Regenerator Patents (Class 165/4)
  • Publication number: 20090302844
    Abstract: A regenerative expansion apparatus includes a regenerative tube configured to regenerate cryogenic cooling at the time of expansion of a coolant gas; a cylinder in communication with a low temperature end of the regenerative tube, the cylinder being configured to generate the cryogenic cooling by repeating compression and expansion of the coolant gas via the regenerative tube; a magnetic cold storage material filling inside the regenerative tube, the magnetic cold storage material being made of a magnetic material, the magnetic cold storage material being configured to come in contact with the coolant gas so that the cryogenic cooling is regenerated; and a magnetic shield member surrounding the magnetic cold storage material; wherein the magnetic shield member has an electric resistivity equal to or less than 50 ??cm at a normal temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: MOTOKAZU SAITO, MINGYO XU
  • Patent number: 7594406
    Abstract: The invention has an object to provide a regenerator and cryogenics pump using a regenerator material which fulfills such requirements as specific heat, thermal conductivity, manufacturing easiness, strength, hardness, chemical stabilization and low cost instead of Pb which is environmentally harmful. In a regenerator 14 which contains regenerator material 16 in an internal path for refrigerant, and in which heat is exchanged between the helium gas as refrigerant, and regenerator material, regenerator material 16 is any one of Sn, Bi—Sn alloy and Ag—Sn alloy. The regenerator material 16 is spherical. Plural spheres are packed in the internal path of the regenerator 14.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignees: Ulvac Cryogenics, Inc., Ulvac, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Murayama, Shinji Furuya, Hidetoshi Morimoto, Junpei Yuyama
  • Patent number: 7556085
    Abstract: A heat exchanger heat transfer element basket assembly (500) for receiving heat transfer element plates (850) therein. The heat exchanger heat transfer element basket assembly (500) includes first and second one-piece side straps (520a, 520b), a pair of inboard corner flanges (528a, 528b), an I-shaped splitter plate (530), a pair of outboard corner flanges (522a, 522b), first and second end straps (526a, 526b), and a cap. Each of the first and second one-piece side straps (520a, 520b) includes a center portion (625), a first extension (630), and a second extension (635). Each of the first and second extensions (630, 635) includes a flange portion that is folded over across the heat transfer element plates (850) so as to be operative to retain the heat transfer element plates (850) in the heat exchanger heat transfer element basket assembly (500).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Cary J. Childs, Lawrence G. Cowburn, Jeffrey W. Gaylor, Mark M. Gibble, Timothy R. Gustin, David A. Pye, Dean L. Rhodes
  • Patent number: 7549296
    Abstract: A multi-stage cryocooler having a relatively low temperature stage to cool to less than about 15K and having a regenerator including a ductile intermetallic compound including one or more rare earth elements and one or more non-rare earth metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Atlas Scientific
    Inventors: Karl A. Gschneidner, Jr., Alexandra O. Tsokol, Vitalij K. Pecharsky
  • Publication number: 20090095440
    Abstract: A process is proposed for operating an air preheater (21) with the aid of which heat transfer performance can be raised without condensation appearing on the cold side of the rotor and without a risk of there being deposits on the heating plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2007
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Inventors: Manfred Gietz, Volker Schule, Berthold Faller
  • Patent number: 7494625
    Abstract: Regenerative selective catalytic reduction (RSCR) systems and process are provided whereby NOx levels in gases are reduced by mixing the gas with a reactant and then introducing the gas into an RSCR apparatus for treatment that entails heating the gas, causing the gas to undergo one or more catalytic reactions, and then directing the gas through a heat transfer area, to which the gas provides heat for use in connection with successive cycles of the RSCR process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Babcock Power Environmental Inc.
    Inventor: Richard F. Abrams
  • Patent number: 7484381
    Abstract: An energy recovery unit has an energy recovery wheel located in a plenum. Expelled air from the return duct is delivered to the plenum and after passing through the wheel is expelled by an exhaust fan through a side wall. Makeup air is delivered to the plenum and after passing through the wheel is supplied to the return duct by a fan. The makeup air follows a serpentine path from an intake in a side wall to the return duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Spinnaker Industries Inc.
    Inventor: Maurice Lattanzio
  • Publication number: 20080314550
    Abstract: A regenerative heat exchanger includes a pair of heat exchangers, an inlet valve assembly and an outlet valve assembly. Each valve assembly includes two corresponding pairs of valve ports and two poppet discs each being movable between said corresponding pairs of valve ports. The poppet discs have rods extending to distal ends. Distal ends extending from the inlet valve assembly are pivotably interconnected to distal ends from the outlet valve assembly and pivotably interconnected to a crank of an eccentric mechanical drive to operate one of the inlet poppet discs and one of the outlet poppet discs in tandem.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Inventor: Richard Greco
  • Publication number: 20080277092
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprising: a gas transport conduit providing a channel through which a fluid mixture can flow; an outer conduit disposed around the gas transport conduit, the outer conduit having a first cap covering a first end and a second cap covering a second end, the gas transport conduit passing through the outer conduit; and a conductive tube passing through the outer conduit, providing a channel through which a circulating fluid can flow through the outer conduit, wherein a static fluid chamber is formed between the conductive tube and the gas transport conduit, the static fluid chamber configured to house a static fluid, wherein the gas transport conduit is configured to conduct heat from the fluid mixture in the gas transport conduit to the static fluid and the conductive tube is configured to conduct heat from the static fluid to the circulating fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Inventors: Frederick P. Layman, Maximilian A. Biberger
  • Patent number: 7441586
    Abstract: Disclosed is a heat exchange apparatus. The heat exchange apparatus comprises a first valve member rotating about a first rotational axis, a second valve member rotating about a second rotational axis, and a heat exchanging medium that is positioned on a gas stream path formed between the first valve member and the second valve member, has a channel for enabling gas to pass therethrough, and receives and stores thermal energy from passing hot gas and then transfers the stored thermal energy to passing cold gas. A flow direction of the gas passing through the heat exchanging medium is repeatedly changed as the first and second valve members rotate. The heat exchange apparatus has first and second guides connected respectively to both sides of the heat exchanging medium and has passages for guiding the gas passing through the heat exchanging medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Inventors: In Sook Chung, Geon-Soo Han
  • Publication number: 20080179039
    Abstract: The invention relates to a phase change material (PCM) heat exchanger device comprising heat exchanger cells (1a, 1b) operating on the regenerative countercurrent principle, phase change material (PCM) accumulators (2, 3) provided in the heat exchanger cells and a vortex tube (6, 7, 8). When the directions of the air, gas and liquid flows are cyclically reversed in the apparatus, energy is recovered into the heat exchanger cell and the PCM accumulator, and during the subsequent cycle, the energy is released from the heat exchanger cell and PCM accumulator. While one heat exchanger cell and PCM accumulator is being charged, the other heat exchanger cell and PCM accumulator are simultaneously discharged. The cool/hot flow from the vortex tube is used to enhance/create needed temperature differences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2006
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Kari Moilala, Michael Gasik
  • Patent number: 7404295
    Abstract: The refrigeration performance in a range from 3 to 10 K can be improved in comparison with conventional metal based magnetic regenerator materials. The refrigerator is provided with a regenerator utilizing at least one magnetic material including a rare earth element and sulfur as the regenerator material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignees: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., National Institute for Materials Science
    Inventors: Rui Li, Takenori Numasawa
  • Patent number: 7383687
    Abstract: In a regenerator to be formed by winding a resin film into a cylindrical shape, a projection is formed on a surface of the resin film by subjecting the resin film in itself to plastic deformation, either by stamping or by laser beam irradiation. Thereafter, the resin film is stacked. The projection provides a gap between layers of the stacked resin film to be a flow passage for a working gas. Thus, a regenerator of high heat exchange efficiency is provided with ease and at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Katayama, Yoshiaki Ogura
  • Patent number: 7334632
    Abstract: A variable volumetric flow heat exchanger for a building air-to-air heat recovery system that is operable at a high volumetric flow rate and at a low volumetric flow rate. The heat exchanger includes multiple heat exchange banks, including at least one continuous duty heat exchange bank, and at least one cyclic heat exchange bank. A damper assembly includes at least one damper module having at least one damper reciprocative between open and closed positions. A control system moves the heat exchanger damper to the closed position when the heat recovery system is operated at the low volumetric flow rate and moves the heat exchanger damper to the open position when the heat recovery system is operated at the high volumetric flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Inventor: Harry C. Bassilakis
  • Patent number: 7316261
    Abstract: A heat exchanging system of a ventilating device includes: a heat exchanging housing communicating with an outdoor air passage and an indoor air passage; a rotational shaft rotatably supported at one side of the case of a ventilating device; and a heat exchanging elements mounted at an outer circumferential surface of the rotational shaft at regular intervals, and performing a heat-exchanging operation of outdoor air and indoor air while being rotated by a wind force of outdoor air passing the outdoor air passage and a blow force of indoor air passing the indoor air passage. Thus, any additional driving unit is not necessary to rotate the heat exchanging system, so that a fabrication cost can be reduced, the overall size of the ventilating device can be reduced, and a noise and vibration can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Min-Chul Cho, Soo-Yeon Shin, Seong-Hwan Lee
  • Patent number: 7275375
    Abstract: A regenerator includes a casing including a connection channel for making a high temperature part and a cooling part communicate with each other; and a thermal energy storage material inserted in the connection channel of the casing and made of an aramid fiber which stores/radiates heat of a working fluid flowing through the connection channel. A cryocooler includes the regenerator. Accordingly, regeneration performance of storing heat included in the working fluid and transmitting the stored heat to a working fluid is improved, and simultaneously a weight is decreased, thereby minimizing abrasion of components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Seon-Young Kim
  • Patent number: 7251926
    Abstract: A plate-fin type regenerative heat exchanger is provided which can prevent clogging of a flow passage caused by a drift of liquid phase water even when compressed air contains a large amount of moisture and liquid droplets. The plate-fin type regenerative heat exchanger comprises a corrugated fin channel for heating compressed air containing liquid droplets and a corrugated fin channel to which the compressed air containing no liquid droplets is supplied. A pitch of fin members of the former corrugated fin channel is set to the Laplace length, whereby bridging of the liquid droplets between the fin members can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanori Shibata, Shigeo Hatamiya, Nobuhiro Seiki, Tomomi Koganezawa, Katsuhiko Sagae, Hidefumi Araki
  • Patent number: 7226543
    Abstract: A rare earth metal oxysulfide represented by a general formula R2O2S (R denotes one kind or two or more kinds of rare earth elements to be selected from a group of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu, as wells as Y) is formed into spherical granules. The mean particle size of the granules is 0.05–1 mm and their relative density is 96% or over. The granules are used as a regenerative material at the liquid helium temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Konoshima Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yanagitani Takagimi, Nozawa Hoshiteru, Kagawa Katsunori
  • Patent number: 7222058
    Abstract: A method of modeling a heat exchanger is disclosed and comprises assigning input temperatures, assumed output temperatures, and a set of flow rates, inputting the parameters into a set of equations arranged to calculate a heat transfer coefficient, inputting parameters into a second set of equations arranged to calculate output temperatures, substituting actual output temperatures for the assumed output temperatures, and again calculating the heat transfer cooefficient. The new heat transfer coefficient is then used to obtain revised actual output temperatures, and the initial actual output temperatures and the revised actual output temperatures are compared to determine whether they differ by less than a desired variance. If not, a new iteration is performed until the output temperatures converge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: Fisher-Rosemount Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: John P. Miller
  • Patent number: 7114549
    Abstract: In a regenerator for a regenerative cycle machine, regenerator foil is grooved on both sides, with intersections of grooves on opposite side forming holes at which separate flows of fluid interact to induce flows ancillary to the overall direction of flow in the regenerator, thereby enhancing heat transfer to and from the material of the regenerator and improving thermodynamic performance of the gas cycle machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Inventor: Matthew P. Mitchell
  • Patent number: 7082748
    Abstract: A gas turbine installation which includes a compressor which compresses supplied air and discharges the same, a combustor which combusts the compressed air obtained from the compressor and fuel and produces combustion gas, a turbine which is driven by combustion gas provided from the combustor, a regenerative heat exchanger which heats all or a part of the compressed air being supplied from the compressor to the combustor by making use of the heat of the exhaust gas exhausted from the turbine and a plurality of water spraying devices which are provided at positions from an intake air chamber of the compressor to the outlet of low temperature side gas flow passage in the regenerative heat exchanger and is characterized in that the regenerative heat exchanger is constituted by connecting in series a plurality of heat exchangers having different heat transfer surface configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanori Shibata, Shigeo Hatamiya, Nobuhiro Seiki, Tomomi Koganezawa, Katsuhiko Sagae
  • Patent number: 7082987
    Abstract: A rotary regenerative heat exchanger includes a rotor having primary vanes 14 extending between the hub and the periphery of the rotor, and additional secondary vanes 15 between said primary vanes and extending over an outer annulus of the rotor. Such an arrangement facilitates having several of the primary and secondary vanes sealed with respect to a sector plate over the outer annulus as compared with the number of primary vanes sealing with the same sector plate over the inner annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignee: Howden Power Limited
    Inventor: John A. Hamilton
  • Patent number: 7080505
    Abstract: A vehicular atmosphere cleansing system utilizes a regenerative wheel having flow channels extending through the wheel coated with an adsorbant. An atmosphere stream passes through a first position dependent portion of the wheel where VOC's including HC's are adsorbed while a heated atmosphere stream passes through a second position dependent regenerative portion of the wheel whereat VOC's are desorbed. The adsorbant is activated carbon having particles of micropore size adhered to the substrate by a silicone binder producing high adsorption efficiencies while withstanding relatively high regenerative heat temperatures resulting from exhaust gas sensible heat. A hydrocarbon senses HC in the desorbed heated atmosphere stream to rotatively and sequentially index pie shaped, segmented portions of the wheel into the wheel's regenerative region while also functioning as the main component of an OBD device for the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Engelhard Corporation
    Inventors: Gerald S. Koermer, Jeffrey B. Hoke, Ronald M. Heck, Terence C. Poles, Edward T. Wolynic
  • Patent number: 7077187
    Abstract: A regenerative energy and/or mass exchange assembly has: an exchange media; a first flow path to pass a fluid stream through the exchange media; at least a second flow path to pass a further fluid stream through the exchange media; and at least one fluid stream diverter to divert the different flow paths to pass the respective fluid streams through different regions of the exchange media. A method for operating the regenerative assembly is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Hydrogenics Corporation
    Inventors: Joe Cargnelli, Jianming Ye, Xuesong Chen, Ravi B. Gopal
  • Patent number: 7077888
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for separating dust from flue gases from combustion plants, especially solid fuel combustion plants, comprising at least one dust filter via which the flue gases are guided, and by means of which the dust from the flue gases can be filtered out as it passes through the dust filter. In order to produce a device which separates dust in a highly efficient manner and which can be operated in a highly reliable manner and be used to heat combustion air for the combustion plant, the at least one dust filter is embodied as a bulk material filter in whose bulk material heat from the flue gases can be collected when the bulk material is cross-flown by the flue gases and by means of whose bulk material heat collected from the flue gases when the combustion air of the combustion plant flows through the bulk material filter can be given off to said combustion air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Harald Dichtl, Thomas Hagen, Roland Klaus, Jörg Lengert
  • Patent number: 7059385
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air condition device consisting of recovery cells (1, 2), an inlet (3) and exhaust ducts (4) leading to and from a room, an inlet (5) and exhaust ducts (6) located at the other end of the device and leading to and from the outdoor air, the air flows in the air conditioning device being controlled by means of rotating deflectors (7, 8). The deflectors (7, 8) consist of baffles fixed to different control axes (9, 10) and rotating about their axes, the air openings (11, 12) provided in the deflectors being located altematingly at the same recovery cell (1, 2), where the air flow directions are reversed periodically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: MG Innovations Corp.
    Inventor: Kari Moilala
  • Patent number: 7059386
    Abstract: Disclosed is an improved sealing element for a regenerative heat exchanging apparatus, such as a Ljungstrom™-type or a Rothemuhle™-type Preheater. The sealing element is mounted to a radial wall to provide a secure seal between the radial wall and an outer housing of the heat exchanging apparatus and prevent leakage between the hot gas conduit and cool air conduit. In one embodiment, the sealing element includes a reinforced mounting strip that is used to mount the sealing element to the radial wall. The sealing element also includes a sealing strip that maintains a sealing contact between the radial wall and outer housing and a support member that inhibits over-flexing of the sealing element. A set of bellows is positioned on the sealing element to provide the sealing element with flexibility and resiliency so that the sealing element maintains contact with the sealing surface even when the heat exchanging apparatus experiences warping and/or distortion from thermal stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Paragon Preheater Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Jackie L. Kaser
  • Patent number: 6983787
    Abstract: A recuperative exhaust-gas heat exchanger for a gas turbine engine is provided which has a crossflow/counterflow matrix around which the hot turbine exhaust gas flows, a distributing tube for directing the air delivered by a compressor into the crossflow/counterflow matrix and a collecting tube which is arranged parallel to the distributing tube and is intended for discharging the compressor air, heated via the crossflow/counterflow matrix, to a consumer. End faces of the distributing and collecting tubes which are remote from the compressor and consumer are closed. The closed end face of the collecting tube is firmly connected axially and radially to the turbine casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines GmbH
    Inventor: Harald Schoenenborn
  • Patent number: 6951110
    Abstract: An annular heat recuperator is formed with alternating hot and cold cells to separate counter-flowing hot and cold fluid streams. Each cold cell has a fluid inlet formed in the inner diameter of the recuperator near one axial end, and a fluid outlet formed in the outer diameter of the recuperator near the other axial end to evenly distribute fluid mass flow throughout the cell. Cold cells may be joined with the outlet of one cell fluidly connected to the inlet of an adjacent downstream cell to form multi-stage cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Capstone Turbine Corporation
    Inventor: Yungmo Kang
  • Patent number: 6889750
    Abstract: An apparatus for ventilation systems which include an element for the transfer of heat from warm exhaust air (taken from inside a building) to cooler exterior fresh air which is drawn into the building. During a defrost cycle, interior air may circulate through both of the fresh air and exhaust air paths for delivery back into the building, i.e. the warm interior air, used as defrost air, may be able to circulate from the interior of the building into the ventilation apparatus and back to the interior of the building. The apparatus can thus use interior air as defrost air while diminishing or avoiding the creation of a negative air pressure in the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Venmar Ventilation Inc.
    Inventors: Frederic Lagace, Jean-Francois Grondin, Pierre Cusson, Michel Julien, Daniel Marcoux
  • Patent number: 6880619
    Abstract: A heat treatment equipment having a heating chamber having a plurality of regenerative combustors provided with direct-fired burner having a built-in porous regenerator, for applying a heat treatment to an object in the heating chamber, wherein the substantial average surface pore diameter is not uniform for porous regenerators in a plurality of direct-fired burners or a plurality of regenerative combustors. By making contrivances in the shape of porous regenerators of the direct-fired burners or the regenerative heat exchangers arranged in an area where substances causing choking tend to easily adhere to make it difficult for such substances to adhere or prevent choking phenomenon from becoming apparent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignees: NKK Corporation, Nippon Furnace Kogyo Kaisha, Ltd., NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Suzukawa, Isao Mori, Masayasu Nagoshi, Takeshi Tada, Jun Sudo, Yoshiyuki Kasai, Kazuhiko Umehara
  • Patent number: 6854509
    Abstract: In a regenerator for a regenerative cycle machine, regenerator foil is grooved on both sides, with intersections of grooves on opposite side forming holes at which separate flows of fluid interact to induce flows ancillary to the overall direction of flow in the regenerator, thereby enhancing heat transfer to and from the material of the regenerator and improving thermodynamic performance of the gas cycle machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Inventor: Matthew P. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20040231823
    Abstract: A heat pump and hydrogen compression apparatus includes a heat exchange chamber through which a heating medium source circulates, a pair of hydrogen chambers formed on both sides of the heat exchange chamber, and hydrogen storage alloy pipe groups, one end portion of which imports into the pair of hydrogen chambers, and whose other end portion extends in a free state into the heat exchange chamber, and that form a pair whose one end portions that are on the side of the pair of hydrogen chambers are each fixed on that side, wherein the hydrogen storage alloy pipe groups have hydrogen storage alloy pipes provided a hydrogen storage alloy inside, the free end portion on the heat exchange chamber side of the hydrogen storage alloy pipe is closed off, and hydrogen circulation holes are opened in the end portions on the hydrogen chamber sides of the hydrogen storage alloy pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: IP TRADING JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20040231340
    Abstract: A porous solid substrate suitable for forming heat exchange elements and method for fabricating the substrate are provided. The porous solid substrate is usable in a regenerator or heat exchanger for exchanging thermal energy with a fluid flowing through elements formed from the substrate. Elements formed from the substrate are especially suitable for use in a regenerator matrix used in deep refrigeration cryocoolers based on the Stirling refrigeration cycle. The porous solid element substrate is formed from a plurality of thin screen sheets of interwoven stands of fine wire with each sheet having a thickness of substantially three times the diameter of the wire stands. Sheets are arraigned one above another with surfaces of adjacent sheets in mechanical contact. The sheets sintered in a high temperature high-pressure environment to form a composite element having sintered contact points between adjacent sheets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Uri Bin-Nun, Daniel L. Manitakos
  • Patent number: 6820681
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a heating regeneration type organic rotor member which comprises a honeycomb structural body capable of being continuously regenerated by heating upon rotational driving and remarkably improved in mechanical strength by using a fiber substrate essentially composed of organic fibers and which can efficiently adsorb and remove moisture and odor components in the air by the action of moisture adsorbent and active carbon carried on the fiber substrate, and to provide a method for producing the same. According to the present invention, there is provided a heating regeneration type organic rotor member which is produced by forming a functional substrate into a honeycomb structural body, the functional substrate comprising a fiber substrate containing organic fibers as an essential component and carrying thereon a moisture adsorbent and an active carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Paper Mills Limited
    Inventors: Katsushi Ohgami, Takehiko Ajima
  • Publication number: 20040194908
    Abstract: Appropriate amount of brazing material is put on each of inner and outer recessed portions of a first heat storing element. Then, the first heat storing element is placed close to and substantially parallel to a second heat storing element, and an inner projected portion of the second heat storing element is fitted into the inner recessed portion of the first heat storing element, and simultaneously an outer projected portion of the second heat storing element is fitted into the outer recessed portion of the first heat storing element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kudo Tomohide
  • Publication number: 20040188058
    Abstract: A heat exchanger system, for transferring waste heat from a stream of exhaust air produced in a dryer to a stream of fresh air directed to flow into the dryer, including a retriever, or retriever, comprising an array of a plurality of substantially mutually parallel, substantially vertical heat-transfer conduits having square cross-sections arrayed in alternating staggered rows relative to a perpendicular to the general direction of the flow of the stream of fresh air into the dryer, wherein each heat-transfer conduit is oriented to have one corner facing in the general direction of the flow of the stream of fresh air into the dryer. Associated structure for housing the retriever, supporting it in the flow of fresh air, and directing dryer exhaust air into the heat-transfer conduits is also included. The heat exchanger system is adaptable to a wide variety of dryers, and may be built-in.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Inventor: Harold Max Good
  • Publication number: 20040108095
    Abstract: A recuperative exhaust-gas heat exchanger for a gas turbine engine is provided which has a crossflow/counterflow matrix around which the hot turbine exhaust gas flows, a distributing tube for directing the air delivered by a compressor into the crossflow/counterflow matrix and a collecting tube which is arranged parallel to the distributing tube and is intended for discharging the compressor air, heated via the crossflow/counterflow matrix, to a consumer. End faces of the distributing and collecting tubes which are remote from the compressor and consumer are closed. The closed end face of the collecting tube is firmly connected axially and radially to the turbine casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Publication date: June 10, 2004
    Inventor: Harald Schoenenborn
  • Patent number: 6745822
    Abstract: A regenerator 24 formed of concentric layers of regenerator foil 61 assembled with unbonded joints 68 and 70 inside a generally cylindrical space 74 and method of inserting and installing foil 60 using foil rolling apparatus 16 and foil installation apparatus 22 employing an inflatable bladder 94 to press foil 60 against the wall of generally cylindrical space 74.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Inventor: Matthew P. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20040093877
    Abstract: A magnetic refrigerant material exhibits sufficiently great magnetocaloric effect at or near room temperature. The magnetic refrigerant material has an NiAs type hexagonal structure in a ferromagnetic phase. The magnetic refrigerant material includes a first element Mn, a second element As and a third element to substitute for a portion of the second element, and exhibits a magnetic phase transition in a temperature range from about 230 K to less than about 318 K.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Hirofumi Wada, Satoshi Hirosawa
  • Publication number: 20040088999
    Abstract: A heat transfer member having an external heat transfer member including an insertion hole having an adaptor ring inserted thereinto, and at least one of a base blocking protrusion and a grove blocking protrusion formed on a predetermined portion of the surface of the base confronting the inserted adaptor ring inside the insertion groove, for increasing the coupling strength of the external radiating member and the adaptor ring and the transition member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicants: LG Electronics Inc., Sunpower, Inc.
    Inventors: Reuven Unger, Dong Gon Hwang, Woo Suk Chung
  • Publication number: 20040089438
    Abstract: A heat exchanger (50) is provided for transferring heat between first and second fluids (52) and (54) having a maximum operating mass flow rate through the heat exchanger (50) and mass flow rates that are substantially proportional to each other. The heat exchanger (50) provides essentially constant outlet temperatures for the first and second fluids (52,54) for all of the flow rates within the operating spectrum of the heat exchanger (50) without the use of an active control system. The heat exchanger (50) is of particular use in the fuel processing system (36) of proton exchange membrane type fuel cell systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: Modine Manufacturing Co.,
    Inventors: Jeroen Valensa, Michael J. Reinke, Mark G. Voss
  • Publication number: 20040088973
    Abstract: In a Stirling cycle engine, a regenerator has a bobbin, a resin film wound around the outer surface of the bobbin, and a sheath fitted around the outer surface of the resin film and having a slit formed vertically therein. The resin film has one end fixed on the outer surface of the bobbin, and has the other end led out through the slit and fixed to an end surface of the slit or to the outer surface of the sheath. The sheath is press-fitted on the inner surface of the cylinderenclosure. Working gas flows between different layers of the resin film. This reduces the loss of heat due to gas leakage and thereby improves the heat exchange efficiency in the regenerator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventor: Shozo Tanaka
  • Patent number: 6732785
    Abstract: A joint connecting consecutive sheets of etched regenerator foil for a spiral-wrapped regenerator of a regenerative gas cycle machine such as a Stirling cycle engine or Stirling, pulse tube, or Gifford-McMahon cryocooler. The joint comprises a multiplicity of tabs on the end of one sheet of regenerator foil interlocked with a multiplicity of tabs on the end of another piece of regenerator foil. The joint is no thicker than the original thickness of the sheets of etched regenerator foil that it connects together, and the tabs substantially fill the holes into which they are locked, minimizing undesirable leakage through the joint after it has been incorporated in a regenerator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Inventor: Matthew P. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20040079515
    Abstract: Latent heat accumulator body with an outer shell body comprising of a hard plastic or elastomer, in particular a thermoplastic elastomer, which is processable by injection techniques and a filling comprising latent heat accumulator material which is located in the interior of the shell body and has a working temperature range covering a temperature span ranging from below to above phase change temperature, wherein the latent heat accumulator material is a gelatinous or solid mass in the working temperature range, independently of the temperature, and is introduced into the interior of the shell body by a two-component injection method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Klaus Fieback, Dirk Carsten Buttner
  • Patent number: 6715300
    Abstract: Several layers of fine mesh screen are diffusion bonded together to form a rigid disc or plate that is self supporting and is a flow smoother at the ends of a pulse tube expander. Layers range from fine screens on the surface facing the pulse tube to coarser screens that provide structural support without significantly adding to pressure drop across the screen assembly. The flow smoother is typically used in series with a heat exchanger at the warm end that rejects heat to ambient from the gas of the pulse tube and a heat exchanger at the cold end that receives heat from the load being cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Assignee: IGC-APD Cryogenics
    Inventor: Ralph C. Longsworth
  • Patent number: 6711902
    Abstract: An integrated-cycle power system and method, comprising thermal transfer assembly, recuperating heat exchanger assembly, heat integrator, thermal conduit assembly and gas turbine. The thermal transfer assembly receives heat emitted from the effluent of a heat source, wherein the heat is preferably in the form of high temperature gas. Within the thermal transfer assembly, the energy of the high temperature gas is transferred to a conductive medium carried within a thermal conduit assembly. Due to a thermal potential between the augmenting heat source effluent and the heat integrator, the augmenting heat-source energy is transferred to the heat integrator, wherein energy from a novel recuperating heat exchange assembly is integrated therewith and introduced into the combustion chamber of a gas turbine. The recuperating heat exchanger assembly receives exhaust heat from the gas turbine and recuperates this energy via the heat integrator back into the combustion chamber of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Inventor: Richard E. Douglas
  • Publication number: 20040055737
    Abstract: A joint connecting consecutive sheets of etched regenerator foil for a spiral-wrapped regenerator of a regenerative gas cycle machine such as a Stirling cycle engine or Stirling, pulse tube, or Gifford-McMahon cryocooler. The joint comprises a multiplicity of tabs on the end of one sheet of regenerator foil interlocked with a multiplicity of tabs on the end of another piece of regenerator foil. The joint is no thicker than the original thickness of the sheets of etched regenerator foil that it connects together, and the tabs substantially fill the holes into which they are locked, minimizing undesirable leakage through the joint after it has been incorporated in a regenerator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2002
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventor: Matthew P. Mitchell
  • Publication number: 20040031584
    Abstract: A heat exchange or mass transfer column in which the packing bed is formed from individual packing layers wherein the sheet metal plates of the packing have different thicknesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Applicant: JULIUS MONTZ GmbH
    Inventors: Egon Zich, Helmut Jansen, Thomas Rietfort, Bjorn Kaibel
  • Patent number: 6688113
    Abstract: A regenerator material for use inside a displacer of a Stirling cycle cryocooler includes a plurality of circular disks formed from a synthetic felt that is preferably polyester. The plurality of disks have an outer diameter that is greater than the inner diameter of the displacer. The plurality of circular disks form a stack within the displacer. The regenerator material minimizes operational variation between different cryocoolers. In addition, the regenerator material can be easily filled into the cryocooler displacer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2004
    Assignee: Superconductor Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wallace Y. Kunimoto, Arturo Soto