Abstract: A method of controlling moisture reaching a building façade may include providing a weather resistant building shield, the shield including first and second subchannels. The building shield may be disposed parallel to an inner façade and separated from the inner façade by an air gap. The method may include causing input air to flow through the first subchannel at an input air flow rate and causing exhaust air to flow through the second subchannel at an exhaust air flow rate. Controlling at least one of the input and exhaust air flow rates may provide control over moisture content in the gap.

Abstract: An air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner may include an electronic device, which may include a control component to drive a refrigerant cycle, and a cooling tube through which a refrigerant to cool the electronic device may flow. The cooling tube may be coupled to one side of the electronic device. The electronic device may include an electronic case having at least one through hole, an electronic board to which the control component may be coupled, the electronic board being disposed in the electronic case, at least one heat transfer plate disposed to contact the control component, the at least one heat transfer plate being coupled to the electronic case, and at least one heat sink, to which the cooling tube may be coupled, the at least one heat sink contacting the at least one heat transfer plate through the at least one through hole.

Abstract: A refrigerator is provided which includes a cabinet. A first compartment and second compartment are disposed within the cabinet. A first door provides access to the first compartment and a second door provides access to the second compartment. A beverage dispensing system is operatively connected to the cabinet. A machine vision system associated with the beverage dispensing system. The machine vision system has an imaging device.

Abstract: A portable air conditioner (10) that has a loading chamber (30) substantially separated from a heat-transfer chamber (32) within a housing (20). Heat-transfer cells (40) for holding a phase-changeable, frozen substance such as ice (3), have an open end that is accessible from the loading chamber (30) and have cell housings (42, 44) disposed within the heat-transfer chamber (32). An air-flow mechanism (62) causes air to be drawn in through at least one air-intake opening (60), circulated among the heat-transfer cells (40) and urged outwardly of the unit housing (20) through at least one air-outlet opening (70, 72).

Abstract: A magnetocaloric heat generator having an assembly of at least two magnetocaloric modules with a heat transfer fluid flowing through them. The cold ends of the modules are in fluidic communication via a cold transfer circuit and the hot ends are in fluidic communication via a hot transfer circuit. The cold transfer circuit is arranged so that the fluid exiting the cold end of one of the magnetocaloric modules with an exit temperature enters the cold end of the other magnetocaloric module with an entry temperature that is substantially equal to the temperature of the cold end. The hot transfer circuit modifies the temperature of the fluid so that the fluid exiting the hot end of one of the magnetocaloric modules with an exit temperature enters the hot end of the other magnetocaloric module with an entry temperature that is substantially equal to the temperature of the hot end.

Abstract: A structure of an ice making compartment of a side by side type refrigerator to enhance ice making efficiency and to reduce energy consumption. The ice making compartment may be separately provided between a refrigerating compartment and a freezing compartment and be insulated from the refrigerating compartment and the freezing compartment. A portion of a refrigerant pipe is inserted into the inside of the ice making compartment so as to directly cool down the ice making compartment. A front opening of the ice making compartment can be closed by an ice bucket, and the ice bucket can be inserted into or drawn from the ice making compartment with being accessible without opening a refrigerating compartment door and a freezing compartment door.

Abstract: A method of operating a cooling system that has at least one evaporator containing a refrigerant and at least one adsorbent chamber containing adsorbent configured to provide adsorption of vaporized refrigerant from the at least one evaporator in a cooling mode and provide desorption of the refrigerant to the at least one evaporator in a recharging mode, the method including; controlling the adsorption and desorption of the refrigerant of the at least one adsorbent chamber between the cooling modes and recharging modes during a cooling cycle; ceasing desorption of the refrigerant from the at least one adsorbent chamber; allowing adsorption of the vaporized refrigerant from the at least one evaporator; and maintaining the at least one adsorbent chamber in an adsorbed state at the end of the cooling cycle in a storage mode.

Abstract: A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. A fluid pathway is connected in communication between the cold side of the thermoelectric device and the icemaker. A pump moves fluid from the cold side of the thermoelectric device to the icemaker. Cold fluid or air may be taken from the freezer compartment to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for providing cold fluid to and for cooling the ice mold or cool/warm fluid to other cooling or warming applications in the refrigerator compartment or on the refrigerator compartment door.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for cooling systems. In some aspects, a cooling system is configured to enter into a storage configuration or a winterization configuration. In the winterization configuration, refrigerant used in the cooling system is stored in an adsorbent in an adsorbent chamber.

Abstract: An ice-making apparatus for an appliance having a housing with an interior volume and an ice tray horizontally suspended in the interior volume. The ice tray has a cold plate with a top surface and a bottom surface and a containment wall surrounding an edge portion of the cold plate to retain water. A cooling source is thermally coupled to the bottom surface of the cold plate. An intake conduit extends into the interior volume over the ice tray and is configured to draw ambient air into the interior volume over the ice tray, and the ambient air is above freezing.

Abstract: A device including an enclosure that encapsulates a plurality of particles dispersed in a matrix material. The particles are formed of a material having substantial bulk thermal conductivity of at least about one watt per meter-Kelvin (1 W/[mK]) at a standardized measurement temperature of about 68° F. In the device, the enclosure is configured upon deformation to allow a portion of the matrix material to escape while retaining at least a portion of the particles within the enclosure. A system that includes an enclosure that encapsulates a plurality of such particles dispersed in a matrix material, the enclosure being located between first and second objects. In the system, the enclosure has through-pores communicating between an interior of the enclosure and an exterior of the enclosure, and at least a portion of the particles have diameters that are larger than a maximum diameter of the through-pores.

Abstract: Process for regulating a compressor with motor for a refrigerating system, where the temperature of the cooling site is regulated through an on-off motor mode if the temperature in the compressor exceeds an upper temperature threshold. In addition, the temperature of the cooling site is regulated through a continuous on mode of the motor as soon as the motor has cooled to a lower temperature threshold. The controller converts a variable corresponding to the cooling requirement of the cooling site into a switch signal for a valve, which results in clocked opening and closing of the valve, or uses a frequency converter, which controls the cooling liquid flow through the compressor by regulating the voltage and the frequency of the motor in that the frequency converter converts a variable corresponding to the cooling requirement of a cooling site into a voltage and a frequency for the motor.

Abstract: A refrigerating and air-conditioning apparatus includes multiple refrigeration cycles each including a compressor, a four-way valve, an indoor heat exchanger, a pressure reducing device, and an outdoor heat exchanger which are connected by a pipe, each refrigeration cycle being configured to be capable of performing a cooling operation and a heating operation, an outdoor fan configured to send air for heat exchange with the outdoor heat exchangers of the refrigeration cycles, multiple indoor fans arranged corresponding to the respective indoor heat exchangers of the refrigeration cycles, and a controller configured to defrost the outdoor heat exchanger of the at least one refrigeration cycle, control a rotation speed of the indoor fan corresponding to the refrigeration cycle performing the defrosting operation such that a temperature of air mixed by air-sending through the indoor fans reaches a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A refrigerator that has a fresh food compartment, a freezer compartment, and a door that provides access to the fresh food compartment is disclosed. An icemaker is mounted remotely from the freezer compartment. The icemaker includes an ice mold. A thermoelectric device is provided and includes a warm side and an opposite cold side. The icemaker is thermally influenced by the cold side of the thermoelectric device. Air or fluid may be moved from the fresh food compartment across the warm side of the thermoelectric device. Cold air or fluid, such as from the refrigerator compartment, is used to dissipate heat from the warm side of the thermoelectric device for cooling the ice mold of the icemaker.

Abstract: Air conditioner units and bulkhead assemblies for air conditioner units are provided. A bulkhead assembly includes a bulkhead which includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall spaced apart from the first sidewall along a lateral direction, and a rear wall extending laterally between the first sidewall and the second sidewall. The rear wall includes an indoor facing surface and an opposing outdoor facing surface. The bulkhead assembly further includes a vent aperture defined in the rear wall, and a vent unit. The vent unit includes a frame, a door, and a hinge rotatably connecting the door to the frame. The frame is positioned on one of the indoor facing surface or the outdoor facing surface and defines a frame aperture generally aligned with the vent aperture. The door is rotatable between an open position and a closed position.

Abstract: Cooling systems using adsorption are described. The cooling systems use an adsorption cycle without continuous heat input and over a long duration. The cooling system can function by vaporizing a liquid at a reduced pressure. The cooling systems have applications in developing countries, in both arid and non-arid regions, allowing, for example, for the operation of refrigerators and small air conditioners without electrical input. The cooling systems can be used for cold storage. The cooling systems can present a greener alternative to conventional cooling methods in developed countries.

Abstract: A frozen beverage device to convert a liquid beverage into a semi-frozen or frozen form has inner and outer walls forming at least one refrigerant cavity containing a refrigerant material with a freezing point below the freezing point of the liquid, the refrigerant material occupying at least 60% of the volume of the refrigerant cavity. The walls of the device can be squeezed to accelerate the heat transfer from the liquid to the refrigerant material; and the device may be placed in a squeezing apparatus. Where the device is to be disposable, the device can be placed in a flexible sheath or outer container before being squeezed to protect the device and/or insulate the user from the refrigerant material. A freezing spoon or stirrer can be used to assist, or accelerate, the freezing process.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a thermoelectric system includes a thermoelectric device having a first surface and a second surface and a power source configured to deliver a voltage across the thermoelectric device to selectively activate or deactivate the thermoelectric device, wherein the first surface is configured to heat and the second surface is configured to cool when the thermoelectric device is activated. The system further includes a processor configured to determine a potential between the first surface and the second surface when the thermoelectric device is deactivated, correlate the potential to a temperature of the first surface and adjust the correlated temperature of the first surface based on an ambient temperature.

Abstract: A cooling structure includes a first plate, a second plate separated from the first plate, and an inlet adapted to receive a cooling fluid. The cooling structure also includes a first cooling portion coupled to the first plate and adapted to maintain a first temperature. The cooling structure further includes a second cooling portion coupled to the second plate and adapted to maintain a second temperature different from the first temperature.

Abstract: A cooling container comprises a container housing with a chilled water storage tank including a first interface for receiving chilled water. The chilled water tank has a plurality of straight pipes joined by elbows connections to provide a folded path, the full path length being greater than the length of the container housing, and a second interface for outputting the chilled water. A number of interfaces within the container housing are configured to receive a chiller module or a free cool unit.