Abstract: A heat pump system that achieves improved performance in cold weather by slowing the indoor blower motor in response to reduced temperature or pressure of the indoor liquid refrigerant line is described. A pressure transducer or temperature sensor on the indoor refrigerant line sends an electrical signal to a variable speed drive controlling the indoor blower motor, so that the indoor blower motor maintains normal speed during cooling or defrosting mode. The signal input from the pressure transducer or temperature sensor commands the variable frequency drive control to slow the fan motor down or speed it up by modifying the voltage and the frequency to the indoor motor. As a result, the indoor air handler motor slows down or speeds up to maintain the head pressure at optimal performance.

Abstract: A method of forming a dry, three dimensional block of sculptable material preferably involves the steps of painting the grains of a granular material, allowing the painted grains to dry, mixing a water resistant binder with the painted grains to form a slurry and hardening the slurry to form the block. The amount of binder added is selected to provide a block with a hardness between about 0.25 and 4.0 on the Mohs scale. The formed block has a wide variety of uses, including but not limited to use as a sculptable article, a sanding object, a sign or as a paving stone.

Abstract: A dry, three-dimensional, sculptable solid comprising a quantity of granular material comprising grains individually coated with paint and a water resistant binder binding the grains of the granular material together into a solid, dry, carvable block having a hardness between about 0.25 and about 4.0 on the Moh's scale.