Patents by Inventor Thomas D. Radcliff

Thomas D. Radcliff 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).

  • Publication number: 20170356679
    Abstract: A heat transfer system cycles between a first mode where a heat transfer fluid is directed to a first electrocaloric module and from the first electrocaloric module to a heat exchanger to a second electrocaloric module while one of the first and second electrocaloric modules is energized, and a second mode where the heat transfer fluid is directed to the second electrocaloric module and from the second electrocaloric module to the heat exchanger to the first electrocaloric module, while the other of the first and second electrocaloric modules is energized. The modes are repeatedly cycled in alternating order directing the heat transfer fluid to cause a temperature gradient in each of the first and second electrocaloric modules, and fluid from a flow path between the electrocaloric modules is mixed with circulating fluid from a conditioned space to cool or heat the conditioned space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Subramanyaravi Annapragada, Thomas D. Radcliff, Parmesh Verma, Neal R. Herring, David E. Parekh
  • Publication number: 20170356680
    Abstract: A heat transfer system cycles between a first mode where a heat transfer fluid is directed to a first electrocaloric module and from the first electrocaloric module to a heat exchanger to a second electrocaloric module while one of the first and second electrocaloric modules is energized, and a second mode where the heat transfer fluid is directed to the second electrocaloric module and from the second electrocaloric module to the heat exchanger to the first electrocaloric module, while the other of the first and second electrocaloric modules is energized. The modes are repeatedly cycled in alternating order directing the heat transfer fluid to cause a temperature gradient in each of the first and second electrocaloric modules, and heat is rejected to the fluid from the heat exchanger or is absorbed by the heat exchanger from the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Inventors: Subramanyaravi Annapragada, Andrzej Ernest Kuczek, Thomas D. Radcliff, Charles E. Lents, Joseph V. Mantese, Scott Alan Eastman, Parmesh Verma, Wei Xie
  • Publication number: 20170314826
    Abstract: In one aspect, a refrigeration system is provided. The refrigeration system includes a refrigeration circuit configured to condition an air supply, a subcooling circuit configured to cool the refrigeration circuit, the subcooling circuit including a subcooling condenser, a subcooling heat exchanger, and at least one adsorption bed, and a heat generation system thermally coupled to the subcooling circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick J. Cogswell, Catherine Thibaud, Parmesh Verma, Bart A. Van Hassel, Thomas D. Radcliff, Abdelrahman ElSherbini, Robert A. Chopko
  • Publication number: 20170268805
    Abstract: Heat pump cycle provided with a fluidic loop connecting two heat exchangers. The fluidic loop is filled with an electro-caloric liquid as a heat transfer medium. Applying electric filed in one of the heat exchangers the temperature of the electro-caloric liquid is changed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas D. Radcliff, Joseph V. Mantese, Subramanyaravi Annapragada, Michael J. Birnkrant, Andrzej Ernest Kuczek, Ram Ranjan, Parmesh Verma, Matthew Robert Pearson
  • Patent number: 9759462
    Abstract: A system has a compressor, a heat rejection heat exchanger, first and second ejectors, first and second heat absorption heat exchangers, and a separator. The ejectors each have a primary inlet coupled to the heat rejection exchanger to receive refrigerant. A second heat absorption heat exchanger is coupled to the outlet of the second ejector to receive refrigerant. The separator has an inlet coupled to the outlet of the first ejector to receive refrigerant from the first ejector. The separator has a gas outlet coupled to the secondary inlet of the second ejector to deliver refrigerant to the second ejector. The separator has a liquid outlet coupled to the secondary inlet of the first ejector via the first heat absorption heat exchanger to deliver refrigerant to the first ejector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Jiang Zou, Hongsheng Liu, Parmesh Verma, Thomas D. Radcliff, Jinliang Wang
  • Patent number: 9752801
    Abstract: A system (200; 250; 270) has first (220) and second (222) compressors, a heat rejection heat exchanger (30), first (38) and second (202) ejectors, a heat absorption heat exchanger (64), and a separator (48). The heat rejection heat exchanger is coupled to the second compressor to receive refrigerant compressed by the second compressor. The first ejector has a primary inlet (40) coupled to the heat rejection exchanger to receive refrigerant, a secondary inlet (42), and an outlet (44). The second ejector has a primary inlet (204) coupled to the heat rejection heat exchanger to receive refrigerant, a secondary inlet (206), and an outlet (208). The separator has an inlet (50) coupled to the outlet (44) of the first ejector to receive refrigerant from the first ejector. The separator has a gas outlet (54) coupled to the secondary inlet (206) of the second ejector via the first compressor (220) to deliver refrigerant to the second ejector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Parmesh Verma, Thomas D. Radcliff, Frederick J. Cogswell
  • Publication number: 20170248350
    Abstract: A vapor compression system (200; 400; 600; 700; 800; 900; 1000) comprises a plurality of valves (260, 262, 264; 260) controllable to define a first mode flowpath and a second mode flowpath. The first mode flowpath is sequentially through: a compressor (22); a first heat exchanger (30); a first nozzle (228; 624); and a separator (48), and then branching into: a first branch returning to the compressor; and a second branch passing through an expansion device (70) and a second heat exchanger (64) to the rejoin the flowpath between the first heat exchanger and the separator. The second mode flowpath is sequentially through: the compressor; the second heat exchanger; a second nozzle (248; 625); and the separator, and then branching into: a first branch returning to the compressor; and a second branch passing through the expansion device and first heat exchanger to the rejoin the flowpath between the first heat exchanger and the separator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Hongsheng Liu, Parmesh Verma, Thomas D. Radcliff
  • Publication number: 20170191711
    Abstract: An HVAC&R system including a pumping device configured to circulate a first two-phase medium, a plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, wherein at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&R units is operably coupled to the pumping device, and a primary HVAC&R unit operably coupled to at least one of the plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, wherein the pumping device, a portion of the plurality of secondary HVAC&R units, and a portion of the primary HVAC&R unit form a primary loop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2017
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas D. Radcliff, Parmesh Verma, Dong Luo, Richard G. Lord, Michel Grabon
  • Patent number: 9612049
    Abstract: A refrigeration system for a mobile unit includes a refrigeration loop (32), an air duct (70), a sensor (34) and a shock absorption unit (36). The refrigeration loop includes a compressor, a condenser, a refrigerant regulator and an evaporator (64). The air duct directs air from an air inlet to the evaporator, which air duct is defined by first and second panels. The sensor is disposed in the air duct. The shock absorption unit mounts the sensor to and provides a limited thermal conduction path between the sensor and the first panel (22).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Zhigang Wu, Degang Fu, Yun Li, Stevo Mijanovic, Mark J. Perkovich, Thomas D. Radcliff
  • Publication number: 20170045258
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to obtaining a specification comprising at least one requirement associated with a heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system, and based on the specification, configuring a control system to control a movement of fluid back and forth across at least one regenerator device of the HVAC system and a mixing of the fluid with ambient air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Subramanyaravi Annapragada, Ulf J. Jonsson, Thomas D. Radcliff, Andrzej Ernest Kuczek, John P. Wesson, Neal R. Herring, Stuart S. Ochs, Yinshan Feng, Mikhail B. Gorbounov, Ram Ranjan
  • Patent number: 9568220
    Abstract: An ejector mixer has a convergent section and a downstream divergent section downstream of the convergent section. The downstream divergent section has a divergence half angle of 0.1-2.0° over a first span of at least 3.0 times a minimum diameter of the mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Miad Yazdani, Abbas A. Alahyari, Thomas D. Radcliff, Parmesh Verma
  • Publication number: 20170030611
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to a heat pump element comprising: a thin-film polymer or ceramic material within a range of 0.1 microns-100 microns thickness, and electrodes coupled to both sides of the thin-film material to form an electroded active thin-film material, wherein the thin-film material is separated by, and in intimate contact with, a heat transfer fluid in channels within a range of 10 microns-10 millimeters thickness, in which the fluid is capable of being translated back and forth through the element by an imposed pressure field.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Thomas D. Radcliff, Joseph V. Mantese, Slade R. Culp, Subramanyaravi Annapragada
  • Publication number: 20160327319
    Abstract: An ejector has: a motive flow inlet (40); a secondary flow inlet (42); an outlet (44); a motive nozzle (204); a diffuser (118); and a control needle (132) shiftable between a first position and a second position. The ejector comprises: an inlet body (210; 400) bearing the motive flow inlet and the secondary flow inlet; a diffuser body (212) forming the diffuser and bearing the outlet; a motive nozzle insert (204) forming the motive nozzle in a compartment (240) in the inlet body; and a needle guide insert (270) in the motive nozzle insert.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2015
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Applicant: CARRIER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven A. LOZYNIAK, Alexander LIFSON, Zuojun SHI, Parmesh VERMA, Kenneth E. CRESSWELL, J. Michael GRIFFIN, Thomas D. RADCLIFF
  • Publication number: 20160298887
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a distribution manifold, a plurality of longitudinally spaced tubes having inlet ends opening into the manifold, and a longitudinally extending distributor body disposed within the manifold. The distributor body has a first surface juxtaposed in spaced relationship with the inlet ends of the plurality of tubes and a second surface interfacing with the manifold inner wall. A plurality of discrete flow passages extend from an inlet end of the distributor body and open through the first surface of the distributor body. The plurality of discrete flow passages includes a plurality of longitudinally extending flow passages formed by channels or grooves extending along the interface of the second surface of the distributor body with the inner wall of the distributor manifold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Abbas A. Alahyari, Thomas D. Radcliff, Richard Rusich
  • Publication number: 20160290683
    Abstract: A heat pump system includes a refrigerant circuit, at least one variable speed compressor operating with a maximum pressure ratio of at least 5.0 and a variable speed range of at least three times (3×), a heat absorption heat exchanger, a heat rejection heat exchanger, an ejector disposed on the refrigerant circuit upstream of the compressor to extend a pressure ratio range and a volumetric flow range of the compressor in the cold climates, a separator disposed downstream of the ejector and upstream of the heat absorption heat exchanger, and at least one variable speed fan configured to move air through the heat rejection heat exchanger to provide a predefined an air discharge temperature greater than 90° F. A two-phase refrigerant is provided to an inlet of the heat absorption heat exchanger with a quality of less than or equal to 0.05.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Ahmad M. Mahmoud, Parmesh Verma, Thomas D. Radcliff, Richard G. Lord, Jeffrey J. Nieter
  • Publication number: 20160258657
    Abstract: A method of operating a heat transfer system includes starting operation of a first heat transfer fluid vapor/compression circulation loop including a fluid pumping mechanism, a heat exchanger for rejecting thermal energy from a first heat transfer fluid, and a heat absorption side of an internal heat exchanger. A first conduit in a closed fluid circulation loop circulates the first heat transfer fluid therethrough. Operation of a second two-phase heat transfer fluid circulation loop is started after starting operation of the first heat transfer fluid circulation loop. The second heat transfer fluid circulation loop transfers heat to the first heat transfer fluid circulation loop through the internal heat exchanger and includes a heat rejection side of the internal heat exchanger, a liquid pump, and a heat exchanger evaporator. A second conduit in a closed fluid circulation loop circulates a second heat transfer fluid therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Yinshan Feng, Jinliang Wang, Futao Zhao, Parmesh Verma, Thomas D. Radcliff
  • Publication number: 20160245558
    Abstract: A heat transfer system includes a first two-phase heat transfer fluid vapor/compression circulation loop including a compressor, a heat exchanger condenser, an expansion device, and a heat absorption side of a heat exchanger evaporator/condenser. A first conduit in a closed fluid circulation loop circulates a first heat transfer fluid therethrough. A second two-phase heat transfer fluid circulation loop transfers heat to the first heat transfer fluid circulation loop through the heat exchanger evaporator/condenser, including a heat rejection side of the heat exchanger evaporator/condenser, a liquid pump, a liquid refrigerant reservoir located upstream of the liquid pump and downstream of the heat exchanger evaporator/condenser, and a heat exchanger evaporator. A second conduit in a closed fluid circulation loop circulates a second heat transfer fluid therethrough having an ASHRAE Class A toxicity and a Class 1 or 2L flammability rating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Yinshan Feng, Jinliang Wang, Futao Zhao, Thomas D. Radcliff, Parmesh Verma
  • Publication number: 20160131400
    Abstract: In one aspect, a heat exchanger layer for an adsorption bed heat exchanger assembly is provided. The heat exchanger layer includes at least one fluid tube configured to supply a heat transfer fluid, a sorbent containment structure having a plurality of compartments, and a sorbent disposed within the plurality of compartments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Frederick J. Cogswell, Parmesh Verma, Catherine Thibaud, Bart A. Van Hassel, Thomas D. Radcliff, Subramanyaravi Annapragada, Abdelrahman ElSherbini
  • Publication number: 20160123673
    Abstract: A falling film evaporator includes a plurality of evaporator tubes through which a volume of thermal energy transfer medium is flowed, and a distributor to distribute a flow of liquid refrigerant over the plurality of evaporator tubes. The distributor includes a distributor box and a distribution sheet positioned at a bottom surface of the distributor box having a plurality of peaks and valleys, with sidewalls extending between each peak and each valley. A plurality of ports is located in the sidewalls to distribute the flow of liquid refrigerant downwardly over the plurality of evaporator tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Abbas A. Alahyari, Jack Leon Esformes, Thomas D. Radcliff, Marcel Christians
  • Patent number: 9115938
    Abstract: A heat exchanger is described comprising a distributor having an outer housing and including a plurality of substantially parallel plates disposed within the housing and configured to partition an input two-phase flow into a series of primarily single-phase layers. A heat exchanger is described comprising a distributor having an outer housing including a plurality of substantially parallel channels disposed therein, each channel configured to uniformly and independently convey a portion of a homogenous input two-phase flow from an input of the distributor to an output of the distributor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Abbas A. Alahyari, Miad Yazdani, Thomas D. Radcliff