Conduit Within, Or Conforming To, Panel Or Wall Structure Patents (Class 165/168)
  • Patent number: 6988546
    Abstract: The sample temperature regulator is provided with a heating block (3) having a sample container holder (6) and a temperature-controllable heater (7) and with a cooling block (4) having a cooling mechanism (11). These two blocks are combined with each other through a connecting plate (15) made of a material having a thermal conductivity lower than those of these blocks. This constitution can reduce heat transfer between the heating block and the cooling block and allows them to have wide temperature regulating ranges, as well as increased heating capacity and cooling capacity, respectively. Further, this constitution makes the structure of the temperature regulator simple and compact, so that the regulator has increased durability and can be offered at a low price.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Eyela-Chino Inc.
    Inventor: Yuta Ohki
  • Patent number: 6988543
    Abstract: An annular cold plate with reflexive channels, and systems having such cold plates, are described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2006
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Walter S. Walczak
  • Patent number: 6946113
    Abstract: A method for processing separate fluid flows in a micro component system for the production of hydrogen gas used in fuel cells in which a first fluid flow is directed to micro channels formed on one side of a conductive separator maintained in an enclosure, a second fluid flow is directed to micro channels formed on the opposite side of the separator, and laminar flow is maintained in the fluids such that heat transfer between the fluids on the opposite sides of the micro channels is by conduction through the separator and heat transfer within the fluids on the opposite sides of the micro channels is predominantly by convection within the fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: James Seaba, Lea-Der Chen
  • Patent number: 6935411
    Abstract: A heat exchanger (120) comprising a core (130) containing inlet manifolds (140), outlet manifold (126) and interconnecting channels (144) and having a heat-transfer surface (128). Each interconnecting channel fluidly communicates at one end with a corresponding inlet manifold and at the other end with the two outlet manifolds located immediately adjacent that inlet manifold. The inlet manifolds are located distal from the heat-transfer surface. The interconnecting channels are configured such that substantially all of the heat collected by a working fluid is collected as the working fluid flows from the inlet manifolds toward the heat-transfer surface in a direction substantially perpendicular to the heat-transfer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Mikros Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Javier A. Valenzuela
  • Patent number: 6925872
    Abstract: The present invention deals with determining the level of fluid in a container. Typically, a beverage container containing a liquid will absorb heat energy from the surrounding environment at a greater rate than a gaseous component in the headspace of the beverage container. Thus, as the liquid is drawn from a beverage container a greater headspace results. If a thermometric measuring device is employed along the height of the beverage container the volume may be determined by observing the difference in the temperature along the height of the beverage container. In practice, a beer keg may exhibit a difference of as much as 9 degrees Fahrenheit on the exterior surface of the beer keg when measured at the headspace as opposed to the area where the liquid is present in the beverage container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Inventor: Anthony J. Hadala
  • Patent number: 6926074
    Abstract: An exhaust gas cooler for an internal combustion engine, preferably in a motor vehicle, includes a housing through which exhaust gas can flow in the longitudinal direction and in which a partition extends in the longitudinal direction and separates a first chamber from a second chamber. An inlet communicates in the housing with a first chamber and through which the exhaust gas flows into the housing. An outlet communicates in the housing at least with the second chamber and via which the exhaust gas flows out of the housing. The partition has at least one overflow opening through which the first chamber communicates with the second chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: J. Eberspächer GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Siegfried Wörner
  • Patent number: 6923247
    Abstract: A thermally highly loaded machine component (10), which is protected from overheating by film cooling, is provided with conical cooling passages (30) of circular cross section. The cooling passages are designed so as to be divergent from the cold-gas side (13) toward the hot-gas side. The conical cooling passages, as compared with cylindrical passages with regard to the mass flow of cooling medium (35) fed through the cooling passages, are substantially less dependent on the pressure ratio between the cold-gas side (13) and hot-gas side (14) of the component. The straight conical cooling passages of round cross section throughout may be produced in a very simple manner by laser drilling, with a convergent cutting beam being used for the machining.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Alstom
    Inventors: Jörgen Ferber, Bernhard Weigand
  • Patent number: 6910526
    Abstract: In order to improve the heat-conducting connection between a contact element (3) and a ceiling panel (1) which are adhesively bonded to one another, the contact panel (5) of the contact element (3) is provided with an adhesive depression (10) in the contact surface (6), said depression taking up only part of said contact surface, while the remaining part of the latter rests directly against the upper side of the ceiling panel (1). The contact panel (5) may be elastically or plastically deformable, e.g. along a bending groove (9), with the result that it adapts more easily to irregularities, such as those caused, for example, by slight sagging of the ceiling panel (1). This permits larger widths of the contact panel (5) without impairing the thermal contact. In order to ensure close abutment of the parts of the contact surface (6) which are not adhesively bonded to the upper side of the ceiling panel (1), the contact panel (5) can be appropriately prestressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Barcol-Air AG
    Inventor: Helmuth Sokolean
  • Patent number: 6907920
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a heat exchanger panel which has broad utility in high temperature environments. The heat exchanger panel has a first panel, a second panel, and at least one fluid containment device positioned intermediate the first and second panels. At least one of the first panel and the second panel have at least one feature on an interior surface to accommodate the at least one fluid containment device. In a preferred embodiment, each of the first and second panels is formed from a high conductivity, high temperature composite material. Also, in a preferred embodiment, the first and second panels are joined together by one or more composite fasteners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Robert E. Warburton, William J. Cuva
  • Patent number: 6907663
    Abstract: Disclosed is a refrigerator comprising an outer casing defining an outer appearance thereof, and an inner casing accommodated in the outer casing, forming a storage chamber, further comprising a heat pipe unit having an evaporator pipe disposed to surround at least one portion of the inner casing, forming a refrigerant path, a heater pipe disposed in parallel with the evaporator pipe, and a connection part connecting the evaporator pipe and the heater pipe, enabling a heat transfer therebetween. With this configuration, there is provided a refrigerator enhancing cooling, ripeness and defrost performances and the productivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LTD
    Inventors: Kwon-cheol Yoon, Sak-hang Park
  • Patent number: 6885555
    Abstract: A cooling system for an electronic device includes an air flow conduit for causing air outside a housing of the device to flow through a heat dissipation device. The conduit is configured to prevent substantial transfer of heat from air contained within the conduit and air in the remainder of the housing. The conduit walls include thermal and/or acoustic insulation. One or more fans in the conduit draw outside air into the conduit and expel air in the conduit to outside the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: David Greco
  • Patent number: 6869578
    Abstract: A process and apparatus cools a heat exchange type reaction zone by passing the incoming reactants through heat exchange channels in heat exchange relationship with the reaction zone. The invention simplifies the operation and construction of the heat exchanging type reaction zone by directly communicating reaction channels that contain the reaction with the heating channels that heat reactant across an open manifold located at the end of the channels. Additional reactants, cooling fluids, or other diluents may enter the process directly through the manifold space to permit further temperature control of the reaction zone. The invention promotes better heat transfer efficiency than tube and shell heat transfer arrangements that have been used for similar purposes. The narrow channels are preferably defined by corrugated plates. The reaction channels will contain a catalyst for the promotion of the primary reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Philippe Hebert, Jacques J. L. Romatier, Peter R. Pujado, Bipin V. Vora
  • Publication number: 20040256092
    Abstract: A heat exchanger apparatus including a two-dimensional array of heat exchanging conduits, wherein each conduit includes an inlet and an outlet, and a manifold for providing heat exchanging fluid to the inputs of the heat exchanging conduits and for receiving heat exchanging fluid from the outputs of the heat exchanging conduits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: David T. Winslow, Michael Runyan, Scott T. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20040251003
    Abstract: A heat transfer plate is provided for a plate heat exchanger, the plate having a heat transfer area and peripheral openings for the heat transfer media, namely a product to be at least partially evaporated or condensed on the one hand and a heating or cooling medium on the other hand. A first group of the openings is allocated to one medium and to one side of the plate, and a second group of the openings is allocated to the other medium and the other side of the plate by appropriately placed seals. The group of openings allocated to the product to be evaporated comprises a plurality of adjacent inlet openings on the inlet side of the plate, the inlet openings ending directly in the heat transfer area of the plate at approximately a right angle to the adjacent plate edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: API Schmidt-Bretten GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Markus Nickolay, Volker Wagner
  • Publication number: 20040251011
    Abstract: As a heat storage unit wherein, the volume variation of a heat storage material can be absorbed without an accompanying decrease in heat capacity, decrease in heat transfer coefficient, and oxidation and deterioration of the heat storage material due to oxygen in the air, so that the heat storage capacity can be adequately maintained and high performance can be attained, and moreover, the number of parts and the cost can be reduced, there is provided on the outside of a main member having; a fluid passage formation section which forms a fluid passage for circulating a fluid introduced from an inlet, on the inside of an outer wall section, and a heat storage material filling space formation section which forms a heat storage material filling space for filling with a heat storage material for which the volume varies corresponding to the heat storage condition, adjacent to the fluid passage, a passage switching section which selectively switches a flow-in destination of a fluid introduced from the inlet by the p
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventor: Tomohide Kudo
  • Publication number: 20040226315
    Abstract: A sliding rail for a wire-tube evaporator has an elongated rail body to be mounted on the evaporator and to protect the latter against abrasion caused by a frozen product container that slides above or on the evaporator. The sliding rail includes at least a tubular clamp for fixing the rail body on a refrigerating pipe of the evaporator. The tubular clamp is mounted on an arm projecting laterally relative to the rail body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: November 18, 2004
    Inventors: Silvia Gerstner, Siegfried Grasy
  • Publication number: 20040194940
    Abstract: The invention is a heat exchanger system suitable for iron making furnaces and their supporting exhaust and cooling system. The heat exchanger has at least one panel of sinuously winding piping having an inlet and an outlet, an input manifold in fluid communication with the inlet of the at least one panel, an output manifold in fluid communication with the outlet of the panel, a cooling fluid flowing through the piping, and a stream of hot exhaust gasses flowing over the piping. In application, the heat exchanger system has at least one panel that is mounted to an interior side of a wall, and is in fluid communication with the output and the input manifolds that are on an exterior side of the wall. The wall typically is a wall of a steel making furnace, a furnace roof, a smoke ring exhaust port, a straight section of an exhaust duct, and a curved section of an exhaust duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Inventors: Richard J. Manasek, David P. Kincheloe
  • Publication number: 20040194942
    Abstract: The present invention is a cooling plate including a groove, which becomes a passage of a coolant, inside a body, wherein one or more fins are provided inside the groove, wherein the groove is covered with a lid having width larger than the groove, wherein the lid is joined to the body by friction stir welding, and wherein a weld bead formed by the joining is outside the passage, and the weld bead formed by the joining is formed within the body and further, is characterized by a manufacturing method of a cooling plate that has a first groove, which becomes a passage of a coolant, and a second groove, which has width larger than the first groove and receives a lid on the first groove, inside a body, receives the lid on the second groove, and is joined to the body, the manufacturing method of a cooling plate wherein, while the lid and the body are joined together by the friction stir welding owing to insertion of a rotation tool having a shoulder and a pin, the joining is performed so that a weld bead formed by
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicants: Hitachi, Ltd, Hitachi Cable Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazutaka Okamoto, Masayuki Doi, Hisanori Okamura, Yasuhisa Aono, Manabu Kagawa, Satoshi Hirano, Kinya Aota
  • Patent number: 6799629
    Abstract: Apparatus for cooling a bundle of capillary tubes to prevent overheating of the tubes during a parallel capillary electrophoresis procedure. The apparatus includes a jacket of thermally conductive solid material comprising mating jacket members movable between an open position in which the jacket members are separated to allow placement of the bundle in the jacket and a closed position in which the jacket members are mated together and the bundle is disposed inside the jacket in thermally conductive relation with the jacket. Window openings in the mating jacket members define a window to permit the passage of light through the window and the capillary tubes of the bundle at the location of the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Symyx Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Peijun Cong, Robert D. Doolen, Tony N. Wheeler
  • Publication number: 20040188066
    Abstract: A device, method, and system for a fluid cooled micro-scaled heat exchanger is disclosed. The fluid cooled micro-scaled heat exchanger utilizes a micro-scaled region and a spreader region with specific materials and ranges of dimensions, to yield high heat dissipation and transfer area per unit volume from a heat source. The micro-scaled region preferably comprises microchannels, but in alternate embodiments, comprises a micro-porous structure, or micro-pillars, or is comprised from the group of microchannels, a micro-porous structure, and micro-pillars.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Cooligy, Inc.
    Inventors: Girish Upadhya, Richard Herms, Peng Zhou, Kenneth Goodson, James Hom
  • Patent number: 6796370
    Abstract: A heat exchanger with a circular fluid chamber, configured to distribute cooling fluid flow from the center of the chamber to the periphery of the chamber. Fins are disposed within the chamber to direct the flow in a generally radial or spiral pattern. There is an annular recess with varying cross sectional area in the overhead wall of the chamber to equalize pressure drop from the center of the chamber to an outlet aperture from any initial radial flow path. The configuration of the exchanger imparts a rotational flow velocity to the fluid when it reaches the outer perimeter or annular wall of the chamber. The rotational flow reduces back pressure against the radial or spiral flow being directed to the periphery of the circular chamber. The inlet flow is introduced from the overhead wall and impinges on the center of the bottom plate of the chamber. The impact creates turbulence in the fluid which increases heat overall heat transfer coefficient of the exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Cray Inc.
    Inventor: Wade J. Doll
  • Publication number: 20040173343
    Abstract: A heat exchange assembly (12) for engines (10) having cylinders arranged in two banks forming a V-configuration and having inlet ports (18) from each bank of cylinders (16) opening toward each other. The assembly (12) including a generally rectangular housing (34) having a top (36) and a bottom (38) extending between two opposed longitudinal sides (40,42). The opposed longitudinal sides (40,42) include openings (46) for communication with the inlet ports (18) of the engine (10). An inlet (44) in the top (36) receives a pressurised airflow from a compressor (24). A heat exchanger (56) formed by at least two mutually inclined components (58,60) each also inclined with respect to the top (36) and bottom (33) of the housing (34) extends across and along the housing (34) to define an inlet region (62) adjacent the top (36) of the housing and one or more outlet region(s) (64,66) adjacent the bottom (33) of the housing (34) and the openings (46).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Publication date: September 9, 2004
    Applicant: Starr Performance Pty Ltd.
    Inventor: Peter Starr
  • Patent number: 6776220
    Abstract: Heat dissipating apparatus for use in dissipating heat produced by electronic components of a spacecraft. The heat dissipating apparatus comprises first and second radiator panels each having an outer panel faceskin 18 and inner panel faceskin. A heat pipe matrix is disposed between outer and inner panel faceskins of each radiator panel, and a honeycomb core is disposed between the inner and outer panel faceskins that surrounds the heat pipe matrix. A transverse panel interconnects the first and second radiator panels. A plurality of crossing heat pipes extend between and thermally couple to the heat pipe matrices of the first and second radiator panels. The plurality of crossing heat pipes extend outside the plane of the transverse panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Space Systems/Loral, Inc
    Inventors: Lenny Low, Chris Goodman
  • Patent number: 6752203
    Abstract: A thermal control system includes an air colliding chamber bounded by at least a conducting board and an insulating panel. An air jet pipe and an air jet suction pipe extend into the air colliding chamber. Thermally adjusted air is urged into each air jet pipe, and out at least one air jet hole, into the air colliding chamber. In the air colliding chamber, air vortices repeatedly contact the conducting board and thermal transfer occurs. Return air is urged into each air suction pipe through at least one jet suction hole for return and thermal adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Kurita Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuo Kurita
  • Patent number: 6745595
    Abstract: A non-stick freezing surface for freezing a thin layer of liquid food product includes a thermally conductive platen having a smooth upper surface and a coating containing PTFE covering that surface. Preferably, the coating is of nickel-infused PTFE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Moobella, LLC
    Inventors: Paul R. Kateman, Charles S. Brunner
  • Patent number: 6742579
    Abstract: The present invention provides improvement of the heat exchange process for freezing plates by achieving approximately uniform temperature on the entire surface of the device and equal heat exchange at the top and the bottom of the plate. These goals are realized when the channels with refrigerant flow are placed at an angle to the bottom side of the plate. In this case heat exchange at the top surface of the device is not limited by the size of the channels' lateral sides and even the collection of refrigerant vapor on the top of the channel takes place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Inventors: Mikhail Levitin, Boris Khaytin
  • Patent number: 6736202
    Abstract: A chill tube (1) for the continuous casting of metals has a double T-shaped cross section in beam blank format. Inner contour (3) defining the cross section of the cast billet is cooled by cooling water, which is guided through cooling channels (4) in tube wall (2). Cooling channels (4) have a round cross section when manufactured. Inner contour (3) has rounded transitions (6) between wall sections (9) bordering a flange region (7) and a crosspiece region (8). The distance (A) between two cooling channels (4) adjacent to each other in transitions (6) is smaller than distance (B) in the remaining wall sections (9).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: KM Europa Metal AG
    Inventors: Roland Hauri, Egon Mackowiak, Dietmar Kolbeck, Gerhard Hugenschütt
  • Patent number: 6729389
    Abstract: A heat transfer apparatus with a zigzag passage is provided. The apparatus includes a pair of opposed plates 11, 12, a bent plate 21 having a wavy cross sectional shape for dividing the space between both plates into a plurality of side-by-side passages 20a, 20b, and a pair of cover members 13, 14, bonded to the bent plate 21, for forming connecting portions 20c, 20d between the side-by-side passages. One sidewall portion 23a of both sidewall portions 23a, 23b of the bent plate 21 is coupled to the cover member 13 on one end of a rectangular groove. The other sidewall portion 23b is coupled to the cover member 14 on the other end of the rectangular groove. Thus, a zigzag passage 20 is formed in which one side of the rectangular groove is folded to oppose the other side of the rectangular groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: STS Corporation
    Inventor: Isao Ohashi
  • Publication number: 20040074631
    Abstract: There is provided a dry type heating pipe line structure for allowing easy construction of heating pipelines and an improved heating structure by installing the structures by a dry type method. The structure may include a plurality of support frames installed on the upper surface of the bottom for controlling the installation location of the heating pipelines, fixing the heating pipelines, and forming the height of the hot-floored layer, a plurality of heat diffusion plates installed on the upper surface of each of the support frames for uniformly diffusing the heat from the hot water to the entire surface of the bottom, and a upper plate installed on the support frame having the heat diffusion plate for transmitting the heat of the hot water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2002
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventor: Chang Seong Jeon
  • Publication number: 20040068991
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for use with an electronic heat pump including a plurality of narrow channels defined between adjacent walls. The channel heights are between 0 mm and 10 m to ensure thermal resistance is below 0.1° C./W for a 40 mm heat exchange width. The acceptable geometry for the channels is described by one or more variables, including the minimum number of channels and the minimum wall thickness for a given channel width. These variables control the surface area of the boundary of the channels in direct contact with the fluid and the cross-sectional area available for transmission of heat by conduction up the walls of the channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Ben Banney, Tilak T. Chandratilleke, Peter Terence Clarke
  • Patent number: 6719039
    Abstract: A liquid-cooled heat sink is provided having a cooling housing including a peripheral side wall extending from the perimeter of a bottom wall and a lid sized to engage the peripheral side wall so as to form a chamber. A fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port are defined through the lid, and disposed in fluid communication with the chamber. In one embodiment, a plurality of pins project outwardly from the bottom wall so as to be positioned within the chamber and arranged in a staggered pattern. The pins include an end that engages the undersurface of the lid. In an alternative embodiment, a corrugated fin having a plurality of corrugations is positioned within the chamber so that at least one of the corrugations engages the bottom wall and at least one of the corrugations engages the under surface of the lid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Thermal Corp.
    Inventors: Douglas P. Calaman, Matthew J. Connors
  • Publication number: 20040050541
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an inner fin 5 for heat exchanger flat tubes 22A which comprises a metal plate having a corrugated cross section and which is to be enclosed in the flat tube 22A, all ridges 51 and all furrows 52 of the inner fin being joinable to an inner surface of the flat tube 22A by brazing. At least one of the ridges 51 and the furrows 52 of the inner fin 5 is provided with a turbulence promoting protrusion 53 facing toward a side opposite to the side to be brazed. The turbulence promoting protrusion 53 is so sized that a clearance to be created between a caved portion 54 formed on a rear side of the protrusion and the inner surface of the flat tube 22A can be filled with a brazing material 6. A fluid to be passed through the flat tube 22A is caused to flow in a more turbulent state by the protrusion 53 to thereby achieve an improved heat transfer efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Naohisa Higashiyama, Masayuki Tsukahara
  • Patent number: 6705939
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for preventing the culturing of microorganisms, including molds, mildew, fungus, viruses, bacteria and insects, within the walls (10), ceilings (15) and floors (45) of a building (12) to eliminate these as a source of respiratory illness and fungal disease among the occupants of a building (12). The method comprises circulating drier, cleaner air into the space (24) between the interior surface (18) and exterior surface (20) of the wall (10), ceiling (15) and floor (45) of the building (12). The apparatus includes a pump (28) and a network of piping (26) installed in the walls (10), ceilings (15) and floors (45) and adapted to create a flow of dry air within the them that absorbs moisture which would otherwise promote the culturing of the microorganisms. Preferably, sensors (32) inside the wall (10), ceiling (15) and floor (45) are connected to a controller (30) to activate the pump (28) when the moisture level rises to a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2004
    Inventor: Roger R. Roff
  • Patent number: 6688381
    Abstract: Thermal management devices and methods include branching networks comprising flow channels of varying cross-sectional area. The branching networks can be fractal-like in nature with an increase in the total flow area following a flow channel bifurcation. In representative embodiments, the branching networks are defined in a channel pattern that is laminated between cover plates to form a thermal management device. The channel pattern includes bridging portions so that the branching network is defined with a single pattern piece. The branching networks can exhibit radial symmetry or be aligned with respect to one or more axes. Heat exchangers and diffusive mixers that include such networks are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: The State of Oregon Acting by and through the State Board of Higher Education on Behalf of Oregon State University
    Inventors: Deborah V. Pence, Jose N. Reyes, Jr., Nathan Phillips, Qiao Wu, John T. Groome
  • Patent number: 6681841
    Abstract: A fluid delivery cooling system which includes at least one cooling plate containing at least one fluid delivery line, said cooling plate being contacted on either side thereof by a gasket containing coolant channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Inventor: Kevin Dale
  • Patent number: 6679315
    Abstract: A microscale chip cooling system for a heat dissipating item, such as Intel's Pentium brand microprocessor. The system includes a 40 millimeter by 40 millimeter thermally insulated housing including a base and a cover. The system also includes a thermally conductive evaporator. The evaporator is adapted to be attached to a heat source such as the microprocessor. The cover includes inlet and outlet ports and the base includes a capillary passage. A refrigerant or heat transferring fluid is pumped or past through the passage before making a sudden expansion in an expansion zone just before passing to an evaporator chamber. Pool and flow boiling and forced convection may occur in the evaporator chamber as heat is transferred from the microprocessor through the thermally conductive evaporator to the refrigerant. The refrigerant then returns to a compressor to repeat the cycle. The system is extremely small and very efficient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Marconi Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael R. Cosley, Richard L. Fischer, Jack H. Thiesen, Gary S. Willen
  • Patent number: 6675875
    Abstract: The present invention includes multi-layer micro-channeled heat sinks, multi-layer micro-channeled heat sink devices, and multi-layer micro-channeled heat sink systems. The invention also includes machines or electronic devices using these aspects of the invention. The present invention also includes an electronic device with multi-layered micro-channeled heat sink. The invention utilizes the multi-directional flow of coolant through the individual heat sink layers so as to minimize heat gradients. The present invention is also capable of reducing the undesirable temperature variation in the streamwise direction for the micro-channel heat sink instead of increasing the pressure drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: The Ohio State University
    Inventors: Kambiz Vafai, Lu Zhu
  • Patent number: 6666262
    Abstract: An arrangement for cooling a flow-passage wall surrounding a flow passage is described, having at least one rib feature which induces flow vortices in a flow medium passing through the flow passage, is attached to that side of the flow-passage wall which faces the flow passage, and has a main longitudinal extent which is oriented at an angle of &agr;≠0° to the direction of flow of the flow medium passing through the flow passage. The invention is characterized in that the rib feature, along the main longitudinal extent, at least partly has rib-feature sections whose axes enclose an angle of &bgr;≠0° with the main longitudinal extent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) Ltd
    Inventors: Sacha Parneix, Jens Von Wolfersdorf, Bernhard Weigand
  • Patent number: 6615588
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an arrangement for the cooling of a component, in particular of the combustion chamber of a turbo machine, wherein at least one cooling duct (5) is provided between a wall (1) to be cooled and a plate-shaped element (2) spaced apart from the wall. The plate-shaped element (2) has a number of through openings (4) for a cooling medium and is arranged such that the distance to the wall (1) increases in the flow direction of the cooling medium through the cooling channel (5). The arrangement is characterised in that the size of the through openings (4) in the plate-shaped element (2) increases with increasing distance between the plate-shaped element (2) and the wall (1). In this way a homogeneous cooling over the length of the cooling channel is achieved with simple measures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) Ltd
    Inventor: Rainer Hoecker
  • Patent number: 6615911
    Abstract: A liquid-cooled heat sink for use in combination with a heat exchanger to cool electronic or electrical devices attached to said heat sink comprises a metal block having a plurality of circular passageways therethrough defined by cylindrical walls. An inlet is in fluid communication with one end of the passageways for receiving a cooling liquid, and an outlet is in fluid communication with an opposite end of the passageways for outputting the cooling liquid. At least one tape insert is mounted within at least one of the circular passageways, wherein the tape insert longitudinally bisects the circular passageway and further wherein edges of the tape insert abut cylindrical wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mohinder Singh Bhatti, Frederick Vincent Oddi, Shrikant Mukund Joshi
  • Patent number: 6607608
    Abstract: A system for stripping an optical fiber includes a source of air and means for generating very short bursts of air. A heater heats the bursts of air to a temperature sufficient to remove the outer coating from an optical fiber, while maintaining the air isolated from the heat source. A single burst of heated air removes the outer coating of an optical fiber, within less than about one second. A series of closely spaced bursts or a prolonged burst of heated air may be used to remove an expanded length of fiber coating. Stripping may include translation of the fiber or the heater or portions thereof. The stripper may be configured to strip several loaded fibers or a single fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: 3SAE Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Carmine J. Vetrano, Robert G. Wiley, Matthew W. Reed
  • Patent number: 6604993
    Abstract: An air partition member used to form an air passageway in an HVAC system, includes a rectangular first section; a second section, pivotally connected to the first section, and adapted to contact the floor and compensate for the effect of the irregular planarity in the local area; and, a third section integral with the first section along a dividing line. The third section includes a pleated segment, adaptable to adjust the vertical height of the air partition member so as to compensate for the effect of the irregular planarity of the top surface of the sub-floor over the breadth of the work site. The basic air partition member can be shaped and contoured to form inside or outside corners of the air passageway and to include appropriate openings, as required, to vent the conditioned air to the work site and to allow for the passage of electrical wires or the like through and across the air passageway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2003
    Inventor: Andrew Boniface
  • Publication number: 20030121650
    Abstract: A cooler for an electrical component, including a pressure-tight vessel enclosing the electrical component and including a support plate above the electrical component, a bath of electrically insulating and evaporating liquid surrounding the electrical component within the vessel, a flow channel for cooling liquid on the support plate, and a heat exchange element. The heat exchange element includes a serpentine plate having generally horizontally extending and aligned flanks alternately connected along horizontally extending upper and lower edges, with the lower edges being connected by connectors spaced along the horizontally extending edges and the upper edges being connected by horizontally extending crests secured to the flow channel for heat conduction therebetween. The flow channel may define a U-shaped path with two channel legs connected at one end, with a cooling liquid inlet connected to one of the channel legs and a cooling liquid outlet connected to the other of the channel legs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: July 3, 2003
    Inventors: Roland Strahle, Dominik Zurek, Martin Mann
  • Publication number: 20030106681
    Abstract: A chill tube (1) for the continuous casting of metals has a double T-shaped cross section in beam blank format. Inner contour (3) defining the cross section of the cast billet is cooled by cooling water, which is guided through cooling channels (4) in tube wall (2). Cooling channels (4) have a round cross section when manufactured. Inner contour (3) has rounded transitions (6) between wall sections (9) bordering a flange region (7) and a crosspiece region (8). The distance (A) between two cooling channels (4) adjacent to each other in transitions (6) is smaller than distance (B) in the remaining wall sections (9).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: Roland Hauri, Egon MacKowiak, Dietmar Kolbeck, Gerhard Hugenschutt
  • Patent number: 6554699
    Abstract: An arrangement for screening off a ventilated space (5) in a floor construction arranged on a subfloor (2) and having joists (6) that are supported by a plurality of level-adjusting spacer screws (8) resting on the subfloor (2) to create a free passage (9) between the joist and the subfloor as well as said space, which includes said passages, between the subfloor and the floor construction. In accordance with the invention, the arrangement comprises an elongate plate-shaped body (116) with a flat waist part(117), a foot part (118) and a top part (119), which foot and top parts extend along the long sides of the waist part and are flexibly connected to the waist part by means of joints (122, 123) that are parallel to each other. The plate body is arranged to be anchored with its top part to a vertical side of one of said joists by means of attachment elements (12) anchored with its foot part to the subfloor by means of attachment elements (121).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Assignee: Nivell System AB
    Inventor: Lennart Johansson
  • Publication number: 20030075311
    Abstract: A method for processing separate fluid flows in a micro component system for the production of hydrogen gas used in fuel cells in which a first fluid flow is directed to micro channels formed on one side of a conductive separator maintained in an enclosure, a second fluid flow is directed to micro channels formed on the opposite side of the separator, and laminar flow is maintained in the fluids such that heat transfer between the fluids on the opposite sides of the micro channels is by conduction through the separator and heat transfer within the fluids on the opposite sides of the micro channels is predominantly by convection within the fluids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventors: James Seaba, Lea-Der Chen
  • Publication number: 20030010482
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for charging a so-called heating washer (heating cushion) (10) with heat energy to be liberated at a chosen point of time through activating the heating washer (10) when the same e.g. has been placed on stiff/tender musculature. According to the invention, the heating washer is steamed, either one or more at a time, in a steam chamber positioned above a water chamber in a steam cooking apparatus (30), wherein the water chamber is separated from the overlying steam chamber by means of a horizontally directed partition plate (34), fluid communication being maintained between the chambers. The charging of the heating washer (10) by means of steam prevents that the heating washers are damaged in the way that may happen when boiled in water.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventor: Knut Magne Hansen
  • Publication number: 20030010481
    Abstract: Perforated fins are provided to improve the capabilities of fin and tube type heat exchangers, and to adapt them for flow outside of the tube that is essentially parallel to the axis of the tube. The fins are made of a thermally conductive material, such as metal, with perforations in the fins. Fins can be of any shape. Typically, one or more tubes or binding posts pass through the fins. The fins are attached to the tube or post by press fitting, furnace or torch brazing, welding, or other method of mechanical bonding. The perforations allow heat exchange with the contents of a tube of a fluid flowing essentially parallel to the axis of the tube, in contrast to conventional fin-tube heat exchangers. The fins may also be bonded to a post or other securing means and inserted into the inside of a tube or other hollow body to improve efficiency of heat exchange. In addition, the fins may carry a catalyst, optionally carried on a washcoat or similar treatment to increase surface area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Applicant: Nuvera Fuel Cells, Inc.
    Inventor: William F. Northrop
  • Patent number: 6499533
    Abstract: A cooling disk unit is used in a wafer chucking device and comprises first and second heat conducting disks one of which is concentrically superposed on the other in a casing. The first heat conducting disk has a first plurality of radial channels while the second heat conducting disk has a second plurality of radial channels. The first radial channels are connected to the second radial channels at either their inside ends or their outside ends so as to flow a cooling fluid from the first (or second) radial channels to the second (or first) radial channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunji Yamada
  • Publication number: 20020195226
    Abstract: A method for increasing the convective heat transfer capabilities of a liquid cooler coupled to various system and vehicle components. A structure is placed within a hollow tubing of the liquid cooler to distort the laminar flow of fluid within a center portion of the hollow tubing, which decreases the temperature rise of the fluid along an outer wall of the hollow tubing associated with laminar flow. In preferred embodiments, the structure consists of an elongated baffle wire or an extruded elongated ridge member. The structure allows the outer surface of the tubing to have increased cooling at a particular liquid flow rate, which allows more heat transfer capability to a coupled system or vehicle component as compared with liquid coolers without the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Inventor: Roy Alan Visser