Patents by Inventor Donald K. Edwards

Donald K. Edwards has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Heat-pipe-diode-charged thermal
    Patent number: 4448239
    Abstract: Heat-pipe-diodes are used to charge a thermally-stratified heat reservoir permit enhanced preheating of feed water. Maximum available energy is automatically extracted from waste and feed streams having intermittent flow and variable temperature. The thermal reservoir comprises a plurality of thermosyphons operatively disposed in a condenser unit through which the feed water passes, and a plurality of fluidically connected heat-receiving diodes operatively disposed in an evaporator unit through which the waste stream flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Donald K. Edwards
  • Graded pore size heat pipe wick
    Patent number: 4170262
    Abstract: Heat pipes containing graded pore non-arterial wicks have substantially improved reliability when compared with those which utilize arteries. Heat pipes having wicks which are optimally graded in pore size in an axial direction, with the pore size decreasing from the condenser to the evaporator end. These graded pore size wicks yield more than twice the capacity of axially uniform pore size wicks having similar geometries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 9, 1979
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Marcus, Donald K. Edwards