Patents Examined by Jose O Class-Quinones
  • Patent number: 10935327
    Abstract: A thermal energy storage (TES) component includes a shell having first and second ports, and at least a first set of thermally conductive sealed containers that contain a TES media for storing thermal energy. A first set of sealed tubes containing a first TES media are in a first section of the shell, and a second set of sealed tubes containing a different TES media are in a second section of the shell. Electric heating elements are immersed in at least some of the tubes, and may extend only from one end of the tube. In some embodiments more than one heating element is immersed in the TES media and positioned to enhance convective flow. In some embodiments electric heating elements are disposed externally on the sealed tubes. Some tubes are tapered or frustoconical, with heating elements provided in a larger-diameter portion of the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Richard E. Wirz, Amey Barde, Karthik Nithyanandam
  • Patent number: 10935284
    Abstract: Modular heating and cooling systems may include one or more modules connected to a fluid input and fluid output. A modular heating system includes at least one heating and cooling apparatus. The apparatus includes a first heat exchanger, a second heat exchanger and a third heat exchanger. The apparatus further includes a refrigerant line system coupled to the first (e.g. cooling), second (e.g. heating) and third (e.g. source) heat exchangers and configurable for selectively directing refrigerant fluid through the heat exchanger to provide multiple modes of operation. The heating, cooling and source fluid loops may be separate and independent such that the fluids do not mix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Arctic Cool Chillers Limited
    Inventor: Changiz Tolouee
  • Patent number: 10933714
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an interior and a controller configured to control a climate system for the interior based at least in part on data related to a departure location of the vehicle, a destination location of the vehicle, or a proximate location within a certain proximity to the vehicle, while moving to the destination location between the departure location and the destination location, or any combination of said locations. The data related to the departure location can include a temperature profile of the departure location. The temperature profile of the departure location can assume that the departure location is colder than a comfortable ambient temperature, and the controller is configured to direct heated air into the interior upon activation of the vehicle at the departure location. The data related to the departure location can include an activity profile of the departure location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Emily Obert, Frank Fusco, Lawrence C. Karas, Loren John Lohmeyer
  • Patent number: 10935332
    Abstract: A heat exchanger tube insert for use in a heat exchanger tube located within a fuel fired apparatus or non-fired storage tank heat exchanger. The heat exchanger tube insert includes a central rode, a cap, and at least two protruding helical guides that are configured to direct a flow of heated working fluid around the inner circumference of the heat exchanger tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Rheem Manufacturing Company
    Inventor: Atilhan Manay
  • Patent number: 10921069
    Abstract: A stacking-type header includes a first plate having a first through-hole; a second plate having a plurality of second through-holes; a third plate in which a flow path that communicates between the first through-hole and the second through-holes is formed, a first pipe including a first end portion that is inserted into the first through-hole; a plurality of second pipes each including a second end portion that is inserted into a corresponding one of the second through-holes; and brazing portions. The first pipe includes a first expanded portion in the first end portion, the first expanded portion having an outer peripheral surface that is pressed against an inner peripheral surface of the first through-hole. Each of the second pipes includes a second expanded portion having an outer peripheral surface that is pressed against an inner peripheral surface of a corresponding one of the second through-holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Takehiro Hayashi, Tomoyuki Hayashi, Norihiro Yoneda, Kenichi Kitani, Shinya Higashiiue
  • Patent number: 10925183
    Abstract: A 3D extended cooling mechanism includes cabinet, air intake module, heat exchange module including heat exchanger, air baffle and bottom plate, first wind tunnel defined above the air baffle, second wind tunnel defined between air baffle and bottom plate and third wind tunnel defined between bottom plate and bottom of cabinet. First, second and third wind tunnels accept the air drawn by air intake module to form a respective cold air stream. Heat exchanger accepts cold air stream of first wind tunnel for heat exchange, enabling hot air produced in heat exchange to be delivered to air outlet of cabinet for discharge. First, second, and third wind tunnels are designed to dissipate the relatively low temperature airflow into high temperature sensitive heat source components in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction so that heat source elements can be efficiently dissipated at the same time to achieve three-dimensional expansion cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: ADLINK TECHNOLOGY INC.
    Inventors: Hsuan-Chan Chiang, Guan-Yi Wang, Jen-Chieh Huang
  • Patent number: 10914526
    Abstract: A heat exchanger, providing indirect heat transfer between a first fluid and at least one second fluid, comprises a jacket enclosing a jacket space for accommodating the first fluid and a tube bundle arranged in the jacket space and having a plurality of tubes for accommodating the at least one second fluid. The tubes form multiple tube layers. A shroud arranged in the jacket space encloses an outermost tube layer of the tube bundle. Spacers extending along the longitudinal axis are arranged between the shroud and the outermost tube layer. An interspace is present between any two spacers adjacent in the circumferential direction of the shroud, and between the shroud and the uppermost tube layer. A flow obstruction is arranged in the respective interspace and is designed to prevent or suppress a flow of the first fluid in the respective interspace, at least over a part section thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: LINDE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Manfred Steinbauer, Christiane Kerber, Jurgen Spreemann, Ingomar Blum, Florian Deichsel, Konrad Braun, Roland Hiller, Alexander Kern
  • Patent number: 10900692
    Abstract: A deflector for a condensation heat exchanger and to an exchanger provided with such a deflector. The deflector includes two front and rear cups with inner surfaces at the bottom designed in relief so as to have at least one circulation groove. The two cups are assembled on either side of a central partition so that each groove forms, with the partition, a channel in which a heat-transfer fluid is intended to circulate. The channels of the front and rear cups are connected via an opening bored into the central partition, so that the heat transfer fluid can circulate from an inlet coupling to an outlet coupling of the deflector, through the channels by flowing on either side of the central partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: SERMETA
    Inventor: Joseph Le Mer
  • Patent number: 10900712
    Abstract: Disclosed is a beverage chiller having a bottom portion and a top portion. The bottom portion includes a perimeter wall defining a receiving vessel for receiving a beverage to be chilled. The top portion includes at least first and second cooling tubes. The bottom and top portions interfit such that the cooling tubes extend vertically down into the beverage and chill the beverage to a desired temperature by thermal contact with said cooling tubes when the top portion is positioned on the bottom portion. The first and second cooling tubes have first and second perimeters, respectively, within a horizontal cross-section of the top portion, and the first and second perimeters have substantially a same size and shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: ICECOLDNOW, INC.
    Inventor: David Dussault
  • Patent number: 10900717
    Abstract: A heat exchanger module unit that provides heat exchange between a fluid and a heat medium by indirect heat exchange through a phase-change material disposed between movement paths of the fluid and the heat medium movement paths, includes: a multiple number of plates having a partition, which is formed with a through-hole through which the fluid and the heat medium move, are stacked with a spacing gap, through which the fluid and the heat medium move, at one side of the partition; the spacing gaps are selectively connected through a connector connecting the respective through-holes so as to form a fluid passage and a heat medium passage through which the fluid and the heat medium move independently respectively; the spacing gap, in which the phase-change material is received, is located and disposed between the spacing gaps forming the fluid passage and the heat medium passage through which the fluid and the heat medium move respectively such that heat exchange is made between the fluid and the heat medium th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: SPX Flow Technology Korea Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Byeong-Seung Lee
  • Patent number: 10890384
    Abstract: A plate heat exchanger includes heat exchanger plates positioned between two end plates, a plurality of threaded tightening bolts each extending between one of the end plates and a drive unit, and through the other end plate, and a plurality of motors collectively defining the drive unit. The threaded tightening bolts each include a bolt head that bears directly/indirectly against the first or second end plate. A nut is in threaded engagement with each threaded tightening bolt and bears directly or indirectly against the second or first end plate so that the bolt head/nut associated with each threaded tightening bolt bear directly or indirectly against different ones of the first and second end plates. Each of the motors is operatively connected to a respective one of the threaded tightening bolts so that each of the threaded tightening bolts is rotatable independently of others of the threaded tightening bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
    Inventors: Jens Rassmus, Tobias Hedlund
  • Patent number: 10883775
    Abstract: A component that generates or requires heat includes a heat exchanger integrated with the component. The component includes a component housing holding functional parts of the component, and the heat exchanger has a heat exchanger housing formed integrally with the component housing. There is a first fluid circuit in which a first fluid flows through the component in a heat exchange relationship with the functional parts, into the heat exchanger via a first fluid inlet, through the heat exchanger, out of the heat exchanger via a first fluid outlet, and back to the functional parts of the component. The heat exchanger has a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet for connection into a second fluid circuit in which a second fluid flows from outside of the component into the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: HS MARSTON AEROSPACE LIMITED
    Inventors: Berwyn Pollard, Paul Phillips
  • Patent number: 10865739
    Abstract: A valve system includes a heat exchanger disposed within a heat exchanger manifold. The heat exchanger manifold has a first face defining a first flow inlet and an exhaust outlet, a second face disposed opposite the first face and defining a second flow inlet, a third face extending between the first face and the second face, and a first side and a second side disposed opposite the first side. The first side and the second side each extend between the first face, the second face, and the third face. A first torque motor assembly is mounted to the first side. A second torque motor assembly is mounted to the second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Josh Kamp, David J. Zawilinski, Scott W. Simpson
  • Patent number: 10859324
    Abstract: A thermal energy storage (TES) system includes a plurality of closely packed TES modules, each TES module having a shell enclosing a plurality of sealed tubes that each contain a TES media. A computer-controlled flow control system includes a flow distributor, for example a flow distributor having a plenum configured to receive a heat transfer fluid (HTF), and a plurality of control valves controlled by the computer to controllably distribute the HTF from the plenum to the plurality of TES modules. Sensor data from the TES modules, for example temperature, pressure, and/or flow data, is provided to the computer. In some embodiments the plenum includes two or more compartments with separate HTF flow ports, which may be provided to the controller at different temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Richard E. Wirz, Parker A. Wells
  • Patent number: 10836235
    Abstract: A heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a vehicle includes: an indoor air conditioning circuit which produces to supply cooling air to a vehicle interior by heat-exchanging inflow air through an indoor air inlet or an outdoor air inlet with an evaporator, and which produces to supply warm air to the vehicle interior or to discharge to the outside of the vehicle interior by heat-exchanging inflow air with a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is connected with an engine cooling circuit so that engine coolant is used as a heat source of the heat exchanger, thereby improving the cooling performance of the ERG cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jongwan Han, Il Suk Yang, Soo Hyung Woo, Danghee Park, Yong Beom Park
  • Patent number: 10837714
    Abstract: A heat transfer element for a rotary heat exchanger includes a plate having a plurality of elongate notches formed therein at spaced intervals and oriented at a first angle relative to a flow direction. The plate further includes a plurality of elongate undulations formed therein at spaced intervals and oriented a second angle relative to the flow direction, wherein the first angle is different than the second angle. A first height of each of said plurality of elongate notches is larger than a second height of each of said plurality of elongate undulations. A plurality of heat transfer elements may be stacked in a container for installation in the rotary heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Howden UK Limited
    Inventors: Meron Reid, Dougal Hogg
  • Patent number: 10837342
    Abstract: A heat exchange component including: a pillar-shaped honeycomb structure; and a casing arranged so as to cover an outer circumferential face of the honeycomb structure. The casing includes an inner cylinder arranged so as to be fitted to the outer circumferential face of the honeycomb structure, a middle cylinder arranged so as to cover the inner cylinder, and an outer cylinder arranged so as to cover the middle cylinder such that a circumferential flow path serving as a flow path of a second fluid is formed between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder. The circumferential flow path includes an inner circumferential flow path and an outer circumferential flow path. At least one communication hole that communicates the inner circumferential flow path and the outer circumferential flow path is formed in a portion of the middle cylinder that covers the honeycomb structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Kawaguchi, Takeshi Sakuma, Makoto Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 10837670
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a heating device configured to perform a heating operation by heating air inside a room and sending out the heated air; a floor temperature sensor configured to measure a floor temperature inside the room; a suction air temperature sensor configured to measure a suction air temperature that is a temperature of the air flowing into the heating device; and a controller configured to calculate a reference temperature from the floor temperature and the suction air temperature, and when determining that the reference temperature is lower than a start determination temperature designated in advance, cause the heating device to perform the heating operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Motoshi Tezuka, Nobutaka Tanabe
  • Patent number: 10837715
    Abstract: A rotary heat exchanger for preheating air using waste heat includes a plurality of heat transfer elements movable between first and second openings in a housing to exchange heat between heated exhaust gases and a stream of fresh air. At least one heat transfer element includes a first plate having a plurality of elongate notches formed therein at spaced intervals and oriented at a first angle relative to the flow direction. The plate also includes a plurality of turbulators formed in the spaced intervals between the plurality of elongate notches, the plurality of turbulators being arranged in a two-dimensional pattern. The heat transfer elements may be stacked in a container for installation in the rotary heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Howden UK Limited
    Inventors: Meron Reid, Dougal Hogg
  • Patent number: 10834855
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling conditions in an enclosed space can include an integral make-up air system that can be arranged in the interior of the housing for an air conditioning system that uses scavenger air in an air-to-air heat exchanger (AAHX) to condition process air from an enclosed space. The make-up air system can take replenishment air from outside the air conditioning system and deliver it into the process air stream. The make-up air system can include at least one heating or cooling device to condition the replenishment air before the replenishment air mixes with the process air. In an example, the make-up air system can include a DX coil to selectively cool and dehumidify the replenishment air. The make-up air system can include a humidifier arranged in the flow path of process air between the process air inlet and the AAHX to selectively add humidity to the process air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Nortek Air Solutions Canada, Inc.
    Inventors: Davood Ghadiri Moghaddam, Philip Paul LePoudre, Manfred Gerber, Stephane Vivier