Indirect Heat Transfer Liquid, E.g., Brine Patents (Class 62/185)
  • Publication number: 20080156009
    Abstract: A refrigeration appliance system for a residential kitchen having multiple separate refrigerating modules and a single, continuously operating variable capacity central cooling unit with a variable speed compressor for chilling a cooling medium. A cooling medium circuit supplies cooling medium to the plurality of refrigerating modules from the central cooling unit. Flow control devices control flow of cooling medium to the refrigerating modules. A control circuit controls the central cooling unit and the temperature in the refrigerating modules. The refrigerating modules can be refrigerator, freezer or refrigerator freezer modules. The cooling medium can be air, cooling liquid or refrigerant. A below freezing freezer module having an insulated freezer cabinet, a freezer compressor, a freezer condenser and a freezer evaporator can be combined with the refrigeration appliance system for providing 0° F. freezer storage without requiring the central cooling unit to provide 0° F. cooling medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nihat O. Cur, Steven John Kuehl
  • Patent number: 7370486
    Abstract: An air-treatment system includes a cooling circuit, a first heat exchanger in thermal communication with the cooling circuit, and a secondary circuit in thermal communication with the first heat exchanger. The air-treatment system also includes a controller in communication with at least one of the cooling circuit, the first heat exchanger, and the secondary circuit. The controller is operable to receive at least one input indicative of a desired ambient condition, operable to receive at least one input indicative of current ambient conditions, operable to receive at least one input indicative of at least one of the cooling circuit operation and secondary circuit operation, and operable to change the operation of at least one of the cooling circuit and the secondary circuit when the current ambient condition is outside of a desired operation condition range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Thomas Grimm, Dan Alan Spurgeon, Sean Ronald Motszko, Norval P. Thomson, Ryan Patrick McEnaney
  • Publication number: 20080092577
    Abstract: A centralized cooling system can selectively deliver individualized cooling to individual electrical load units. The system can provide direct cooling from a manifold of cooling outlets in a controlled manner based on the sensed electrical loads of particular load units. A branch monitoring system monitors the load on electrical feeds that are coupled to electrical load units. A controller is coupled to the branch monitoring system and provides output to control a cooling unit. At least one control valve is further coupled to the controller downstream of the cooling unit generally at each cooling outlet to control an amount of cooling fluid, such as air or liquid, directed to one or more of the units. If a load changes for a given unit, the controller can actuate a cooling valve coupled to a corresponding cooling outlet and alter the amount of cooling fluid flowing into or around the unit(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: LIEBERT CORPORATION
    Inventor: James K. MARTIN
  • Patent number: 7356997
    Abstract: The chilled water storage for milk cooling process encompasses methods for chilling liquids during off peak hours for later consumption, including a method for cooling the interior of a building while conserving energy during peak demand hours, in which water is chilled in a water chiller during the off-peak electrical demand hours, then stored in an insulated tank until peak electrical demand hours. The stored cold water is then pumped through a heat exchanger connected to the ventilation system in the building to cool the air in the building. The water then passes into a second storage tank, where it is held until off-peak hours. A plurality of multi-directional valves automatically control the water flow through the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Inventors: Duane A. Gruber, Michael E. Gruber
  • Patent number: 7296429
    Abstract: There is provided an energy recovery apparatus capable of recovering a hydraulic energy in a regenerative air-conditioning system including a pressure sustaining valve and capable of coping with a discharge change caused by variation in air-conditioning load, the air-conditioning system being capable of carrying out normal operation even in a case where the energy recovery apparatus fails. The energy recovery apparatus is configured so as to feed water from a water tank to air-conditioning loads such as a heat source or a fan coil at a higher place through a feed pipe line by a pump and to lead the water passed through the air-conditioning loads into the water tank via a return pipe line including the pressure sustaining valve, a branch pipe line is disposed so as to branch into the water tank from the return pipe line in upstream of the pressure sustaining valve, and the energy recovery apparatus is connected in to the branch pipe line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Tanaka, Yukihiro Fujita, Eiji Koyama, Kouich Satou
  • Publication number: 20070204637
    Abstract: A brine-type cooling apparatus applied to a vehicle equipped with a vehicle air conditioning case 11, a blower 13, and an air conditioner control ECU 23 as air conditioner controlling means, said brine type cooling apparatus comprising a heat absorbing member 8 for absorbing heat from an electronic equipment 7, a heat radiating member 2 for discharging the absorbed heat, a brine pipeline 6 and a circulation pump 9, and a cooling apparatus control ECU 30 as cooling apparatus controlling means. Even when the air conditioner control ECU 23 stops the blower 13 as air conditioner control, an air flow rate is controlled to set an airflow rate of the blower 13 to a predetermined flow rate based on the brine temperature detected by an inlet water temperature sensor 32.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Publication date: September 6, 2007
    Applicant: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Takahisa Fujii, Yuji Ito, Yasuhiko Niimi, Takashi Yamamoto, Eiichi Kamei, Takahiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7216496
    Abstract: There is provided a heating medium circulating apparatus which is small and which does not require a very large installation space. In a heating medium circulating apparatus wherein a temperature controlling object being an object to be temperature-controlled, a main heat exchanger 88 for carrying out main heat exchange with a heating medium, and a circulating pump 84 are provided in a heating medium circulating system 78, a sub-heat exchanger 96 using a thermoelectric element 100 is provided in the heating medium circulating system downstream of the main heat exchanger to control the temperature of the heating medium. Thus, the apparatus itself is small, and the installation space is not very large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventor: Koichi Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7207183
    Abstract: A capacity control algorithm for a multiple compressor liquid chiller system is provided wherein the speed and number of compressors in operation are controlled in order to obtain a leaving liquid temperature setpoint. In response to an increase in the load in the chiller system, the algorithm determines if a compressor should be started and adjusts the operating speed of all operating compressors when an additional compressor is started. In response to a decrease in the load in the chiller system with multiple compressors operating, the algorithm determines if a compressor should be de-energized and adjusts the operating speed of all remaining operating compressors when a compressor is de-energized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: York International Corp.
    Inventors: Curtis Christian Crane, Israel Federman
  • Patent number: 7198766
    Abstract: Chilled coolant is prepared by liquid coolant utilizing the latent heat generated by a gasification of liquefied propylene, for example, and this chilled coolant is used in heat exchangers which are used in a process for production of acrylic acid or acrolein. This method allows effective utilization of the latent heat which used to be discarded and permits a reduction of energy consumption of cooling required separately in the step for production. By recovering the chilled coolant with the liquid coolant, it makes possible to stabilize the gasification of propylene, etc. and consequently stabilize the production of acrylic acid. This invention consists of providing the method for the production of acrylic acid, etc. and the apparatus which make effective use of the latent heat generated in the steps of production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuto Okazaki, Yukihiro Matsumoto, Kazuhiko Sakamoto, Osamu Dodo
  • Patent number: 7194870
    Abstract: A dehumidifier includes a compressor delivering hot compressed refrigerant, a desuperheater coil receiving refrigerant from the compressor and condensing same, a condenser coil receiving refrigerant from the desuperheater coil and condensing same, an expansion device receiving refrigerant from the condenser coil and expanding same, and an evaporator coil receiving refrigerant from the expansion device and evaporating same and delivering the refrigerant to the compressor, in a refrigeration cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Bou-Matic Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Timothy S. O'Brien, Steve S. Dingle
  • Patent number: 7168258
    Abstract: A real temperature output air conditioner which lowers the ambient temperature of an interior space to a desired temperature and, once that has been achieved, delivers a constant flow of air at that specific temperature thereto. The present invention further includes a reservoir within the evaporator unit in which the evaporator coils and heater element are immersed. The evaporator coils and heat element act upon the fluid wherein thermal transfer to the ambient air is enhanced and dissipated to the interior space by the evaporator fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Inventor: Osama Othman Mostaeen Al-Khateeb
  • Patent number: 7137264
    Abstract: The liquid galley refrigeration system for cooling food carts for aircraft employs an intermediate working fluid to transfer heat from one or more food carts to one or more remote chillers, allowing the carts and chillers to be advantageously distributed in the aircraft. A plurality of heat exchanges effect a cooling of the carts wherein heat from the food cart is first transferred to a first airflow; heat from the first airflow is then transferred to an intermediate working fluid that is circulated between a location immediately adjacent the food carts and a remote chiller; heat from the intermediate working fluid is subsequently transferred to the chiller working fluid; and finally, heat from the chiller working fluid is expelled. While the chiller working fluid undergoes a phase change in order to transfer heat from the intermediate working fluid to the cooling air, the intermediate working fluid remains in its liquid phase throughout its circulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: BE Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: George Simadiris, Ian Douglas Oswald
  • Patent number: 7134293
    Abstract: An apparatus for cooling a live well includes a cooling chamber, and a pump connected in fluid communication between the cooling chamber and the live well for circulating water between the live well and the cooling chamber. At least one thermoelectric cooler is positioned in a heat exchange relationship with the cooling chamber for removing heat from the cooling chamber and from water circulating in the cooling chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: R&R Design, Inc.
    Inventor: Clifford R. Rabal
  • Patent number: 7073341
    Abstract: An air conditioner is provided that includes an exhaust heat recovery unit for recovering exhaust heat in a heat transfer medium, a heat transfer medium passage in which the heat transfer medium outputted from the exhaust heat recovery unit flows, an auxiliary heating device, heats the heat transfer medium, an absorption chiller driven by heat of the heat transfer medium, a refrigerant passage, through which a refrigerant outputted from the absorption chiller flows, an indoor unit to which the refrigerant is supplied through the refrigerant passage, a heat transfer medium temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the heat transfer medium flowing through the heat transfer medium passage, a refrigerant temperature detector for detecting the temperature of the refrigerant flowing through the refrigerant passage, and a control portion for controlling an operation of driving the auxiliary heating device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Tongu, Tomiyuki Matsukiyo, Kazuhei Arita, Yoshihiro Ichino, Masato Ogai, Akira Yamauchi, Takayuki Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7073342
    Abstract: The whole main tank for housing the constant temperature liquid the temperature of which is adjusted by a temperature adjusting device is supported in a sub tank with a gap as a heat insulating layer around the main tank. A liquid level regulating mechanism supplies and discharges the constant temperature liquid between inside of the main tank and the gap formed in the sub tank to thereby achieve heat insulation and regulation of the liquid level of the constant temperature liquid housed in the main tank by utilizing the same gap in the sub tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: SMC Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuo Sakaguchi, Hirohito Niimi
  • Patent number: 7032396
    Abstract: A cooling method for controlled high speed chilling or freezing is disclosed. Cooling fluid is circulated by a submersed circulator, such as a motor, at a substantially constant velocity past a substance to be cooled . The velocity of fluid flow is maintained despite changes in the viscosity of the cooling fluid, by either increasing or decreasing the amount of torque supplied by the motor. The cooling fluid is cooled to a desired temperature by circulating the fluid past a multi-path heat exchanging coil connected to a refrigeration system. An optimal cooling fluid temperature for a variety of applications is in the range of about ?24° C. to ?26° C., resulting in significant efficiency gains over conventional cooling processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Supachill Technologies Pty. Ltd.
    Inventors: Brian Wood, Allan J. Cassell
  • Patent number: 7028768
    Abstract: A method of controlling a hydronic system is provided. The hydronic system includes a plurality of fluid heat exchange units for feeding a load, and a bypass valve for bypassing the load. The method includes operating at least a first and a second fluid heat exchange unit in the hydronic system to heat or cool a fluid. An output fluid flow of each of the operating fluid heat exchange units is monitored. The monitored output fluid flow of each fluid heat exchange unit is compared to a predetermined fluid flow setpoint. The output fluid flow of each of the operating fluid heat exchange units is adjusted towards the predetermined fluid flow setpoint if the monitored output flow is different from the predetermined fluid flow setpoint by at least a predetermined margin. A combined output fluid flow of the operating fluid heat exchange units is also monitored. The bypass valve is at least partially opened if the combined output fluid flow is below a predetermined minimum combined output fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Dennis Aler, James Jin-Hao Gu, Karen Jo Sanchez
  • Patent number: 7000416
    Abstract: a cooling apparatus 110 comprises a primary refrigerant circulating circuit which allows a primary refrigerant CW1 whose temperature is adjusted by a heat exchanger 138 to circulate through an electrode to adjust a temperature of the electrode, a secondary refrigerant circulating circuit which supplies a secondary refrigerant CW2 to the heat exchanger to adjust the temperature of the primary refrigerant, and a freezing circuit 140 which has a first heat exchanger 141 interposed in the secondary refrigerant circulating circuit and which adjust a temperature of the secondary refrigerant by a tertiary refrigerant. The temperature of the primary refrigerant is adjusted by the secondary refrigerant without adjusting the temperature using the freezing circuit. When a temperature of the primary refrigerant is set higher than that of the secondary refrigerant, the temperature of the primary refrigerant can be adjusted only by the secondary refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Takaaki Hirooka, Masao Furuya
  • Patent number: 6993919
    Abstract: The electrode temperature control device in a processing apparatus 100 includes a freezing circuit 110 comprising a compressor 148, a condenser 142, an expansion valve 150 and an evaporator 108 with the evaporator disposed inside a lower electrode 106. This electrode temperature control device does not require components such as a coolant tank for storing the coolant, a pump for supplying the coolant to the processing apparatus, a heater for adjusting the temperature of the coolant and a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between a primary coolant and a secondary coolant. Thus, the production cost can be lowered, a reduction in installation area through miniaturization of the apparatus is achieved and more efficient use of energy is achieved as well. In addition, by using CO2 as the coolant, the GWP value can be reduced to approximately 1/8000 to 1/7000 that of Freon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignees: Tokyo Electron Limited, Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takaaki Hirooka, Masao Furuya, Shohei Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 6986261
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing system includes a control section that refers to recipe information on a process sequence, thereby detects that a processing apparatus will shift from an ordinary operation state to a long idle state, and switches thermo-medium circulation apparatus from an ordinary mode to an energy-saving mode after the shift to the long idle state. The control section refers to recipe information on the process sequence or another process sequence, thereby detects that the processing apparatus will shift from the long idle state to the ordinary operation state, and switches the thermo-medium circulation apparatus from the energy-saving mode to the ordinary mode before the shift to the ordinary operation state. A thermo-medium is circulated at a first flow rate and at a second flow rate smaller than the first flow rate in the ordinary mode and the energy-saving mode, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2006
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Norikazu Sasaki, Hiroshi Koizumi, Norihiko Amikura
  • Patent number: 6963131
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated circuit system with at least one integrated circuit, a cooling body to dissipate the heat generated by the integrated circuit and a latent heat storage module having a latent heat storage medium. The latent heat storage module is thermally connected to the cooling body in order to temporarily store the heat generated by the integrated circuit and to convey it to the cooling body. The integrated circuit has at least one semiconductor component which is assembled on a substrate and the substrate is in direct thermal contact with the latent heat storage module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Frisch, Ralf Ehler
  • Patent number: 6959558
    Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for controlling head pressure in a vapor compression system, e.g. in a precision air conditioning system. One embodiment of the invention provides a method for regulating working fluid flow in a vapor compression system including a compressor. The method includes: providing a controller; receiving signals at the controller representative of a monitored discharge pressure in a discharge line of the compressor; and using the controller to provide a control signal to an actuator that controls a flow control valve that, in turn, controls working fluid flow into the system, the control signal being responsive at least in part to a difference between a set point pressure and the monitored discharge pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: American Power Conversion Corp.
    Inventors: John H. Bean, Jr., James Richard Roesch
  • Patent number: 6889764
    Abstract: A cooling device for cooling an object to be processed to a target temperature comprises a plurality of contact members mounted on a placing table, for supporting the object such that the object opposes a top surface of the placing table with an interval, temperature sensors for outputting temperature information of the object supported by the contact members, a first cooling unit for cooling the placing table to a temperature lower than the target temperature to cool the object, a second cooling unit for heating the object cooled by the first cooling unit to a temperature almost equal to the target temperature, and a contrast circuit for performing a switching operation between cooling by the first cooling unit and heating by the second cooling unit on the basis of the temperature information from the temperature sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Tetsuya Sada, Osamu Hirose, Kiyohisa Tateyama
  • Patent number: 6886353
    Abstract: A system and method for cooling a room configured to house a plurality of computer systems. A heat exchanger unit is configured to receive air from the room and to deliver air to the room. The heat exchanger unit is supplied with cooling fluid operable to cool the received air in the heat exchanger unit. At least one of the temperature of the cooling fluid supplied to the heat exchanger unit and the air delivery to the room may be controlled in response to temperatures sensed at one or more locations in the room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Chandrakant D. Patel, Cullen E. Bash
  • Patent number: 6880351
    Abstract: The liquid galley refrigeration system for cooling food carts for aircraft employs an intermediate working fluid to transfer heat from one or more food carts to one or more remote chillers, allowing the carts and chillers to be advantageously distributed in the aircraft. A plurality of heat exchanges effect a cooling of the carts wherein heat from the food cart is first transferred to a first airflow; heat from the first airflow is then transferred to an intermediate working fluid that is circulated between a location immediately adjacent the food carts and a remote chiller; heat from the intermediate working fluid is subsequently transferred to the chiller working fluid; and finally, heat from the chiller working fluid is expelled. While the chiller working fluid undergoes a phase change in order to transfer heat from the intermediate working fluid to the cooling air, the intermediate working fluid remains in its liquid phase throughout its circulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: BE Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventors: George Simadiris, Ian Douglas Oswald
  • Patent number: 6854287
    Abstract: A system and method for cooling a room configured to house a plurality of computer systems. A heat exchanger unit is configured to receive air from the room and to deliver air to the room. The heat exchanger unit is supplied with cooling fluid operable to cool the received air in the heat exchanger unit. At least one of the temperature of the cooling fluid supplied to the heat exchanger unit and the air delivery to the room may be controlled in response to temperatures sensed at one or more locations in the room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Chandrakant D. Patel, Cullen E. Bash
  • Patent number: 6845627
    Abstract: An aircraft galley air cooling system utilizes a controller having software for regulating the temperature within food carts within a galley air cooling unit. The cooling unit includes supply air and return air temperature sensors which measure the temperature of the air entering and exiting the food cart. The return air temperature is regulated by controlling the amount of a liquid refrigerant that flows through a heat exchanger within the cooling unit. If the return air temperature sensor fails, then the controller regulates the supply air temperature. The controller also regulates defrosting of the cooling unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: BE Intellectual Property, Inc.
    Inventor: Gilbert W. Buck
  • Patent number: 6843069
    Abstract: An etching apparatus of the present invention has a processing device having a reaction chamber in which an electrode provided with a built-in refrigerant-circulating path is installed, a refrigerator for cooling the refrigerant at a predetermined temperature and circulating the refrigerant in the refrigerant-circulating path at a predetermined flow rate, a controlling device for controlling the temperature or flow rate of the refrigerant, a status monitor for monitoring an operational status, and a temperature control device for controlling the temperature of the electrode by controlling the temperature or flow rate of the refrigerant on the basis of information about the operational status.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: NEC Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Hideki Harano, Hirofumi Seo
  • Patent number: 6826922
    Abstract: A system and method for cooling a room configured to house a plurality of computer systems. A heat exchanger unit is configured to receive air from the room and to deliver air to the room. The heat exchanger unit is supplied with cooling fluid operable to cool the received air in the heat exchanger unit. At least one of the temperature of the cooling fluid supplied to the heat exchanger unit and the air delivery to the room may be controlled in response to temperatures sensed at one or more locations in the room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Chandrakant D. Patel, Cullen E. Bash
  • Publication number: 20040237545
    Abstract: There is provided an energy recovery apparatus capable of recovering a hydraulic energy in a regenerative air-conditioning system including a pressure sustaining valve and capable of coping with a discharge change caused by variation in air-conditioning load, the air-conditioning system being capable of carrying out normal operation even in a case where the energy recovery apparatus fails. The energy recovery apparatus is configured so as to feed water from a water tank to air-conditioning loads such as a heat source or a fan coil at a higher place through a feed pipe line by a pump and to lead the water passed through the air-conditioning loads into the water tank via a return pipe line including the pressure sustaining valve, a branch pipe line is disposed so as to branch into the water tank from the return pipe line in upstream of the pressure sustaining valve, and the energy recovery apparatus is connected in to the branch pipe line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Tanaka, Yukihiro Fujita, Eiji Koyama, Kouich Satou
  • Patent number: 6817199
    Abstract: A system and method for cooling a room configured to house a plurality of computer systems. A heat exchanger unit is configured to receive air from the room and to deliver air to the room. The heat exchanger unit is supplied with cooling fluid operable to cool the received air in the heat exchanger unit. At least one of the temperature of the cooling fluid supplied to the heat exchanger unit and the air delivery to the room may be controlled in response to temperatures sensed at one or more locations in the room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Chandrakant D. Patel, Cullen E. Bash
  • Publication number: 20040216475
    Abstract: A semiconductor processing system includes a control section that switches a thermo-medium circulation apparatus between an ordinary mode and an energy-saving mode in correspondence with an ordinary operation state and a long idle state of a processing apparatus, respectively. The long idle state is an idle state of the processing apparatus longer than a predetermined threshold time period. A thermo-medium is circulated at a first flow rate and at a second flow rate smaller than the first flow rate in the ordinary mode and the energy-saving mode, respectively. The control section refers to recipe information on a process sequence, thereby detects that the processing apparatus will shift from the ordinary operation state to the long idle state, and switches the thermo-medium circulation apparatus from the ordinary mode to the energy-saving mode after the processing apparatus shifts to the long idle state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Inventors: Norikazu Sasaki, Hiroshi Koizumi, Norihiko Amikura
  • Publication number: 20040210283
    Abstract: An apparatus for supplying liquid to a heat exchanger for body temperature control for a human or animal comprises an inlet port for receiving liquid from a heat exchanger for body temperature control and for passing the liquid to a temperature conditioner to condition the temperature of the liquid. A pump is provided for pumping liquid from the temperature conditioner to the heat exchanger. The apparatus includes a sensor for sensing a parameter indicative of a condition of the liquid, for example, flow rate, pressure or temperature, and a controller for controlling the pump in response to the parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Inventors: Joseph Lorney Rose, Lucien Potvin, Kevin Semeniuk
  • Patent number: 6779354
    Abstract: In an oil conditioner comprising: a coolant oil circulation circuit (8) through which a coolant oil of a machine tool (1) is circulated by an oil pump (12); a refrigeration circuit (20) formed by interconnecting, in the order given, a compressor (15), a condenser (16), a pressure reducing mechanism (17), and an evaporator (18) for cooling the coolant oil in the coolant oil circulation circuit (8) by heat exchange with refrigerant; and an inverter (28) for controlling the operating frequency of a motor (14) of the compressor (15), the output from the inverter (28) is switched to a motor (11) of the oil pump (12) during the time the compressor (15) is out of operation so that the amount of coolant oil that the oil pump (12) circulates is made variable, and the amount of coolant oil that the oil pump (12) circulates is reduced when the amount of heat produced in the operation of the machine tool (1) decreases because, for example, the machine tool (1) is stopped, for reducing wasteful consumption of energy by th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tetsuo Nakata
  • Patent number: 6749016
    Abstract: In a brine temperature control apparatus, the temperature of brine in a tank disposed in a brine fluid circulating passage is controlled using a three-way proportional valve. The three-way proportional valve does not open and close in an abrupt ON/OFF fashion, but rather the degree of opening thereof for supplying chilled brine to the tank is gradually adjusted in proportion to a detection signal indicative of the brine temperature in the tank. Thus, a water hammer problem is avoided, and the coolant circulating circuit including such a three-way proportional valve can be used effectively even with large capacity chiller units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Ozawa
  • Patent number: 6742345
    Abstract: A temperature control system is described for producing and maintaining temperatures in a pre-defined space within a pre-defined temperature range. A working fluid comprising an aqueous solution of 1-3 propanediol is circulated through a heat transfer system in thermal communication with both the working fluid and the pre-defined space to produce and maintain the temperature in the pre-defined space that is within the pre-defined temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: The Penray Companies, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard P. Carr
  • Publication number: 20040083742
    Abstract: A cooling system that employs a coolant dispersal subsystem connected to a fluid ejector. The coolant dispersal subsystem is operable to supply liquid coolant to the fluid ejector. The fluid ejector is placed adjacent to a surface to be cooled and operable to eject the liquid coolant onto the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Inventor: Orlando E. Ruiz
  • Publication number: 20040068997
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus 110 comprises a primary refrigerant circulating circuit which allows a primary refrigerant CW1 whose temperature is adjusted by a heat exchanger 138 to circulate through an electrode to adjust a temperature of the electrode, a secondary refrigerant circulating circuit which supplies a secondary refrigerant CW2 to the heat exchanger to adjust the temperature of the primary refrigerant, and a freezing circuit 140 which has a first heat exchanger 141 interposed in the secondary refrigerant circulating circuit and which adjust a temperature of the secondary refrigerant by a tertiary refrigerant. The temperature of the primary refrigerant is adjusted by the secondary refrigerant without adjusting the temperature using the freezing circuit. When a temperature of the primary refrigerant is set higher than that of the secondary refrigerant, the temperature of the primary refrigerant can be adjusted only by the secondary refrigerant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Takaaki Hirooka, Masao Furuya
  • Patent number: 6715691
    Abstract: A multi-stage pressure distribution and pressure regulation system. The system includes at least one heating and cooling load having a supply side and a return side, a heat source supply system for supplying thermo-fluid to the at least one heating and cooling load, and a booster pumping system including at least one booster pump for transferring the thermo-fluid from the heat source supply system to the supply side of the at least one heating and cooling load for maintaining a predetermined head pressure. The multi-stage system also includes at least one pressure regulating system including at least one pressure reducing and sustaining device for reducing the pressure of the thermo-fluid flowing from the return side of the at least one heating and cooling load and sustaining the pressure at the predetermined head pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2004
    Inventors: Jung-Ro Park, Jung-Hwan Park, Young-Tack Choi
  • Publication number: 20040045313
    Abstract: A cooling method for controlled high speed chilling or freezing is disclosed. Cooling fluid is circulated by a submersed circulator, such as a motor, at a substantially constant velocity past a substance to be cooled . The velocity of fluid flow is maintained despite changes in the viscosity of the cooling fluid, by either increasing or decreasing the amount of torque supplied by the motor. The cooling fluid is cooled to a desired temperature by circulating the fluid past a multi-path heat exchanging coil connected to a refrigeration system. An optimal cooling fluid temperature for a variety of applications is in the range of about −24° C. to −26° C., resulting in significant efficiency gains over conventional cooling processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Brian Wood, Allan J Cassell
  • Publication number: 20040026075
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-stage pressure distribution and pressure regulation system for heating and air conditioning piping units, a pressure control method of the same, and a very high-rise building utilizing the same, wherein head pressure that is critical in heating and air conditioning piping units of an very high-rise building can be stably and correctly controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Jung-Ro Park, Jung-Hwan Park
  • Publication number: 20040020225
    Abstract: A system and method for cooling a room configured to house a plurality of computer systems. A heat exchanger unit is configured to receive air from the room and to deliver air to the room. The heat exchanger unit is supplied with cooling fluid operable to cool the received air in the heat exchanger unit. At least one of the temperature of the cooling fluid supplied to the heat exchanger unit and the air delivery to the room may be controlled in response to temperatures sensed at one or more locations in the room.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2002
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Inventors: Chandrakant D. Patel, Cullen E. Bash
  • Patent number: 6684652
    Abstract: A refrigeration system regulates the temperature of an electrostatic wafer chuck disposed in a process chamber. The refrigeration system includes a heat exchanger disposed in a heat exchange relationship with the electrostatic chuck, a refrigerator, a temperature sensor, and a temperature controller for controlling the refrigerator to cool the coolant withdrawn from the heat exchanger to a desired temperature in response to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor. The heat exchanger forms a coolant passageway inside the electrostatic chuck, and the refrigerator is disposed outside the process chamber. The temperature sensor is disposed within the body of the electrostatic chuck. The temperature of the electrostatic chuck can be regulated so as to be maintained nearly constant because the temperature used to control the cooling of the coolant is measured directly from the body of the electrostatic chuck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jin-Man Kim, Yun-Sik Yang, Sang-Jun Chun, Young-Min Min
  • Publication number: 20040011066
    Abstract: Provided are an air conditioning plant control method by which an air conditioning plant can be operated in a most desirable state, and an air conditioning plant so controlled. An air conditioning plant is controlled, which has at least one air conditioner, a refrigerating machine supplying cold water to the air conditioner and a cooling tower supplying cooling water to the refrigerating machine. Within an extent satisfying set conditions of air conditioning, setpoints of the draft temperature of the at least one air conditioner, the cold water temperature of the refrigerating machine and the temperature of cooling water from the cooling tower are altered and optimized so as to minimize energy consumption, operating cost or carbon dioxide emission of the air conditioning plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2002
    Publication date: January 22, 2004
    Applicant: Hitachi Plant Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshibumi Sugihara, Yuuji Miyajima, Takumi Sugiura, Hiroo Sakai, Noboru Oshima, Tadakatsu Nakajima, Hiroshige Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 6668567
    Abstract: A thermal energy storage unit is provided in connection with an air conditioning or refrigeration condenser. Working fluid waste heat is stored in the thermal energy storage unit during at least a relatively hot part of the day. Heat stored in the thermal energy storage unit is then rejected to the air during a cooler period, such as night. By rejecting the stored heat directly to the atmosphere, there is no need to provide an energy-consumptive refrigeration cycle for cooling the thermal storage medium material. In this way, a refrigeration system compressor has a reduced load and/or reduced duty cycle during hot parts of the day and relatively less energy can be used during high-demand times when energy may be more expensive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Inventors: Robert Levenduski, James Marsh Lester
  • Publication number: 20030233835
    Abstract: A vehicle air-conditioning system calculates and indicates the remaining time of effective cooling by cold air discharge from its cold storage unit during a vehicular eco-run halt. In cold discharge cooling mode, a first cold discharge cooling remaining time tx1 is calculated from the remaining cold heat of a cold storage medium. A second cold discharge cooling remaining time tx2 is calculated from temperature changes of the cold storage unit. The second remaining time tx2 is set to zero when the cold storage unit temperature rises to a cooling upper target temperature. The first remaining time tx1 is selected in the cold discharge cooling mode as long as the temperature of the cold storage unit is below a temperature near the solidifying point of the cold storage medium. The second remaining time tx2 is selected when the cold storage unit temperature exceeds the temperature near the solidifying point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tomita, Yuichi Shirota
  • Patent number: 6666037
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to enable heat sources to be surely utilized in accordance with order of priorities and to prevent a overshooting of a temperature of cold water supplied from an evaporator even when a load is immediately changed. A flow of exhaust hot water supplied from a low-temperature heat source supply pipe to a low-temperature water regenerator is forcibly controlled to be the maximum. In such a state, when the cold water temperature measured by a temperature sensor becomes lower than a primary setting value of 7° C., the flow of exhaust hot water supplied from the low-temperature heat source supply pipe to the low-temperature water regenerator is controlled by starting again a PID control using 6° C. lower than the primary setting value of 7° C. as reference. Moreover, a flow of exhaust gas supplied from a high-temperature heat source supply pipe to a high-temperature regenerator is forcibly controlled to be zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2003
    Assignees: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Air Conditioning Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Hoshino, Masahiro Furukawa
  • Patent number: 6631621
    Abstract: A method of temperature control in a cryogenic temperature control apparatus comprises providing a heat exchanger in thermal communication with an air-conditioned space. The heat exchanger includes an air inlet and an evaporator coil having an outlet. The method further comprises providing a first temperature sensor being operatively coupled to a controller, measuring the temperature in the outlet and sending the temperature in the outlet to the controller, providing a second temperature sensor being operatively coupled to the controller, measuring the temperature in the air inlet, and sending the temperature in the air inlet to the controller, and providing a plurality of temperature control values. The flow of cryogen from a storage tank to the evaporator coil is altered each time the temperature in the outlet passes one of a first plurality of temperature control values and each time the temperature in the air inlet passes one of a second plurality of temperature control values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Thermo King Corporation
    Inventors: David J. VanderWoude, Herman H. Viegas, Jayaram Seshadri, Joseph Louis Glentz, Bryan Edward Schwichtenberg, J. J. Shaw
  • Patent number: 6614353
    Abstract: In a constant temperature liquid circulating apparatus, in order to determine parts and locations requiring maintenance work and maintenance time intervals before the occurrence of an irregular operation, so that any downtime in operation of a constant temperature liquid circulating apparatus is made as short as possible, a system is provided in which respective components of the apparatus are provided with sensors for use in monitoring various kinds of condition amounts in a continuous manner. Especially, among such components, a three-way proportional valve is provided between the outlet of a heat exchanger and an inlet to a holding tank, in a cooling liquid circulating circuit which supplies a constant temperature cooling liquid to a load, and a sensor is provided which detects a degree of valve opening of the three-way proportional valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2003
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toru Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20030159456
    Abstract: The problem of controlling the temperature of the different units in a process tool system which have to be cooled or heated using thermal transfer fluid at selected setpoints and flow rates is resolved by a system having multiple modular units each with some operative and form factor commonality but at least dual functional capability. The modular units each have separate recirculation loops for thermal transfer fluid but cool the fluid using refrigeration cycles or facilities water supplies or heat the fluid using compressed hot gases or electrical energy. By employing operative units which can be internally varied to provide different thermal capacities within form factor constraints, the system enables concurrent temperature control needs of a number of different units to be met with an energy efficient, low footprint, highly adaptable system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2002
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Applicant: Advanced Thermal Sciences Corp.
    Inventor: Kenneth W. Cowans