Patents Examined by Gordon Jones
  • Patent number: 11009297
    Abstract: A passive thermal system for use in aerospace vehicles includes a plurality of core-bearing radiator panels having at least one heat pipe embedded therein. The portion of the heat pipe embedded in each panel is fluidically coupled to the portions of the heat pipe in the other core-bearing radiator panels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: WORLDVU SATELLITES LIMITED
    Inventors: Alexander D. Smith, Armen Askijian, Daniel W. Field, James Grossman
  • Patent number: 11009927
    Abstract: Disclosed loop heat pipe includes: an evaporator configured to vaporize a working fluid; a condenser configured to liquefy the working fluid; a liquid line connecting the evaporator and the condenser; a porous body provided in a columnar shape in the liquid line; and a vapor line connecting the evaporator and the condenser, and forming a loop together with the liquid line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Shioga, Yoshihiro Mizuno
  • Patent number: 11002492
    Abstract: The present invention provides an energy storage system (10) for a use with a boiler (20). The energy storage system (10) comprises a plurality of thermal energy storage banks (101, 102, 103, 104). Each thermal energy storage bank (101, 102, 103, 104) comprises phase changeable material having a predetermined phase transformation temperature. The energy storage system (10) also includes an extraction device (105; 1 15) configured to recover waste energy from the boiler (20). The extraction device (105, 1 15) is operable to extract waste energy from the boiler (20) and feed that energy to at least one (101) of the thermal energy storage banks (101, 102, 103, 104). A controller (106) is arranged, in use, to activate the extraction device (105, 115) in response to operation of the boiler (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: SUNAMP LIMITED
    Inventors: Andrew John Bissell, Santokh Singh Gataora
  • Patent number: 11002481
    Abstract: A process for removing a foulant from a gas stream is disclosed. The gas stream, containing a foulant, is cooled across a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, producing a solid foulant entrained in cryogenic liquid as a foulant slurry, and a foulant-depleted gas stream. The foulant-depleted gas stream is passed through a cryogenic turbine and a first separation vessel, producing a light gas stream and further solid foulant. The solid foulants are recovered by a combination of pressurization, melting, and distillation to produce a liquid foulant product. Heat is recovered from the various streams in the various heat exchangers and the melter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Sustainable Energy Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Baxter, Christopher Hoeger, Eric Mansfield
  • Patent number: 10995996
    Abstract: A heat exchanger is provided. The heat exchanger (40) provides a first plurality of tubes (50) and a second plurality of flow passages (52) which furcate near one of the first (42) and second (44) manifolds into two or more furcated flow passages and subsequently converge to exit the heat exchanger. The plurality of furcated flow passages are intertwined, reducing the distance between flow passages (50,52) containing each fluid therebetween to improve thermal transfer. Further, the furcations create changes of direction of the fluid to re-establish new thermal boundary layers within the flow passages to further reduce resistance to thermal transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Unison Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Daniel Jason Erno, William Dwight Gerstler
  • Patent number: 10976086
    Abstract: An air conditioner and a method for controlling the same are disclosed. The air conditioner implements a multistage expansion scheme by implementing serial connection between electronic expansion valves including in the R410A refrigerant-based air conditioner, and thus guarantees an optimum compression ratio in all cooling/heating load regions. Therefore, although cycle characteristics are changed by changing R410A refrigerant to R32 refrigerant, the air conditioner optimizes the cycle simply by controlling a degree of opening of electronic expansion valves, respectively. As described above, since the cycle optimization is implemented using the multistage expansion scheme in which legacy electronic expansion valves are coupled in series, the design modification is minimized without design modification of requisite constituent elements such as a heat exchanger, system implementation is facilitated, resulting in high efficiency in cost and productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kil Soo Son, Seok Kyun Kim, Jong-Yeop Baek, Byoung-Ok Ahn, Dong-Ho Cho, Hyun Kook Kim, Hyo-Jun Shin, Sang Ho Yoo, Hong Seok Jun
  • Patent number: 10933715
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for estimating a limit value (TLV) for an interior temperature input of a passenger compartment (12) of a vehicle (10). The vehicle (10) comprises an energy storage source (30) and a temperature control arrangement (14) adapted to control the interior temperature of the passenger compartment (12) of the vehicle (10) on the basis of the interior temperature input. The temperature control arrangement (14) is adapted to be powered by the energy storage source (30) during at least one operating condition of the vehicle (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anders Pihl, Hans Westerlind
  • Patent number: 10927704
    Abstract: A turbine generator assembly includes a turbine drivably connected to an electrical generator. The turbine includes a propellant input and a spent propellant exhaust. The spent propellant exhaust is connected to an exhaust flow path. An electrical component is connected to an output of the electrical generator such that the electrical component is powered by the electrical generator. A first heat exchanger including a cooling fluid inlet is connected to the exhaust flow path and a cooled feature is configured to be cooled by fluid received through the cooling fluid inlet. The cooled feature is at least a portion of the electrical component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Zachary J. Delong
  • Patent number: 10928117
    Abstract: A heat exchanger system includes a heat exchanger coil circulating a first heat transfer fluid therethrough, and a fan at least partially surrounded by the heat exchanger coil to urge a flow of air through the heat exchanger coil to dissipate thermal energy from the first heat transfer fluid. A brushless direct current fan motor is located the fan to urge rotation of the fan and an ancillary electrical component operably connected to the heat exchanger system and electrically isolated from the first heat transfer fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yinshan Feng, Parmesh Verma
  • Patent number: 10919361
    Abstract: A cooling module for a vehicle includes: a high temperature radiator including first and second header tanks into which a coolant flows and from which it is exhausted, and a plurality of tubes and heat radiating fins respectively interconnecting the first and second header tanks; a low temperature radiator including third and fourth header tanks into which a coolant flows and from which it is exhausted, and a plurality of tubes and heat radiating fins respectively interconnecting the third and fourth header tanks; and a condenser disposed at a side surface of the high temperature and low temperature radiators corresponding to the second and fourth header tanks to be respectively connected to the second and fourth header tanks and condensing a refrigerant flowing therein through heat exchange with a coolant supplied from the second and fourth header tanks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yeon Ho Kim, Jae Yeon Kim, Wan Je Cho
  • Patent number: 10921065
    Abstract: Heat exchanger fins and heat exchangers are disclosed. The heat exchanger fins disclosed herein comprise louvers and winglet-type vortex generators arranged to improve heat transfer efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventors: Govinda Mahajan, Daniel Bacellar
  • Patent number: 10900666
    Abstract: Heat buffer comprising at least mechanically coupled wall parts, wherein each of the wall parts comprises a substantially plate-like body; a liquid throughflow circuit incorporated in the body; one or more hydraulic couplings accessible from the outer side of the wall part for discharge and supply of liquid to the liquid throughflow circuit and configured for coupling to hydraulic couplings of a similar device; and is coupled at a mutual angle about a substantially vertical axis to a similar wall part, wherein the mechanically coupled devices are connected such that they enclose one space and wherein the heat buffer also comprises a floor and/or cover part for closing the enclosed space on an upper and/or underside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: ECOVAT IP B.V.
    Inventor: Adrianus Wilhelmus De Groot
  • Patent number: 10895417
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for the production of air gases by the cryogenic separation of air with front end purification and air compression can include using an available compressed dry gas such as nitrogen, oxygen, stored purified air, or synthetic air to repressurize the adsorber without diverting any of the purified air just exiting the currently on-line adsorber or changing the flow rate of the main air compressor or air sent to the cold box. This enables the main air compressor (MAC) to operate at a relatively constant flow rate while also sending a relatively constant air flow to the cold box during this repressurization step, thereby reducing the risks of process upsets and minimizing capital expenditures related to the MAC and other warm-end equipments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Paul Kong, Minh Pham-Huy, Wendy Yip
  • Patent number: 10895420
    Abstract: A hybrid fluid cooler assembly that provides increased heat exchange. The apparatus includes a plurality of adjacently spaced arrays, each array having a plurality of cooling conduits in combination a direct heat exchange portion. In addition, the apparatus includes an airflow inlet that provides a single air flow current that traverses the direct heat exchange portion and then the indirect heat exchange portion in series.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: SPX Cooling Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Jason Stratman
  • Patent number: 10871333
    Abstract: A porthole gasket to be installed between a corrugated first plate and a second plate of a heat exchanger such that a central extension plane of the gasket is parallel to the first and second plates is annular and arranged to enclose, within the gasket inner periphery, porthole areas of the first and second plates. A first surface of the gasket, configured to engage the first plate, is corrugated to define alternately arranged gasket ridges and gasket valleys along a longitudinal extension of the gasket. The ridges and valleys mate with plate valleys and plate ridges, respectively, of the first plate. A second surface of the gasket, configured to engage a plate arrangement comprising the second plate, is essentially plane and arranged to contact an essentially plane surface of the plate arrangement. The ridges protrude, and the valleys descend, in a normal direction of the central extension plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
    Inventor: Magnus Hedberg
  • Patent number: 10865093
    Abstract: A beverage dispensing system includes a cabinet with a dispensing station. The cabinet includes therein a refrigeration system, a cooling fluid system, and a refrigerated compartment having therein a cooling system and a beverage source coupled with the dispensing station. The cooling fluid system circulates a cooling fluid through the refrigeration system such that the refrigeration system cools the cooling fluid. The cooling fluid system further normally circulates the cooling fluid through the dispensing station to cool beverage therein. The cooling fluid system directs the cooling fluid from the dispensing station to the cooling system when necessary to cool the refrigerated compartment. A beverage fluid system resides in the cooling fluid system between the beverage source and the dispensing station such that the cooling fluid system cools beverage flowing through the beverage fluid system prior to delivery of beverage to the dispensing station for dispensing therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Lancer Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Yang
  • Patent number: 10859297
    Abstract: Generally, management of refrigerant in an evaporator of an HVAC chiller is described. Methods, systems, and apparatuses to manage refrigerant in an evaporator can include one or combination of the following approaches: (1) by use a refrigerant displacement array to physically prevent refrigerant from residing where the array is positioned; (2) by control of the interstitial velocity of refrigerant flow within the volume of the shell of an evaporator; (3) by a phase biased distribution of the refrigerant mixture, so that a gaseous portion is uniformly distributed into the evaporator shell, while liquid refrigerant and oil is distributed into the evaporator shell at a designated area; and (4) by preventing or reducing the occurrence of foaming inside the evaporator through anti-foaming surfaces, such as by the use of refrigerant phobic and lubricant phobic material(s). Refrigerant management can in turn improve the thermal performance and overall efficiency of the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: TRANE INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jon Phillip Hartfield, Harry Kenneth Ring, Michael William Groen
  • Patent number: 10837346
    Abstract: A heat exchange module has a restriction protrusion that is provided to protrude between a blade of a cooling fan and a core portion of a heat exchanger and that restricts the blade from approaching the core portion more than a predetermined position. In a state where one side of an outline of a rectangular shaped fan shroud is disposed so as to face an installation surface, the restriction protrusion is provided in a position where the amount of water reaching the cooling fan through the heat exchanger becomes greater than the amount of water at position just below a rotation axis of the cooling fan in a case where at least a portion of the fan shroud is submerged in water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 10829370
    Abstract: A compressor and waste heat recovery system is disclosed in which mechanical work from a prime mover along with work generated from the waste heat recovery system are used to operate the compressor. A gas producing system is heated by waste heat from operation of the compressor to produce a stream of gas used to drive a turbine. The turbine is in work communication with the compressor. In one embodiment the gas producing system is a metal hydride. An overrunning clutch can be used with the turbine. In one form multiple gas producing systems are used, one of which to emit gas while the other is used to receive and capture the emitted gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Industrial U.S., Inc.
    Inventor: James C. Collins
  • Patent number: 10821509
    Abstract: A heat exchanger is provided having an integrally and seamlessly formed return manifold connecting multiple supply tubes and return tubes. The heat exchanger may also include a return manifold having one or more structures providing a flow restriction within or proximate the return manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Alan Manteiga, Michael Thomas Kenworthy, Jared Matthew Wolfe, Thomas Kupiszewski, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, James Fitzgerald Bonar