With Power Vapor Generator Patents (Class 62/238.4)
  • Patent number: 11788777
    Abstract: A temperature control system is used for controlling a temperature of a control target. The system includes: a first circulation circuit through which a first heat transfer medium circulates; a second circulation circuit that is independent of the first circulation circuit and through which a second heat transfer medium circulates; and a third circulation circuit that is independent of the first circulation circuit and the second circulation circuit and through which a third heat transfer medium circulates. The third heat transfer medium has a usable temperature range wider than usable temperature ranges of the first heat transfer medium and the second heat transfer medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2023
    Assignees: CKD CORPORATION, EBARA CORPORATION, EBARA REFRIGERATION EQUIPMENT & SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihiro Ito, Norio Kokubo, Masayuki Kouketsu, Isahiro Hasegawa, Toshiharu Nakazawa, Keisuke Takanashi, Yukihiro Fukusumi
  • Patent number: 11760154
    Abstract: An in-vehicle temperature adjustment system includes: a refrigeration circuit including an inter-medium heat exchanger and a vaporizer that vaporizes the cooling medium to achieve a refrigeration cycle by circulating a cooling medium; a thermal circuit including a heater core, the inter-medium heat exchanger, an engine thermal circuit, and a radiator to circulate the heating medium; and a controller that controls a distribution state of the heating medium. The thermal circuit includes: a first branch portion at which a coolant flowing out of the engine thermal circuit and the inter-medium heat exchanger is divided into coolants flowing into the heater core and into the radiator; a second branch portion at which a coolant flowing out of the heater core is divided into coolants flowing into the inter-medium heat exchanger and into the engine thermal circuit; a first adjustment valve and a second adjustment valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yuji Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 10001025
    Abstract: A generator uses a working fluid in a single-cycle Rankine engine for up to three purposes: generation of electricity; generation of hot water from heat exchanger; and generation of chill by the evaporation of liquefied working fluid. The working fluid, which may be carbon dioxide, goes through a single Rankine cycle for both heat engine and heat pump. Instead of using a pump to liquefy the working fluid, the working fluid experiences cryogenic liquefaction method under controlled pressure. The Hui turbine is used for electricity generation. Heat source for the combined heat pump and heat engine could come from concentrated solar power or from burning a fossil fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: MONARCH POWER CORP
    Inventor: Joseph Y. Hui
  • Patent number: 9819193
    Abstract: Connected in parallel to an expander and a condenser of a Rankine cycle are n sets each including a different expander and a different condenser. Devices are provided for stopping operations of the expanders in sets connected in parallel, and a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor are installed respectively in an inlet and outlet of an evaporator. An electronic control unit sets or releases at least one of the operation stopping devices such that a measured value of the temperature sensor reaches a prescribed temperature value which is equal to or less than a thermal decomposition temperature of a refrigerant and which is set in advance, and the electronic control unit controls a rotational speed of a refrigerant pump such that a measured value of the pressure sensor reaches a prescribed pressure value set in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventor: Makoto Abe
  • Patent number: 9664397
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes a heat medium circuit with a heat medium flow reversing device that can switch the flow direction of a heat medium in the heat medium side passage of the heat exchanger related to heat medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Yamashita, Shinichi Wakamoto, Naofumi Takenaka
  • Patent number: 9360226
    Abstract: A heat pump system includes a heat-source-side refrigerant circuit and a controller. The heat-source-side refrigerant circuit has a plurality of usage units having usage-side heat exchangers. The plurality of usage units are connected to a heat source unit having a plurality of heat-source-side heat exchangers and a heat-source-side compressor configured to compress a heat-source-side refrigerant. The controller causes the plurality of heat-source-side heat exchangers to function as evaporators and radiators of heat-source-side refrigerant to perform an air-cooling operation and an air-warming operation using an aqueous medium. The heat pump system operates so that the heat-source-side condensing temperature is below 40° C. in the case that an outside air temperature is 25° C. or lower and the cooling and heating operations coexist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignees: Daikin Industries, Ltd., DAIKIN EUROPE N.V.
    Inventor: Masahiro Honda
  • Patent number: 9291377
    Abstract: An air conditioning system. The system includes apparatus for circulating a refrigerant in a path, further having apparatus for compressing the refrigerant and generating heat in the refrigerant. The system further includes apparatus for providing a driving force to the apparatus for compressing in response to the generated heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Inventor: Richard J. Cathriner
  • Patent number: 9032752
    Abstract: A system configured to thermally regulate exhaust portions of a power plant system (e.g. steam turbine) is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes: a condenser adapted to connect to and thermally regulate exhaust portions of a steam turbine; and a cooling system operably connected to the condenser and adapted to supply a cooling fluid to the condenser, the cooling system including a solar absorption chiller adapted to adjust a temperature of the cooling fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Victor Hannula, Duncan George Watt
  • Publication number: 20130263619
    Abstract: An air conditioning system in which a high-pressure refrigerant vapor turbine is driving a low-pressure high-speed centrifugal compressor both supported on liquid refrigerant hydrostatic journal bearings. Due to required turbine miniaturization, the turbine blades surface finish and blade accuracy are of critical importance in order to produce high turbine adiabatic efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventor: Davorin Kapich
  • Patent number: 8327654
    Abstract: An apparatus to rotate a cooling fan may employ an engine coolant radiator having a radiator inlet tank attached at an end of the radiator. The radiator inlet tank may be filled with engine coolant and transfer heat into a fan system evaporator contained inside the radiator inlet tank. The tank may contain a liquid working fluid capable of absorbing heat from the engine coolant and becoming a gaseous working fluid. A gas expander with an impeller may be employed to receive the gaseous working fluid from the fan system evaporator and impart rotation in a shaft to which the impeller of the gas expander and cooling fan is attached. A fan system condenser may receive the gaseous working fluid from the gas expander and condense the gaseous working fluid to form a liquid working fluid. A pump pumps the liquid working fluid back to the fan system evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: DENSO International America, Inc.
    Inventor: Dwayne Robert Taylor
  • Patent number: 8261563
    Abstract: An apparatus provides a high efficiency for refrigerator operation. The inclusion of a separate external evaporator and condenser that draws heat away from the common refrigerator condenser allows an increase in the intensity of the cooling process of the cooling agent, thereby diminishing electrical consumption, and decreasing the size and noise of the condenser. This is achieved by structuring the refrigerator condenser with the one tube for the cooling agent of the common refrigerator and another volume for evaporating the cooling substance of the external evaporator and condenser. Moreover, external system of natural cooling has a condenser that is located in the open air and connected to the evaporator with the help of vapor lines and condensed vapor lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Inventors: Lev Khrustalev, Alex Mindich
  • Publication number: 20120125019
    Abstract: A self sustaining energy system for a building is provided part of which is typically driven by geothermal energy. The energy system typically uses a ground source heat pump for heating and cooling the building airspace and an organic Rankine cycle drive for producing electricity. A solar powered heating system may also serve as a heat source for providing domestic hot water and supplemental airspace heating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventor: Samuel M. Sami
  • Publication number: 20120102996
    Abstract: A power generation system is provided. The system includes a carbon-dioxide waste heat recovery Rankine cycle, integrated with an absorption chiller cycle. The Rankine cycle includes a condenser and a desorber. The condenser of the Rankine cycle is combined with the evaporator of the absorption chiller cycle. The Rankine cycle and the absorption chiller cycle can be integrated at the desorber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Sebastian Walter Freund
  • Patent number: 8151586
    Abstract: To realize a CO2 heat pump system in which reduction in coefficient of performance of heat pump cycle is prevented by maintaining the temperature of the water supplied to the gas cooler of the CO2 heat pump below a certain temperature and raising heat source side temperature in the evaporator, and which has functions to supply a heat source not only to hot water supplying equipment but also to supply a heat source or coolness source to air conditioning equipment or others, the system comprises a low temperature water tank 6, a high temperature water tank 9 for storing high temperature water heated in a gas cooler 3, piping 10, 12 for supplying the high temperature water to hot water supplying equipment and room heating equipment respectively, a first heat exchanger 21 in which brine (water) for supplying latent heat of vaporization of CO2 refrigerant to the refrigerant in the evaporator 5 exchanges heat with heat giving fluid (fluid from which heat is withdrawn), a second heat exchanger located upstream of th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Mayekawa Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Sato, Youichi Kawazu, Tooru Saitou
  • Publication number: 20110265501
    Abstract: A system of energy recovery from low temperature sources of heat, comprising components of Organic Renkine Cycle (ORC) including a turbine from which an ORC vapor is withdrawn, a condenser in which the ORC vapor withdrawn from the turbine condenses into an ORC condensate, a pump which circulates the ORC working medium, a heat exchanger which is supplied with a heat carrier from a lower temperature heat source and in which the ORC working liquid, and an ARC Condenser in which the ORC working liquid is heated or evaporates to produce ORC working vapor which is supplied to the turbine; components of an absorption refrigeration cycle (ARC) including an absorption refrigeration machine which receives heat and vaporizes a liquid refrigerant of the ARC to produce an ARC refrigerant vapor which is supplied to the ARC condenser to heat the ORC working liquid; and an additional component increasing a temperature difference between the ORC condensate and the heat carrier from the low temperature heat source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: November 3, 2011
    Inventor: Ari Nir
  • Publication number: 20110247351
    Abstract: An HVAC system that uses a mechanical compressor powered by vaporized refrigerant and/or electric power, to increase efficiency in a jet ejector cooling cycle. The device is further able to convert thermal energy to electric power which may be used to meet internal or external requirements, for example, to activate control a system or charge a battery. Compatible input power includes only thermal energy, only electric energy or a combination of the two. Motive thermal energy may be input at a wide range of temperature and include both waste and non-waste heat sources such as that from an internal combustion engine and fuel-fired heater. Solar thermal and solar photovoltaic may also be used when collected from either concentrated or non-concentrated sources. Embodiments of the device are equally well suited to both mobile and stationary applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventor: Gerald Allen Alston
  • Patent number: 7963117
    Abstract: An HVAC system for a motorized vehicle or vessel is provided that includes a variable-speed compressor, a variable-speed condenser fan and a variable-speed evaporator fan. The HVAC system further includes a DC-power system for supplying DC power to the variable-speed compressor, the variable-speed condenser fan and the variable-speed evaporator fan regardless if the mobile unit's engine is operating or not operating. A controller and an operator interface are also provided for controlling the operation of the HVAC system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Dometic Corporation
    Inventors: Kendall Allen, Ralph G. Bailey
  • Publication number: 20100314074
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for depressurisation of high pressure pipeline fluids. The system may provide for net power generation without the pressurised fluid undergoing liquefaction or solidification or unacceptable temperature reduction as a result of a Joule-Thompson process. The system is particularly relevant for depressurising high pressure natural gas pipelines in an energy efficient manner whilst making possible net power generation. The system for depressurisation of a pressurised fluid in a pipeline comprises at least one depressuriser for expanding the fluid in the pipeline to a lower pressure; and a transcritical heat pump for circulating a supercritical fluid, wherein the supercritical fluid undergoes cooling so as to release heat for transmission to the pressurised fluid in the pipeline prior to at least one expansion of said pressurised fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: THERMONETICS LTD.
    Inventor: Paul Sikora
  • Patent number: 7812699
    Abstract: An oil cooling system, which may be employed for transformers feeding traction electric motors and for oil in a high viscosity condition, includes a first heat exchanger between a heat generating source to cooling oil that is connected by delivery and return ducts to a second heat exchanger cooling the oil by transmitting the heat absorbed at the first heat exchanger to an environment having a lower temperature than the cooling oil. The oil cooling system also includes devices flowing the cooling oil from the first to the second heat exchanger and vice versa, and devices monitoring oil flow in the circuit, for example by indicating operating conditions of the cooling system and/or by performing safety operations when the heat generating source becomes overheated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Alstom Transport SA
    Inventor: Piero Moia
  • Patent number: 7658072
    Abstract: A high-efficient heat cycle device formed by combining a heat engine with a refrigerating machine, wherein steam generated in a boiler is cooled by a condenser after driving turbine, built up by a pump, and circulated into the boiler in the form of high-pressure condensate. Refrigerant gas compressed by a compressor is passed through the radiating side of a heat exchanger for cooling after driving the turbine to output a work, and built up by a pump to form high-pressure refrigerant liquid. The high-pressure refrigerant liquid drives a reaction water-turbine to output a work and is expanded and vaporized to form refrigerant gas. The refrigerant gas is led into the compressor after being passed through the heat absorbing side of the heat exchanger and the condenser for heating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Inventor: Noboru Masada
  • Publication number: 20090145149
    Abstract: To realize a CO2 heat pump system in which reduction in coefficient of performance of heat pump cycle is prevented by maintaining the temperature of the water supplied to the gas cooler of the CO2 heat pump below a certain temperature and raising heat source side temperature in the evaporator, and which has functions to supply a heat source not only to hot water supplying equipment but also to supply a heat source or coolness source to air conditioning equipment or others, the system comprises a low temperature water tank 6, a high temperature water tank 9 for storing high temperature water heated in a gas cooler 3, piping 10, 12 for supplying the high temperature water to hot water supplying equipment and room heating equipment respectively, a first heat exchanger 21 in which brine (water) for supplying latent heat of vaporization of CO2 refrigerant to the refrigerant in the evaporator 5 exchanges heat with heat giving fluid (fluid from which heat is withdrawn), a second heat exchanger located upstream of th
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: MAYEKAWA MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Sato, Youichi Kawazu, Tooru Saitou
  • Publication number: 20080184706
    Abstract: A complex fluid machine has an expansion-compressor device, a pump, and a motor generator, wherein the expansion-compressor device, the pump, and the motor generator are operatively connected and arranged in series, and a power transmitting device for disconnecting the pump from the motor generator, when the expansion-compressor device is driven by the motor generator so as to be operated as a compressor device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, NIPPON SOKEN, INC.
    Inventors: Keiichi Uno, Hironori Asa, Yasuhiro Takeuchi, Hideji Yoshida, Akihiro Imura, Atsushi Inaba, Hiroshi Kishita, Hiroshi Ogawa
  • 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: 7275393
    Abstract: Turbulators are disclosed for use in a high-stage generator for an exhaust-fired absorption chiller/heater. The turbulators are designed to minimize pressure drop across the turbulator, and thus minimize the efficiency loss to the exhaust source. One turbulator design has a number of flanges extending at a non-normal angle to a central web. Further, some of the flanges have cutout portions. The overall turbulator design is intended to minimize wake downstream of the turbulator blades, which could otherwise cause undesirable pressure drop. A second turbulator design incorporates flanges that extend at a normal angle relative to the central web, but wherein the flanges have a non-rectangular cross-sectional shape. Again, the goal of the turbulator designs here is to minimize wake, and potential pressure drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: UTC Power, LLC
    Inventors: Sunghan Jung, Jifeng Zhang, Timothy C. Wagner, Mark E. Marler, Fabio P. Bertolotti, Michael K. Sahm, Jinsang Ryu
  • Patent number: 7178358
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, Inc.
    Inventors: Atsushi Inaba, Yasushi Yamanaka, Shigeki Iwanami, Koichi Ban, Shigeru Hisanaga, Tadashi Hotta, Yukikatsu Ozaki, Kazuhide Uchida
  • Patent number: 7117686
    Abstract: Turbulators are disclosed for use in a high-stage generator for an exhaust-fired absorption chiller/heater. The turbulators are designed to minimize pressure drop across the turbulator, and thus minimize the efficiency loss to the exhaust source. One turbulator design has a number of flanges extending at a non-normal angle to a central web. Further, some of the flanges have cutout portions. The overall turbulator design is intended to minimize wake downstream of the turbulator blades, which could otherwise cause undesirable pressure drop. A second turbulator design incorporates flanges that extend at a normal angle relative to the central web, but wherein the flanges have a non-rectangular cross-sectional shape. Again, the goal of the turbulator designs here is to minimize wake, and potential pressure drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: UTC Power, LLC
    Inventors: Sunghan Jung, Jifeng Zhang, Timothy C. Wagner, Mark E. Marler, Fabio P. Bertolotti, Michael K. Sahm, Jinsang Ryu
  • Patent number: 6935129
    Abstract: A radiator for a vapor-compression refrigerant cycle and a condenser for a Rankine cycle are integrated to construct a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a core portion for performing a heat exchange, and is disposed to have a first function portion used as the radiator and a second function portion used as the condenser. A function ratio changing ratio includes a displacement member such as a plunger disposed in a header tank of the heat exchanger, and changes a ratio between the first function portion and the second function portion. For example, the displacement member partitions an inner space of the header tank into two space parts when both the vapor-compression refrigerant cycle and the Rankine cycle are operated, and does not partition the inner space when only one of the vapor-compression refrigerant cycle and the Rankine cycle is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Minoru Sasaki, Atsushi Inaba, Takashi Yamanaka, Eiichi Torigoe
  • Patent number: 6694766
    Abstract: A system for increasing efficiency of a closed-earth-loop heat pump system; for increasing heat pump efficiency by feeding relatively colder water to heat pumps when they operate in a cooling mode; and, in certain aspects, systems for using excess produced heat and/or waste heat generated by an air conditioning system that employs an earth loop heat exchange apparatus, the system having power production apparatus that uses the excess produced heat and/or waste heat from air conditioning apparatus to generate electricity and reduce the heat dissipation load on the earth loop heat exchange apparatus; and, in one aspect, such a system that provides cooling fluid to a fuel cell that produces water and electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Enlink Geoenergy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard E. Johnson, Jr., Gregory Tinkler
  • Patent number: 6477852
    Abstract: A heat and electric power supply system includes a regenerative gas turbine and an adsorption refrigerator recovering exhaust heat of exhaust gas from the gas turbine and is provided with inlet air cooling equipment including a spray device for spraying cold water from the adsorption refrigerator into an air-intake port of the regenerative gas turbine and a humidifier effecting humidification by hot water injection from the refrigerator into a compressor delivery port of the regenerative gas turbine. The cooling by cold water and humidification by hot water injection are effected according to operational conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Dodo, Kuniyoshi Tsubouchi, Norio Yasugahira, Hiroshi Arita, Yasuaki Akatsu, Shigeo Hatamiya
  • Patent number: 6460360
    Abstract: An energy-saving system including a primary heat recovery apparatus for recovering heat from the environment of a silencer box having a compressor and a power generator simultaneously coupled with an engine commonly built in the box for warming utility water, a refrigerant heat recovery apparatus for recovering the condensation heat of the refrigerant for warming utility water, a water heat recovery apparatus for recovering the water heat in the water jacket of the engine, and a flue gas heat recovery system having a first gas heat exchanger and a second gas heat exchanger for recovering the waste heat of the exhaust gas. A turbo-generator is driven by a steam turbine driven by the steam produced from the gas heat exchanger for generating electricity. Also at least an absorption-based air conditioner is driven by the waste heat as recovered from the energy-saving system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Inventor: Sheng-Ming Hsieh
  • Patent number: 6397621
    Abstract: The refrigeration cycle uses an evaporation zone prior to compression and a condensation zone after the latter, in which the thermodynamic fluid used in the cycle as well as the fluid used in the cold-exchange and heat-exchange cycles is water. The installation is operated on the basis of dynamic compression in two separate compression stages linked to one another by at least one zone with de-superheating and enclosed in a hermetically sealed and heat-insulated enclosure confining the vapor at very low pressure; the wheels of these two stages are mounted directly on the opposite ends of the shaft of a common, sealed, variable speed electric motor disposed inside the enclosure between these stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Electricite de France Service National
    Inventors: Jean-François Reynaud, Guy Chambaron, Henri Rodie-Talbere
  • Patent number: 6389830
    Abstract: An apparatus for heating and cooling includes a solar collector for transferring heat energy from incident solar rays to a liquid refrigerant material thereby changing a first portion to a gaseous state. An eductor-venturi reduces a pressure of the gaseous refrigerant material and a condenser removes the heat energy thereby changing the refrigerant material back to the liquid state. A heat exchanger associated with the condenser receives the heat energy removed from the refrigerant material. A float evaporator mounted in a cold chamber transfers heat energy from the atmosphere to the liquid refrigerant material thereby changing a second portion to the gaseous state and cooling the cold chamber atmosphere. A float actuated valve connected to the float evaporator is responsive to a level of the liquid refrigerant material in the evaporator for regulating a flow of the liquid refrigerant material into the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Refrigeration Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward W. Bottum, Sr., Edward W. Bottum, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6260370
    Abstract: An apparatus for heating and cooling includes a solar collector for transferring heat energy from incident solar rays to a liquid refrigerant material thereby changing a first portion to a gaseous state. An eductor-venturi reduces a pressure of the gaseous refrigerant material and a condenser removes the heat energy thereby changing the refrigerant material back to the liquid state. A heat exchanger associated with the condenser receives the heat energy removed from the refrigerant material. A float evaporator mounted in a cold chamber transfers heat energy from the atmosphere to the liquid refrigerant material thereby changing a second portion to the gaseous state and cooling the cold chamber atmosphere. A float actuated valve connected to the float evaporator is responsive to a level of the liquid refrigerant material in the evaporator for regulating a flow of the liquid refrigerant material into the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Refrigeration Research, Inc.
    Inventors: Edward W. Bottum, Sr., Edward W. Bottum, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6237356
    Abstract: A compressor (2), a heat releasing element (3A) of a heat exchanger (3) for heating, an electromotive expansion valve (4), and a heat absorbing element (5A) of a heat exchanger (5) for cooling are connected to each other to constitute a primary refrigerant circuit. A pump (11), a heat absorbing element (3B) of the heat exchanger (3) for heating, a first indoor heat exchanger (12), an electromotive expansion valve (13), a second indoor heat exchanger (14), and a heat releasing element (5B) of the heat exchanger (5) for cooling are connected to each other to compose a secondary refrigerant circuit (10). A liquid refrigerant ejected from the pump (11) is evaporated in the heat absorbing element (3B) of the heat exchanger (3) for heating, reduced in pressure by the electromotive expansion valve (13), and evaporated in the second indoor heat exchanger (14). Thereafter, the gas refrigerant is condensed in the heat releasing element (5B) of the heat exchanger (5) for heating to be returned to the pump (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Hori, Shinri Sada