Patents by Inventor Russell Muren
Russell Muren 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).
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Patent number: 10995993Abstract: Thermal recuperation methods, systems, and devices are provided. The methods, systems, and/or devices may provide for: introducing a first fluid into at least a portion of a tank containing a solid; exchanging heat between the solid contained within the tank and the first fluid as the first fluid passes at least around or through the solid; extracting the heated first fluid from at least the portion of the tank containing the solid; and/or passing the heated first fluid with respect to a heat exchanger thermally coupled with a second fluid. The heated first fluid may be cooled as it passes with respect to the heat exchanger and heat may be thermally recuperated between the solid and the second fluid.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2015Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: Rebound Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Russell Muren, Luke Erickson
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Patent number: 9885524Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are provided for thermal enhancement. Thermal enhancement may include absorbing heat from one or more devices. In some cases, this may improve the efficiency of the one or more devices. In general, a phase transition may be induced in a storage material. The storage material may be combined with a freeze point suppressant in order to reduce its melt point. The mixture may be used to boost the performance of device, such as an electrical generator, a heat engine, a refrigerator, and/or a freezer. The freeze point suppressant and storage material may be separated. By delaying the periods between each stage by prescribed amounts, the methods, systems, and devices may be able to shift the availability of electricity to the user and/or otherwise boost a device at different times in some cases.Type: GrantFiled: April 5, 2016Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Rebound Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Russell Muren
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Publication number: 20160290735Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are provided for thermal enhancement. Thermal enhancement may include absorbing heat from one or more devices. In some cases, this may improve the efficiency of the one or more devices. In general, a phase transition may be induced in a storage material. The storage material may be combined with a freeze point suppressant in order to reduce its melt point. The mixture may be used to boost the performance of device, such as an electrical generator, a heat engine, a refrigerator, and/or a freezer. The freeze point suppressant and storage material may be separated. By delaying the periods between each stage by prescribed amounts, the methods, systems, and devices may be able to shift the availability of electricity to the user and/or otherwise boost a device at different times in some cases.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 5, 2016Publication date: October 6, 2016Inventor: Russell Muren
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Publication number: 20160187065Abstract: Thermal recuperation methods, systems, and devices are provided. The methods, systems, and/or devices may provide for: introducing a first fluid into at least a portion of a tank containing a solid; exchanging heat between the solid contained within the tank and the first fluid as the first fluid passes at least around or through the solid; extracting the heated first fluid from at least the portion of the tank containing the solid; and/or passing the heated first fluid with respect to a heat exchanger thermally coupled with a second fluid. The heated first fluid may be cooled as it passes with respect to the heat exchanger and heat may be thermally recuperated between the solid and the second fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2015Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Russell Muren, Luke Erickson
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Patent number: 9360242Abstract: Methods, systems, and/or devices are provided for producing a heat pump. In some embodiments, the heat pump may be driven by low temperature heat. The methods, systems, and devices may include tools and techniques for: precipitating a first material, where heat may be released from the precipitated first material; cooling the precipitated first material; dissolving the cooled precipitated first material into a second material to create a dissolved mixture, where heat may be absorbed into the mixture; and/or separating the first material and the second material from the dissolved mixture.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2014Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: Rebound Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Russell Muren
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Patent number: 9310140Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are provided for thermal enhancement. Thermal enhancement may include absorbing heat from one or more devices. In some cases, this may improve the efficiency of the one or more devices. In general, a phase transition may be induced in a storage material. The storage material may be combined with a freeze point suppressant in order to reduce its melt point. The mixture may be used to boost the performance of device, such as an electrical generator, a heat engine, a refrigerator, and/or a freezer. The freeze point suppressant and storage material may be separated. By delaying the periods between each stage by prescribed amounts, the methods, systems, and devices may be able to shift the availability of electricity to the user and/or otherwise boost a device at different times in some cases.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2013Date of Patent: April 12, 2016Assignee: Rebound Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Russell Muren
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Publication number: 20150316288Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include concentrating solar power (CSP) systems and solar receivers for CSP systems configured to provide inlet and outlet heat transfer material flow control. The disclosed embodiments feature heat transfer material flowing in and open heat transfer material circuit. Certain embodiments may be implemented with a solid-liquid phase change material as the heat transfer material. Alternative embodiments include methods of heat transfer material flow control in a CSP system and CSP systems configured as described.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2013Publication date: November 5, 2015Inventors: Luke Erickson, Russell Muren, Ryan Webster, Cory Hodgkins, Drake Tilley
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Publication number: 20150253039Abstract: A CSP system is disclosed which couples a thermal and a chemical energy pathway. The thermal pathway utilizes a heat transfer fluid to collect concentrated sunlight as thermal energy at medium temperature and transfer this energy to a thermal-to-electric power cycle. In parallel, the chemical pathway uses a redox material which undergoes direct photoreduction in the receiver to store the solar energy as chemical potential. This redox material is then oxidized at very high temperatures in the power cycle in series with the thermal pathway heat exchanger. This coupling allows the receiver to perform at the high efficiencies typical of state of the art thermal power towers while simultaneously achieving the power cycle efficiencies typical of natural gas combustion plants and achieving a very high overall solar-to-electric conversion efficiency.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2013Publication date: September 10, 2015Inventors: Luke Erickson, Russell Muren
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Publication number: 20140366536Abstract: Disclosed embodiments include grid-tied thermal energy storage (TES) systems, concentrated solar power (CSP) systems featuring grid-tied TES and methods of operating same. Grid-tied TES systems include a heat storage material, a heat transfer material in thermal communication with a source of concentrated solar flux and an electric heating element. Both the heat transfer material and the electric heating element are in thermal communication with the heat storage material. Both the heat transfer material and the electric heating element can be selectively used to provide alternate and complimentary means to store thermal energy in the heat storage material.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2012Publication date: December 18, 2014Inventor: Russell Muren
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Publication number: 20140338372Abstract: Methods, systems, and/or devices are provided for producing a heat pump. In some embodiments, the heat pump may be driven by low temperature heat. The methods, systems, and devices may include tools and techniques for: precipitating a first material, where heat may be released from the precipitated first material; cooling the precipitated first material; dissolving the cooled precipitated first material into a second material to create a dissolved mixture, where heat may be absorbed into the mixture; and/or separating the first material and the second material from the dissolved mixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2014Publication date: November 20, 2014Applicant: REbound Technology LLCInventor: Russell Muren
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Publication number: 20140299122Abstract: Concentrating solar power (CSP) systems and methods are disclosed featuring the use of a solid-liquid phase change heat transfer material (HTM). The systems and methods include a solar receiver configured to receive concentrated solar flux to heat a quantity of the solid HTM and cause a portion of the solid HTM to melt to a liquid HTM. The systems and methods also include a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the solar receiver. The heat exchanger is configured to receive liquid HTM and provide for heat exchange between the liquid HTM and the working fluid of a power generation block. The heat exchanger further provides for the solidification of the liquid HTM. The systems and methods also include a material transport system providing for transportation of the solidified HTM from the heat exchanger to the solar receiver.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2012Publication date: October 9, 2014Applicant: Abengoa Solar LLCInventors: Russell Muren, Luke Erickson, Antonio Gavilan
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Publication number: 20140251310Abstract: The effectiveness of heat transfer to and from a thermal energy storage medium, for example a phase change medium, is enhanced by the inclusion of thermally-conductive elements within the thermal energy storage medium. The thermally-conductive elements may be filler shapes placed in a self-supporting stacking arrangement, which may be a random stacking arrangement. The effective thermal conductivity of the matrix that includes the thermal energy storage medium and the thermally-conductive elements is higher than the thermal conductivity of the thermal energy storage medium itself. Other thermally-conductive elements may be used, for example thermally-conductive sheets.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2012Publication date: September 11, 2014Inventors: Russell Muren, Luke Erickson, Gregory Shoukas
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Publication number: 20140123646Abstract: Concentrating solar power systems and methods featuring the use of a solid-liquid phase change heat transfer material (HTM). The systems and methods include a solar receiver to heat and melt a quantity of solid HTM. Systems also include a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the solar receiver providing for heat exchange between the liquid HTM and the working fluid of a power generation block. The systems and methods also include a hot storage tank in communication with the solar receiver and the heat exchanger. The hot storage tank is configured to receive a portion of the liquid HTM from the solar receiver for direct storage as a thermal energy storage medium. Thus, the system features the use of a phase change HTM functioning as both a heat transfer medium and a thermal energy storage medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2012Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicant: ABENGOA SOLAR LLCInventors: Russell Muren, Luke Erickson