Abstract: A heat pump method and system with a pair of solid adsorbent beds connected to a heat pump loop and a reversible heat transfer loop. The heat transfer loop has a heater connected between one end of the beds and a cooling heat exchange connects the other end of the beds so that a heat transfer fluid flowing around the heat transfer loop heats one bed and cools the other.

Abstract: A heat pump system with a pair of solid adsorbent beds connected to a heat pump loop and a reversible heat transfer loop. The heat pump loop has a heater connected between one end of the beds and a cooling heat exchanger connects the other end of the beds so that a heat transfer fluid flowing around the heat transfer loop heats one bed and cools the other with the flow being reversed to cycle the beds and drive the heat pump loop.

Abstract: A flow control valve assembly for controlling the flow of a working fluid which has a housing that defines a valve chamber therein, an inlet port to the valve chamber and an outlet port from the valve chamber, a valve body which is movably carried in the chamber between a closed position that blocks the outlet port from communication with the inlet port and an open position so that the inlet port is in communication with the outlet port to allow the working fluid to be forced through the valve chamber, and a valve control means responsive to the velocity of the working fluid flowing through the valve chamber or responsive to the pressure differential across the valve body to operate the valve assembly by moving the valve body between the open position and the closed position.

Abstract: A modular solar collector system for solar radiation with a collector assembly including a series of overlapping collector pans defining a common fluid flow channel therealong exposed to solar radiation down which a heat transfer fluid flows to be heated directly or indirectly by the solar radiation. The fluid flow channel is closed by a transparent cover, a supply header which distributes the heat transfer fluid over the fluid flow channel for flow down the channel under the force of gravity, and a return header to receive the heated fluid after passage down the channel for passage through a heat exchanger and recirculation. The disclosure also contemplates the method of fabrication and installation of the solar collector system.

Abstract: A modular solar collector system and method for solar radiation with a collector assembly defining a fluid flow channel therein exposed to solar radiation; a heat transfer fluid for flowing down the fluid flow channel to be heated directly or indirectly by the solar radiation where the heat transfer fluid has a fluid vapor pressure differential between the maximum and minimum temperatures to which said heat transfer fluid is exposed during flow down the fluid flow channel of less than about 0.3 psia and/or defines a wetting angle with respect to said solar radiation absorbing surface of less than about 50.degree.; and means for supplying the heat transfer fluid to the upper end of the channel for the flow of the heat transfer fluid down the channel under the force of gravity to heat the transfer fluid.

Abstract: A heat pump system including an evaporator with an inlet and an outlet, a condenser with an inlet and an outlet, a boiler with an inlet and an outlet, an expansion valve connecting the condenser outlet to the evaporator inlet, a liquid pump connecting the condenser outlet to the boiler inlet, and a system working fluid in combination with an expansion-compression device defining a chamber therein and including a free-piston slidably carried in the chamber for linear movement therein, and dividing the chamber into a first subchamber of varying size as said free piston moves and a second subchamber of varying size as said free piston moves along with boiler valve means for selectively introducing working fluid from the boiler outlet into the first subchamber; valve means for selectively introducing working fluid from the evaporator outlet into the first subchamber; condenser valve means for selectively introducing working fluid from said first subchamber into the condenser inlet; means for pressurizing the seco

Abstract: A dual loop, heat driven, heat pump system including an expansion-compression device with a linearly movable operating mass such as a free piston assembly; a Rankine cycle power loop with a working fluid operatively connected to the expansion-compression device to drive same; a vapor compression heat pump loop with a working fluid operatively connected to the expansion-compression device to be driven thereby; and control means for selectively associating the working fluid of the power loop with the linearly movable mass of the expansion-compression device to cause the power loop working fluid to drive the movable mass linearly and induce linear kinetic energy in the movable mass, and for selectively associating the working fluid of the heat pump loop with the mass while the linear kinetic energy is stored therein to cause at least a portion of the kinetic energy of the mass to be transferred to the heat pump loop working fluid as compression work.