Abstract: Embodiments of a heat transfer apparatus, and related methods, involve at least one boundary wall defining a first flow path through a neck portion, a first heat source external to and in thermal communication with the boundary wall, and a working fluid (e.g., a first fluid component with a second fluid component entrained therein). The neck portion may be shaped such that at least a portion of the second fluid component impinges upon at least a portion of the boundary wall as the working fluid flows therethrough, whereby heat is transferred from the first heat source to the working fluid through the boundary wall.

Abstract: Embodiments of a heat transfer apparatus, and related methods, involve a first flow path through at least one neck portion defined by at least one boundary wall, a first heat source external to and in thermal communication with the at least one boundary wall, an inflow portion in fluid communication with the first flow path, an outflow portion in fluid communication with the first flow path, and a drive system for driving a first fluid through the first flow path, whereby heat is transferred from the first heat source to the first fluid as it flows through the first flow path.

Abstract: Wave-Energy-Conversion (WEC) systems harness the water motion internal to waves propagating on large bodies of water to produce more readily usable forms of power, such as electricity. The water motion internal to a wave is oscillatory, and power is extracted from it by submerging structures that oscillate with the water, but more slowly. The power extracted from a wave is the product of the speed of the structure and the associated drag force on the structure. Because the structure moves more slowly than the water, increasing its speed reduces its speed relative to the water and with it the drag force. This tradeoff is optimized by maximizing the drag force for a given relative speed. The disclosed WEC systems exploit, in a variety of ways, the greater drag force provided by WEC structures of concave shape.

Abstract: Embodiments of a heat transfer apparatus, and related methods, involve a curved flow path, a heat source external to and in thermal communication with at least a portion of an inner radial boundary of the curved flow path, and a working fluid, including a heavier component and a lighter component, flowing through the flow path. The flow path causes the working fluid to experience centrifugal force so as to preferentially force the heavier component toward the exterior wall portion and thereby cause the lighter component to preferentially absorb heat from the interior wall portion.

Abstract: Heat pumps move heat from a source to a higher temperature heat sink. This invention enables spontaneous source-to-sink heat transfer. Spontaneous heat transfer is accomplished by conducting heat from the source through rotating disks to a portion of the generally warmer sink flow that is cooled to a temperature below that of the source by the Bernoulli effect. The nozzled flow required for Bernoulli cooling is provided by the corotating disk pairs. The distance between the opposing surfaces of the disk pair decreases with distance from the rotation axis, forming a nozzle. The heat-sink flow through the nozzle is maintained by centrifugal force caused by the circular motion of the gas near the disk surfaces. Embodiments of the invention differ in the paths followed by the source and sink fluid flows, by the number of disk pairs and by the state (gas or liquid.) of the heat source.

Abstract: Heat pumps move heat from a source to a warmer sink, with Bernoulli heat pumps accomplishing this movement by reducing the temperature in a portion of the generally-warmer heat-sink flow. Heat flows spontaneously from the generally cooler heat-source flow into the locally cold portion of the heat-sink flow, which is the neck of a Venturi. The temperature reduction results from the Bernoulli conversion of random gas-particle motion (temperature and pressure) into directed motion (flow). This invention is a Bernoulli heat pump in which the heat transfer into the Venturi neck exploits unusual thermodynamic transport properties of rare-gases. Rare gases, especially mixtures of them, possess unusually small Prandtl numbers and thereby facilitate the diffusion of random particle motion (heat) relative to the diffusion of directed particle motion (viscosity), viscous friction being responsible for most of the power consumed by a Bernoulli heat pump.

Abstract: Heat engines move heat from a source to a sink. In a subset of heat engines, called heat pumps, the temperature of the source is below that of the sink. A subset of heat pumps, called working-fluid heat pumps, accomplishes the heat-pumping function by varying the temperature of a working fluid over a range that includes the temperatures of both the source and the sink. A subset of working fluid heat pumps, called Bernoulli heat pumps, accomplish this temperature variation of the working fluid by means of Bernoulli conversion of random molecular motion into directed motion (flow). This invention is a Bernoulli heat pump in which Bernoulli conversion is accomplished using a rotating disk, similar to those used in computers for data storage. Most working fluid heat pumps used for cooling and heating accomplish the temperature variation by compression of the working fluid. In contrast to compression, Bernoulli conversion consumes no energy.

Abstract: A heated fuel injector includes a heated body, liquid fuel flowing through a fuel passage within the body, and a member that increases heat transfer from the heated body to the fuel within the fuel passage. The thermal efficiency of the fuel injector is increased separately or in combination by diverting the fuel flow along an inner circumferential contour of the heated body, by limiting the volume of fuel bypassing the heated inner surface of the body, by redirecting heat from the body to unheated portions of the fuel flow field within the fuel passage, and by increasing the available contact surface area for heat transfer. Improved heat transfer from the heated body to the fuel is achieved by integrating features that increase the contact surface area into the inside surface of the body or by positioning an insulating or a thermally conductive spacer within the fuel passage.

Abstract: Seal means for sealing a bipolar plate to a membrane in a PEM fuel cell stack. The seal includes a thin layer of a cross-linkable silicone composition disposed between the bipolar plate and the membrane. The layer is applied as a liquid to either the plate or the membrane and preferably is polymerized prior to assembly of the stack. A preferred means for applying the composition to the bipolar plate is screen printing. Preferably, the layer has a thickness between 0.001 and 0.005 inch. The resulting fuel cell stack exhibits superior leak resistance. In a currently preferred embodiment, a layer of the silicone composition is provided at interfaces between a membrane and both an anode side and a cathode side of a bipolar plate.

Abstract: A heated fuel injector includes a heated body, liquid fuel flowing through a fuel passage within the body, and a member that increases heat transfer from the heated body to the fuel within the fuel passage. The thermal efficiency of the fuel injector is increased separately or in combination by diverting the fuel flow along an inner circumferential contour of the heated body, by limiting the volume of fuel bypassing the heated inner surface of the body, by redirecting heat from the body to unheated portions of the fuel flow field within the fuel passage, and by increasing the available contact surface area for heat transfer. Improved heat transfer from the heated body to the fuel is achieved by integrating features that increase the contact surface area into the inside surface of the body or by positioning an insulating or a thermally conductive spacer within the fuel passage.

Abstract: Heat pumps move heat from a source to a higher temperature heat sink. This invention enables spontaneous source-to-sink heat transfer. Spontaneous heat transfer is accomplished by conducting heat from the source through rotating disks to a portion of the generally warmer sink flow that is cooled to a temperature below that of the source by the Bernoulli effect. The nozzled flow required for Bernoulli cooling is provided by the corotating disk pairs. The distance between the opposing surfaces of the disk pair decreases with distance from the rotation axis, forming a nozzle. The heat-sink flow through the nozzle is maintained by centrifugal force caused by the circular motion of the gas near the disk surfaces. Embodiments of the invention differ in the paths followed by the source and sink fluid flows, by the number of disk pairs and by the state (gas or liquid.) of the heat source.

Abstract: Embodiments of a heat transfer apparatus, and related methods, involve a curved flow path, a heat source external to and in thermal communication with at least a portion of an inner radial boundary of the curved flow path, and a working fluid, including a heavier component and a lighter component, flowing through the flow path. The flow path causes the working fluid to experience centrifugal force so as to preferentially force the heavier component toward the exterior wall portion and thereby cause the lighter component to preferentially absorb heat from the interior wall portion.

Abstract: Embodiments of a heat transfer apparatus, and related methods, involve a first flow path through a neck portion of a venturi defined by at least one boundary wall, a first heat source external to and in thermal communication with the boundary wall, and a drive system for driving a first fluid through the neck portion, whereby heat is transferred from the first heat source to the first fluid through the boundary wall.

Abstract: Embodiments of a heat transfer apparatus, and related methods, involve a radial array of blades including a plurality of blades arranged about a central portion defining an entrance flow path, the plurality of blades defining a first flow path therebetween, a first heat source in thermal communication with the blades, and a drive system for driving a first fluid into the central portion through the entrance flow path and out through the first flow path between adjacent blades whereby heat is transferred from the first heat source to the first fluid flowing within the first flow path.

Abstract: Embodiments of a heat transfer apparatus, and related methods, involve a first flow path through at least one neck portion defined by at least one boundary wall, a first heat source external to and in thermal communication with the at least one boundary wall, an inflow portion in fluid communication with the first flow path, an outflow portion in fluid communication with the first flow path, and a drive system for driving a first fluid through the first flow path, whereby heat is transferred from the first heat source to the first fluid as it flows through the first flow path.

Abstract: Embodiments of a heat transfer apparatus, and related methods, involve at least one boundary wall defining a first flow path through a neck portion, a first heat source external to and in thermal communication with the boundary wall, and a working fluid (e.g., a first fluid component with a second fluid component entrained therein). The neck portion may be shaped such that at least a portion of the second fluid component impinges upon at least a portion of the boundary wall as the working fluid flows therethrough, whereby heat is transferred from the first heat source to the working fluid through the boundary wall.

Abstract: Heat pumps consume power in order to transfer heat from a source to a higher-temperature sink. This invention enables spontaneous heat transfer from a heat source to a small portion of the generally warmer working fluid that is cooled locally by the Bernoulli effect to a temperature below that of the heat source. The Bernoulli effect occurs in a Venturi shaped duct shaped to maintain attached flow. Heat-transfer efficiency is improved by restriction of the heat transfer to a small portion of the Venturi in which the flow temperature, velocity, pressure gradient and the Nusselt effect enhance heat transfer. Within this region, heat transfer is maximized by a thermally conducting grid extending across the Venturi neck.

Abstract: Heat engines move heat from a source to a sink. In a subset of heat engines, called heat pumps, the temperature of the source is below that of the sink. A subset of heat pumps, called working-fluid heat pumps, accomplishes the heat-pumping function by varying the temperature of a working fluid over a range that includes the temperatures of both the source and the sink. A subset of working fluid heat pumps, called Bernoulli heat pumps, accomplish this temperature variation of the working fluid by means of Bernoulli conversion of random molecular motion into directed motion (flow). This invention is a Bernoulli heat pump in which Bernoulli conversion is accomplished using a rotating disk, similar to those used in computers for data storage. Most working fluid heat pumps used for cooling and heating accomplish the temperature variation by compression of the working fluid. In contrast to compression, Bernoulli conversion consumes no energy.

Abstract: A fuel injector for heating fuel to be injected into an internal combustion engine. A cylindrical barrel extends between a solenoid and an injection tip for passage of fuel. The outer surface of the barrel supports a suitable circuit pattern formed of an electrically resistive material for generating heat which is passed through the wall of the barrel to warm the fuel which may be stationary or flowing. The electrically resistive material has a positive thermal coefficient, permitting voltage to be applied continuously across the heater causing a current to flow through the heater, the current being inversely proportional to the temperature of the heater. Thus, the heater is self-regulating, the current automatically increasing under cold conditions and diminishing as the fuel injector warms up after starting of the engine. Desirably, the heater is outside both the engine firing chamber and the flow path of the fuel.

Abstract: A fuel injector for heating fuel to be injected into an internal combustion engine. A cylindrical barrel extends between a solenoid and an injection tip for passage of fuel. The outer surface of the barrel supports a suitable circuit pattern formed of an electrically resistive material for generating heat which is passed through the wall of the barrel to warm the fuel which may be stationary or flowing. The electrically resistive material has a positive thermal coefficient, permitting voltage to be applied continuously across the heater causing a current to flow through the heater, the current being inversely proportional to the temperature of the heater. Thus, the heater is self-regulating, the current automatically increasing under cold conditions and diminishing as the fuel injector warms up after starting of the engine. Desirably, the heater is outside both the engine firing chamber and the flow path of the fuel.