Abstract: A preferred thermal energy storage and delivery unit includes a chamber for containing a phase change material and one or more air channel members which pass through the phase change material for conveying air into heat exchange relationship with the phase change material. The unit also includes a fluid circuit for conveying a thermal potential charging fluid, for example engine coolant or refrigerant, into heat exchange relationship with the phase change material. The unit optionally may include a fluid circuit through which engine coolant passes, and a fluid circuit through which refrigerant passes. In this manner, systems which incorporate the unit and selectively provide heated or cooled air to condition an interior vehicle space are provided. Also described are improved vehicular environmental conditioning systems which include a front HVAC unit and a rear thermal storage apparatus, and which are flexibly operated in a number of environmental conditioning and/or thermal storage modes.

Abstract: A thermoelectric cooling apparatus includes a plurality of thermoelectric coolers each having a hot side and a cold side. The cold sides of the thermoelectric coolers are arranged to cool an object. The hot sides of the thermoelectric coolers are provided with a heat sink. The heat sink may include a eutectic material which maintains the hot sides of the thermoelectric coolers at a low temperature so that the cold sides of the thermoelectric coolers are able to maintain the object at a cold temperature. The heat sink may have fins for rejecting heat, and air moving means for moving air over the fins to aid in the rejection of heat from the hot sides of the thermoelectric coolers. The fins may be cooled by the eutectic material.

Abstract: A heat regenerating type cooling apparatus includes a heat regenerating evaporator encased in a case and provided with a tube for a cooling medium and a heat regenerating pack arranged to be in close contact with the outer surface of the tube of the heat regenerating evaporator. The heat regenerating evaporator conducts a refrigeration cycle while a vehicle is running and cools the heat regenerating pack so as to cause a heat regenerating material within the pack to freeze When the vehicle is parked, a blower is operated to cause a current of air that is cooled by the heat regenerating pack due to heat exchange between the current of air and the frozen heat regenerating material in the heat regenerating pack. The cold air is blown out into an objective cooling area, such as a sleeping area of the vehicle, from a blowing port so that the objective cooling area is air-conditioned, and the upper half of the body of a sleeping person in the area is effectively exposed to air-conditioned air.

Abstract: A portable chilling unit for chilling either the whole or a selected portion of the interior of a container comprises a plurality of eutectic elements adapted for pre-chilling by exposure to liquid cryogen, a height adjustable inlet and an outlet towards the base of the unit. An insulating blanket is attachable to the inlet such that, in operation, the blanket may be placed over the cargo to be chilled and only atmosphere from under the blanket is drawn through the unit for chilling.

Abstract: The low temperature food storage equipment of the present invention is provided with an icehouse and a food storeroom each surrounded by a heat insulator. The icehouse and the storeroom are connected by a detachable heat exchanger disposed therebetween. In the icehouse there is stored water which is frozen into ice when the outside air grows cold. In the storeroom there are kept in cold storage a large amount of shippable food, for example, potatoes. In the case of shipping the food, the heat exchanger is removed and the food is transported on a truck or the like while being kept in cold storage in the storeroom.

Abstract: A air conditioning device adapted to be used with a cup comprising a lid with a blower assembly means connected to the lid. The lid is removably connectable to an upper end of the cup and the lid has an air entry opening and an air exit opening. The blower means blows air into the air entry opening and the air passes into the cup space and over a substance in the cup space to provide an air exit stream. The air exit stream passes from the cup space through the air exit opening for passing a cool air exit stream from the lid. When the substance is a cool substance, the air exit stream is cool and, when the substance is a hot substance, the air exit stream is hot.

Abstract: Two versions of a portable air conditioning unit (10, 100) are provided. The larger unit (10) is separable into two halves (12, 14) which contain three cold objects (32, 34, 36) such as freezable gels. A series of aluminum baffles (22-30) define a torturous air flow passage through the unit where air passes over each one of the cold objects sequentially to significantly cool the air flow through the unit. The air flow is generated by a fan (38) which can be powered by batteries, AC power, solar power or the like. The second embodiment of the air conditioning unit (100) can be actually carried by the user with a strap to cool the face of the user.

Abstract: A cold preserving container including an inner box forming a heat insulating chamber, an outer box, heat insulating material between the boxes, a cooling evaporating tube disposed on the outer surface of the inner box, and a cold accumulator enclosing a cold regenerative material and disposed between the evaporating tube and the heat insulating material. The cold accumulator directly contacts the evaporating tube substantially without any air therebetween and thus can be cooled rapidly and efficiently by the tube. The cold accumulator is disposed between the boxes, and thus its capacity can be easily increased, thereby increasing the cold preserving time of the container.

Abstract: A cold preserving container including a goods container space, a dish-like member above the space, a cold accumulator enclosing a cold regenerative material and disposed in the dish-like member, a heat insulating wall forming an air path between the wall and the dish-like member, and a blower circulating air between the air path and the goods container space. The cold accumulator cools the air in the disk-like member, the cooled air can fall down into the goods container space and circulate between the space and the air path by driving the blower. Since the cooling of the air in the space is controlled by the drive control of the blower, the temperature of the inside air can be easily controlled and maintained at the desired temperature despite variations in outside air temperatures.

Abstract: An air temperature regulator is especially useful for cooling an airstream generated by an electric fan while permitting a portion of the airflow to flow substantially uninhibited to a user. The air temperature regulator utilizes at least one individual cell containing a phase-change material which has been chilled which is placed into a housing. The housing includes a mechanism for extracting the cell from its receiver so that the cell may be removed from the housing and refrozen. The extractors are mounted within a grille adjacent a track whereby extracted cells will prolapse to a collection bag at the bottom of the housing for refreezing and recycling.

Abstract: A plastic container which confines a freezable liquid is provided with a multitude of parallel channels which permit passage of air through the container. The container is mountable upon the protective enclosure of a multi-bladed air-moving fan in a manner such that air driven by the fan passes through the channels and is thereby cooled. The container is of a small enough size to permit its storage within a residential-type freezer to freeze the liquid prior to mounting of the container upon the fan.

Abstract: Apparatus for heating or cooling ambient air in the form of a temperature controlling propeller having a plurality of blades arranged around a rotatable hub, the blades carrying cells containing a heat retaining material. The cells are mounted in openings provided in the blades and retained therein. A thermometer may be mounted on the hub to monitor air temperature. The propeller is heated or chilled prior to mounting on a driven shaft. When the propeller is rotated by the shaft, it simultaneously circulates and heats or cools the surrounding air as desired.

Abstract: A fan air cooler for attachment to a conventional electric fan consists of a grid of spaced strips filled with a frozen fluid material. The strips may have spaced fluid sacks which may resemble ice cubes. The connecting strips between the fluid filled sacks may comprise plastic strips, fluid filled tubes or helical fluid filled tubes. A top marginal portion of the grid is provided with grommets for receipt over hooks which are secured to a top edge of the fan housing. The hooks may be attached to the fan housing magnetically, adhesively or by VELCRO. In addition to cooling air by passing the air between the frozen fluid filled strips, the fan air cooler also cools the air by virtue of thermodynamic expansion of the air through spaced air passage apertures.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing an ice cooled fan screen. The invention is composed of a support frame into the top of which is designed a chamber suitable for holding ice. The chamber has a floor which slopes towards one side of the screen so that melting ice water will collect there. Connected to the floor at the lower end of the chamber is a hollow copper tube which receives the ice water and directs it through a series of "S" turns downward to the base of the support frame. The end of the copper tube has a positive shut off valve so that the ice water may be retained within the tube as long as desired. The base of the support is further designed to provide for a melted ice chamber. Located within this chamber is a removable refreezing tray which is connected to the positive shut off valve by a draining means. As described, the ice cooled fan screen is suitable for placement in front of any common fan to provide for a unique, inexpensive means to substantially cool living, working and playing areas.

Abstract: A multi-mode off-peak storage heat pump system for a building which includes a unidirectional flow refrigerant circuit and a brine circuit in selective heat exchange relation with one another, each being connected to a dual coil in ducts wherein air can be circulated within and between the inside and outside of the building, and an ice bank in the brine circuit for coolness and low-level heat storage, the system providing heating and cooling with no refrigerant reversing valves or coil defrost means and with optimum off-peak power utilization.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing snow at marginal ambient temperatures while at the same time eliminating compressed air line freeze-up and oil contamination. Compressed air is delivered from a compressor to a cooling tower wherein oil particles and condensate are removed from the stream of compressed air. The oil particles and condensate-free compressed air stream is then delivered to a cryogenic unit wherein the air is contacted in heat exchange relationship with a liquefied gas so as to supercool the air stream which is then delivered to snow-making apparatus.

Abstract: A cold storage cell in the form of a hollow plate or shell constructed of material having high heat conductivity and filled with a eutectic solution having a freezing point substantially below the freezing point of water in order to enable the latent heat of fusion of the freezable solution to be utilized at a lower temperature for cooling and freezing of various food items or non-food items. The cold storage cell is closed and filled with a solution of ethylene glycol and water propylene glycol and water or a brine solution in which the ratio of the glycol to water may be varied depending upon the freezing temperature desired.

Abstract: An automobile air conditioner has a refrigeration cycle composed of a compressor, condenser, liquid tank, orifice means and an evaporator, as well as mechanical parts such as a radiator and radiator fan associated with the condenser and a blower combined with the evaporator. The compressor is operatively connected to the automobile engine through a connecting means so as to be driven by the engine selectively in accordance with the temperature in the passenger's compartment. According to the invention, the compressor is driven when the automobile is being braked, even if the temperature in the compartment is lower than a set temperature, to make an efficient use of the kinetic energy possessed by the mass of the automobile. The cold energy generated during braking is suitably stored and is released into the passenger's compartment as desired.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for refrigerating a moist article, the apparatus comprising a cold room, means for circulating cooling atmosphere through the cold room, a moisture absorbent liquid cooling spray in the path of said atmosphere, means for collecting and recirculating the liquid in a continuous path, means for admitting a cryogenic cooling fluid to the liquid and means for removing the fluid and absorbed moisture from the liquid before the liquid returns to the spray.

Abstract: A vertically elongated upright and closed bottom cabinet is provided including peripherally extending sides. A vertically extending passage structure is disposed within the cabinet inwardly of the peripheral sides thereof and the passage structure is constructed from material having good heat transfer properties and include upper and lower ends opening outwardly of the cabinet. Blower structure is operatively associated with the passage structure for pumping air through the passage structure and inlet structure is provided for admitting CO.sub.2 "snow" into the upper end portion of the cabinet about the passage structure for gravity falling of the "snow" within the cabinet toward the closed bottom thereof about the passage structure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a container for refrigerating goods with dry ice. The container comprises an enclosed interior space subdivided by partition walls into a plurality of compartments which include one refrigerant compartment adapted to be charged with dry ice refrigerant and at least one chillroom compartment adapted for the containment of the goods to be refrigerated. The refrigerant compartment communicates with the chillroom compartment by openings which allow evaporating carbon dioxide from the dry ice to enter the chillroom compartment. The container also includes storage means of water located between the refrigerant compartment and the chillroom compartment in a sufficient quantity that at the beginning of the evaporation of the dry ice, the temperature in the chillroom compartment does not become substantially below -78.degree. C.Also disclosed is a method for refrigerating goods utilizing dry ice and storage means of water in the above mentioned container.

Abstract: A heat exchanger comprising:(a) a housing having an interior surface;(b) a thermally conductive member in intimate contact with the housing;(c) a thermally conductive element coaxially disposed in said housing and having an inner and an outer surface and in thermal communication with the member, wherein the inner surface of the element defines a first fluid passage, and wherein the interior surface of the housing and the outer surface of the element are in spaced relationship thereby defining a second fluid passage, the first and second fluid passages being in fluid communication;(d) a first port for maintaining the first fluid passage in fluid communication with a first external fluid;(e) a second port for maintaining the second fluid passage in fluid communication with a second external fluid; and(f) means for regulating the member's temperature; wherein heat is transferred between the member and the element via solid conduction.

Abstract: A temperature stabilized refrigeration evaporator coil for use with a mechanical refrigeration compressor and condenser is disclosed which gathers and retains its own latent heat sink material to temperature stabilize its air heat exchange surfaces. The evaporator is adapted to condense water from the air it is cooling, and to retain an adequate quantity of that water to employ as a liquid-solid phase change, latent heat sink to temperature stabilize the evaporator, air heat exchange surfaces, so that they do not become excessively cold during the on cycle of the compressor, and so that they do not become excessively warm during extended periods of the off cycle of the compressor.

Abstract: A non-frosting heat absorption system is disclosed for temperature stabilizing the heat absorbing surfaces thereof and includes a heat absorption arrangement such as a refrigeration system evaporator coil having a first series of heat exchange surfaces in good heat transfer relation therewith. A second series of heat exchange surfaces have portions thereof in good heat transfer relationship with a heat load such as air circulated thereby and other portions thereof immersed in and coupled to the first series of heat exchange surfaces by a heat storage arrangement including a phase change material such as water. The phase change material then permits the transfer of heat from the second series of surfaces to the first series of surfaces while allowing the second series of surfaces to be maintained near the phase change temperature of the material during various heat load conditions.