Abstract: A cooling system employing redundant system components is disclosed. The system includes multiple sets of heat: exchanger units, with each set being in fluid communication with a separate, independently operated fluid pump unit. The heat exchanger units are arranged in at least one row of heat exchanger units. The two sets of heat exchanger units are evenly interspersed with each other along the row of heat exchanger units so that a substantially uniform distribution of cooled air is provided in the event one fluid pump unit fails.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the return air flow to the evaporator coil of an air conditioning unit that is mounted on the roof of a vehicle wherein the return air flow enters the unit vertically and must be turned 90.degree. in a limited amount of space before being delivered to the coil. A plenum is mounted over the return air duct that has a back wall containing an arcuate segment that curves inwardly over the entrance toward the entrance face of the coil. A stabilizer is mounted along the inner edge of the entrance in front of the coil which coacts with the contoured rear wall of the plenum to evenly distribute the return flow across the coil and prevent unwanted turbulence in the flow that would inhibit flow through the coil.

Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly is provided which includes two heat exchangers connected by a detachable fastening arrangement. The fastening arrangement includes a pair of plug-type holding devices at one side of the heat exchangers and a pair of detent connections at another side of the heat exchangers. One of the detent connections is configured as a movable bearing permitting relating adjusting movement of the heat exchangers. The other detent connection is configured as a fixed bearing.

Abstract: A thermally insulated thermoroll including a shaft supported by bearings with at least one longitudinal shaft channel defined in the shaft for passing a heating medium. A flange with radial bores is connected to the shaft and a shell, with at least one longitudinal shell channel for passing the heating medium, is connected to the flange such that the flange is interposed between the shaft and the shell. Together the shaft, flange and shell form a main body of the thermoroll. At least one first insulating wall and at least one second insulating wall are disposed in the main body of the thermoroll. The first and second insulating walls being joined at respective ends to form at least one hermetically sealed insulated cavity in the main body of the thermoroll. These insulating walls may be disposed around the shaft channel and/or the shell channel to thermally insulate the shaft and/or the shell.

Abstract: A heat spreading apparatus includes a body with an interior surface defining a void. The interior surface includes randomly configured high aspect ratio micro surface capillaries. Preferably, the micro surface capillaries are intergranular and intragranular capillaries that are less than 200 microns and have an aspect ratio of at least 1:1. All horizontal and vertical surfaces of the interior surface include the high aspect ratio micro surface capillaries. The high aspect ratio micro surface capillaries promote fluid transport and heat transfer.

Abstract: A vehicle fan shroud and component cooling module (24) includes a fan (44) mounted within a fan ring (32) between the radiator (26) and condenser (28). Pressurized air, either positively pressurized (downstream of fan (44)), negatively pressurized (upstream of fan (44)), or both, is routed from within the fan ring (32) and to the component (22) to cool it. Since the air has not yet passed the radiator (26), it is not substantially hotter than regular ambient air. Unlike rammed ambient air, it is pressurized as long as the fan (44) is turning. It therefore provides better cooling than either rammed ambient air, or pressurized air picked up downstream of the radiator (26).

Abstract: A rotary heat regenerator wheel having an improved construction, including (a) spokes provided with a I-beam cross-section so as to provide greater strength and resistance to bending moments due to differential air pressure across the face areas of the wheel and a T-bar cross section for facilitating the insertion and removal of segments, and (b) at least two types of segments so as to facilitate insertion and removal of segments for maintenance and easy replacement.

Abstract: A heat storage system comprising a heat storage material containing a salt hydrate, wherein the heat storage material comprises following three serial parts, (A) a seed crystal part in which a seed crystal is maintained, (B) a part functions as a switch by heating, or heating and cooling and (C) a main body part which can store and release heat, and a method for heat release control, wherein crystal spread from the seed crystal part (A) to the main body part (C) is controlled by the heating or cooling operation of the part (B) in the above-described heat storage system.

Abstract: A fan assisted heat sink cooling device is disclosed in which the heat sink assembly also forms the housing surrounding the fan. The housing is constructed of a plurality of cooling vanes which have elongated openings therebetween allowing air to pass between and cool the vanes. The vanes are angled in an approximately opposite manner to the orientation of the fan blades in order to minimize the noise generated by the cooling device when in operation. The cooling device operates in an extremely efficient manner by causing air to pass over the cooling vanes twice.

Abstract: The present invention provides a two-phase thermosyphon (100) and a method for forming the two-phase thermosyphon (100). The two-phase thermosyphon (100) includes a hermetically sealed housing (101) including a first outer surface (107), a second outer surface (109) opposite the first outer surface (107), a first inner surface (111), and a second inner surface (113). The two-phase thermosyphon (100) also includes a finned area (114) thermally coupled to the hermetically sealed housing (101), the finned area (114) including a plurality of fins (115) disposed on a part of the first outer surface (107). The two-phase thermosyphon (100) also includes a plurality of air feed through slots (105) disposed in the housing (101). The air feed through slots (105) underlie the fins(115) and provide increased heat dissipation by increasing the air flow about the fins (115). The present invention is particularly useful in applications that require a two-phase thermosyphon utilized in a generally horizontal orientation.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating a domestic water supply including a glass-lined storage tank for the domestic water supply and having a domestic water inlet port, a domestic water outlet port, and a heat-exchanging coil mounted therein. A heating tube is connected to the heat-exchanging coil to contain a recirculating fluid supply. The heat-exchanging coil within the glass-lined storage tank has a double-wall construction with a non-metallic outer wall in contact with a metallic inner wall. The double-wall prevents mixing of the domestic water supply with the recirculating fluid supply. The apparatus also includes a recirculating fluid heater positioned externally of the glass-lined storage tank to heat recirculating fluid to a temperature sufficient to heat the domestic water supply by heat transfer from the recirculating fluid in the heat-exchanging coil to the domestic water supply in the glass-lined storage tank.

Abstract: A cooling coil arrangement for a cylindrical tower provides coverage of a larger area of the cylindrical footprint of a cooling tower to enable more economical usage of the vertical tower storage capacity for ice thermal storage, which coil arrangement has a plurality of coils arranged in multiply arranged planes with serpentine layouts of each tubing length generally having a vee-shaped layout in each plane between the longitudinal axis of the tower and the tower housing, which tubing lengths are provided in each sector of each plane normal to the axis and having a tubing length therein, and the manifolds coupling the tubing lengths to inlet and outlet ports for circulating coolant fluid through the tubing lengths to cool the phase change fluid in the cooling tower, and a plurality of the serpentine tubing lengths vertically aligned and preferably arranged with the tubing section of one u-shaped segment of a first tubing length in vertical alignment with the gap of another of the tubing lengths which provide

Abstract: A fan with heat sink comprises a plurality of closely spaced sheet metal fins closely proximate to the blade tips of an axial flow fan. The high velocity air and blade tip vortices cooperate to provide exceptional heat transfer. The metal fins are retained in a fan duct comprising a metal cylinder under high force for good heat transfer. In one embodiment of the invention, the fins are formed with a conical displacement, lessening their diameter, and are flattened and spread in the fan duct, to have high contact pressure for good heat flow. In another embodiment of the invention, the heat sink fins are formed from strip, for very low scrap, and are wrapped around reinforcing rings so that they may be installed in the fan duct with high force for good thermal contact. In another embodiment of the invention, the fan duct comprises a plurality of posts rising from a cold plate, and the heat sink fins are pressed thereon with high force.

Abstract: A combination heat exchanger and expansion tank are provided having an integral housing with a self-de-aerating design. Particularly suitable for cooling marine internal combustion engines, the housing holds an elongated heat exchanger core configured with at least one straight seawater passage, such that an embodiment of the housing facilitates access to opposite passage ends for cleaning through respective openings in the housing, eliminating a need to remove the core. The housing forms an upper expansion chamber, a lower collection chamber, and a coolant channel in communication with these chambers. The coolant channel receives and directs a main flow of engine coolant over the core; the coolant flow subsequently dropping into the lower collection chamber, from where the coolant exits for recirculation through the engine. The upper expansion chamber includes vents which receive vented coolant flow from remote engine components.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a cooling apparatus using boiling and condensing refrigerant, includes a fluid separating plate for separating a high-temperature fluid from a low-temperature fluid, a refrigerant tank disposed on the side of the high-temperature fluid from the fluid separating plate, a refrigerant sealed into the refrigerant tank, a pair of communication pipes, one end of which is communicated with the refrigerant tank hermetically, a condensing portion communicated with the other end of the communication pipes and disposed on the side of the low-temperature fluid from the fluid separating plate, and a heat insulating material as a high-temperature portion-side heat insulating material coated on the outer periphery of the high-temperature-side communication pipe. In this way, it is possible to suppress a heat conduction from a high-temperature portion (high-temperature air) to the high-temperature-side communication pipe.

Abstract: A regenerative, rotary heat exchanger includes a stationary housing; a rotatable rotor in the housing; radially extending partition walls in the rotor separating the rotor into sectors; and a regeneratable mass in the sectors. Axially adjustable sector plates are located in sealing relation with respect to respective axial end surfaces of the rotor into which and out from which two heat exchanging media are directed in counter-flow separated by the partition walls. A flange is fixedly attached to the rotor and extends circumferentially around at least one of the respective axial end surfaces of the rotor, and a sensing device senses a clearance between at least one of the sector plates and the flange. A controller adjusts the clearance to a predetermined size responsive to the sensing device.

Abstract: A mechanical assembly for regulating the temperature of an integrated circuit chip is comprised of a frame which has two spaced-apart spring supports. A single leaf spring extends from one of the spring supports to the other. A heat exchanger contacts the leaf spring at one point, pushes the leaf spring against the spring supports, and has a face for mating with the chip. And, a stop is provided between the heat exchanger and the frame, which keeps the heat exchanger on the leaf spring. With this assembly the heat exchanger exerts a very small force at its initial point of contact on the chip; the length of the single leaf spring does not add to the profile of the assembly; no slippage occurs between the heat exchanger and the chip; and, the stop prevents the heat exchanger from twisting and becoming offset relative to the chip.

Abstract: An automotive radiator reduces coolant pressure drop with a novel flow turning structure integrally molded into the inlet header tank, opposite the inlet pipe. A pair of compound curved surfaces, sloping toward opposite directions from a crest edge, split and divide the flow leaving the inlet pipe and send it proportionately toward opposite ends of the tank, smoothing out the flow transition and reducing the attendant pressure loss. The curved surfaces also have a component of curvature toward the flow tubes, as well as being sloped toward opposite ends of the tank.

Abstract: A thermal energy transport and storage system is provided which includes an evaporator containing a mixture of a first phase change material and a silica powder, and a condenser containing a second phase change material. The silica powder/PCM mixture absorbs heat energy from a source such as a solar collector such that the phase change material forms a vapor which is transported from the evaporator to the condenser, where the second phase change material melts and stores the heat energy, then releases the energy to an environmental space via a heat exchanger. The vapor is condensed to a liquid which is transported back to the evaporator. The system allows the repeated transfer of thermal energy using the heat of vaporization and condensation of the phase change material.

Abstract: There is disclosed a system and method for preventing fogging of the windows of an automotive vehicle. The system and method operate the air conditioning system of the vehicle at temperatures where a high degree of probability of fogging exists. The method includes the steps of measuring the ambient temperature, the evaporator core temperature and operating the air conditioning compressor at specific duty cycles depending upon these temperatures. The duty cycle will be determined based upon these temperature variables as well as the relative humidity within the passenger cabin of the vehicle.