Abstract: A plate for a heat exchanger including front and back external surfaces, a periphery, one or more dry internal passages through which a fluid flows parallel to the first and second stream-wise edges, and an internal frame. The frame is coincident with the periphery of the plate. The front edge section and the back edge section of the frame permit a fluid to flow into and out of the internal passages of the plate. The frame is bonded to the front and back external surfaces of the plate around the plate's periphery. The plate further includes fins or other protuberances that enhance heat transfer between a fluid flowing within the plate and the external surfaces of the plate, the fins or other protuberances being located within a volume defined by the frame and the plate's external surfaces.

Abstract: A device for cooling and dehumidifying a first stream of air includes a first heat exchanger that cools the first stream of air from a first temperature to a lower second temperature, an absorber, a regenerator and one or more pumps and conduits. The device operates under conditions where liquid desiccant removes moisture from the first stream of air in the absorber and the second temperature of the first stream of air that leaves the first heat exchanger is lower than the temperature of the liquid desiccant supplied to the absorber.

Abstract: A thermal distillation apparatus including evaporation surfaces that are wetted with a solution, and from which at least some of the volatile solvent contained in the solution evaporates, condensers having an external surface in close proximity to, but not touching, a corresponding one of the one or more evaporation surfaces, and on which vapors of the solvent condense, releasing thermal energy that heats a flow of the solution moving upward within the condensers, spacers that prevent contact between the evaporating surfaces and the condensers, wherein spaces between the evaporating surfaces and the condensers are filled with a gaseous mixture composed of solvent vapor and one or more non-condensable gases, and except for diffusion of the solvent vapor relative to the non-condensable gases, the gaseous mixture is stationary.

Abstract: A device for cooling and dehumidifying a first stream of air includes a first heat exchanger that cools the first stream of air from a first temperature to a lower second temperature, an absorber, a regenerator and one or more pumps and conduits. The device operates under conditions where liquid desiccant removes moisture from the first stream of air in the absorber and the second temperature of the first stream of air that leaves the first heat exchanger is lower than the temperature of the liquid desiccant supplied to the absorber.

Abstract: A plate for a heat exchanger including front and back external surfaces, a periphery, one or more dry internal passages through which a fluid flows parallel to the first and second stream-wise edges, and an internal frame. The frame is coincident with the periphery of the plate. The front edge section and the back edge section of the frame permit a fluid to flow into and out of the internal passages of the plate. The frame is bonded to the front and back external surfaces of the plate around the plate's periphery. The plate further includes fins or other protuberances that enhance heat transfer between a fluid flowing within the plate and the external surfaces of the plate, the fins or other protuberances being located within a volume defined by the frame and the plate's external surfaces.

Abstract: A heat and mass exchanger including a plurality of vertical plates that are spaced apart from one another by gaps so as to allow a first gas to flow between the plates. Each plate includes a front wall that defines a front surface of the plate, a back wall that defines a back surface of the plate, and separate, parallel channels disposed between the front and back walls. The parallel channels include a first set of parallel channels, a first liquid flowing within the first set of channels and over one of the front or back surfaces of the plate, the first liquid having a bulk composition comprising one or more constituents, the first gas having at least one constituent in common with the first liquid, and a second set of parallel channels, a first fluid flowing within the second set of channels.

Abstract: A method of converting a liquid into a vapor includes directing liquid into one or more solar collectors through a manifold that supports the one or more solar collectors. Each of the one or more solar collectors includes a transparent outer cylinder having a closed end and an open end, an inner cylinder having a closed end and an open end, the inner cylinder being concentric with and disposed within the transparent outer cylinder so that the closed end of the inner cylinder is located proximate to the closed end of the transparent outer cylinder, an outer surface of the inner cylinder being made of a material that absorbs solar radiation to generate heat, the longitudinal axes of the transparent outer cylinder and the inner cylinder being substantially horizontal, and an enclosed and evacuated space formed between the transparent outer cylinder and the inner cylinder.

Abstract: A thermal distillation apparatus including evaporation surfaces that are wetted with a solution, and from which at least some of the volatile solvent contained in the solution evaporates, condensers having an external surface in close proximity to, but not touching, a corresponding one of the one or more evaporation surfaces, and on which vapors of the solvent condense, releasing thermal energy that heats a flow of the solution moving upward within the condensers, spacers that prevent contact between the evaporating surfaces and the condensers, wherein spaces between the evaporating surfaces and the condensers are filled with a gaseous mixture composed of solvent vapor and one or more non-condensable gases, and except for diffusion of the solvent vapor relative to the non-condensable gases, the gaseous mixture is stationary.

Abstract: A solar collector apparatus with Dewar-type evacuated tubes results in the more efficient collection of solar radiation by, for example, maintaining the level of a volatile liquid flowing into the solar collector so that no more than 80% of the volume of an inner cylinder of a collection tube is filled with liquid and a corresponding manifold collects the vapor produced when heat is transferred from the surface of the inner glass cylinder that absorbs solar radiation to the volatile liquid. The aforementioned apparatus may likewise be used to heat a liquid within an absorber tube, the liquid having a volatile and a non-volatile component. As heat is transferred to the liquid, a fraction of the volatile component is converted to vapor, leaving the liquid more concentrated in the non-volatile component.

Abstract: A solar collector apparatus with Dewar-type evacuated tubes results in the more efficient collection of solar radiation by, for example, maintaining the level of a volatile liquid flowing into the solar collector so that no more than 80% of the volume of an inner cylinder of a collection tube is filled with liquid and a corresponding manifold collects the vapor produced when heat is transferred from the surface of the inner glass cylinder that absorbs solar radiation to the volatile liquid. The aforementioned apparatus may likewise be used to heat a liquid within an absorber tube, the liquid having a volatile and a non-volatile component. As heat is transferred to the liquid, a fraction of the volatile component is converted to vapor, leaving the liquid more concentrated in the non-volatile component.

Abstract: A mass and heat exchanger includes at least one first substrate with a surface for supporting a continuous flow of a liquid thereon that either absorbs, desorbs, evaporates or condenses one or more gaseous species from or to a surrounding gas; and at least one second substrate operatively associated with the first substrate. The second substrate includes a surface for supporting the continuous flow of the liquid thereon and is adapted to carry a heat exchange fluid therethrough, wherein heat transfer occurs between the liquid and the heat exchange fluid.

Abstract: A mass and heat exchanger includes at least one first substrate with a surface for supporting a continuous flow of a liquid thereon that either absorbs, desorbs, evaporates or condenses one or more gaseous species from or to a surrounding gas; and at least one second substrate operatively associated with the first substrate. The second substrate includes a surface for supporting the continuous flow of the liquid thereon and is adapted to carry a heat exchange fluid therethrough, wherein heat transfer occurs between the liquid and the heat exchange fluid.

Abstract: A mass and heat exchanger includes at least one first substrate with a surface for supporting a continuous flow of a liquid thereon that either absorbs, desorbs, evaporates or condenses one or more gaseous species from or to a surrounding gas; and at least one second substrate operatively associated with the first substrate. The second substrate includes a surface for supporting the continuous flow of the liquid thereon and is adapted to carry a heat exchange fluid therethrough, wherein heat transfer occurs between the liquid and the heat exchange fluid.

Abstract: A mass and heat exchanger includes at least one first substrate with a surface for supporting a continuous flow of a liquid thereon that either absorbs, desorbs, evaporates or condenses one or more gaseous species from or to a surrounding gas; and at least one second substrate operatively associated with the first substrate. The second substrate includes a surface for supporting the continuous flow of the liquid thereon and is adapted to carry a heat exchange fluid therethrough, wherein heat transfer occurs between the liquid and the heat exchange fluid.

Abstract: An air conditioner comprises a plurality of plates arranged in a successively stacked configuration with portions thereof having a spaced apart arrangement, and defining between successive adjacent pairs of plates at the spaced apart portions a first and second series of discrete alternating passages wherein a first air stream is passed through the first series of passages and a second air stream is passed through the second series of passages; and said stacked configuration of plates forming integrally therewith a liquid delivery means for delivering from a source a sufficient quantity of a liquid to the inside surfaces of the first series of fluid passages in a manner which provides a continuous flow of the liquid from a first end to a second end of the plurality of plates while in contact with the first air stream.

Abstract: A heat exchange assembly comprises a plurality of plates disposed in a spaced-apart arrangement, each of the plurality of plates includes a plurality of passages extending internally from a first end to a second end for directing flow of a heat transfer fluid in a first plane, a plurality of first end-piece members equaling the number of plates and a plurality of second end-piece members also equaling the number of plates, each of the first and second end-piece members including a recessed region adapted to fluidly connect and couple with the first and second ends of the plate, respectively, and further adapted to be affixed to respective adjacent first and second end-piece members in a stacked formation, and each of the first and second end-piece members further including at least one cavity for enabling entry of the heat transfer fluid into the plate, exit of the heat transfer fluid from the plate, or 180° turning of the fluid within the plate to create a serpentine-like fluid flow path between points o

Abstract: An air conditioner comprises a plurality of plates arranged in a successively stacked configuration with portions thereof having a spaced apart arrangement, and defining between successive adjacent pairs of plates at the spaced apart portions a first and second series of discrete alternating passages wherein a first air stream is passed through the first series of passages and a second air stream is passed through the second series of passages; and said stacked configuration of plates forming integrally therewith a liquid delivery means for delivering from a source a sufficient quantity of a liquid to the inside surfaces of the first series of fluid passages in a manner which provides a continuous flow of the liquid from a first end to a second end of the plurality of plates while in contact with the first air stream.

Abstract: A heat exchange assembly comprises a plurality of plates disposed in a spaced-apart arrangement, each of the plurality of plates includes a plurality of passages extending internally from a first end to a second end for directing flow of a heat transfer fluid in a first plane, a plurality of first end-piece members equaling the number of plates and a plurality of second end-piece members also equaling the number of plates, each of the first and second end-piece members including a recessed region adapted to fluidly connect and couple with the first and second ends of the plate, respectively, and further adapted to be affixed to respective adjacent first and second end-piece members in a stacked formation, and each of the first and second end-piece members further including at least one cavity for enabling entry of the heat transfer fluid into the plate, exit of the heat transfer fluid from the plate, or 180° turning of the fluid within the plate to create a serpentine-like fluid flow path between points o

Abstract: A heat exchange assembly comprises a plurality of plates disposed in a spaced-apart arrangement, each of the plurality of plates includes a plurality of passages extending internally from a first end to a second end for directing flow of a heat transfer fluid in a first plane, a plurality of first end-piece members equaling the number of plates and a plurality of second end-piece members also equaling the number of plates, each of the first and second end-piece members including a recessed region adapted to fluidly connect and couple with the first and second ends of the plate, respectively, and further adapted to be affixed to respective adjacent first and second end-piece members in a stacked formation, and each of the first and second end-piece members further including at least one cavity for enabling entry of the heat transfer fluid into the plate, exit of the heat transfer fluid from the plate, or 180° turning of the fluid within the plate to create a serpentine-like fluid flow path between points o

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for controlling the power consumption of one or more electric resistance heating element in a vessel containing a heatable liquid, at least one inlet for receiving a liquid having a first temperature, at least one outlet for removing liquid having a second higher temperature, and at least one thermostat for directing power to at least one heating element. The device has a detector for detecting one or more predetermined conditions in the vessel relating to the amount of liquid having the second higher temperature remaining in the vessel, and for generating an initiating signal corresponding to the predetermined condition. A controller is responsive to the initiating signal, and is configured for outputting a corresponding switching signal. A power modulator is responsive to the switching signal, and is configured for modulating power to at least one heating element.