Abstract: A sub-surface direct expansion geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in sub-surface ground and/or water, consisting of at least one smaller interior diameter refrigerant liquid/fluid transport line with an optional vertically oriented U bend at the bottom, operatively connected to at least one larger interior diameter refrigerant liquid/fluid transport line, with at least one refrigerant flow metering device, designed to the system's compressor's BTU design capacity, which is optionally accessible, installed in the liquid/fluid line at one of an above-surface location and at the sub-surface point near to where the liquid/fluid line connects with the vapor/fluid line, for use when the system is operating in the heating mode, together with a refrigerant flow metering device by-pass means so as to enable additional refrigerant fluid flow at least one of around and past the refrigerant metering device when the system is operating in the cooling mode.

Abstract: A non-stick coating, which inhibits frozen moisture accumulation, is applied to exterior exposed portions of heating and cooling systems where ice or other frozen moisture can accumulate and impair system design operational efficiencies; where heat exchange tubing and fins are downwardly sloped or angled; with an optional protective shell encasement which can be shaped to provide a vena contracta effect; with an optional electric fan to enhance airflow for heat exchange; with an optional electric vibrator to enhance inhibition of frozen moisture accumulation; with a downwardly sloped base to direct falling frozen moisture away from the heat exchange equipment; for use in conjunction with an air source heat pump system, an evaporative cooling system or a chiller, or as a supplement to a water-source heat pump system or to a direct expansion heat pump system; and for use with any other refrigerant-based heating system or cooling system.

Abstract: A direct expansion refrigerant-based heating and cooling system which includes a refrigerant pumping devise calibrated to ease or eliminate the pumping requirements placed upon the system's compressor unit when one or both of significant system height differentials between the compressor unit and the condensing unit are present and significant system refrigerant fluid transport line distances are present, or are desirable, such as in a deep well direct expansion system application.

Abstract: A direct expansion geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in sub-surface ground and/or water, consisting of at least one insulated refrigerant liquid/fluid line, with a liquid trap at the bottom of the liquid/fluid line, with at least one un-insulated refrigerant vapor/fluid line operatively connected to the insulated liquid/fluid line at a point above the liquid trap, where the un-insulated vapor/fluid line is in thermal contact with its adjacent sub-surface surrounding elements by means of a heat conductive fill material inserted as necessary to fill any void space, in any borehole or excavated area, between the vapor/fluid line and its respective adjacent sub-surface surroundings.

Abstract: A sub-surface direct expansion geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in sub-surface ground and/or water, consisting of at least one smaller interior diameter refrigerant liquid/fluid transport line with an optional vertically oriented U bend at the bottom, operatively connected to at least one larger interior diameter refrigerant liquid/fluid transport line, with at least one refrigerant flow metering device, designed to the system's compressor's BTU design capacity, which is optionally accessible, installed in the liquid/fluid line at one of an above-surface location and at the sub-surface point near to where the liquid/fluid line connects with the vapor/fluid line, for use when the system is operating in the heating mode, together with a refrigerant flow metering device by-pass means so as to enable additional refrigerant fluid flow at least one of around and past the refrigerant metering device when the system is operating in the cooling mode.

Abstract: A thermally exposed centrally insulated geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in ground and/or in water, consisting of at least one fluid supply line and at least one fluid return line, which lines are respectively separated by a thermal insulation material, but which lines are otherwise in thermal contact with their respective adjacent sub-surface earth and/or water surroundings by means of a heat conductive fill material inserted as necessary to fill any void space in the respective fluid transport line location areas situated between the thermal insulation material and the adjacent earth and/or water. When the unit is situated within a geothermal borehole, the thermal insulation material may have an expanded central area so as to decrease the amount of necessary heat conductive fill and so as to increase insulation efficiency.

Abstract: A direct expansion geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in sub-surface ground and/or water, consisting of at least one insulated refrigerant liquid/fluid line, with a liquid trap at the bottom of the liquid/fluid line, with at least one un-insulated refrigerant vapor/fluid line operatively connected to the insulated liquid/fluid line at a point above the liquid trap, where the un-insulated vapor/fluid line is in thermal contact with its adjacent sub-surface surrounding elements by means of a heat conductive fill material inserted as necessary to fill any void space, in any borehole or excavated area, between the vapor/fluid line and its respective adjacent sub-surface surroundings.

Abstract: A sub-surface direct expansion geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in sub-surface ground and/or water, consisting of at least one smaller interior diameter refrigerant liquid/fluid transport line with an optional vertically oriented U bend at the bottom, operatively connected to at least one larger interior diameter refrigerant liquid/fluid transport line, with at least one refrigerant flow metering device installed at either an accessible location in the liquid/fluid line or at the sub-surface point where the liquid/fluid line connects with the vapor/fluid line, for use when the system is operating in the heating mode, together with a refrigerant flow metering device by-pass means so as to enable additional refrigerant fluid flow around the refrigerant metering device when the system is operating in the cooling mode.

Abstract: A sealed well direct expansion geothermal heat exchange unit, whose sealed well can be placed in ground and/or in water, consisting of a conventional direct expansion, or other heat pump, system wherein the exterior refrigerant heat exchange lines are placed within an insulated and sealed container, which container is supplied with a circulating heat conductive liquid from and to a sub-surface sealed well encasement, which container liquid may be supplemented with heat from a solar heating system, and which unit's hot refrigerant vapor line may be supplementary cooled by means of condensate water evaporative cooling.

Abstract: A direct expansion geothermal heating/cooling system wherein the interior air handler is sized via 100 cubic inches of interior heat exchange tube volume per 12,000 BTUs of maximum design capacity; wherein the thermal expansion valves are sized to the tonnage capacity of the air handler's design; wherein the subterranean heat exchange tubing consists of 1/8 inch to 3/16 inch outside diameter tubing with outside diameter to tube length ratios of between 1/6,400 and 1/9,600, and where the interior diameter to length ratios are between 1/9,411 and 1/18,462; wherein the interior volume of the subterranean heat exchange tubing is within 1% of the interior volume of the interior air handler's heat exchange tubing; wherein at least 40 square feet of subterranean heat exchange tubing is proportionately exposed to a 500 square foot area of earth per 12,000 BTUs of system design capacity; wherein one or more of the subterranean heat exchange tubes are finned, with fins spaced at least 1/4 inch apart; wherein the compre

Abstract: An improved geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in ground and/or water, has a rigid hollow core about which is formed a helical winding of thermally conductive tube. The return section of the tube extends vertically along a central axis of the core, separated from the inner wall of the core by thermal insulating material. The heat exchange unit is optionally encased in a solid thermally conductive casing and may have a small diameter oil return tube from the lowermost portion of the unit to the suction intake port of a gas compressor. An optional high pressure water hose is attached for installation assistance in wet sand or wet soils.

Abstract: A geothermal direct expansion heat pump system wherein subterranean heat exchange tubes have an internal diameter to length ratio of between 1/4000 and 1/6000, with 5 tubes per ton of BTU capacity; where the interior air heat exchange tubes have 50% of the interior volume of the subterranean tubes; where the thermal expansion valve is sized to match the interior air handler capacity; where the receiver holds 75% to 95% of the total refrigerant volume; where a pump down sequence is employed on system shut down; where an oil trap is installed at the vapor line existing the subterranean heat exchange tubes; and where 4 refrigerant cut-off/isolation valves are installed for service convenience.

Abstract: A geothermal heat exchange unit, which can be placed in ground or in water, having a hollow sleeve about which a helical winding of thermally conductive tubing is wound and a return length of thermally conductive tubing along the central axis of the sleeve separated from the inner wall of the sleeve by thermal insulating material. The heat exchange unit may be housed within a thermally conductive case with a thermally conductive material filling the gap between the inner wall of the case and the thermally conductive tubing surrounding the sleeve of the heat exchange unit. The thermally conductive case may have at least one set of helical fins which act as threads for ground insertion assistance. The heat exchange units may be combined to form greater lengths and be combined in series or parallel connection for greater efficiency.

Abstract: A power generation system for use in outer space includes a radiation receiver disposed for receiving energy from solar, stellar or planetary heat radiation. The radiation receiver includes at least two evaporator cells. Each of the evaporator cells has an inlet, an outlet, a passageway for a refrigerant, and is constructed of a heat absorptive and conductive material. Energy from the solar, stellar or planetary radiation is absorbed by the radiation received and transferred to the refrigerant for changing the refrigerant from a liquid to a gas. The refrigerant gas is directed to a turbine or other engine wherein the gas is expanded and energy is released in the form of rotation of a shaft. The turbine shaft may be coupled to a generator for converting the mechanical rotational energy to electrical power, or to a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure device arranged to store power by compression of a fluid or a gas.

Abstract: A geothermal power system utilizes a fluid refrigerant capable of changing phase between liquid and gaseous states. The system includes a heat exchanger exposed to a heat source such as earth, water, air, or industrial waste for vaporizing the fluid in the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes at least two compartmentalized heat exchanger cells. Each of the heat exchanger cells is disposed in a portion of the naturally occurring heat source, the portions being sufficiently spaced apart such that a temperature of any one portion is substantially unaffected by a temperature of any other portion. The vaporized fluid is directed to a turbine or energy extraction means wherein the gas is expanded and energy is re)eased in the form of mechanical rotation of a shaft. The turbine shaft may be coupled to a generator for converting the mechanical rotational energy to electrical power.

Abstract: A geothermal heat exchanger having modular tube bundles is provided in a novel heat pump system. The modular tube bundles are particularly adapted to be placed within a narrow excavation in the ground, such as a trench excavated using a backhoe bucket, which trench can be V-shaped. A heat resistant soaker hose is disposed above or about the rectangular tube bundles. The soaker hose is coupled to a water source and has a number of apertures for leaching water to the soil surrounding the tube bundles for dampening the soil around the tubes and providing better thermal heat transfer and compaction. Individual tubes of the tube bundles can be made rifled or finned for better heat transfer. A scroll compressor with relatively orbiting spiral scroll fins is provided rather than a reciprocating piston compressor.

Abstract: A water power apparatus, composed of independent, uniquely combined, and improved design features, which provides for: (1) side pontoons, the respective bows of which angle water away from the water flowing directly into the paddle wheels; (2) the addition of wheels to the cone shaped legs so as to enable vessel positioning in shallow water areas; (3) vertically dividing each respective side paddle wheel set in half, via a solid disk division extending vertically, at a right angle to, and from, the central axle to the outside extreme end of the paddle blades, off-setting the 90 degree spaced paddle blades in each such divided set by 45 degrees, and enclosing the extreme ends of each such set of divided paddle wheels via a similar solid, vertical disk enclosure extending vertically, at a right angle to, and from, the central axle to the outside extreme end of the paddle blades; (4) a gearing system utilizing the outside edge perimeter of a side paddle wheel disk enclosure, adjacent to the center boat, via vert

Abstract: A water power apparatus, composed of independent design features, which provides for: (1) utilization of a central boat with two paddle wheels and respective side stabilizers, with one wheel being located on each respective side of the boat, connected by a central axle or a flexible coupling; (2) two respective and connected sets of paddle wheels, with the blades on each of the two respective wheels placed 90.degree. apart, with each set of wheels being situated a lateral distance, apart from the other, of at least one-half the width of a respective paddle wheel blade, and with the blades on one wheel set being staggered 45.degree.