Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a metal tube and a composite polymer fin in thermal contact with the metal tube. The fin is formed of a polymer and a thermally conductive filler such that the fin has a thermal conductivity greater than or equal to 0.5 Watts per meter Kelvin.

Abstract: A method of making an electrocaloric is disclosed. The method includes: (a) providing a roll of a film comprising an electrocaloric material or a supply of multiple sheets of a film comprising an electrocaloric material; (b) delivering film from the roll or the supply of multiple sheets to a conductive material application station; (c) forming electrodes comprising a patterned disposition of conductive material on the film at the application station to form an electrocaloric article (d) delivering film from the application station to a take-up roll or an inventory of electrocaloric sheets; and (e) repeating (b), (c), and (d) to form multiple electrocaloric articles.

Abstract: A method for capturing building information includes capturing dimensions of a 360 degree image at a first location within a room of a building using a mobile device equipped with at least direction sensor and at least one motion sensor. The step of capturing dimensions is repeated within at least one additional room. The mobile device receives user input to connect the rooms to create a floor plan of the building and align the floor plans over each other to create a multi-level building map.

Abstract: An HVAC&R system that includes a first pumping device configured to circulate a first volume of a first two-phase medium, a second pumping device configured to circulate a second volume of the first two-phase medium, a first plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, a second plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, a first primary HVAC&R unit, and a second primary HVAC&R unit. At least one of the first plurality of secondary HVAC&R units is operably coupled to the first pumping device. At least one of the second plurality of secondary HVAC&R units is operably coupled to the second pumping device. The first primary HVAC&R unit is operably coupled to at least one of the first plurality of secondary HVAC&R units and the first pumping device. The second primary HVAC&R unit is operably coupled to at least one of the second plurality of secondary HVAC&R units and the second pumping device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for managing power in a transport refrigeration unit (TRU) installed on a trailer, having: a TRU controller configured to perform steps such as: executing a system-level energy manager, wherein the TRU controller: adaptively selects energy flow parameters based on one or more mission specific parameters and TRU power health; executes a predictive analytics module for collecting mission specific parameters and predicting TRU cooling power demands; and executes an online optimization module for generating a power source schedule for the TRU based on the predicted TRU cooling power demands; and operating the TRU according to the generated power source schedule.

Abstract: A system is provided and includes refrigerated storage containers (20), local controllers (30) respectively coupled with corresponding refrigerated storage containers (20) to control operations thereof in accordance with controller parameters and a supervisory controller (40). The supervisory controller (40) is configured to issue control commands to the local controllers (30) based on respective responses of the refrigerated storage containers (20) to local controller control.

Abstract: A method of determining potential routes for a transportation refrigeration unit (TRU) powered by an electric energy storage device is provided.

Abstract: Method of stacking refrigerated shipping containers (10) including categorizing a plurality of refrigerated shipping containers (10) as a low temperature container (L) or a high temperature container (H), each of the refrigerated shipping containers (10) having a condenser (16). The method also includes disposing the plurality of refrigerated shipping containers (10) relative to each other based on the temperature categorization of the refrigerated shipping containers (10).

Abstract: A refrigerated storage container is provided and includes a container housing defining an interior in which cargo is storable, a condenser configured to receive air to remove heat from a refrigerant passing through the condenser, a condenser air inlet receptive of the air, a condenser air outlet configured to direct air exhausted from the condenser away from the condenser air inlet and a reefer air outlet configured to direct conditioned air exhausted from the interior toward the condenser air inlet.

Abstract: A method of operating a heat exchanger is disclosed in which an electric field is applied to a hydrophobic surface having condensed water droplets thereon to reduce a contact angle between the individual droplet surfaces and the hydrophobic surface, and to increase droplet surface energy to a second surface energy level. The electric field is removed to increase the contact angle between the individual droplet surfaces and the hydrophobic surface, and to reduce droplet surface energy to a third surface energy level. The third surface energy level is greater than the first surface energy level and greater than a surface energy level for a free droplet. A portion of the droplet surface energy is converted to kinetic energy to detach droplets from the hydrophobic surface. The detached droplets are removed from the heat rejection side fluid flow path.

Abstract: A method of operating a heat exchanger is disclosed in which an electric field is applied to a hydrophobic surface having condensed water droplets thereon to reduce a contact angle between the individual droplet surfaces and the hydrophobic surface, and to increase droplet surface energy to a second surface energy level. The electric field is removed to increase the contact angle between the individual droplet surfaces and the hydrophobic surface, and to reduce droplet surface energy to a third surface energy level. The third surface energy level is greater than the first surface energy level and greater than a surface energy level for a free droplet. A portion of the droplet surface energy is converted to kinetic energy to detach droplets from the hydrophobic surface. The detached droplets are removed from the heat rejection side fluid flow path.

Abstract: A heat transfer system is disclosed including a plurality of modules arranged in a stack. The stack modules include electrocaloric element and electrodes on each side of the film. A fluid flow path is disposed between two or more electrocaloric elements. A first electrical bus element (18) in electrical contact with the first electrode (14), and a second electrical bus element (20) in electrical contact with second electrode (16). The first electrical bus element is electrically connected to at least one other electrical bus of another electrocaloric element in the stack at the same polarity as said first electrical bus, or the second electrical bus element is electrically connected to at least one other electrical bus of another electrocaloric element in the stack at the same polarity as said second electrical bus.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a metal tube and a composite polymer fin in thermal contact with the metal tube. The fin is formed of a polymer and a thermally conductive filler such that the fin has a thermal conductivity greater than or equal to 0.5 Watts per meter Kelvin.

Abstract: A flow battery includes a cell stack that has electrochemically active cells and manifolds that define common manifold passages in fluid communication with the electrochemically active cells. A supply/storage system is external of the cell stack and includes at least one vessel fluidly connected with respective ones of the common manifold passages. Fluid electrolytes are in the supply/storage system. At least one of the fluid electrolytes is an ionic-conductive fluid. The manifolds extend in a length direction through the cell stack. The common manifold passages include a common manifold passage P that varies in cross-section along the length direction.

Abstract: A flow battery includes at least a cell that has a first electrode, a second electrode and an electrolyte separator layer arranged between the electrodes. A supply/storage system is external of the cell and includes a first vessel fluidly connected in a first loop with the first electrode and a second vessel fluidly connected in a second loop with the second electrode. The first loop and the second loop are isolated from each other. The supply/storage system is configured to fluidly connect the first loop and the second loop to move a second liquid electrolyte from the second vessel into a first liquid electrolyte in the first vessel responsive to a half-cell potential at the first electrode being less than a defined threshold half-cell potential.

Abstract: A method for capturing building information includes capturing dimensions of a 360 degree image at a first location within a room of a building using a mobile device equipped with at least direction sensor and at least one motion sensor. The step of capturing dimensions is repeated within at least one additional room. The mobile device receives user input to connect the rooms to create a floor plan of the building and align the floor plans over each other to create a multi-level building map.

Abstract: A method of operating a heat exchanger is disclosed in which an electric field is applied to a hydrophobic surface having condensed water droplets thereon to reduce a contact angle between the individual droplet surfaces and the hydrophobic surface, and to increase droplet surface energy to a second surface energy level. The electric field is removed to increase the contact angle between the individual droplet surfaces and the hydrophobic surface, and to reduce droplet surface energy to a third surface energy level. The third surface energy level is greater than the first surface energy level and greater than a surface energy level for a free droplet. A portion of the droplet surface energy is converted to kinetic energy to detach droplets from the hydrophobic surface. The detached droplets are removed from the heat rejection side fluid flow path.

Abstract: An HVAC&R system is provided. The system includes a first pumping device configured to circulate a first volume of a first two-phase medium, a second pumping device configured to circulate a second volume of the first two-phase medium, a first plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, wherein at least one of the first plurality of secondary HVAC&R units is operably coupled to the first pumping device, a second plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, wherein at least one of the second plurality of secondary HVAC&R units is operably coupled to the second pumping device, a first primary HVAC&R unit operably coupled to at least one of the first plurality of secondary HVAC&R units and the first pumping device, and a second primary HVAC&R unit operably coupled to at least one of the second plurality of secondary HVAC&R units and the second pumping device.

Abstract: A flow battery includes a cell stack that has electrochemically active cells and manifolds that define common manifold passages in fluid communication with the electrochemically active cells. A supply/storage system is external of the cell stack and includes at least one vessel fluidly connected with respective ones of the common manifold passages. Fluid electrolytes are in the supply/storage system. At least one of the fluid electrolytes is an ionic-conductive fluid. The manifolds extend in a length direction through the cell stack. The common manifold passages include a common manifold passage P that varies in cross-section along the length direction.

Abstract: A flow battery includes at least a cell that has a first electrode, a second electrode and an electrolyte separator layer arranged between the electrodes. A supply/storage system is external of the cell and includes a first vessel fluidly connected in a first loop with the first electrode and a second vessel fluidly connected in a second loop with the second electrode. The first loop and the second loop are isolated from each other. The supply/storage system is configured to fluidly connect the first loop and the second loop to move a second liquid electrolyte from the second vessel into a first liquid electrolyte in the first vessel responsive to a half-cell potential at the first electrode being less than a defined threshold half-cell potential.