Abstract: A system for heating large volumes of liquid in an industrial or commerical tank. The system includes a gas fired heat generating sender located adjacent the tank, a heating element or receiver means located in the tank, and a closed loop heat transfer circuit having a heating and vaporization zone within which a working fluid is heated and vaporized by the heat generating sender. The closed loop heat transfer circuit also includes a condensation zone which is located within the receiver and within which the vapor is circulated and condensed for transferring heat to the receiver and the liquid in the tank. The sender includes a radiant burner whose products of combustion are exhausted downwardly past a liquid inlet line to preheat the liquid before the liquid enters the tank for subsequent heating by the working fluid in the receiver.

Abstract: A passive heat transfer system is provided wherein the vapor generated by the boiling of a working fluid is harnessed to transport the working fluid from a heat source to a heat sink below the heat source. A passive circulation unit is installed in a heat transfer system between the outlet port of a heat collector and a collector drain duct that leads to a heat sink that is positioned below the heat collector. In preferred embodiments, a collector feed duct permits fluid to return to the heat collector from the heat sink and a check valve prevents flow in the opposite direction. The passive circulation unit includes an upper chamber and a lower chamber disposed in vertical array, with the lower end of the lower chamber being positioned above the heat collector outlet port. In the simplest embodiment the two chambers are connected by a vent duct that leads from the bottom region of the lower chamber to the top region of the upper chamber.

Abstract: A method for thermally pumping volatile liquids and a pump for use therewith. The pump has an inlet liquid cooled pump chamber having therein a porous inlet membrane and a porous exit membrane defining between them a pump volume. The membranes are permeable to the liquid phase of the fluid being pumped but, when saturated with liquid, are not permeable to the vapor phase of the fluid. A passive check valve system permitting the passage of liquid but preventing the passage of vapor therethrough is thus formed by the membranes. A baffle plate with a heater located in a concavity therein is positioned in the pump volume adjacent the inlet membrane. The pump output is connected to the inlet of a suitable heat transfer system preferably of the heat-pipe type. With the pump filled with liquid, pumping is initiated by turning on the heater, forming a vapor bubble in the liquid in the pump volume.

Abstract: A boiler tank (1) for a hot-water heating system comprises first (2) and second (7) partitions, defining first (4), second (9), and third (10) chambers. Inlet (6) and outlet (6') pipes communicate with the second chamber, a transfer conduit (3) intercommunicates the first and second chambers, and an opening (8) intercommunicates the second and third chambers.