apparatus having a compressor, the motor and an expansion turbine in the present invention. Also, a pressure difference is positively generated between the inside and outside of the motor. By these means, when the motor is driven, the heat from the stator main body is exhausted to the outside of the motor through the heat radiating means and the heat from the coil end portions is exhausted through the cooling air exhausted from the inside to the outside of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., International Center for Environmental Technology Transfer
    Inventors: Shigemitsu Kikuchi, Seiichi Okuda
  • Patent number: 7983045
    Abstract: Some embodiments of a method, apparatus and computer system are described for inverted vortex generator enhanced cooling. In various embodiments an apparatus may comprise a first surface comprising at least one heated component, a second surface in proximity to the first surface, the second surface comprising a non-heated surface, and one or more inverted vortex generators attached to the non-heated surface, a portion of the one or more inverted vortex generators in proximity to and configured to dissipate heat from the at least one heated component. Other embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Anandaroop Bhattacharya, Rajiv K. Mongia, Krishnakumar Varadarajan, Rajendra Prasad Vedula, Siddini Venkatesh Prabhu
  • Publication number: 20110100011
    Abstract: An air aspirated hybrid heat pump and heat engine system (20) for selectively heating and cooling a space (22) having an flow path (24) including a compressor (76), a heat exchanger (32), an expander (78), and a generator (68). A combustion chamber (62) is in the flow path (24) for combusting a fuel in the air during a high heating mode. The heat exchanger (32) dissipates the heat from the air, and the expander (78) depressurizes the air while powering the generator (68). Also included is a positive displacement rotating vane-type device (36) having a stator housing (38) extending between longitudinal ends (40). A compression chamber inlet (52) and an expansion chamber outlet (58) are located on opposite longitudinal ends (40) of the stator housing (38) to be in simultaneous communication with the same chamber (48, 50)). A fluid enters the device through the compression chamber inlet (52) and pushes fluid out of the expansion chamber outlet (58).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventor: Gilbert Staffend
  • Publication number: 20110005252
    Abstract: An object is to provide an apparatus which performs freezing and heating with a high efficiency. A compressor generates an air refrigerant with a high temperature and a high pressure by compressing the air refrigerant. As the air refrigerant is heated by a first heat exchanger and further heated by a heater, the temperature of the air refrigerant is increased to more than 200° C. in which bread and cookies can be baked, and the air refrigerant is supplied to an oven. Heat of the air refrigerant outputted from the oven is recovered by a second heat exchanger, and supplied to a high-temperature side of the first heat exchanger. The air outputted from the second heat exchanger is cooled by a cooler and a third heat exchanger, is adiabatically expanded by an expansion turbine to be cooled to ?85° C., and is supplied to a freezer. The air of the freezer is recovered to be supplied to the low-temperature side of the third heat exchanger, and then is supplied to the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2010
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicants: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD., INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR ENVIROMNENTAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
    Inventors: Seiichi OKUDA, Shigemitsu KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20100218513
    Abstract: A vapor compression cycle system is combined with a Rankine cycle system, with the two systems having a common suction accumulator from which the compressor draws refrigerant vapor for the vapor compression cycle system and from which a pump draws liquid refrigerant for circulation within the Rankine cycle system. The vapor from the Rankine cycle system expander is passed to the compressor discharge to provide a mixture which is circulated within the vapor compression cycle system to obtain improved performance. The heat exchangers are sized so as to obtain a non-complete evaporation, with the resulting two-phase fluid passing to the suction accumulator to provide liquid refrigerant to the Rankine cycle system and vapor refrigerant to the vapor compression cycle system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Igor B. Vaisman, Michael F. Taras, Joseph J. Sangiovanni
  • Publication number: 20100126195
    Abstract: A refrigeration apparatus (7200) includes a heat pump circuit (7201) and a power generation circuit (7100). The power generation circuit (7100) includes an evaporator (701) including a first and a second heat exchanger (710a, 710b), a turbine (702), a condenser (703) and a pump (704). The first heat exchanger (710a) absorbs heat rejected from the heat pump circuit (7201) into a power generation circuit (7100) while the second heat exchanger (710b) further heats the fluid. The power generation circuit (7100) includes a bypass (707) which allows a portion of working liquid to enter the turbine (702) without passing through the evaporator (701). A heat pump (704) with similar bypass is also disclosed. Also disclosed are dual stage turbine design and a nozzle (10300) for a turbine which includes two fluid paths (1011, 1014) that adapted to receive and mix the liquid and vapour streams of working fluid, so that the liquid working fluid is vaporized by the heat from the vapour working fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Inventor: Kenneth William Patterson Drysdale
  • Patent number: 7669428
    Abstract: Briefly described, embodiments of this disclosure, among others, include vortex vapor compression refrigeration (VCR) systems and methods of cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Andrei G. Federov, Robert Wadell, Stephane Launay
  • Publication number: 20100037653
    Abstract: The invention relates to a desalination method and system that uses freeze crystallization technology that incorporates the use of compressed air energy as the source for freezing temperatures. When compressed air is released by a turbo expander, chilled air is produced as a by-product, wherein the chilled air is introduced into a crystallization chamber. Also injected into the chamber is a spray cloud of seawater droplets, which has been pre-chilled by heat exchange with the cold chamber walls, and which is then circulated and exposed to the chilled air in the chamber. The sizes of the droplets can vary, but are preferably predetermined, along with the relative temperatures, flows and speeds of the spray and chilled air, such that when the droplets are circulated within the chilled air, and settle at the bottom of the chamber, they are deposited at slightly above the eutectic temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Ben M. Enis, Paul Lieberman
  • Publication number: 20090308566
    Abstract: The system for collecting and delivering heat energy with modular heating and cooling apparatus includes of at least one collecting body (20) of belt (94) or plate (95) construction with lateral tubing connection (31) installed within the exterior of the house (1) within the soil trench (3), where the lay-out of axes (98) of more than one soil trench (3) is radial and/or the lay-out of the axes (98) of the trenches (3) is parallel and/or trapezoidal, the system for collecting heat energy also includes the module of controlled ventilation of the house with a soil-air exchange (19), a module for collecting of solar radiation by collectors (6, 63, 7, 60), where the system for collecting and delivering heat energy includes at least one heat transfer body (70) of a belt (94) or plate (95) construction with lateral tubing connection (69) installed within the interior of the house (1) on the surface of the walls, ceiling, floors and/or within the sub-surface construction, where the equipment (2) is located outside a
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2007
    Publication date: December 17, 2009
    Inventor: Pavel Simka
  • Publication number: 20090241563
    Abstract: A supply method without cooling medium for an air conditioner comprises the steps of removing moisture, separating cold air from hot air and supplying. Under the condition of no cooling medium, the above-mentioned steps separate the moisture from the compressed air, separate the cold air from the hot air and supply the cold air and the hot air. The system using the supply method without cooling medium for an air conditioner comprises at least one air dryer having an air-moisture separation chamber for separating air from moisture and at least one separator having a separation chamber for separating cold air from hot air. The separator is connected to a pipeline to supply the cold air and the hot air. Thereby, the environment will not be destroyed, and the cold and hot air are supplied separately, which allows the user to use the cold or hot air according to his/her requirement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2008
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventor: Jack LEE
  • Patent number: 7430875
    Abstract: The exhaust heat recovery system of the invention includes: a thermoelectric conversion element that generates electric energy by thermoelectric conversion using heat of exhaust gas discharged from an engine; and a heat pump including a heat recovery unit that absorbs the heat contained in the exhaust gas through an endothermic reaction using a heating medium, and a heat generation unit which generates heat through an exothermic reaction of the heating medium and which supplies the heat to the thermoelectric conversion element. With this configuration, the thermoelectric conversion element and the heat generation unit are movably attached to each other such that they can be placed in contact with and separated from each other, and the heat recovery unit is positioned in an exhaust gas passage in an exhaust gas downstream flow direction from the heat generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshitake Sasaki, Kiyohito Murata, Yuji Itoh
  • Publication number: 20080148754
    Abstract: The invention provides an efficient way of cooling of the microelectronic devices and converting the heat back into the electrical power. With addition of the ambient-air heat exchanger the system generates enough power to completely satisfy the demand of the microelectronic device and replace the electric battery with the cryogenic storage vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventor: Roman Snytsar
  • Patent number: 7201000
    Abstract: The invention relates to heating engineering. The inventive method for heating or cooling fluid medium consists in supplying a cooled or heated fluid medium in a through channel and in subsequently heating or cooling said fluid medium therein at least in two stages. Said through channel is divided into heating and cooling stages having the same length. The temperature of each stage increases in the case of heating and reduces in the case of cooling stepwisely and directly proportionally in a direction away from the thirst stage to the next stage. The heated or cooled water is supplied to the through channel tangentially at an angle of 45–90° to the generatrix of the internal surface thereof at a point where the fluid medium is introduced. Said invention increases the efficiency of the process of heating or cooling said fluid medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Inventors: Abdul Sultanovich Kurkaev, Isa Sultanovich Kurkaev, Georgy Konstantinovich Manastyrly, Elena Antonovna Alieva, Natalya Vasilievna Logvina
  • Patent number: 6739148
    Abstract: A temperature control system for a vehicle includes an air-conditioning device (12) with a compressor device (14, 40) for compressing a working medium of the air-conditioning device (12). The compressor device (14, 40) can be driven by a first drive unit (18), preferably the driving motor (18) of a vehicle, and/or a second drive unit (42), whereby the second drive unit (42) comprises a Stirling motor (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: J. Eberspächer GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Michael Humburg
  • Patent number: 6644059
    Abstract: A dehumidifying apparatus capable of continuously supplying dry air having an absolute humidity of 4 g/kgDA or lower is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Kensaku Maeda, Shunro Nishiwaki
  • Patent number: 6595016
    Abstract: A portable refrigerator kit for perishable pet products for keeping perishable pet products from spoiling while the user is out camping with one's pets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Inventor: Arzu Demirkiran
  • Patent number: 6523364
    Abstract: An improved portable cooling device for a standard water bottle, specifically a standard water bottle is placed within a cooling jacket and secured in place using a zipper or similar attachment mechanism. The cooling jacket is comprised of a cooling agent located within inner cooling tubes in the cooling jacket. The inner cooling agent is circulated through the tubes by a motor-driven compressor. The motor-driven compressor is connected to a standard automobile cigarette lighter for power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2003
    Inventor: A. Gregg Pader
  • Publication number: 20020134090
    Abstract: A device for heating a first article and cooling a second article. The device may include an enclosure with a hot compartment and a cold compartment. The device also may include a Stirling cooler with a hot end and a cold end. The hot end may be positioned in communication with the hot compartment so as to heat the first article and the cold end may be positioned in communication with the cold compartment so as to cool the second article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2001
    Publication date: September 26, 2002
    Inventors: Arthur G. Rudick, Jean-Marc Rotsaert, James M. Graber, Joseph M. Lehman, Dwight S. Musgrave
  • Patent number: 6401463
    Abstract: A cooling and heating system using a vortex tube is disclosed. The system is attached to an equipment enclosure used for telecommunications, cable television and the like where a cold airstream from the vortex tube is directed to the sealed upper chamber of the enclosure, the upper chamber typically containing heat generating electronic components. The hot airstream generated by the vortex tube can be used to maintain an elevated temperature which prolongs the life of certain batteries and enhances their efficiency. Cold plates, heat exchangers, air jets and the like may be used in conjunction with the vortex tube to increase the cooling or heating of preselected components or items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Marconi Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Nihad Dukhan, Mark Cress, Michael R. Cosley
  • Publication number: 20010042380
    Abstract: The performance of a refrigeration system is often reduced due to insufficient refrigerant charge or due to the use of an inverter compressor. The performance loss is associated with the operating condition, which is not at the optimum, thus yielding less than the maximum EER (energy efficiency ratio). A vortex generator restores the optimum operating condition in the refrigeration system with insufficient refrigerant charge or using an inverter compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Publication date: November 22, 2001
    Inventors: Young I. Cho, Cheolho Bai
  • Patent number: 6269653
    Abstract: A portable refrigeration device is provided that includes a containerized beverage receptacle having inner and outer walls. The portable refrigeration device includes a refrigeration unit disposed within a refrigeration unit compartment disposed beneath the containerized beverage receptacle. A coolant circulating tube circulates coolant about the periphery of the beverage receptacle. A containerized beverage support is provided within the beverage receptacle and includes support shelves to support containerized beverages such as bottles of wine, soft drinks, or the like. A containerized beverage receptacle lid, having an indentation is provided that allows the neck of a wine bottle to pass there through when the lid is placed on the beverage receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Inventor: Nikola Katu{haeck over (s)}a