Abstract: An air-delivery system, for use in a vehicle. The system includes a backrest of a vehicle seat assembly and an air-delivery port connected to or integral to the backrest. The system also includes an input conduit connected to the air-delivery port for delivering air received from an air source to the air-delivery port. The air-delivery port is configured and arranged in the backrest facing a generally aft direction to, during operation of the system, deliver air received from the air source aftward from the backrest.

Abstract: A Vuilleumier heat pump is disclosed in which hot and cold displacers are controlled by first and second electromagnetic actuators, respectively. The first actuator is capable of moving the hot displacer between the first and second ends of travel while the cold displacer remains stationary and the second actuator is capable of moving the cold displacer while the hot displacer remains stationary. Prior art crank arrangements are unable to provide dwell in one displacer while moving the other displacer. Actuation of the displacers according to embodiments of the present disclosure provides a higher coefficient of performance than crank arrangements.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a medicinal storage container includes: a desiccant unit including external walls forming a gas-impermeable barrier around an interior desiccant region and including an aperture; a heating element; a controller operably attached to the heating element; a cooling unit; a compressor system including at least one evaporator coil unit, the compressor operably connected to the controller; a vapor conduit, the vapor conduit attached to a the desiccant unit at a first end, the vapor conduit attached to the evaporative cooling unit at a second end, the vapor conduit forming an internal, gas-impermeable passageway between the desiccant unit and the cooling unit; a vapor control unit attached to the vapor conduit and operably attached to the controller; and a medicinal storage unit including external walls encircling a medicinal storage region including a temperature sensor operably connected to the controller.

Abstract: This invention relates to refrigerators, and more particularly to a refrigerator in which a vacuum space is formed between an outer case and an inner case of a body thereof for enhancing a heat insulating function. The refrigerator includes a body having a storage space for storing a predetermined storage object, wherein the body includes an inner case having the storage space, an outer case having an inside surface spaced a predetermined gap from an outside surface of the inner case to house the inner case, and a vacuum space provided between the inner case and the outer case sealed to maintain a vacuum state for heat insulating between the inner case and the outer case.

Abstract: A combined intake and exhaust manifold (1) for a thermoelectric temperature control device includes an outer manifold case (2) that partially encases a first case interior (3), and an inner manifold case (4) provided in the first case interior (3), which partially encases a second case interior (5). The outer and the inner manifold cases (2, 4) have a joint connection side (6) for connecting a fluid line (17a, 17b). The manifold further includes at least one first flow-through opening (7a, 7b) for introducing or discharging a fluid into or out of the first case interior (3) and at least one second flow-through opening (8a, 8b) for introducing or discharging the fluid into or out of the second case interior (5) on the connection side (6).

Abstract: Frequency of a compressor is controlled so that an evaporating temperature reaches a target evaporating temperature during cooling operation, and, when refrigerant stagnation in a condenser of an outdoor unit is detected during cooling operation, a stagnation-resolving operation is implemented. The stagnation-resolving operation includes stagnation suppression control in which the target evaporating temperature is reduced within a range in which an evaporator does not freeze so as to increase a refrigerant circulation volume in the condenser, and stagnation-avoidance priority control which is implemented when implementation of the stagnation suppression control is not able to resolve stagnation, and in which an opening degree of an expansion valve is controlled to be opened and the target evaporating temperature is further reduced so as to further increase the refrigerant circulation volume.

Abstract: An air conditioning unit, which can be located in an enclosed environment comprising at least one duct through which a heat transfer fluid flows. The duct is affected sequentially by at least one compressor, for raising the temperature and pressure of the heat transfer fluid in the gaseous state, at least one condenser, for carrying off heat from the heat transfer fluid and its passage from the gaseous state to the liquid state, at least one lamination element, for lowering the pressure of the heat transfer fluid in the liquid state, and at least one evaporator, for absorbing heat by means of the passage of the heat transfer fluid from the liquid state to the gaseous state. The air conditioning unit comprises elements of natural, not forced, collection and conveyance, toward the condenser, of condensed water which may have formed along the outer surfaces of the evaporator.

Abstract: A cooling device and methods of using the cooling device are described. The cooling device includes a flexible, elongated body member having a first end portion and a second end portion, or is adjustable with the first end portion and the second end portion attached, the elongated body member forming an elongated cavity extending substantially between the first end portion and the second end portion, the cavity having a first substance disposed within the cavity. The cooling device further includes at least one rupturable compartment contained within the cavity, the compartment having a second substance disposed within the compartment. The cooling device also includes fastening means disposed on at least one of the first end portion and the second end portion for detachably fastening the first end portion to the second end portion to secure the cooling device around a circumference of a body part.

Abstract: A thermoelectric device comprising an elongated panel, formed of a thermally insulating material, and having a plurality of thermoelectric elements comprising compacted conductors inside the insulating material and expanded conductors outside the insulating material is combined with other layers for leakage current interception, bodily fluid absorption, and pillars that preserve pressure re-distribution. The thermoelectric device may be integrated into a variety of surfaces or enclosures needing heating or cooling and manufactured using pre-existing automated equipment.

Abstract: A housing for a vehicle HVAC system includes a case and a drainage port that drains fluid from the case of the housing. The drainage port includes a spout and defines a first fluid passage and a second fluid passage. An outlet of the first fluid passage and an outlet of the second fluid passage may be adjacent to each other at the spout. The first fluid passage fluidly couples a first region of the case to the spout, and the second fluid passage fluid fluidly couples a second region of the case to the spout. Based on the pressure of the first region and the second region, fluid flowing through the first fluid passage or the second fluid passage accelerates at the outlet of the respective passage to form a vacuum at the spout.

Abstract: An appliance includes an appliance housing, an interface adapted to receive power information, a plurality of sensors for sensing environmental conditions, a plurality of controls for controlling operations of the appliance, and an intelligent control. The intelligent control is disposed within the appliance housing and operatively connected to the interface and the plurality of sensors and adapted to dynamically select control values associated with the plurality of controls based on at least one of the power information, the environmental conditions, or a combination thereof to increase energy efficiency of the appliance.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described to help manage oil return such as in a chiller system of a HVAC system. A refrigerant/oil mixture can be directed out of the evaporator into an oil return heat exchanger that is configured to help vaporize a refrigerant portion of the refrigerant/oil mixture. Superheat refrigerant vapor can be directed from a condenser into the oil return heat exchanger as the heat energy to vaporize the refrigerant portion in the refrigerant/oil mixture. The oil return heat exchanger can be positioned lower than the evaporator so that gravity can help the refrigerant/oil mixture to flow into the oil return heat exchanger.

Abstract: A magnetic device is provided for a magneto caloric heat pump regenerator. Magnets are arranged within two magnetic flux circuits in a manner than that provides at least four fields of increased magnetic flux density. The regenerator can be used to move working units of magneto caloric material through the fields of increase magnetic flux to provide for heating and cooling as part of heat pump cycle. The orientation of the magnets provides concentrated fields of magnetic flux to induce the magneto caloric effect while optimizing the size of the magnets required to create the fields.

Abstract: A heat pump system using waste heat has a compression heat pump circuit that uses the shaft output of a power engine as a power source for a compressor for compressing refrigerant, and an absorption heat pump circuit using waste heat of the power engine as a heat source for a regenerator for heating absorbing liquid, refrigerant vaporized in the compression heat pump circuit is circulated to an absorber of the absorption heat pump circuit, the refrigerant is separated after regenerated by the regenerator, and the separated refrigerant is circulated in the compression heats pump circuit. The absorption heat pump circuit has a reverse pump R in a return pipe for absorbing liquid from the regenerator to the absorber, and the rotation energy of the reverse pump R can be withdrawn by a circulation pump P for the absorbing liquid.

Abstract: A refrigerant recovery and recharge device and a method to recharge oil to refrigeration equipment is disclosed. The refrigerant recovery and recharge device comprises a valve block which is adapted to establish fluid communication between the device and refrigeration equipment and a recharge path adapted to recharge oil to the refrigeration equipment through an outlet in the valve block. The device further comprises at least a first oil container and a second oil container and the valve block comprises a valve with a first inlet and a second inlet. The first oil container is in fluid communication with the first inlet and the second oil container is in fluid communication with the second inlet to recharge oil to the refrigeration equipment. The method for recharging oil recharges oil either from the first oil container or the second oil container in dependence of the type of fuel used in the vehicle.

Abstract: An air conditioning system includes a multiple effect evaporative condenser, at least one compressor, at least one heat exchanger, an expansion valve, and at least one multiple-effect evaporative condensers. The multiple effect evaporative condenser and the heat exchanger utilize a highly efficient heat exchanging pipe for performing heat exchange between water and refrigerant.

Abstract: An exhaust heat reclaim system may include a diverter valve selectively connected in fluid communication to an exhaust vent tube and an exhaust delivery tube and configured to selectively divert hot exhaust fluid discharged from an exhaust of a power generation device to at least one of the exhaust vent tube and the exhaust delivery tube. The exhaust heat reclaim system may be a component of an HVAC system and be configured to discharge hot exhaust fluid onto a heat exchanger of the HVAC system, where the heat exchanger may be configured to promote heat transfer between the hot exhaust fluid and a refrigerant flowing through the heat exchanger of the HVAC system.

Abstract: An aggregated channel switching unit is disposed between a heat source unit and a plurality of utilization units to switch flow of refrigerant in the refrigerant circuit. The aggregated channel switching unit including a plurality of first refrigerant pipes having switch valves, a plurality of second refrigerant pipes, and a casing accommodating the first and second pipes. The first and second pipes are aggregated as an assembly. The first pipes are connected to a high-low pressure gas communicating pipe and a suction gas communicating pipe extending from the heat source unit. The second refrigerant pipes are connected to a liquid communicating pipe extending from the heat source unit and a liquid pipe extending to the utilization units. Adjacent pairs of the first and second pipes extend approximately in parallel to each other at predetermined intervals in the assembly. The first and second pipes are alternately disposed in the assembly.

Abstract: A cooler capable of incorporating a variety of different attachments used for tailgate parties is described. The cooler is capable of being affixed with various decorations and additional features through the use of attachments associated with the cooler. The attachments allow the decorations and features to stay attached thereby facilitating transportation of the entirety of the cooler and affixed items from one location to the location of the tailgate party. The cooler also includes the ability to power one or more electronic devices through the use of a battery supply that can be connected to the cooler.

Abstract: A hydrogen storage heat pump, including: a hydrogen storage unit in which hydrogen gas is stored in a compressed state; a hydrogen flow tube through which the hydrogen gas, which is supplied from the hydrogen storage unit, flows; plural hydrogen absorbing materials that are provided at the hydrogen flow tube, that each have a different absorption pressure at which hydrogen is absorbed, and that are arranged in an order such that the absorption pressure decreases in a hydrogen gas flow direction from the hydrogen storage unit; and a switching valve that is disposed between the hydrogen absorbing materials in the hydrogen flow tube and that switches a flow rate of the hydrogen gas.