Abstract: A refrigerant leak management system includes a controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a refrigerant pressure within a refrigerant circuit and determine whether the refrigerant pressure is indicative of a refrigerant leak in the refrigerant circuit. In response to determining that the refrigerant pressure is indicative of the refrigerant leak, the controller is configured to activate a fan configured to motivate air proximate the refrigerant circuit.

Abstract: A steam generating container A heated by a heat source includes: a water evaporation chamber into which water is supplied by a water supply device; a leading opening to lead steam from the water evaporation chamber, and ejection openings ejecting steam led through the leading opening into a heating chamber containing food. A buffer chamber connecting through the leading opening and with the ejection openings is provided between the water evaporation chamber and the heating chamber. Even when bumping water enters the buffer chamber through the leading opening, the bumping water having entered flows inside the buffer chamber. Thus, the bumping water is hardly ejected into the heating chamber through the ejection openings.

Abstract: A refrigerant leak management system includes a controller is configured to receive a signal indicative of a refrigerant pressure within a refrigerant circuit and determine whether the refrigerant pressure is indicative of a refrigerant leak in the refrigerant circuit. In response to determining that the refrigerant pressure is indicative of the refrigerant leak, the controller is configured to activate a fan configured to motivate air proximate the refrigerant circuit.

Abstract: An integrated heat exchanger assembly comprises a first header tank, a second header tank, a first heat exchanger core extending between the first header tank and the second header tank, a second heat exchanger core extending between the first header tank and the second header tank, and a third heat exchanger core extending between the first header tank and the second header tank. The first heat exchanger core is in fluid communication with a liquid coolant and a refrigerant, the second heat exchanger core in fluid communication with a first portion of a flow of air and the refrigerant, and the third heat exchanger core in fluid communication with a second portion of the flow of the air and the liquid coolant.

Abstract: A water heater includes a water tank and a flow-through heating element. The water tank contains heated water. The flow-through heating element is located in the lower portion of the water tank and heats water as water is passed through an interior channel of the heating element. In another configuration, the water heater further includes a recirculation line and the heating element further includes an input end external of the water tank to receive water to be heated and an output end to output heated water into the water tank. The recirculation line transports water from the water tank to the input end of the heating element that is external of the water tank.

Abstract: A refrigerator of the present invention includes a refrigeration system having a water-cooled condenser and a liquid line heat exchanger for additional cooling with the water, at a position upstream in the direction of flow of water from the cooling that occurs at the condenser. The use of water cooling at these two portions of the refrigeration system improves the energy efficiency of the refrigerator, while also significantly improving temperature responsiveness (e.g., reducing an amount of time necessary to “pull down” the temperature of a cooled space in the refrigerator to a desired set point temperature). The refrigerator may include one or a plurality of refrigeration stages, in various embodiments, and an additional sub-cooling heat exchanger may be provided in the refrigeration system downstream from the liquid line heat exchanger when the refrigerator includes multiple cascaded circuits.

Abstract: A passive safety system for a nuclear power plant (100) cools the plant after shutdown, even when primary water circulation is disabled. The system comprises a source of compressed gas (112, 805) which can be the system's only source of operating energy, a source of external cooling water (106, 500), and interconnection components. If the reactor overheats, the gas is used to force the cooling water into the reactor's core. The gas can be taken from a highly compressed source and decompressed to a lower pressure suitable for forcing the water from the source, in which case the water can first be used to supply heat to the expanding gas to prevent it from freezing its environment. The system can be located underground or can be portable, e.g., carried on railroad cars or other wheeled conveyances. The system can be located above ground, or in a covered trench (705).

Abstract: A passive safety system for a nuclear power plant (100) cools a nuclear power plant after shutdown (SCRAM) even when all primary water circulation has been disabled. The system comprises a source of compressed gas (112, 805) that can be its only source of operating energy, a source of water (106, 500), and a plurality of plumbing components. The system is located nearby but outside of the plant where it will not be damaged in the event of an accident inside the plant. In one embodiment, the system is located underground. In another embodiment, the system is portable so that the gas and water are carried in tanks (500, 510) on railroad cars or other wheeled conveyances. The portable system is located above ground, or optionally in a covered trench (705). In an alternative embodiment, only compressed gas is used to cool the plant.

Abstract: A passive auxiliary condensing apparatus of a nuclear power plant includes a steam generation unit configured to heat a water supplied thereto into a steam by a heat produced when operating a nuclear reactor, a water cooled heat exchange unit connected to the steam generation unit and configured to store a cooling water therein to condense the steam provided from the steam generation unit, and a steam-water separation tank including a first side connected to the water cooled heat exchange unit and a second side connected to the steam generation unit, wherein a mixture of a water and a steam provided from the water cooled heat exchange unit is separated into the water and the steam to provide only the water to the steam generation unit.

Abstract: An air conditioner system including a condenser fan, an ambient temperature sensor, a refrigerant pressure sensor, and a controller. The ambient temperature sensor is to sense ambient temperature at the system. The refrigerant pressure sensor is to sense pressure of a refrigerant of the system. The target refrigerant pressure module is to identify an optimum pressure of the refrigerant in the system. The controller is to generate an output representing a speed of the condenser fan operable to maintain the pressure of the refrigerant at about the optimum pressure as the ambient temperature of the system changes.

Abstract: A safety heat exchanger for combining a heat pump with a device of a drinking water supply facility for obtaining heat from drinking water. The heat exchanger includes a primary circulation loop (4) with drinking water, a secondary circulation loop (6) with antifreeze as a material that does not pose a health risk, and a tertiary circulation loop (7) with a coolant. The primary circulation loop (4) includes an inlet (3) connected to a drinking water supply facility and an outlet (5) with electrically controllable magnetic valves (16).

Abstract: A combination fuel-oil and air-oil heat exchanger comprising: a first heat exchanger section that has an oil circulation path and a fuel circulation path thermally coupled to the oil circulation path; a second heat exchanger section that has an oil circulation path and an air circulation path thermally coupled to the oil circulation path; an oil coupling path that couples an oil circulation path outlet of the first heat exchanger section to an oil circulation path inlet of the second heat exchanger section to establish a combined oil circulation path; an oil path by-pass valve that selectively diverts oil from the combined oil circulation path to an outlet of the oil path by-pass valve; and a fuel path by-pass valve that selectively diverts fuel from the fuel circulation path of the first heat exchanger section to an outlet of the fuel path by-pass valve.

Abstract: A dual fluid heat exchange system is presented that provides a stable output temperature for a heated fluid while minimizing the output temperature of a cooled fluid. The heated and cooled fluids are brought into thermal contact with each other within a tank. The output temperature of the warmed fluid is maintained at a stable temperature by a re-circulation loop that connects directly to the mid portion of the tank such that the re-circulated fluid flow primarily warms only a re-circulation section of the tank. The other, lower flow rate, section of the tank may be positioned so that it has a cooler temperature and thus serves to increase the efficiency of the heat exchange by extracting extra heat energy out of the cooled fluid before it leaves the tank. Alternatively, the low flow rate section of the tank may be warmer than the re-circulated section, and thus allow the re-circulated section to be cooler than the output temperature of the warmed fluid.

Abstract: The device comprises a first valve (35a) and a second valve (35b) each comprising a chamber (13a, 13b) communicating via an admission orifice (19a, 19b) with a circuit or a receptacle containing a first or a second fluid, and via an exhaust orifice (18a, 18b) with exhaust means for the first or the second fluid, at least one valve member (20a, 20b) mounted to move within the valve chamber (13a, 13b) between a position for closing and a position for opening the exhaust orifice (18a, 18b), a piston (22a, 24a, 22b, 24b) connected to the valve member (20a, 20b) and resilient return means (32a, 32b) for returning the valve member (20a, 20b) to a closed position. Each of the first and second pistons (22a, 24a, 22b, 24b) has a first face exposed to one of the first and second fluids, and an opposite second face subjected to a force exerted respectively by the second fluid or by the first fluid.

Abstract: The heat exchange apparatus and method is provided with an indirect evaporative heat exchange section and a direct evaporative heat exchange section. An evaporative liquid is sprayed downwardly into the direct evaporative section to directly exchange heat from the evaporative liquid flowing across fill sheets. The evaporative liquid is then collected in a re-spray tray. The collected evaporative liquid is then sprayed onto an indirect evaporative heat exchange section to indirectly exchange sensible heat from a fluid stream flowing within a series of enclosed circuits comprising the indirect evaporative heat exchange section.

Abstract: A method of exchanging heat is disclosed. Process fluid is passed through a dry indirect contact heat exchange section while a main air stream is also passed through that section. The process fluid is passed through a second indirect contact heat exchange section while a second air stream is passed through that section. A third air stream is passed through a direct contact heat exchange section and mixed with the second air stream to define the main air stream. Evaporative liquid is selectively distributed over the second indirect contact heat exchange section and over the direct heat exchange section. The distribution of evaporative liquid over one section is independent of the distribution of evaporative liquid over the other section.

Abstract: A system and method of exchanging heat are disclosed. Three heat exchange sections are used: a dry indirect contact heat exchange section, a second indirect contact heat exchange section that is operable in either a wet or dry mode, and a direct contact heat exchange section. The three sections are next to each other in an apparatus to reduce the overall height of the apparatus. The dry and second indirect contact heat exchange sections receive a process fluid in series or in parallel. Separate ambient air streams pass through the second indirect and direct contact heat exchange sections before mixing and entering the dry indirect contact heat exchange section. Another ambient air stream is mixed in upstream of the dry indirect contact heat exchange section when the system is operated in the dry mode. Two independent evaporative liquid distribution systems are included. One selectively distributes evaporative liquid over the second indirect contact heat exchange section.