By Heating Of Pumped Fluid Patents (Class 417/207)
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Patent number: 11209194Abstract: A solar energy powered Stirling duplex cooler is presented which includes a Stirling engine and a Stirling cooler. The Stirling engine drives the Stirling cooler to produce cold temperatures for refrigeration or air conditioning. The Stirling duplex cooler includes a solar concentrator to focus high temperature solar radiation upon the Stirling engine expansion space. The Stirling duplex cooler further includes a thermal storage tank to receive and store heat rejected from the cooler expansion space. This stored heat is used to operate the cooler at night. A flywheel connected operatively to engine and cooler expansion space pistons and a crankshaft connected operatively to engine and cooler compression space pistons actuate the pistons to move a working fluid between the expansion and compression spaces.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2021Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: King Abdulaziz UniversityInventor: Majed Moalla Alhazmy
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Patent number: 11156389Abstract: A solar energy powered Stirling duplex cooler is presented which includes a Stirling engine and a Stirling cooler. The Stirling engine drives the Stirling cooler to produce cold temperatures for refrigeration or air conditioning. The Stirling duplex cooler includes a solar concentrator to focus high temperature solar radiation upon the Stirling engine expansion space. The Stirling duplex cooler further includes a thermal storage tank to receive and store heat rejected from the cooler expansion space. This stored heat is used to operate the cooler at night. A flywheel connected operatively to engine and cooler expansion space pistons and a crankshaft connected operatively to engine and cooler compression space pistons actuate the pistons to move a working fluid between the expansion and compression spaces.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2021Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: King Abdulaziz UniversityInventor: Majed Moalla Alhazmy
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Patent number: 10859321Abstract: A heat pipe includes an inlet through which a working fluid is injected. The inlet includes a non-sealed portion and a sealed portion connected to the non-sealed portion. The non-sealed portion and the sealed portion each include two outermost metal layers and a plurality of intermediate metal layers stacked between the outermost metal layers. The heat pipe further includes a porous body arranged in the inlet.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2018Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: Shinko Electric Industries Co., LTD.Inventor: Yoshihiro Machida
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Patent number: 10598052Abstract: The invention relates to a thermodynamic energy converter (1) with at least one first and one second volume element (10a, 10b) for enclosing a working medium (102) inside a variable inner volume, including a wall that divides the inner volume into heat exchanger compartments (110, 120) and a working compartment (200), wherein a partition (230) is formed inside the working compartment (200) which divides the working compartment (200) into a working chamber (210) supplied with the working medium (201) and a force transmission chamber (212) supplied with a displacement fluid (202), the heat exchanger compartments (110, 120) and the working chamber (210) are interconnected such that the working medium (102) inside the volume element (10a, 10b) has the same pressure, and each heat exchanger compartment (110, 120) is connected to the working chamber (210) via an inlet and an outlet that is formed separately from the inlet.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: March 24, 2020Assignee: Thermoelectric Industrial Solutions GmbHInventors: Christoph Ebert, Alexander Loos
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Patent number: 10502201Abstract: A method for operating a linear compressor includes providing a dynamic model for a motor of the linear compressor, estimating values for each unknown constant of a plurality of unknown constants of the dynamic model for the motor and repeatedly updating the estimate for each unknown constant of the plurality of unknown constants of the dynamic model for the motor in order to reduce an error between a measured value for the electrical dynamic model and an estimated valve for the electrical dynamic model.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2015Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Srujan Kusumba, Gregory William Hahn, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham
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Patent number: 10451000Abstract: A near adiabatic engine has four stages in a cycle: (1) a means of adiabatically expanding the working fluid during the downstroke from a high pressure/temperature level to a low level; (2) a means of cooling the working fluid at Bottom Dead Center (BDC); (3) a means of adiabatically compressing that fluid from a low pressure/temperature level at BDC to the higher level at Top Dead Center (TDC); and finally, (4) a means of passing that working fluid back to the high pressure/temperature source in a balanced pressure environment so as to minimize the resistance of that flow. This disclosure teaches the means of achieving (2) and (3) as follows: (2) a means is disclosed of BDC cooling of the expanded working fluid in the working chamber, and (3) a means is disclosed of adiabatically compressing the working fluid into the pump chamber before cycling the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2016Date of Patent: October 22, 2019Inventor: Barry W. Johnston
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Patent number: 10208741Abstract: A method for operating a linear compressor is provided. The method includes estimating an acceleration of the motor of the linear compressor using at least a robust integral of the sign of the error feedback. A position of the motor of the linear compressor when the motor of the linear compressor is at the bottom dead center point is also determined based at least in part on a measured current to the motor of the linear compressor and an estimated acceleration of the motor. The position of the motor of the linear compressor when the motor of the linear compressor is at a top dead center point is calculated based at least in part on the position of the motor of the linear compressor when the motor of the linear compressor is at the bottom dead center point and a stroke length of the motor of the linear compressor.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2015Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.Inventors: Srujan Kusumba, Gregory William Hahn, Michael Lee McIntyre, Joseph W. Latham
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Patent number: 10156203Abstract: A novel engine for producing power from a temperature differential with additional benefits of low cost, high efficiency, quiet operation minimal wear of components, and the ability to produce power or cooling from low grade heat sources.Type: GrantFiled: August 15, 2016Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: 1158988 BC Ltd.Inventor: James B. Klassen
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Patent number: 10016562Abstract: The present invention relates to method of manufacturing a fluid guiding assembly for a drug delivery device and to a respective fluid guiding assembly. Said method comprising the steps of: providing a first member having at least one recess in a first surface portion, at least partially filling the recess with a joining component at least partially protruding from the first surface portion of the first member, arranging a second member having a second surface portion adjacent to the first member such that first and second surface portions thereof face towards each other to form an interface area between the first and the second members, wherein the joining component comprises a material different to the material of the first and/or second member wherein at least one channel structure extending along the interface area is formed by at least one deepening of the first member and/or of the second member, selectively providing thermal energy to the joining component to bond together first and second members.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2012Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbHInventors: Marc Holtwick, Martin Haupt
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Patent number: 9951963Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid heat pump apparatus comprising: a housing having a first channel and a second channel formed therein; a dehumidifying rotor disposed in the housing; a heating unit disposed in the first channel and heating air passing therethrough; a cooling unit disposed in the second channel and selectively cooling air passing therethrough; a coolant circulating unit including a compressor, a first heat exchanger disposed in the second channel, a second heat exchanger, and a four-way valve; and a water circulating pipe through which water circulates and which is connected to the second heat exchanger for heat exchanging between the circulating water and coolant in the second heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: KYUNGDONG NAVIEN CO., LTDInventor: Dong Keun Lee
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Patent number: 9889239Abstract: A fluid collection system includes a disposable collection container configured to receive a disposable collection container. The fluid collection container may include a flexible liner configured to collapse during evacuation of the fluid from the liner. The system may include a receiving housing sized to receive the disposable collection container, the receiving housing including a cavity and a piston assembly positioned within the cavity, the piston including a piston check valve. The system includes a suction source connectable to the disposable collection container and a filter positioned between the suction source and the cavity. A first connecting line extends between a suction source opening, configured to communicate the suction source to the disposable collection container, and the filter. A first check valve connects to the first connecting line between the suction source opening and the filter.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2011Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: ALLEGIANCE CORPORATIONInventors: Thomas L. Michaels, Russell A. Johnson, Eric D. Hill, Hetal Patel, Brian T. Leadingham
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Patent number: 9797605Abstract: A heat pump system adjusts a degree of subcooling of an indoor-side heat exchanger in a heating priority mode, and adjusts any one of a degree of subcooling of a hot-water supply-side heat exchanger (water-side heat exchanger) and a discharge temperature of a compressor in a hot-water supply priority mode.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2013Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Shogo Tamaki, Ryo Oya
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Patent number: 9695807Abstract: The micropump includes continuous cylindrical separating pipes having at least two alternating stages of pipes of small radius and large radius connected in succession. Each pipe of a large radius has one end as a hot zone, and the opposite end as a cold zone. The pipes alternate straight pipes with a large radius and U-shaped curved pipes with a small radius. The relationship of the large radius (R) to the small radius (r) is in a range of R/r=2 to 10000, while the relationship of the temperature (T2) of a hot zone to the temperature (T1) of a cold zone is T2/T1=1.1 to 3.0. The length and radius measurements of a straight pipe and a U-shaped pipe ensure a given change in temperature of the gas from the temperature of the hot zone to the temperature of the cold zone.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2012Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignees: Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology State University (Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, MIPT), Federal State Budgetary Institution, Federal Agency for Legal Protection of Military, Special and Dual Use Intellectual Activity Results (FSBI-FALPIAR)Inventors: Yury Yrevich Kloss, Feliks Gregorevich Cheremisin, Denis Vladimirovich Martynov
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Patent number: 9566581Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide micro-fluidic systems and devices for use in performing various diagnostic and analytical tests. According to one embodiment, the micro-fluidic device includes a sample chamber for receiving a sample, and a reaction chamber for performing a chemical reaction. A bubble jet pump is structured on the device to control delivery of a fluid from the sample chamber to the reaction chamber. The pump is fluidically coupled to one or more chambers of the device using a fluidic channel such as a capillary. A valve may be coupled to one or more chambers to control flow into and out of those chambers. Also, a sensor may be positioned in one or more of the chambers, such as the reactant chamber, for sensing a property of the fluid within the chamber as well as the presence of a chemical within the chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2015Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: InCube Labs, LLCInventor: Mir A. Imran
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Patent number: 9446969Abstract: A system and method of water purification and transport driven by solar energy. The system includes an absorbent tank containing an adsorbent. The adsorbent absorbs water vapor from raw water at night. A heat exchanger cools the adsorbent. During the day, solar energy is focused at a cylindrical or oval shaped vessel of the adsorbent tank. As the temperature of the adsorbent increases, its capacity decreases, causing it to release purified water. The purified water is transferred to a storage tank. A transmission pipe containing adsorbent granules or capillaries transports the purified water into a product tank.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2015Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Inventors: Charles Redman, Robert Sabin
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Patent number: 9243624Abstract: The present invention relates to thermally driven pumps. More specifically, one embodiment of the present invention relates to the use of a thermoelectric material to create a thermally driven, bi-directional pump, such as a micro pump, with no moving parts using the thermal transpiration effect (a Knudsen pump). One embodiment of the thermally driven pump of the present invention utilizes a thermoelectric material to assist with the thermal transpiration process resulting in a substantially symmetrical, bidirectional pump. A thermoelectric module is used to induce a temperature gradient across a nanoporous article having at least one nanochannel thus creating fluid flow via thermal transpiration across the nanochannel.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2010Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: University of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.Inventors: Shamus McNamara, Kunal Pharas
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Patent number: 8933372Abstract: An engine pre-heater system comprising a housing having a passage extending therethrough for passage of coolant through the pre-heater. The housing provides at least one opening defined therein separate from the passage, and an electric heating element is inserted therein, the heating element projecting into the passage whereby the heating element is in direct contact with the coolant to heat it. The heating element is supplied with electrical power from a power source for enabling it to heat the coolant, and a lower end of the heating element is L-shaped, the lower end thus being substantially perpendicular in relationship to the remainder of the heating element, giving the heating element a greater surface area with which to contact, and thus heat the coolant. The engine pre-heater system is also operably able to heat the coolant, engine oil and transmission oil, therefore heating the coolant and warming the engine in a faster and more efficient manner for quick start-ups.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2009Date of Patent: January 13, 2015Assignee: Dynacurrent Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Ray King
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Patent number: 8891949Abstract: A micro-fluidic pump comprises one or more channels having an array of resistive heaters, an inlet, outlet and a substrate as a heat sink and a means of cooling the device. The pump is operated with a fire-to-fire delay and/or a cycle-to-cycle delay to control the pumping rate and minimize heating of liquid inside the pump during its operation.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2012Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: Lexmark International, Inc.Inventors: Eunki Hong, Steven Bergstedt, Yimin Guan
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Publication number: 20140298762Abstract: A class of devices using nanotubes and nano-shapes which can partially organize molecules in random motion to move either some selectively or all of them, to create pressure differences and hence motive forces, or cause air flow into pressurized area. Because Air is a cloud of particles separated by vacuum, the device in air can be used to create motive force pushing any form of vehicle, lifting force for any form of air vehicle, air compression, power source for any form of machine, conveyor or generator, using the solar energy stored in the air in the form of heat, 24 hours a day, worldwide.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2013Publication date: October 9, 2014Inventor: William A Kelley
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Patent number: 8794930Abstract: A solid-state device that is capable of imparting a directional momentum via thermoelectric microelements. High surface area is used to enhance the efficiency of heat transfer. The device can be operated in adiabatic mode in order to minimize thermal emissions. The thermoelectric microelements include at least a hot layer and a cold layer arranged in a stack and means for heating and/or cooling the hot and cold layers so that the cold layer has a lower temperature than the hot layer; and at least one through hole in the stack wherein an entire length of the through hole is up to 10 times of a mean free path of a gas in which the device is immersed and/or is not greater than 1500 nm.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2012Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: Game Changers, LLCInventors: Jason D. Sanchez, Piotr A. Garbuz, Andrew D. Zonenberg
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Publication number: 20140161633Abstract: A distributed thruster based gas compressor, the compressor including an enclosed housing having an inlet aperture exposed to a source of ambient gas; at least one pressure producing device formed over the inlet aperture and adapted to produce a pressure, the pressure producing device being formed of distributed thrusters, such as NMSET; a control unit coupled to the first pressure producing device; and wherein the control unit controls the pressure producing device to produce the pressure to cause the ambient gas to be compressed in the housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2012Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: Game Changers LLCInventors: Andrew D. Zonenberg, Jason D. Sanchez, Piotr A. Garbuz
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Patent number: 8744722Abstract: A snowmobile having an electronic oil pump fluidly connected to an oil tank thereof is disclosed. The electronic oil pump is fluidly connected to an engine of the snowmobile for delivering lubricant to the engine. An electronic control unit is electrically connected to the electronic oil pump for controlling actuation of the electronic oil pump. A method of operating an electronic oil pump is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2012Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Bombardier Recreational Products Inc.Inventors: Michel Bernier, Bruno Schuehmacher
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Patent number: 8727739Abstract: A liquid pump that includes a cylinder (2), an inlet valve (4) for feeding liquid into the cylinder, and a discharge valve (5) for discharging the liquid out of the cylinder. The liquid pump also includes a piston (3) sliding in said cylinder so as to draw said liquid into said cylinder and to expel the same outside the cylinder. Additionally, the liquid pump includes an electric circuit (7) for heating the cylinder, with at least one resistor (70, 71) for electrically heating the liquid in the cylinder. The resistor (70, 71) may be made in the form of an electrically conducting thin track deposited on or in the wall (20) of the cylinder (2). The heating may be initiated before the introduction of the liquid into the cylinder, and interrupted before the full discharge of the liquid out of the cylinder.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2010Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Gotec SAInventor: Vincent Grenon
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Publication number: 20140096686Abstract: Liquid pump (1) comprising: a cylinder (24), an inlet valve (47a) for feeding the liquid into said cylinder (24), a discharge valve (47b) for discharging the liquid out of said cylinder (24), a piston (52) actuated by a transmission tube (51) and sliding in said cylinder (24) so as to draw said liquid into said cylinder (24) and then to expel it from said cylinder (24). The cylinder (24) comprises at least one heating cartridge (41) in order to heat the liquid in said cylinder (24).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2013Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: Gotec SAInventors: Vincent Grenon, Denis Albrecht
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Publication number: 20140050593Abstract: Aspects of the invention provided herein include heat engine systems, methods for generating electricity, and methods for starting a turbo pump. In some configurations, the heat engine system contains a start pump and a turbo pump disposed in series along a working fluid circuit and configured to circulate a working fluid within the working fluid circuit. The start pump may have a pump portion coupled to a motor-driven portion and the turbo pump may have a pump portion coupled to a drive turbine. In one configuration, the pump portion of the start pump is fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit downstream of and in series with the pump portion of the turbo pump. In another configuration, the pump portion of the start pump is fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit upstream of and in series with the pump portion of the turbo pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2013Publication date: February 20, 2014Applicant: ECHOGEN POWER SYSTEMS, L.L.C.Inventor: Michael Louis Vermeersch
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Publication number: 20140037468Abstract: The micropump includes continuous cylindrical separating pipes having at least two alternating stages of pipes of small radius and large radius connected in succession. One end of the pipes constitutes a hot zone, and the opposite end constitutes a cold zone. The pipes alternate straight pipes with a large radius and U-shaped curved pipes with a small radius. The-relationship of the large radius of a straight pipe to the small radius (r) of a U-shaped pipe is in a range of R/r=2-10000, while the relationship of the temperature (T2) of a hot zone to the temperature (T1) of a cold zone is T2/T1=1.1-3.0. The length and radius measurements of a straight pipe and a U-shaped pipe are selected to ensure a given change in temperature of the gas from the temperature of the hot zone to the temperature of the cold zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2012Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicants: Moscow Institute of Physics and Tech. State Univ. (Moscow Institute of Physics and Tech., MIPT), Fed. State Budgetary Institution, Fed. Agency for Legal Protection of Military, Special and Dual UseInventors: Yury Yrevich Kloss, Feliks Gregorevich Cheremisin, Denis Vladimirovich Martynov
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Publication number: 20140007569Abstract: A compressor or expander has a variable-volume chamber with a heat exchanger located inside the chamber. The heat exchanger can have a helical structure and may be connected between walls of the chamber that move relative to one another during compression or expansion. The heat exchanger comprises a passage containing a heat exchange fluid. The heat exchange fluid may add heat to or remove heat from a gas being expanded or compressed. Embodiments may provide isothermal or near isothermal compression or expansion.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 4, 2013Publication date: January 9, 2014Inventor: Donald Gayton
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Publication number: 20140003967Abstract: An apparatus for heating a fluid such as engine oil includes an auxiliary pump, a conduit connected to the auxiliary pump and provides fluid communication from the auxiliary pump and an aperture in the conduit. In use the auxiliary pump contains the fluid. A first portion of the fluid is pumped into the conduit by the auxiliary pump and a second portion of the fluid remains in the auxiliary pump. The aperture restricts the flow of the first portion of the fluid in the conduit. The second portion of the fluid is heated due to friction between the second portion of the fluid and the pump. There is also described a method of heating a fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2013Publication date: January 2, 2014Inventors: Ian Graham Pegg, Roland Paul Stark
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Patent number: 8469676Abstract: A compressor for compressing a gas. The compressor receives the gas at a base pressure from a source and provides the gas at a higher pressure to a target. The compressor includes a series of pressure vessels and a one-way valve between the vessels, where a first pressure vessel is coupled to the source and a last pressure vessel is coupled to the target. For one period of time, every other pressure vessel in the series is heated starting with the pressure vessel coupled to the source. As the pressure in the heated pressure vessels increases as a result of the heat, the gas is sent to a next pressure vessel in the series of pressure vessels. After some period of time, the other alternating sequence of pressure vessels is heated to move the gas along the series of pressure vessels from the source to the target.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2010Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventor: Ian J. Sutherland
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Publication number: 20130011322Abstract: We have described herein a method and associated apparatus that can halt global warming with significant economic benefits. They include (1), re-scrub half the carbon dioxide emitted from calcining baking soda into soda ash to produce twice as much soda ash and twice as much ammonium chloride as comparing with the standard Solvay ammonia soda ash process; Use the ammonium chloride as sugarcane fertilizer producing fuel ethanol, and bagasse, a photosynthesized bio-fuel from carbon dioxide already presented in the earth atmosphere for power generation, and (2), expand the sugarcane plantation areas into desert oasis using desert heat to produce distilled water for irrigation, pumped by solar heated hydraulic press pumps to supplement insufficient rain forest resources on earth's continents to accelerate reaching “carbon neutral” on capture annually twenty five billion tons of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from earth atmosphere economically.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2011Publication date: January 10, 2013Inventor: Hsiao-Yuan Li
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Patent number: 8337170Abstract: A system for raising water from an underground source of water to an aboveground tank includes a plurality of capillary tubes for raising water from the underground source to a first water level, a pipe for raising water from the first water level to an above ground tank, the aboveground tank is painted black to absorb the sun's rays and is tilted with an elevated proximal end so that water in the tank runs down to its distal end. A tap is provided in the distal end for drawing water out of the tank. The tank also includes two one way valves, one in an upper portion of the distal end for allowing heated air to escape and one in a lower portion of the distal end to allow water to be drawn up into the tank as heated air cools. A solar powered rechargeable battery can be used to power a positive displacement pump.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2010Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Inventor: Mohammad A. Abdullah
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Publication number: 20120317995Abstract: A pump for conveying a cryogenic fluid from a tank into a container which is under a higher pressure. The pump includes a cylinder having a piston which defines a low-temperature chamber and a high-temperature chamber in the cylinder such that during a first stroke movement of the piston, the volume of the low-temperature chamber decreases and the volume of the high-temperature chamber increases correspondingly, and during a second stroke movement of the piston which runs in the opposite direction of the first stroke movement, the volume of the high-temperature chamber decreases and the volume of the low-temperature chamber increases correspondingly.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2012Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: MAGNA STEYR Fahrzeugtechnik AG & Co KGInventors: Klaus BRUNNHOFER, Walter PESCHKA
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Publication number: 20120244017Abstract: A heat driven liquid close-loop automatic circulating system is provided. This system circulates the liquid in a close-loop by the collected heat in the loop. The system may operate without external power for the pump. The heat driven liquid close-loop automatic circulating system may employ a modified self-powered pump for heated liquid. The pump includes an airtight container for containing the heated liquid, a inlet and a outlet of the heated liquid, further more the modified self-powered pump has a breathing channel with a liquid vapour condensing and reflux structure. The heat driven liquid close-loop automatic circulating system may be a solar heated liquid close-loop automatic circulating system with a solar heat collector.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 23, 2010Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicant: W&E International (Canada) Corp.Inventor: Huazi Lin
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Publication number: 20120237364Abstract: A solid-state device that is capable of imparting a directional momentum via thermoelectric microelements. High surface area is used to enhance the efficiency of heat transfer. The device can be operated in adiabatic mode in order to minimize thermal emissions.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2012Publication date: September 20, 2012Applicant: GAME CHANGERS, LLCInventors: Jason D. Sanchez, Piotr A. Garbuz, Andrew D. Zonenberg
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Publication number: 20120207625Abstract: The present invention relates to thermally driven pumps. More specifically, one embodiment of the present invention relates to the use of a thermoelectric material to create a thermally driven, bi-directional pump, such as a micro pump, with no moving parts using the thermal transpiration effect (a Knudsen pump). One embodiment of the thermally driven pump of the present invention utilizes a thermoelectric material to assist with the thermal transpiration process resulting in a substantially symmetrical, bidirectional pump. A thermoelectric module is used to induce a temperature gradient across a nanoporous article having at least one nanochannel thus creating fluid flow via thermal transpiration across the nanochannel.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2010Publication date: August 16, 2012Applicant: UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.Inventors: Shamus McNamara, Kunal Pharas, Chakravarthy Yamarthy, Alex Schultz
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Patent number: 8136553Abstract: A microfluidic circuit comprising microchannels (24, 26) containing different fluids (F1, F2), with a laser beam being focused at (32) on an interface (30) between the fluids so as to form a pump, a valve, or a mixer, for example.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2005Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignees: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ecole PolytechniqueInventors: Charles Baroud, Jean-Pierre Delville, Régis Wunenburger, Patrick Huerre
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Patent number: 8035064Abstract: The product is basically a heating blanket that is adapted in size to fit around a canister of refrigerant used to recharge heat pumps, air conditioners and refrigerators in a commercial or home setting. The blanket has a heating element within it which heats the canister when placed around the canister. From one corner of the blanket is an electrical cord which runs to a small control unit and then to a plug that fits a common 110 voltage household outlet. The control unit consists of a fitting that is designed to be attached to the valve on the top of the refrigerant canister. This fitting is attached to a pressure sensitive valve that sense the pressure of the refrigerant that passes through the valve. This pressure sensitive valve turns off the flow of electric to the blanket when the gas hits a certain pressure.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2006Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Inventor: Craig Fish
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Patent number: 7980828Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEM) pump is disclosed which includes a porous silicon region sandwiched between an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber. The porous silicon region is formed in a silicon substrate and contains a number of pores extending between the inlet and outlet chambers, with each pore having a cross-section dimension about equal to or smaller than a mean free path of a gas being pumped. A thermal gradient is provided along the length of each pore by a heat source which can be an electrical resistance heater or an integrated circuit (IC). A channel can be formed through the silicon substrate so that inlet and outlet ports can be formed on the same side of the substrate, or so that multiple MEM pumps can be connected in series to form a multi-stage MEM pump. The MEM pump has applications for use in gas-phase MEM chemical analysis systems, and can also be used for passive cooling of ICs.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2007Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: Sandia CorporationInventors: Jeffrey W. Lantz, Harold L. Stalford
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Patent number: 7942643Abstract: The present fluid pumping method for micro-fluidic devices uses gas bubbles to move fluid by light beams. The light beams are emitted to the fluid near the gas bubble through an optically transparent cover and correspondingly heat the fluid in the micro channels. The liquid temperature variation changes the surface tension of the gas bubble near the heated fluid side, therefore, a pressure gradient between the end portions of the gas bubble generates accordingly. By moving the light beams, the moved pressure difference will be achieved, which will drive the gas bubbles and pump the fluid. Such a fluid pumping can simplify the structure of a micro-fluidic device and eliminate heat loss because of using a controllable light beam.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2004Date of Patent: May 17, 2011Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hye-jung Cho, Natalia Ivanova
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Patent number: 7942644Abstract: A capillary pump is provided for producing pressurized and unpressurized vapor emissions from liquid feed. In its simplest form, the capillary pump incorporates a liquid feed intake, a porous vaporization component, and a heat transfer component. Additional components, such as an insulator component, a feed pre-heat component, a liquid feed reservoir and/or delivery system, an integrated or associated heater component, a vapor collection chamber, a heat distribution component, an orifice component and/or vapor release component, may also be associated with or integrated in the improved capillary pumps. Capillary pump arrays are provided, and numerous applications for capillary pumps are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2008Date of Patent: May 17, 2011Assignee: Vapore, Inc.Inventors: Thomas M. Young, Mark Richardson, Robert A. Lerner, Barry H. Rabin
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Patent number: 7931019Abstract: A self-powered pump for heated liquid is provided. The pump includes an airtight container for containing the heated liquid. A heated liquid inlet pipe extends upwardly into the container such that its end is within the container. A heated liquid outlet is lower than the end of the inlet pipe. A breathing pipe extends upwardly into the container such that its end is within the container and is higher than both of the outlet and the end of the inlet pipe but lower than an interior side of the container top. An opposite end of the breathing pipe is outside the container, lower than the container base, and is received by an open container such that the opposite end can become submerged in heated liquid accumulated within the open container during pump operation. A fluid or liquid heating system incorporating the self-powered pump may operate without external power for the pump.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2009Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Inventor: Huazi Lin
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Patent number: 7918370Abstract: A portable fluid delivering system is provided. The system comprises a container, a heat source, a flow rate regulating device and a delivery tube. The container has a containing space for a fluid to be delivered, in a liquid state at room temperature. The heat source provides an elevated vapor pressure in the containing space over the fluid to be delivered, whereby the fluid to be delivered is driven at a desirable rate along the delivery tube.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2007Date of Patent: April 5, 2011Assignee: Green Hydrotec Inc.Inventors: Guan Ting Yeh, Hang Fu Wang, Chia Yeh Hung, Min Hon Rei
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Patent number: 7909583Abstract: A pump device and a pump unit of the pump device. The pump device includes a low-temperature flat plate group (low-temperature portion) having a plurality of flat plates as low-temperature objects arranged parallel with each other at specified intervals in a direction crossing a flow passage for a gas; a high-temperature flat plate group (high-temperature portion) having a plurality of flat plates as high-temperature objects arranged parallel with each other at specified intervals in a direction crossing the flow passage; and, a temperature-operating device operating the temperature of at least one of these flat plate groups so that a temperature difference occurs between these flat plate groups. The flat plates are displaced from each other in the flow direction of the flow passage, and a heat insulating layer is interposed between the low-temperature flat plates and the high-temperature flat plates.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2005Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Osaka Vacuum, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroshi Sugimoto, Yoshio Sone, Tetsuro Ohbayashi
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Patent number: 7896621Abstract: Provided is a micro pump having a simple structure. The micro pump includes a pump chamber including inflow and outflow passages through which a drive fluid flows, a first valve configured to open or close the inflow passage, a second valve configured to open or close the outflow passage, and a pump chamber heating and cooling unit configured to heat or cool the pump chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2005Date of Patent: March 1, 2011Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tae-sik Park, Young-il Kim, Jung-ho Kang, Moon-chul Lee
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Patent number: 7882832Abstract: Various embodiments of a fluid displacement system are disclosed. The system may include a reservoir containing a fluid in a liquid state and a first chamber hydraulically connected to the reservoir to receive the fluid from the reservoir. The first chamber may be configured to receive solar energy and configured to convert the received solar energy to vaporize the fluid. The system may also include a second chamber hydraulically connected to the first chamber to receive the vaporized fluid from the first chamber. The second chamber may be configured to condense the vaporized fluid, causing depressurization in the second chamber. The system may also include a hydraulic connection between the second chamber and a source of fluid to be displaced. The system may be configured such that the depressurization of the second chamber may cause fluid in the source of fluid to be displaced through the hydraulic connection.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2005Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Inventor: Claudio Filippone
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Publication number: 20100239436Abstract: A thermal pump for moving a sample fluid to and through an analyzer. The pump may have a lack of moving mechanical parts when pumping except for check valves. The thermal pump may have in lieu of each mechanical check valve a thermal or fluid mechanism that effectively operates as a valve without mechanical parts. The present thermal pump may be fabricated with MEMS technology. The pump may be integrated into a concentrator and/or separator of a fluid analyzer chip.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2006Publication date: September 23, 2010Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Ulrich Bonne, Robert Higashi, Tom Rezachek
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Patent number: 7798164Abstract: A method of microfluidic control via localized heating includes providing a microchannel structure with a base region that is partially filled with a volume of liquid being separated from a gas by a liquid-gas interface region. The base region includes one or more physical structures. The method further includes supplying energy input to a portion of the one or more physical structures within the volume of liquid in a vicinity of the liquid-gas interface region to cause localized heating of the portion of the one or more physical structures. The method also includes transferring heat from the portion of the one or more physical structures to surrounding liquid in the vicinity of the liquid-gas interface region and generating an interphase mass transport at the liquid-gas interface region or across a gas bubble while the volume of liquid and the gas remain to be substantially at ambient temperature.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2008Date of Patent: September 21, 2010Assignee: California Institute of TechnologyInventors: James Adleman, David A. Boyd, David G. Goodwin, Demetri Psaltis
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Patent number: 7740454Abstract: A simple structured thermal actuation pump for reducing energy loss is provided. The thermal actuation pump includes: a first chamber having at least one working fluid inlet and at least one working fluid outlet; a second chamber having at least one working fluid inlet and at least one working fluid outlet; and a thermoelectric element arranged between the first chamber and the second chamber and including one side being cooled and the other side being heated according to a direction of current for changing inside pressures of the first chamber and the second chamber.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2005Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tae-gyun Kim, Young-ki Hong
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Publication number: 20100119360Abstract: The description relates to a heatable pump housing part comprising a heat distribution sheet fixed on the housing part and a tubular heating element fixed on the heat distribution sheet. According to the invention the tubular heating element is positioned in a groove or a step on the housing part that is covered by the heat distribution sheet.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2009Publication date: May 13, 2010Inventors: Daniel Bredl, Ulrich Schlachter, Christian Spiegel, Armin Lang
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Patent number: 7607898Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for pressurizing a fluid and delivering a gas comprising a pump, an accumulator and a heater such that the pump pressurizes a quantity fluid received from a fluid store and delivers that pressurized fluid to an accumulator. The accumulator then delivers a quantity of the pressurized fluid to a heater that, in turn, warms the fluid to a gas within a specified temperature and pressure range to be delivered to the end user as required. The invention further relates to a method of delivering a gas at a desired pressure and temperature wherein a quantity of fluid is received, pressurized and stored as a fluid in an accumulator storage vessel at a desired pressure. The fluid is then delivered from the accumulator to a heater where it is warmed and delivered to the end user as a gas at specified temperature and pressure.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2002Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Assignee: Westport Power Inc.Inventors: Stephen D. Noble, Thomas C. Brook, Daniel J. H. Brennan, Valerie Nadia LeBlanc