Abstract: Heat exchangers and methods for assembling a heat exchanger are described, such as for example a round tube heat exchanger, which may be a fin and tube heat exchanger, and which may be used for example in a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system (HVAC) system and/or unit thereof. The heat exchanger includes aluminum tubes mechanically rolled into an aluminum tube support and the tubes are fluidically sealed with the tube support. The aluminum tube support including the aluminum tubes rolled therein is assembled to a fluid manifold configured to allow fluid flow through the heat exchanger and into and/or out of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: An apparatus to preferentially temper a liquid (only heat it, or, only cool it) by heat exchange with a fluid of indeterminate temperature. A tank of the liquid is plumbed to a liquid dispenser such as a water faucet, heater or chiller and has a internal heat exchanger sealed through each end. A drainpipe with a slit sleeve for double-wall safety, passes through the housing with an annular space between and is connected to a supply of fluids. A gasket seals the space forming a conduit for the liquid. One end of the housing extends from the tank for the liquid inlet. The conduit has natural convection holes into the tank controlled by convection valves which are moved by convection allowing convection only in the direction which preferentially tempers the liquid in the tank, regardless of the temperature, volume, rate, and time of flow of fluids.

Abstract: Despite otherwise uncomfortable conditions in a surrounding environment, a customizable microenvironment can be created around a user to maintain a comfortable temperature and/or humidity level using a comfort unit. For example, the environment may be an office building where conditions are out of the comfortable range to save on energy or for other reasons, a factory/shop environment that is poorly conditioned, or an outdoor location with little to no conditioning. A sensing unit can monitor biometric and environmental data and can determine a comfort level of the user. The comfort unit can then dynamically respond to the determined comfort level and adjust the microenvironment to improve the user's comfort level. The comfort unit can follow the user as the user moves within the macro-environment, or can otherwise move within the macro-environment to achieve certain functions, such as recharging or spatial shifting of thermal load within the overall macro-environment.

Abstract: Systems and methods to control an electronic expansion valve (EEV) of a vapor compression system are described. A heating ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system includes control circuitry having a sensor. The control circuitry sets a control setpoint of a vapor compression system such that an electronic expansion valve operates across a first operating range. The control circuitry receives a signal from the sensor indicative of an operating condition of the vapor compression system. The control circuitry adjusts the control setpoint based at least in part on the operating condition. The control circuitry controls operation of the electronic expansion valve based at least in part on the adjusted control setpoint, wherein the electronic expansion valve operates across a second operating range, different from the first operating range, at the adjusted control setpoint.

Abstract: An outdoor heat exchanger includes a plurality of flat multi-hole tubes, a return header, a plurality of heat transfer fins, and a partition including a concave-convex portion on the leeward side. A space inside the return header to which the flat multi-hole tubes are connected is formed so as to cause a larger amount of refrigerant to flow on the upstream side than on the downstream side in an airflow direction.

Abstract: A glazing system includes at least one object displaying at least one body to be glazed. The body to be glazed incorporates a sealed chamber extending inside the body, the chamber having at least one inlet situated at the bottom of the chamber and at least one evacuation outlet situated at the top of the chamber. The system includes a refrigeration device having a refrigeration circuit coupled to the inlet and the evacuation outlet. The refrigeration device circulates a refrigerated liquid between the inlet and the evacuation outlet.

Abstract: During control of an air-conditioning for a vehicle, when a torque to the engine is outputted that satisfies a total value of drive torques of the vehicle and an air-conditioning compressor, a minimum discharge capacity is set when fuel to the engine is cut. An assessment is made as to whether or not the discharge capacity needs to be changed from the minimum discharge capacity in accordance with the state inside the cabin. The discharge capacity is changed from the minimum discharge capacity to an upper limit capacity that is allowed during normal operation upon accessing that the discharge capacity needs to be changed from the minimum discharge capacity. After a predetermined time elapses following the changing of the discharge capacity, the discharge capacity is changed from the upper limit capacity to a discharge capacity that corresponds to the state inside the cabin.

Abstract: A grey water heat recovery apparatus has first and second passes arranged in counter-flow orientation. It has a hot side for grey water, and a cold side for fresh water supplied under pressure. It extracts heat from the grey water drains of a building. The fresh water is carried in tubing modules in series immersed in a grey water sump in a cylindrical plastic or stainless steel pipe. The coils have a return leg such that both ends of the fresh water coil are carried out through the same upper end pipe closure, without a pressurized line wall penetration in the walls of the pipe. There is a non-electrically conductive barrier between the fresh water and grey water flow paths. The apparatus has a leak detection circuit and co-operable bypass valves. The entire assembly may be enclosed in a unitary external housing with easily accessible connection fittings.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cleaning a component inside an air handling apparatus includes a pump is connected to a controlling device and a metering device that is connected to one or more reservoirs. The metering device is also connected to one or more fogging devices. Each fogging device is positioned inside a housing, or plenum, so as to cause a fogged cleaning solution to be disbursed throughout the plenum and fully cover the component. To perform the cleaning of the component, the controlling device disables the machine and activates the pump which causes cleaning solution to be drawn from the one or more reservoirs into the metering device, which then transfers the cleaning solution into the fogging apparatus. The controlling device then allows the machine to resume operation.

Abstract: A refrigeration unit designed for prolonged cooling with intermittent power supplies and adaptability to rotation is described. A spherical design is utilized comprising internal compartments that shift according to orientation of the sphere and enable internal cycling of water at substantially 4 degrees Celsius about an icy core.

Abstract: A heat exchanger has a thermally conductive first plate with a flat first surface for thermal contact with a heat transfer fluid, and a flat second surface for thermal contact with an object to be heated or cooled, such as an electronic component. The first surface is provided with a first surface pattern having a plurality of first grooves, and the second surface is provided with a second surface pattern with a plurality of second grooves. The surface patterns may be configured and applied such that the amount of elongation along the first surface produced by application of the first surface pattern substantially corresponds to or offsets the amount of elongation along the second surface produced by application of the second surface pattern, such that the degree of flatness of the first plate prior to formation of the first and second surface patterns will be preserved, maintained or improved.

Abstract: A household refrigeration appliance has a housing in which there is formed at least one receiving space for food, and an icemaker. The icemaker has an external housing formed from a plurality of separate constituent parts. Wherein one of the constituent parts is a one-piece bottom tray that has a bottom wall and side walls that are integrally formed in one piece thereon.

Abstract: A ball trap screen for use with “T” type ball traps having a ball trap extension in which the ball trap screen includes a cone shaped inlet; an elbow, at least a portion of which includes a substantially planer solid area; a first screen section extending between the cone shaped inlet and the elbow; and a second screen section extending from the elbow into the ball trap extension; wherein at least a portion of the cone shaped inlet includes a cone solid blocking element, the first screen section includes a first solid screen blocking element and the second screen section includes a second solid screen blocking element. A method of enhancing the movement of the cleaning ball through the ball trap by blocking portions of a ball trap screen deployed within a ball trap housing so as to modify the fluid flow through the ball trap.

Abstract: Systems and methods of continuous cooling at cryogenic temperatures. One exemplary aspect involves a refrigeration system that includes: a chamber adapted to hold liquid and gaseous coolant received from a cooling pot; a first adsorption pump having an inlet end in fluid communication with the chamber, the first adsorption pump configured to capture gas from the liquid and gaseous coolant when the first adsorption pump is enabled; a second adsorption pump having an inlet end in fluid communication with the chamber, the second adsorption pump configured to capture gas from the liquid and gaseous coolant when the second adsorption pump is enabled; a first heater or heat switch for desorbing the gas captured by the first adsorption pump; and a second heater or heat switch for desorbing the gas captured by the second adsorption pump.

Abstract: A heat pipe, includes; an outer tube including first and second ends, the first end closed air tight; a box connected to the second end, a cross-sectional area of the box perpendicular to the outer tube central axis is larger than a cross-sectional area of the outer tube perpendicular to its axis; an inner tube positioned in the outer tube, a central axis of the inner tube parallel to the outer tube central axis, including third and fourth ends, the third end closer to the first end than the fourth end and open in the outer tube; a partition tube including fifth and sixth ends widening from the fifth end toward the sixth end, the fifth end connected with the fourth end, part of the sixth end connected on an inner surface of the box; and fluid in a space formed by the outer tube and the box.

Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a heat exchanger, a supply flow path, and a discharge flow path. The heat exchanger has a plurality of heat exchange flow paths configured to carry out heat exchange between exhaust gas and a heat exchange medium. The supply flow path is configured such that the exhaust gas flows therethrough, and the flowing exhaust gas is supplied to the plurality of heat exchange flow paths while being branched. The discharge flow path is configured to merge and discharge the heat-exchanged exhaust gas having passed through the plurality of heat exchange flow paths. At least one flow path of the supply flow path and the discharge flow path is configured to be narrower toward a downstream side in a flow direction of the exhaust gas.

Abstract: A self-contained active thermal regulating device includes a flexible, deformable outer membrane; a liquid saturated foam core contained therein having a dimension substantially coincident with the outer membrane wherein the liquid is at least partially circulable throughout the foam core; and, a phase change material being in intimate contact with the circulable liquid. The circulation of the liquid is effective to transfer heat between the flexible, deformable outer membrane and the phase change material to cool (or heat) the device without use of external power and the saturated foam core in cooperation with the sealable flexible membrane providing a substantially uniform, thermal regulating medium and structural support such that the device is readily, uniformly deformable when a load is applied thereto.

Abstract: A manifold structure and method of forming a manifold structure includes using an ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) process to build up a solid structure, machining the solid structure to form a cavity and free-standing support pillars within the cavity, and using a UAM process to build up a finstock layer over the cavity. The support pillars formed by machining have yield strengths high enough to support UAM of the finstock layer over the cavity. A plurality of finstock layers are built up within the cavity to segment the cavity into a plurality of cavities. UAM of the finstock layers enables the finstock layers to be stacked in a direction normal to a direction of flow through the cavity for efficiently transferring heat through the manifold structure.

Abstract: An indirect evaporative cooling system includes a frame, a heat exchanger core, a supply fan to move indoor return air inside the heat exchanger core, and an outdoor exhaust fan supported by the frame to draw outdoor air over the heat exchanger core in a direction perpendicular to the indoor return air. The system further includes a water spray system positioned above the heat exchanger core to spray water over the heat exchanger core, and a water collection and management system disposed below the heat exchanger core to collect water sprayed onto the heat exchanger core. The water collection and management system includes a water basin configured to contain fluid. The water basin is configured to include an operational water volume and a water reserve volume which together define a total usable water volume, and includes a water height set point to define the water reserve volume.

Abstract: A heat exchanger system includes a radiator and a charge air cooler. The charge air cooler includes two interconnected cores, being a first core mounted next to the radiator and a second core mounted upstream of the radiator so that air output from the first core does not pass through the radiator.