Abstract: A heat exchanger includes: a first straight section; a second straight section; and a bent section or elbow linking the first straight section and the second straight section. Each straight section comprises a part of an internal cylindrical shell and of an external cylindrical shell, both cooperating to form an intershell space enclosing a bundle of parallel U-bent tubes having each a first and a second straight part respectively located in the first straight section and second straight section of the exchanger and a 180°-bent part located in the bent section or elbow of the exchanger, so that, in use, a first fluid to be heated and vaporized is flowing in the tubes. The external cylindrical shell is provided respectively at one end with an inlet and at another end with an outlet for a second fluid which is a hot thermal fluid.

Abstract: A photocatalyst device including: a body; a light source part fixed to the body to irradiate ultraviolet light and having an LED and a substrate for fixing the LED thereto; a catalyst part fixed to the body to conduct photocatalytic reaction with the light irradiated by the light source part and thus to generate superoxygen radicals; and a heat radiating part disposed on the light source part to radiate the heat generated from the light source part, whereby the photocatalyst device purifies air and sterilizes and deodorizes the evaporator, while being easily mountable as a single module.

Abstract: The disclosure includes an apparatus and a method for forming a frozen substance using directional freezing. The apparatus includes a mold and a directional freezing assembly. The mold is structured with an interior chamber structured to contain a liquid substance. The directional freezing assembly includes a directional freezing probe and a cold plate. The directional freezing probe extends into the interior chamber of the mold and initiates directional freezing of the liquid substance surrounding the directional freezing probe. The cold plate is connected to the directional freezing probe outside of the mold and dissipates heat drawn from the directional freezing probe to a surrounding environment.

Abstract: A heat exchanger system includes a core structure with an oil flow path configured to receive an oil flow. The heat exchanger system also includes a fuel flow path included in the core structure and configured to receive a fuel flow. The fuel flow path is coupled to the oil flow path to allow the fuel flow to receive heat from the oil flow in the oil flow path. Also, the heat exchanger system includes a supplemental airflow path defined at least partly by the core structure and configured to receive a supplemental airflow that receives heat from at least one of the oil flow and the fuel flow.

Abstract: An ice crushing device and a refrigerator are provided, the ice crushing device includes a housing assembly including a housing and an ice bucket supported in the housing; a driver for driving the ice bucket to rotate; an ice crusher disposed in the ice bucket; wherein the ice crusher includes an ice cutter shaft fixed with respect to the housing, and several movable ice cutters and several fixed ice cutters disposed on the ice cutter shaft at an interval, each movable ice cutter includes three blades evenly distributed in the circumferential direction, the ice crusher further includes three ice agitating rods connected to the ice cutter shaft, the three ice-agitating rods are fixed corresponding one to one with the three blades, and at least one of the blades or one of the ice agitating rods is fixed relative to circumferential direction of the ice bucket.

Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle air conditioning device, which is an air conditioning device using an integrated heat pump system, and in which left and right independent air conditionings can be implemented in a simple structure such that the left and right air volumes may be automatically controlled, the ability to mix hot and cold air is improved, and sufficient space can be secured inside a vehicle.

Abstract: An ice crushing device and a refrigerator are provided, the ice crushing device includes a housing assembly including a housing and an ice bucket supported in the housing; a driver for driving the ice bucket to rotate, at least a portion of the driver being mounted in the housing; an ice crusher disposed in the ice bucket; the housing assembly further includes an ice-discharging plate provided at a bottom of the ice bucket, the ice-discharging plate is provided with an ice-discharging port, wherein the housing includes a first portion that houses the ice bucket and a second portion in which the driver is mounted, a groove extending along the circumferential direction of the ice bucket is provided between the ice-discharging plate and the first portion, the groove is communicated with the ice-discharging port, and a lower edge of the ice bucket projects into the groove.

Abstract: An ice crushing device and a refrigerator, the ice crushing device comprising: a housing assembly comprises a housing and an ice bucket supported in the housing; a driver for driving the ice bucket to rotate, at least a portion of the driver being mounted in the housing; an ice crusher disposed in the ice bucket; the housing assembly further comprises an ice-discharging plate provided at a bottom of the ice bucket, the ice-discharging plate is provided with an ice-discharging port communicated with the ice bucket, ice cubes are discharged out of the ice-discharging port after being crushed in the ice bucket by the ice crusher, a slope is disposed on the ice-discharging plate at a position adjacent to the ice-discharging port and along a rotary ice discharge direction, and the slope is located on an ice discharge side of the ice-discharging plate and disposed uphill.

Abstract: A cooling system includes a heat exchanger through which a refrigerant flows, the heat exchanger having a fluid passing therethrough such that heat is rejected to the fluid, an evaporator, a refrigerant piping split point that receives the refrigerant at a given pressure from the heat exchanger and splits the refrigerant flow into a first circuit and a second circuit, the first circuit having an expansion valve that receives the refrigerant at the given pressure, and the second circuit having a first turbine coupled to a first compressor, wherein the first turbine receives the refrigerant at the given pressure, and a set of valves arranged to direct the refrigerant through the first circuit, the second circuit, or both the first and second circuits based on ambient conditions of the cooling system.

Abstract: An ice crushing device and a refrigerator are provided, the ice crushing device includes a housing assembly having a housing and an ice bucket supported in the housing; a driver for driving the ice bucket to rotate; an ice crusher disposed in the ice bucket; the housing assembly further includes an ice-discharging plate provided at a bottom of the ice bucket, the ice-discharging plate is provided with an ice-discharging port communicated with the ice bucket, wherein the driver includes a motor, a gear assembly driven by the motor, and a gear box accommodating the gear assembly, the gear box has an input end connected with the motor and an output end, wherein the gear box is mounted on the housing, and an axis of the output end is disposed in parallel with a rotation axis of the ice bucket.

Abstract: A protection element for vapor chamber includes a main body and a protection element. The main body is divided into a working zone and a sealing zone. The sealing zone is located around an outer periphery of the working zone and is provided with a notch area, to which a fluid-adding and air-evacuating pipe is connected. The protection element is correspondingly mounted to the notch area to contact with the sealing zone of the main body. With the arrangement of the protection element, the fluid-adding and air-evacuating pipe is protected against collision and impact and accordingly, the main body of the vapor chamber is protected against vacuum and working fluid leakage.

Abstract: An ice crushing device and a refrigerator are provided, the ice crushing device includes a housing assembly having a housing and an ice bucket supported in the housing; a driver for driving the ice bucket to rotate; an ice crusher disposed in the ice bucket; wherein the driver includes a motor and a gear assembly driven by the motor. The gear assembly includes a first bevel gear connected to the motor, a second bevel gear meshing with the first bevel gear, and a cylindrical gear coaxially arranged with the second bevel gear. A stop ring and a seal assembly that engage with each other are disposed between the second bevel gear and the cylindrical gear, the seal assembly matches the housing to separate the space between the second bevel gear and the cylindrical gear.

Abstract: An ice bagging and dispensing apparatus has at least one ice making machine; an ice hopper for receiving ice from the at least one ice making machine; an ice bagging machine for bagging ice from the ice hopper; an ice bag conveyor for conveying bagged ice from the ice bagging machine to an ice storage chamber, the ice bag conveyor positioned below the ice storage chamber; a carriage for moving and lifting the bag of ice into the ice storage chamber; one or more supports for supporting one or more bags of ice in the ice storage chamber above the ice bag conveyor; and, one or more consumer access doors to the ice storage chamber. This maintains first-in, first out (FIFO) principles.

Abstract: A vehicle includes a housing case, a power storage module provided in the housing case, an electronic device provided in the housing case, an exhaust pipe disposed laterally of the housing case, and a cooling circuit including a cooling pipe through which refrigerant circulates. A portion of the cooling pipe is located between the electronic device and the exhaust pipe.

Abstract: The invention relates to an adsorption heat pump, having an adsorber device, comprising a solid adsorbent, an evaporator, a condenser or an evaporator/condenser and an operating medium in an operating circuit, wherein the operating circuit has a gaseous half-circuit between the evaporator, the adsorber device and the condenser or the evaporator/condenser and the adsorber device, in which gaseous half-circuit the operating medium is gaseous, and a liquid half-circuit which is configured between the evaporator and the condenser and in which the operating medium is liquid, wherein the liquid half-circuit contains a liquid functional medium which can be mixed with the operating medium and lowers the vapor pressure of the operating medium, with a vapor pressure at 25° C. of below 0.2 mbar.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bidirectional energy-transfer system comprising: a thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete, disposed in a structural object; a location of energy supply or demand that is physically isolated from, but in thermodynamic and/or electromagnetic communication with, the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete; and a means of transferring energy between the structural object and the location of energy supply or demand. The system can be a single node in a neural network. The thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete includes a conductive, shock-absorbing material, such as graphite. Preferred compositions are disclosed for the thermally and/or electrically conductive concrete.

Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a shell having an elongated shape and a cylindrical geometry. A first fluid, fed through one or more first inlet pipes, flows inside the shell and a second fluid, fed through at least one second inlet pipe, flows inside the shell in order to perform heat exchange with the first fluid. The heat exchanger also comprises a fluid distributor assembly placed at the first inlet pipes. The fluid distributor assembly is provided with a first perforated plate, in turn provided with first through holes, and with at least one second perforated plate, in turn provided with second through holes. The second perforated plate is disposed parallel and downstream of the first perforated plate with respect to the flow direction of the first fluid flowing into the first through holes and the second through holes. Between the first perforated plate and the second perforated plate a hermetic seal device is disposed.

Abstract: An icemaker employs a thermoformed ice tray that may have preprinted conductors providing for heating elements in capacitive sensing. Capacitive sensing may be used to control a water fill level and/or to detect complete freezing of the ice cubes and/or to detect complete ejection of the ice cubes.

Abstract: An ice maker includes an upper assembly including a plurality of hemispherical upper chambers, a lower assembly disposed below and pivotably coupled relative to the upper assembly, wherein the lower assembly includes a plurality of hemispherical lower chambers, a driver configured to pivot the lower assembly, a pair of rotating parts disposed at both sides of the lower assembly, a first pivoting arm pivotally mounted on one of the rotating parts, a second pivoting arm pivotally mounted on the other of the rotating parts and connected to the driver, a connection shaft connecting the first pivoting arm to the second pivoting arm, a first elastic member having one end connected to the first pivoting arm and the other end connected to the lower assembly, and a second elastic member having one end connected to the second pivoting arm and the other end connected to the lower assembly.

Abstract: A radiant panel having a U-shaped channel or groove with substantially parallel vertical sides. Because varied diameter tubing pressed into curved channels of varying radius will change their shape from round to oval by different amounts, channel width will be reduced at curved channel areas as appropriate, based on tubing size and channel radius. This reduction in curved channel width compared to straight channel width allows for a consistent friction force to be developed upon pressing the tubing into a channel. The depth of groove may be varied to allow for the increased vertical dimension of tubing which is deformed from round to oval by bending forces, so that tubing can be installed consistently flush with the surface of the radiant panel. Varying width and depth will also tend to maximize the contact area of tube to conductive surface, thereby improving the flow of heat from tube to radiant panel.