Abstract: A method of making an electrocaloric element includes providing an electrocaloric material, forming a first electrode at a first surface of the electrocaloric material, and forming a second electrode at a second surface of the electrocaloric material. The forming of the first electrode includes, or the forming of the second electrode includes, or the forming of each of the first and second electrodes independently includes modifying the respective first and/or second surface of the electrocaloric material with an electrically conductive surface modification.

Abstract: A heat dissipation device for electronic device, a heat dissipation assembly, an air pipe assembly and a table. The heat dissipation device includes a refrigerator, an air pipe assembly and a heat dissipation assembly. The refrigerator has a cool air opening. The air pipe assembly has a first and second end portions, the first end portion detachably connects to the cool air opening. The heat dissipation assembly has a base body detachably connected to the refrigerator and a supporting plate pivoted to the base body. When the supporting plate is in a first position, the supporting plate has a first angle with a bottom plate of the base body. When the supporting plate is in a second position, the supporting plate has a second angle with the bottom plate. The second end portion is detachably connected to the supporting plate and is movably disposed in the air permeable.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improved heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems incorporating a plurality of refrigerant circuits. The system can include a compressor having a first compression chamber, a second compression chamber, and a motor. The system can further include a heat exchanger having a first set of microchannel coils and a second set of microchannel coils. The system can have a first circuit fluidly coupled between the first compression chamber and the first set of microchannel coils and a second circuit fluidly coupled between the second compression chamber and the second set of microchannel coils. Further, the first circuit comprises a first refrigerant and the second circuit comprises a second refrigerant.

Abstract: A refrigerator according to the present disclosure includes at least one storage chamber and uses an electromagnetic wave to heat a stored object inside the storage chamber. A first electromagnetic wave shield is provided on a door of the storage chamber, and a second electromagnetic wave shield is provided on a housing part of the refrigerator that is in contact with the door while the door is closed. This makes it possible to provide a structure capable of exhibiting a function as an electromagnetic wave shield even for a refrigerator door in which wiring to a grounding part is difficult.

Abstract: Heating and cooling optimization systems are disclosed. Such systems may include a superheater and desuperheater are disclosed. An example superheater may include a combined suction line accumulator and heat exchanger configured to receive a heated fluid from an external source. An example desuperheater may comprise an accumulation tank and a heat exchanger configured to receive a relatively cool fluid from an external source. Various external sources may be a solar thermal source, a wood chip boiler, a ground loop, a geothermal source, an attic space, a garage, and/or a chemical heat source. Disclosed heating and cooling systems may include a controller sub-system for selectively modulating a flow rate of heated fluid through the superheater and for selectively modulating a flow rate of cooled fluid through the desuperheater.

Abstract: A machine for providing a single serving of a cold beverage or frozen confection includes a nest assembly and a lid assembly. The nest assembly defines a recess for receiving a pod containing at least one ingredient for forming a single serving of the cold beverage or frozen confection and at least one helical internal paddle. The nest assembly has a cooling unit operable to cool the nest assembly. The lid assembly includes a lid and a plunger to rotate the at least one helical internal paddle of the pod to dispense the cold beverage or frozen confection forced out of the pod by rotation of the internal paddle. The frozen confection is ejected directly into a container or cone without coming into contact with other portions of the machine.

Abstract: A method of realizing a ferroic response is provided. The method includes applying a positive or negative conjugate field, which is of a first polarity, to a ferroic material to obtain a substantially minimized entropy of the ferroic material (301) and applying a slightly negative or a slightly positive conjugate field, which is of a second polarity opposite the first polarity, to the ferroic material to obtain a substantially maximized entropy of the ferroic material (302).

Abstract: A multi-use system for influencing organic matter in an environmentally controlled room is provided with a modular dehumidification system. The modular dehumidification system includes a head unit, with separate cooling and heating subcircuits, and multiple modular dehumidifier units. Each modular dehumidifier unit has a cooling coil operable to cool and/or dehumidify the air and a heating coil operable to heat the air, for example, to raise room temperature and/or offset heat loss arising during dehumidification. The cooling coils are connected to the head unit in parallel to one another and the heating coils are connected to the head unit in parallel to one another. The number of modular dehumidifier units installed in the system is selected to provide the system with the desired maximum capacity. The control system may be configured to activate the appropriate number of cooling and heating coils, and to control the operation of each active coil.

Abstract: A container refrigeration unit (10) is provided. The container refrigeration unit includes a container (20), a curtain (30), a seal element (40) and a sealing adapter (50). The container includes sidewalls defining an open end (26) and a curtain track (27) proximate the open end. The curtain is sized to cover the open end. The sealing adapter is fittable to the curtain track. An entire periphery of the curtain and an entirety of the seal element are sequentially fittable to the sealing adapter.

Abstract: Product transport containers are disclosed. Such containers can provide one or more advantages compared to existing containers. For example, product transport containers described herein can maintain a product at a desired temperature for an extended period of time, including without the use of an active heating or cooling component. Such product transport containers described herein may also provide improved breathability, thermal insulation, and/or mechanical strength or dimensional stability. Such containers can include a plurality of walls defining an interior volume and a selectively openable side permitting movement of the product into and out of the interior volume of the container. The walls can be formed from a thermoformed non-woven fabric.

Abstract: A chilled water distribution system includes a chilled water loop in fluid communication with a plurality of buildings and also in fluid communication with a plurality of chiller stations. A monitoring and control system communicates with one of the chiller stations, hereinafter referred to as a “controlled” chiller station because it is configured with one or more variable frequency drives that are controlled by the monitoring and control system to modulate the speed of at least one chiller station component such as, but not limited to, a pump or a fan. By way of this modulation process, a differential pressure of the chilled water loop may be maintained in a “sweet spot” so as to optimize chiller station output while minimizing chiller station energy consumption.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a storage compartment and a mullion assembly pivotally coupled to one of a first door and a second door. The mullion assembly includes a cavity with an insulating member disposed therein. One or more sensor assemblies are coupled to the mullion assembly and configured to collect data sufficient to calculate a dew point temperature of the mullion assembly and an actual temperature of the mullion assembly. A heating element is coupled to the mullion assembly and is selectively activated by a controller based on information provided from the one or more sensor assemblies. The heating element is powered using a modulated power level that is inversely proportionate to the difference in temperature between the mullion assembly and the calculated dew point.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a method of controlling a payload temperature in in vitro diagnostics including: moving, using a track system, a plurality of carriers, along one or more paths between a plurality of testing stations, wherein the carrier is configured to hold one or more payloads, and limiting, using a temperature controlling device, temperature change of the one or more payloads, wherein each carrier is configured to hold one or more payloads and move the one or more payloads to one of the plurality of testing stations. Other aspects are described and claimed herein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a refrigerator, a duct assembly and a duct fixture. The duct fixture includes a fixing seat having a through hole, a fixing disk, a limiting block disposed on a side of the fixing disk adjacent to a target mounting surface, and a positioning protrusion disposed on the fixing disk, an outer shape of the limiting block matches a mounting hole on the target mounting surface, a limiting groove for receiving the target mounting surface is formed between the limiting block and the fixing disk, and the positioning protrusion is disposed angularly with the limiting block around the central axis of the through hole. When the limiting block rotates to a staggered position relative to the mounting hole, the positioning protrusion enters the mounting hole.

Abstract: An entrance refrigerator includes a cabinet installed to pass through a front door or a wall and forming a storage compartment for storing goods, a housing coupled to a lower end of the cabinet, an outdoor side door coupled to a front surface of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment and exposed to an outside, an indoor side door coupled to a rear surface of the cabinet to open or close the storage compartment and exposed to an inside, a cold air supply device accommodated in a space defined by a lower portion of the cabinet and the housing and supplying cold air to the storage compartment, and at least one guide duct mounted on a bottom surface of the housing and extending in a front-to-rear direction of the housing, the at least one guide duct having a discharge port formed therein.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes evaporator cases arranged in a freezing chamber and located on a bottom surface of a partition wall, an evaporator installed inside the evaporator cases, and grill covers arranged on a rear side of the evaporator cases and having a blowing fan installed therein. The refrigerator includes a refrigerating chamber discharge passage which extends from the grill covers to a refrigerating chamber and through which at least a portion of cold air passing through the blowing fan flows, and a freezing chamber discharge passage which extends from the grill covers to the freezing chamber and through which the remaining cold air among the cold air passing through the blowing fan passes.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a first thermal device; a second thermal device: and a connection element configured to connect the first thermal device to the second thermal device.

Abstract: The invention provides, in some aspects, a thermal energy storage and retrieval system with a cavity containing a working fluid and a heat transfer surface disposed in the cavity transverse to a gravity field and in thermal coupling with an ice that is formed from and floating in the working fluid. The heat transfer surface transfers to that ice heat from a heat transfer medium that is thermally coupled to the heat transfer surface. According to aspects of the invention in which the ice is less dense than the working fluid, the heat transfer surface is disposed above (with respect to the gravity field) a region of the cavity where that ice is formed or inlet. According to aspects of the invention in which the ice is more dense than the working fluid, the heat transfer surface is disposed below that region.

Abstract: An ejector-based cryogenic refrigeration system for cold energy recovery includes a first cryogenic refrigeration loop connected by a helium compressor and a cryogenic refrigerator and a second cryogenic refrigeration loop connected by the helium compressor, a regenerator, an ejector, a cold head of the cryogenic refrigerator, an end to be cooled and a pressure regulating valve. The cryogenic refrigerator is separated from the end to be cooled. The cryogenic refrigerator and the cryogenic helium cooling loop share a helium compressor, which improves the utilization efficiency of the device and reduces the cost. The ejector allows a part of fluids to circulate in the cryogenic loop, so as to maintain a required cryogenic condition, recover the pressure of the fluids, reduce the gas flowing though the compressor loop, and thus reduce the power consumption of the compressor.

Abstract: In order to prevent condensation from forming on a surface of an inner gasket surrounded on a rear surface of an indoor side door of an entrance refrigerator, the entrance refrigerator has a flow passage structure in which a portion of indoor air, whose temperature is increased by heat exchange with a heat sink, flows along the surface of the inner gasket.