Patents by Inventor Lance D. Kirol

Lance D. Kirol 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).

  • Patent number: 5291753
    Abstract: An improved apparatus for staging solid-vapor complex compounds comprises heat exchange means for transferring heat from super-heated refrigerant vapor from a desorbing reactor to cooled refrigerant vapor directed to an adsorbing reactor. In another embodiment a liquid subcooler is used to cool liquid refrigerant passing from a condenser to an evaporator with cold refrigerant gas directed to an adsorbing reactor from the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Lance D. Kirol
  • Patent number: 5289690
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to an apparatus for being detachably connected to a chemical or refrigeration system for selectively receiving and dispensing a gaseous refrigerant or chemical from and to that system, respectively, including a vessel having a chamber capable of maintaining a pressurized gas therein, gas inlet means for directing the gas: to and from the chamber, and connection means for connecting the gas inlet to a refrigeration or chemical system; a plurality of heat exchange conduits exposed in the chamber for directing heat exchange fluid therethrough and fluid inlet and outlet means communicating exteriorly of the vessel for directing the fluid to and from the conduits, respectively; and a solid adsorbent capable of alternately adsorbing and desorbing the gaseous refrigerant or chemical and positioned in thermal communication with each of the heat exchange conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1994
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Lance D. Kirol
  • Patent number: 5271239
    Abstract: Apparatus for cooling components or subassemblies of equipment at one or more locations comprises one or more first and one or more second reactors, remote from said equipment, each reactor containing a complex compound of a polar refrigerant and a metal salt a first heater in said first reactor and a second heater in said second reactor for heating the complex compound therein, respectively, a condenser, remote from said equipment, for converting gaseous refrigerant to a liquid phase, and means for cooling said condenser with ambient air, a plurality of one or more evaporators, each in independent heat exchange communication with one or more of said components or subassemblies within said equipment, valve means cooperating with first conduit means for alternately directing polar refrigerant from said first and said second reactors, respectively, to said condenser, and second conduit means for directing ammonia from said condenser to said evaporators and third conduit means for directing ammonia from said eva
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Lance D. Kirol
  • Patent number: 5263330
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a plurality of two or more reaction chambers, each having a different compound therein comprising a solid reactant adsorbent and a gaseous reactant adsorbed thereon, each of said compounds having a different gaseous refrigerant vapor pressure, substantially independent of the concentration of the gaseous reactant, and having an ascending order of gaseous reactant vapor pressure wherein the adsorption temperature of a lower vapor pressure compound at adsorption temperature of a lower vapor pressure compound at adsorption pressure is at least 8.degree..degree.C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1993
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Lance D. Kirol
  • Patent number: 5241831
    Abstract: An improved apparatus for staging solid-vapor complex compounds comprises heat exchange means for transferring heat from super-heated refrigerant vapor from a desorbing reactor to cooled refrigerant vapor directed to an adsorbing reactor. In another embodiment a liquid subcooler is used to cool liquid refrigerant passing from a condenser to an evaporator with cold refrigerant gas directed to an adsorbing reactor from the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1993
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Lance D. Kirol
  • Patent number: 5186020
    Abstract: A portable cooling apparatus comprising a thermally insulated container having a cooling chamber therein, a lid providing access to the chamber, an evaporator including a heat exchange surface exposed in the cooling chamber, a reactor assembly secured adjacent the container comprising one or more reactors containing an ammoniated complex compound or coordinative complex compound of other suitable polar refrigerant, heating means for heating the complex compound, and a valved conduit for directing refrigerant between the reactor and the evaporator assembly. In another embodiment, the cooling apparatus comprises an inside reactor assembly, replacing the evaporator, and an outside reactor assembly each assembly containing a different complex compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Lance D. Kirol
  • Patent number: 5165247
    Abstract: The invention disclosed herein relates to an apparatus for being detachably connected to a chemical or refrigeration system for selectively receiving and dispensing a gaseous refrigerant or chemical from and to that system, respectively, including a vessel having a chamber capable of maintaining a pressurized gas therein, gas inlet means for directing the gas to and from the chamber, and connection means for connecting the gas inlet to a refrigeration or chemical system; a plurality of heat exchange conduits exposed in the chamber for directing heat exchange fluid therethrough and fluid inlet and outlet means communicating exteriorly of the vessel for directing the fluid to and from the conduits, respectively; and a solid adsorbent capable of alternately adsorbing and desorbing the gaseous refrigerant or chemical and positioned in thermal communication with each of the heat exchange conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1992
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Lance D. Kirol
  • Patent number: 5161389
    Abstract: An apparatus capable of rapidly cooling or freezing a composition comprising a walled housing member having a cooling chamber and a door for accessing the cooling chamber from the exterior of the housing, an evaporator and a blower for circulating cold air from the evaporator to the cooling chamber, first and second reactors each containing a complex compound consisting of a metal salt and ammonia adsorbed thereon, heaters in the reactors for heating the complex compound, and valves and conduits for directing ammonia from the evaporator to the reactors, from the reactors to the condenser, and from the condenser to the evaporator, and control means for sequentially operating the heaters for alternately heating the complex compounds in the reactors, operating the air handling means and one or more of the valves, and switching means for turning the apparatus on and off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1992
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Lance D. Kirol
  • Patent number: 5079928
    Abstract: A method of transferring and recovering energy comprises placing in different reactors two or more different solid adsorbents having a gaseous reactant adsorbed thereon and each having a different gaseous reactant vapor pressure, in a first reaction cycle, pressurizing a first portion of the reactors at a first pressure to desorb the gaseous reactant in an endothermic reaction, and pressurizing a second portion of the reactors at a second pressure to adsorb the gaseous reactant in an exothermic reaction, and in a second reaction cycle, pressurizing the first portion of the reactors at the second pressure to adsorb the gaseous reactant in an exothermic reaction, and pressurizing the second portion of the reactors at the first pressure to desorb the gaseous reactant in an endothermic reaction, and directing at least a portion of the heat released during the exothermic reactions or at least a portion of heat adsorbed during the endothermic reactions to heat exchange means for energy recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Lance D. Kirol
  • Patent number: 5027607
    Abstract: A method of transferring and recovering energy comprises placing in different reactors two or more different solid adsorbents having a gaseous reactant adsorbed thereon and each having a different gaseous reactant vapor pressure, in a first reaction cycle, pressurizing a first portion of the reactors at a first pressure to desorb the gaseous reactant in an endothermic reaction, and pressurizing a second portion of the reactors at a second pressure to adsorb the gaseous reactant in an exothermic reaction, and in a second reaction cycle, pressurizing the first portion of the reactors at the second pressure to adsorb the gaseous reactant in an exothermic reaction, and pressurizing the second portion of the reactors at the first pressure to desorb the gaseous reactant in an endothermic reaction, and directing at least a portion of the heat released during the exothermic reactions or at least a portion of heat absorbed during the endothermic reactions to heat exchange means for energy recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1991
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Lance D. Kirol
  • Patent number: 5025635
    Abstract: A method of transferring and recovering energy comprises selecting a plurality of two or more different compounds comprising a solid reactant adsorbent and a gaseous reactant adsorbed thereon, each of said compounds having a different gaseous reactant vapor pressure, substantially independent of the concentration of the gaseous reactant, locating a first set of the different compounds in a first reactor and a second set of the different compounds in a second reactor, pressurizing the first reactor at a first pressure and the second reactor at a second pressure, supplying a heat transfer fluid at a first temperature along the first reactor in thermal communication with the first set of compounds, whereby said compounds desorb said gaseous reactant in endothermic reactions, supplying a heat transfer fluid at a second temperature, typically lower than the first temperature, along second reactor in thermal communication with the second set of compounds, whereby the compounds adsorb the gaseous reactant in exother
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Rocky Research
    Inventors: Uwe Rockenfeller, Lance D. Kirol
  • Patent number: 4727722
    Abstract: A rotary magnetic heat pump constructed without flow seals or segmented rotor accomplishes recuperation and regeneration by using split flow paths. Heat exchange fluid pumped through heat exchangers and returned to the heat pump splits into two flow components: one flowing counter to the rotor rotation and one flowing with the rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 1, 1988
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventor: Lance D. Kirol