Exchanging Heat Between Plural Systems, E.g., Disparate Patents (Class 62/79)
  • Publication number: 20090133412
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for a refrigerant-based a thermal energy storage and cooling system with multiple condensing units utilizing a common evaporator coil. The disclosed embodiments provide a refrigerant-based ice storage system with increased reliability, lower cost components, and reduced power consumption and ease of installation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 28, 2009
    Applicant: Ice Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Ramachandran Narayanamurthy, Brian Parsonnet, Donald Thomas Cook
  • Patent number: 7495442
    Abstract: A cooling system for electrical coils, such as a coil in a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus, has a heat dissipation device with a fluid and a tempered reservoir for the fluid. The fluid is thermally coupled to the coil and the tempered reservoir is temperature-regulated to maintain the fluid at a fluid temperature and a fluid pressure that are in the immediate proximity of the critical point of the fluid. The cooling system is also suitable for cooling shim iron in a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus, in which case the coupling is in thermal communication with a container for the shim iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Oliver Heid
  • Publication number: 20090031999
    Abstract: A system for chilling the pressurized charge air to a reciprocating engine is disclosed wherein the chilling is provided by a thermally activated refrigeration cycle powered by waste heat from the engine system. This reduces the required compression power, and also retards knock, making higher compression ratios possible. The chilling system is designed to minimize the amount of chilling required, and also to enable use of compression heat to power the chiller. The disclosed improvement also accommodates exhaust gas recirculation, plus providing activation heat from the exhaust gas, plus Miller cycle timing of the intake valves. Referring to FIG. 1, the charge air from turbocharger 5 is cooled in three stages: heat recovery stage 10; ambient-cooled stage 11; and chilling stage 12. Condensed moisture is removed from the charge air by valve 14 before the charge is supplied to inlet manifold 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Publication date: February 5, 2009
    Inventor: Donald Charles Erickson
  • Publication number: 20080223048
    Abstract: A cooler (10) for an air-conditioning system and a method of heating the cooler (10) is provided. The cooler (10) comprises a shell (12) and at least one tube (20) within the shell (12), said tube (20) capable of carrying a first medium (40). The cooler (10) further comprises a heating means (54, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68), said heating means comprising means for providing an electrical current to at least one of the shell (12) and the tube (20) so as to generate heat therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2005
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventor: Michel El Baz
  • Publication number: 20080223064
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air-conditioning system (1) for a vehicle driven by a motor (16), having a refrigerant circuit (5) with a plurality of heat exchangers (2, 11) through which a refrigerant can be conducted for an exchange of heat with the air which flows through them, and having a heat pump heat exchanger (9) in which an exchange of heat with a coolant circuit (6), in which at least one coolant cooler (19) is arranged, takes place, with it being possible for the coolant cooler (19), in the heating mode, to be used as a heat exchanger for absorbing heat from the environment, and with the coolant cooler (19) being connected in series downstream of the heat pump heat exchanger (9) in the coolant circuit (6), and to a method for regulating an air-conditioning system (1) of said type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Inventors: Gunther Feuerecker, Karl Lochmahr, Frank Muller, Dirk Neumeister, Thomas Strauss, Marcus Weinbrenner, Richard Obradovich, Gunnar Schlinke, Christophe Schmittheisler
  • Publication number: 20080209922
    Abstract: A refrigerant system can be operated in either vapor injection mode or unloaded mode. A restriction to the vapor injection flow is incorporated into the refrigerant system. The restriction is placed on the vapor injection line upstream of a point where the injection line meets the unloader line. In this case, the flow is restricted for the vapor injection mode of operation to a desired level. However, when the refrigerant system operates in the unloaded mode, there is no restriction to the by-pass flow, which is beneficial to the system performance in this mode of operation. In one of the embodiments, the restriction area can be adjusted to achieve the best performance during the vapor injection mode of operation in relation to the operating conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2005
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Inventors: Lifson Alexander, Michael F. Taras
  • Publication number: 20080202132
    Abstract: The invention relates to refrigeration using a thermochemical system based on the coupling of two reversible physico-chemical phenomena between a gas and a solid or liquid sorbent, one at low temperature (the LT phenomenon) and the other at a higher temperature (the HT phenomenon). The LT phenomenon is a liquid/gas phase change of the fluid G or an absorption of the fluid G by a liquid sorbent. The HT phenomenon is a reversible sorption of the fluid G by a liquid or solid sorbent. The endothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place in a reactor thermally isolated from the ambient environment. The exothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place in a condenser in communication with the reactor in which the HT phenomenon takes place, the condensed fluid G then being transferred to the reactor in which the endothermic phase of the LT phenomenon takes place.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Driss Stitou, Olivier Bertrand, Bernard Spinner, Bruno Spinner, Caroline Spinner Brossard, Anne Christel Spinner Kohler, Nathalie Mazet, Martin Spinner
  • Publication number: 20080178615
    Abstract: A system for controlling multiple air conditioners. The system includes a demand control unit configured to divide the multiple air conditioners into groups, to assign a priority level to each group, to calculate an estimated power amount used by the multiple air conditioners based on an amount of power consumed by the multiple air conditioners during a predetermined time period, and to forcibly control an operation of one or more air conditioners included in a respective group based on the priority level assigned to the respective group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Young-Soo YOON, Sang-Chul YOUN, Duck-Gu JEON
  • Publication number: 20080156032
    Abstract: A distributed refrigeration appliance system for use in a residential kitchen and other locations in a dwelling and includes multiple separate refrigeration appliance modules, a central cooling system and a cooling circuit. The system can also include one or more satellite stations having a heat exchanger and arranged for supplying chilled air to one or more refrigeration appliance modules. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can include a thermal cascade cooling device to cool the module to lower temperatures than the cooling circuit can attain. One or more refrigeration appliance modules can be refrigeration/storage modules that can provide refrigerated, unconditioned or heated storage space. The central cooling system can be a vapor compression system having a refrigerant circuit connecting the modules. Alternately, the central cooling system can cool a secondary cooling medium circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
    Inventors: NIHAT O. CUR, STEVEN JOHN KUEHL, JOHN JOSEPH VONDERHAAR, DIEGO BARONE, LORENZO BIANCHI
  • Publication number: 20080156003
    Abstract: A cooling system includes a heat pipe and a refrigerator. A combination at least one or more of the heat pipe and the refrigerator is used to cool an electronic component capable of generating heat. Depending on the cooling requirement, a different cooling combination may be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2006
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventor: Rajiv K. Mongia
  • Publication number: 20080127657
    Abstract: A power generation system driven by heat pump which produces a heat source by heating and a cold source by cooling for the driving of a heat engine to produce mechanical energy to drive a generator generating electrical power. Part of the power generated by the generator is fed back to the heat pump continuously, and the remaining power is provided to end users in need of electrical power. The heat engine of the power generation system can be Stirling engine or a steam turbine, wherein the heat efficiency of the Stirling engine can reach 25%, and the heat efficiency of the steam turbine can reach above 30%. The heat pump used in the power generation system can be a vapor-compression heat pump. Under operating conditions where temperature difference between the generated heat and cold sources is over 25 degree celcius, the coefficient of performance can reach above 7.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Wei Fang, Ching-Yen Hsiao, Tung-Sheng Huang
  • Publication number: 20080104964
    Abstract: An air-conditioning apparatus includes upper and lower chambers, and first and second heat exchange units respectively disposed in the upper and lower chambers and respectively having first and second working fluids. The first heat exchange unit has a condenser and a first fan adapted to draw air into the upper chamber for exchange of heat with the condenser. The second heat exchange unit has an evaporator and a second fan adapted to draw air into the lower chamber for exchange of heat with the evaporator. First and second tubing units are respectively connected to the condenser and the evaporator and each has a heat exchange tube section. The heat exchange tube sections of the first and tubing units are associated with each other such that the second working fluid transfers heat to the first working fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventor: Chin-Kuang Luo
  • Patent number: 7185501
    Abstract: A cooling system for providing cryogenic cooling fluid to a thermal load, the system comprising: a main cryogenic refrigeration system; a cryogenic cooling fluid feed line having a feed line outlet coupled to the thermal load and a feed line inlet coupled to the cryogenic refrigeration system; a cryogenic cooling fluid return line having a return line inlet coupled to the thermal load and a return line outlet coupled to the cryogenic refrigeration system; a bypass cooling system further comprising isolation valves attached to the feed line and return line wherein each of said valves has a closed position and an open position, a bypass line extending between the feed line and return line, a bypass valve and a cooling device attached to one of said feed line and return line. The bypass cooling system may further include a cold box housing the bypass line and the cooling device, e.g., an open or closed heat exchanger coupled to a storage tank of cryogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Albert Eugene Steinbach
  • Patent number: 7111467
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ultra-low temperature, dual-compressor (114,144), recirculating gas chilling system that includes a closed-loop mixed-refrigerant primary refrigeration system (110) in combination with a closed-loop gas secondary refrigeration loop (112). The ultra-low temperature, dual-compressor (114,144), recirculating gas chilling system disclosed is capable of providing continuous long term chilled gas and fast cooling of a high or ambient temperature object (158), such as a chuck used in processing semiconductor wafers or any such device. The gas chilling system is characterized by three modes of operation: a normal cooling mode, a bakeout mode, and a post-bake cooling mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Brooks Automation, Inc.
    Inventors: Tamirisa V. V. R. Apparao, Oleg Podtcherniaev, Kevin P. Flynn, Paul Hall, Roger Lachenbruch, Mikhail Boiarski
  • Patent number: 7024877
    Abstract: A water heating system including a water storage vessel; a water circuit; first and second heat exchangers operably disposed in the water circuit; and a vapor compression system defining a refrigerant circuit. The vapor compression system includes first and second compressor mechanisms. The first compressor mechanism compresses the refrigerant from suction pressure to intermediate pressure. The second compressor mechanism compresses the refrigerant from the intermediate pressure to a supercritical discharge pressure. The first heat exchanger is operably disposed in the refrigerant circuit between the first and second compressor mechanisms, and exchanges heat between intermediate pressure refrigerant and water. An expansion device is operably disposed in the refrigerant circuit. An evaporator is operably disposed in the refrigerant circuit between expansion device and first compressor mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2006
    Assignee: Tecumseh Products Company
    Inventor: Zer Kai Yap
  • Patent number: 6993918
    Abstract: A system and method for maintaining the temperature of a thermal transfer fluid at a selectable level within a wide temperature range, so as to operate a process tool in a chosen mode employing at least two cascaded stages, each operating with a different fluid in a separate refrigeration cycle. By interrelating energy transfers between parts of upper and lower stages, thermal efficiency is maximized and a smooth continuum of temperature levels can be provided. The refrigerants advantageously have vaporization points below and above ambient, for upper and lower stages respectively, and employs the upper stage for a constant refrigeration capacity, controlling the final temperature with the lower stage. The system allows for a further extension of range because the thermal transfer fluid can be heated for some process tool modes as the refrigeration cycles are run at low loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Advanced Thermal Sciences
    Inventor: Kenneth W. Cowans
  • Patent number: 6990816
    Abstract: The apparatus is a hybrid cooler which includes one loop within which a heated evaporator forms vapor that moves to a condenser because of the vapor pressure which also drives the liquid condensate from the condenser to a liquid reservoir. A second loop is powered by a mechanical pump that supplies liquid from the reservoir to the evaporator and the second loop also returns excess liquid not vaporized to the reservoir. An optional reservoir cooler can be used to assure that the reservoir temperature and vapor pressure are always lower that the temperatures and pressures of the evaporator and condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jon Zuo, David Sarraf
  • Patent number: 6941763
    Abstract: This heat pump and dehumidifying apparatus have small energy-consumed per moisture-removed ratios. Their components include a pressurizer for raising refrigerant pressure; a condenser for condensing refrigerant, thereby heating a high-temperature heat source fluid; an evaporator for evaporating refrigerant to cool a low-temperature heat source fluid; and a heat exchanger in a refrigerant path connecting the condenser and the evaporator for evaporating and condensing refrigerant under an intermediate pressure between the condensor pressure and the evaporator pressure. The low-temperature heat source fluid is successively cooled by the heat exchanger, cooled by the evaporator, and heated by the heat exchanger. This fluid can be precooled by the heat exchanger before cooling in the evaporator, and heat removed during precooling can be returned to the fluid after cooling by the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Kensaku Maeda, Hideo Inaba, Shunro Nishiwaki
  • Patent number: 6938427
    Abstract: This invention is directed to systems, apparatuses and methods for reducing the temperature of a condenser fluid, used in a condenser in an air conditioning system to cool a compressed refrigerant, without releasing fluids to the environment. These systems include a first heat exchanger for reducing the temperature of a condenser fluid using a coolant fluid, a second heat exchanger for reducing the temperature of the coolant fluid using a refrigerant and a cooling system for reducing the temperature of the refrigerant. Theses systems do not release fluids into the environment, which is common when conventional evaporative cooling towers are used to reduce the temperature of condenser fluids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Advanced Cooling Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Bob Wood
  • Patent number: 6840746
    Abstract: A resistive muffler attenuates sound generated by the gas intake and suction valve during compressor operation of a refrigerant compressor. The resistive muffler is assembled inline with the suction gas flow of the compressor and is positioned within the compressor housing. The resistive muffler attenuates the sound generated by the compressor during its operation as refrigerant gas is drawn into the compressor from an evaporator and passes through the resistive muffler in transit to the suction valve and hence to the region of the compressor where the gas is physically compressed. The resistive muffler includes a muffler housing having an intake end and an exhaust end. An acoustic foam assembly is incorporated into the muffler housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Bristol Compressors, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Edwin Marshall, David Rex Gilliam, Timothy Michael Wampler, David Turner Monk
  • Patent number: 6609390
    Abstract: A two-stage cascade refrigerating system including a primary side refrigerant circuit, and at least one secondary side refrigerant circuit. The receiver of the primary refrigerant circuit is arranged such that a first pipe is introduced to the inside of the container such that an open of the first pipe is located at an inside upper portion of the container, and a second pipe is introduced to the inside of a container such that an open end of the second pipe is located at an inside lower portion of the container. The receiver of the secondary side refrigerant circuit(s) is reversible in refrigerant circulation and is arranged such that a first pipe and a second pipe are introduced to the inside of the container such that open ends of both pipes are located at an inside lower position of the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Daikin Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akitoshi Ueno, Takeo Ueno
  • Patent number: 6595009
    Abstract: A method for providing refrigeration wherein a first multicomponent refrigerant is condensed to form a saturated liquid and vaporized against a condensing second multicomponent refrigerant which has a dew point less than the dew point and preferably the bubble point of the saturated liquid, and has a bubble point greater than that of the vaporizing first multicomponent refrigerant, and after providing refrigeration to a refrigeration load, may be superheated against the condensing first and second multicomponent refrigerants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Henry Edward Howard, Martin Lee Timm
  • Patent number: 6564567
    Abstract: A method and a device for heating and cooling a compartment of a motor vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine are described. During a cooling operation, a medium in the circuit is guided through a compressor, an ambient heat exchanger, a throttle device, and an interior heat exchanger which are connected in series and form an integral closed circuit. On the high-pressure side of the circuit, a supercritical pressure is produced at the same time that a subcritical pressure is produced on the low-pressure side of the circuit. During a heating operation, the high-pressure side of the circuit during the cooling operation becomes the low-pressure side and the low-pressure side of the circuit during the cooling operation becomes the high-pressure side. The medium in the circuit is conducted in the interior heat exchanger at a supercritical pressure, with heat energy being transferred from the medium in the circuit to the compartment air supplied to the compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Klaus Skupin, Roland Cäsar, Jürgen Wertenbach
  • Patent number: 6529133
    Abstract: A repository including: an input unit (3) for setting the temperature of the interior (2) of a repository (1); a measuring unit (5,6) for measuring the temperature of the interior of the repository (1); a controller (4) for holding ID data to specify the repository itself and communicatively outputting the measurement data to the external; and an auxiliary power source (13) for communicating the measurement data to the external even during interruption of power supply. A central controller 11 for collecting the measured data from each repository and judging whether abnormality occurs or not is connected to plural repositories to fabricate a monitoring system. When abnormality is detected, the measured data as well as ID data and time data are transmitted to a user through the Internet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2003
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Tamaoki, Tetsuya Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 6477855
    Abstract: A chiller tank system for containment of chilled liquids comprises a first tank and a second tank position within the first tank. The first tank is spaced apart from the second tank so that insulation material can be positioned between them The second tank defines a chamber for receiving the liquid to be chilled. A straight-lined, chiller barrel is positioned vertically within the chamber, the chiller barrel defining a bore connected to a flexible, dual hose. The straight-lined chiller barrel extends downward into the tank thereby evenly chilling the liquid to avoid thermal stratification that causes vaporization by creating warm spots within the liquid. A refrigeration unit supplies inert refrigerant to the tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Severn Trent Services - Water Purification Solutions, Inc
    Inventors: David G. Findley, Brent Simmons
  • Patent number: 6467279
    Abstract: A secondary loop refrigeration system includes plural refrigeration zones serially connected in a secondary cooling loop using a R-134a as a liquid refrigerant in increasing order of operating temperatures, the secondary cooling loop being in heat exchange relationship with a primary cooling loop using direct expansion refrigerants. The primary cooling loop may be selectively isolated allowing the latent heat of the units in the zones to increase the circulating temperature of the secondary refrigerant sufficient to defrost the cooling coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Inventors: Thomas J. Backman, James F. Roomsburg
  • Publication number: 20020148239
    Abstract: An environmental test chamber fast cool down and heat up system. The environmental test chamber fast cool down and heat up system comprises: an environmental test chamber having a fast cool down evaporator and fast heat up condenser coil, wherein the coil is selectively coupled either to receive a hot refrigerant gas flow or to receive a sub-cooled refrigerant flow; a cascade condenser coupled to the environmental test chamber; a primary stage sub-system coupled to the cascade condenser; a secondary stage sub-system coupled to the cascade condenser; and a thermal storage unit coupled to the primary stage sub-system and to the secondary stage sub-system. Wherein the environmental test chamber has an operational temperature down to about −125° F.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Publication date: October 17, 2002
    Inventor: Guy T. Trieskey
  • Patent number: 6438990
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a self-contained recirculating refrigeration system wherein the refrigerant is referred to as HTF (heat transfer fluid) which is cooled using liquid nitrogen. HTF remains in the liquid phase throughout the process of the present invention 10. The basic process can be viewed as beginning with the injection of liquid nitrogen (LN2) from a liquid nitrogen supply tank 22 into the thermal converter 18 wherein the heat transfer fluid (HTF) is cooled by LN2 through one or more heat exchangers to let the LN2 absorb heat from the HTF and thereby cool the HTF to refrigeration temperatures. The rate at which LN2 enters the thermal convector 18 is controlled by a valve so as to maintain the temperature of the HTF at a set point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventor: Jay K. Hertling
  • Patent number: 6415613
    Abstract: A cryogenic cooling system for use with a superconductive electric machine includes a first set of components arranged in a first circuit and adapted to force flow of a cryogen in the first circuit to and from a superconductive electric machine and being operable in a cooldown mode for cooling the cryogen and thereby the superconductive electric machine to a normal operating temperature, and a second set of components arranged in a second circuit and adapted to force flow of a cryogen in the second circuit to and from the superconductive electric machine and being operable in a normal mode for maintaining the cryogen and thereby the superconductive electric machine at the normal operating temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Adolph Ackermann, Evangelos Trifon Laskaris, Yu Wang, Brian Ernest Baxter Gott
  • Patent number: 6338254
    Abstract: An efficient method and system for dehumidifying an environment and refrigerating a second environment with a closed loop refrigeration system consisting of compressing refrigerant with a refrigeration compressor (10) to a high temperature and pressure, condensing the high pressure refrigerant to a liquid at a high temperature, circulating high pressure refrigerant through a heat exchanger (60) which is used to transfer energy from the liquid to an environment which is being air conditioned at a higher efficiency which contains the refrigerated environment (200). The liquid is then evaporated to a gas at a low pressure in a refrigeration evaporator coil (220).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Altech Controls Corporation
    Inventor: Richard H. Alsenz
  • Patent number: 6330809
    Abstract: A generator/motor cooling apparatus comprising a cooler for cooling gas used to cool the generator/motor, the gas flowing serially across first and second heat exchangers that are supplied with water from an ambient source; and a chiller having an evaporator and a condenser with a closed refrigerant circuit between the evaporator and condenser; wherein water supplied to the second heat exchanger is chilled in the evaporator and returned to the second heat exchanger and water from the ambient source acts as the heat sink for the condenser side of the chiller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Hunter Boardman, IV, Dewey Reed Bosley, Edward Paul Sapiro
  • Patent number: 6327865
    Abstract: A refrigeration system wherein refrigeration is generated at a relatively steady output by a refrigeration circuit and passed into a coupling fluid for transfer to a refrigeration load using a coupling fluid stabilizing circuit having a stabilizing reservoir.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Praxair Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Dante Patrick Bonaquist, Kenneth Kai Wong, Richard Amory Victor, Bayram Arman
  • Patent number: 6314744
    Abstract: A hybrid air-conditioner comprises a vapor adsorption cycle air-conditioner, a vapor compression refrigerating cycle air-conditioner, an external heat source circuit and the like. In the case where the external heat source temperature is in a high temperature range, the cooling operation is performed using only the vapor adsorption cycle air-conditioner. In the case where the external heat source temperature is in a low temperature range, the cooling operation is performed using only the vapor compression refrigerating cycle air-conditioner. In the case where the external heat source temperature is in an intermediate temperature range, the cooling operation is performed using both the vapor adsorption cycle air-conditioner and the vapor compression refrigerating cycle air-conditioner. As a result, the temperature restrictions on the vapor adsorption cycle air-conditioner can be removed and the range of operation allowance can be widened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masahiro Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20010027664
    Abstract: A passive desuperheater for a vapor compression refrigeration system is disclosed. The passive desuperheater includes a chamber having two inlets and an outlet, the first inlet for introducing superheated gas into the chamber, the second inlet for introducing cool liquid refrigerant into the chamber and the outlet for outputting the desuperheated gas. The flow of cool liquid refrigerant into the chamber is generated by a gravity drop, resulting in the mixing of the liquid refrigerant with the superheated gas, such that desuperheated gas is output at the outlet. In an alternative embodiment, the hot discharge gas is input through the bottom of a shell and tube condenser and then exposed to the cool liquid refrigerant in the condenser. The desuperheater according to the present invention also can be used to remove oil from the hot discharge gas during desuperheating. Desuperheating can also be obtained by passing the superheated gas through a pipe immersed in the cool liquid refrigerant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2000
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Inventor: James Ross
  • Patent number: 6205795
    Abstract: A secondary loop refrigeration system includes plural refrigeration zones serially connected in a secondary cooling loop using a liquid refrigerant in increasing order of operating temperatures, the secondary cooling loop being in heat exchange relationship with a primary cooling loop using direct expansion refrigerants. The primary cooling loop may be selectively isolated allowing the latent heat of the units in the zones to increase the circulating temperature of the secondary refrigerant sufficient to defrost the cooling coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Inventors: Thomas J. Backman, James Roomburg
  • Patent number: 6161391
    Abstract: An environmental test chamber fast cool down system. The environmental test chamber fast cool down system, comprises: an environmental test chamber evaporator, a cascade condenser coupled to the environmental test chamber evaporator, a sub-cooled primary stage loop coupled to the cascade condenser, a sub-cooled secondary stage loop coupled to the cascade condenser, and a thermal storage unit coupled to the sub-cooled primary stage loop and to the sub-cooled secondary stage loop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Inventor: Guy T. Trieskey
  • Patent number: 5992160
    Abstract: In an air conditioning system designed to operate in relatively high humidity conditions, an auxiliary unit, including a complete and independent operating refrigerant circuit, is installed in air flow relationship therewith such that outdoor make-up air is caused to flow first through an auxiliary evaporator coil then through the system evaporator coil, and at least a portion of the return air is passed through an auxiliary condenser coil before being discharged outside. Energy is thereby recovered from the return air, and the make-up air is pre-conditioned to improve the dehumidifying effect of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Carrier Corporation
    Inventors: Ruddy C. Bussjager, Lester N. Miller, James M. McKallip
  • Patent number: 5983656
    Abstract: An air conditioning system is provided. A driving force is constantly transmitted to a clutchless compressor via a pulley. A condenser causes a high-temperature and high-pressure gaseous refrigerant compressed by the clutchless compressor to change to a high-pressure liquid refrigerant through heat exchange with external air. An expansion valve adiabatically expands the liquid refrigerant to thereby change the liquid refrigerant into a low-pressure atomized refrigerant. An evaporator evaporates the atomized refrigerant through heat exchange with the external air. The evaporator is heated when a thermal load on the compressor is low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: Zexel Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Tokumasu
  • Patent number: 5934083
    Abstract: The climate in one or more aircraft cabin zones is controlled to achieve a minimal use of fresh air and an optimal use of recirculation air while satisfying official regulation requirements and avoiding freeze-ups in the air duct system of commercial aircraft. For this purpose temperature sensors ascertain a plurality of different actual temperature informations at different locations in the air supply system. Valve position sensors provide actual flow volume information from one or more valve locations. An r.p.m., volumetric flow or differential pressure sensor provides actual blower r.p.m., volumetric flow or differential pressure information. A CPU compares the actual information with rated information stored in a memory or entered through a keyboard to provide control signals, including closed loop control and/or open loop control signals, to a blower or blowers, a valve or valves, and to at least one air conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler Aerospace Airbus GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Scherer, Uwe Buchholz
  • Patent number: 5916249
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for recovery of ammonia refrigerant using paired evaporation condensation processes in which an essentially closed water loop is used to efficiently transfer heat energy from the evaporation process to the condensation process and which further allows excess heat to be purged from the system by evaporation of water in a forced draft condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 29, 1999
    Inventor: H. Wayne Baker
  • Patent number: 5906104
    Abstract: A heat transfer system including mechanical and electrical components for use with a mechanical air conditioning system to enable the system to efficiently reject heat to a water source, such as a pool or spa while simultaneously cooling an interior space. The air conditioning system incorporates three primary heat transfer coils in a mechanical refrigeration cycle to provide comfort cooling to an interior space while rejecting heat to either the atmosphere or a water source, such as a swimming pool. In an alternate heat pump embodiment, the system is capable of operating in an additional mode to absorb heat from the atmosphere and reject heat to the interior space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 25, 1999
    Inventors: Jay H. Schwartz, Abraham Schwartz
  • Patent number: 5794453
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus is disclosed for removing condensable material from a gas. The gas is caused to flow in series through a chiller for cooling the gas and condensing the condensable material from the gas, then through a separator to separate the condensate from the gas, and then passing the gas through a reheater to reheat the gas. A predetermined charge of refrigerant is passed in a closed cycle through the chiller to cool the gas by absorbing the heat from the gas and evaporating, then the gaseous refrigerant is compressed by a compression unit having an electric drive means in which an amount of energy is added to the gaseous refrigerant. The hot, pressurized, gaseous refrigerant is then passed through an auxiliary condenser sized to remove the energy that was added to the refrigerant by the compression unit at no load conditions, then the refrigerant is passed through the reheater to further condense the refrigerant and to transfer heat to the exiting gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: Flair Corporation
    Inventor: James W. Barnwell
  • Patent number: 5729993
    Abstract: A precooled vapor-liquid refrigeration cycle includes a basic vapor-liquid cycle and an auxiliary regenerative vapor-liquid cycle having a heat exchange relationship between them. The basic cycle includes a compressor connected in series with a condenser, throttle device, and evaporator. The auxiliary cycle includes a compressor, condenser, throttle device, and a counterflow heat exchanger, successively connected. The cycles each have condensers that are cooled by ambient air; the basic cycle is able to operate independently of the auxiliary cycle. To maximize the coefficient of performance, the basic cycle operates with a small pressure differential between compressor discharge and return. In the heat exchanger, refrigerant flow from the basic cycle condenser is further cooled in a counterflow arrangement by the low temperature refrigerant from the auxiliary cycle until the refrigerant in the basic cycle has been precooled from near ambient temperature to near the intended refrigeration temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: APD Cryogenics Inc.
    Inventors: Mikhail Boiarski, Oleg Podcherniaev
  • Patent number: 5507158
    Abstract: A device for indirect cold production for a compression, absorption, adsorption or chemical refrigerating system comprises an evaporator in heat exchange relationship with the fluid to be cooled in one or more condensers, themselves in direct heat exchange relationship with the evaporator or the refrigeration circuit reactor, circulation between the evaporator and the condenser being established by gravity flow using a phase change fluid and separate vapour and liquid pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Elf Aquitaine
    Inventor: Jacques Bernier
  • Patent number: 5421171
    Abstract: Cooling apparatus comprises a cooling chamber such as a freezing tunnel having a pipeline for introducing liquid nitrogen into it and an exhaust passage for cold nitrogen vapor. The exhaust passage extends through a rotary regenerative heat exchanger. Downstream of the heat exchanger is a fan operable to draw the exhaust gas through the heat exchanger. A second passage extends through the heat exchanger and is arranged for the flow therethrough of relatively warm air, whereby, in operation, the air is able to transfer heat to the exhaust gas in the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 6, 1995
    Assignee: The BOC Group plc
    Inventor: David G. Wardle
  • Patent number: 5391925
    Abstract: A method of driving a large cooling system having a compressor operating as a chiller driven by a prime mover, such as a gas turbine, reciprocating engine or steam turbine, in conjunction with an electric motor/generator coaxially arranged on a common shaft with the other units, so that as the ambient temperature rises and the power needed to produce the cooling output increases, and as there is a corresponding drop in power output if the prime mover is a gas turbine or condensing steam turbine, the required additional driving power is supplied by the motor. Conversely, as the ambient temperature drops and required cooling power lessens, the electric motor operates as a generator to convert the excess prime mover power to electrical power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Trigen Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Casten, Goran Mornhed, Leif Bergquist, John M. Malahieude
  • Patent number: 5386709
    Abstract: The present invention provides method and apparatus for incorporating thermal storage and other low-temperature reservoirs with new or retrofittable refrigerant circuit devices to increase their thermal operating capacity and efficiency by subcooling refrigerant condensate with subcoolers, as illustrated in a plurality of structural arrangements, which allows simultaneous cooling of a refrigerated volume and recharging of the thermal storage system, and further, it may utilize proportional subcooling to proportionally control evaporator capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1995
    Assignee: Baltimore Aircoil Company, Inc.
    Inventor: David A. Aaron
  • Patent number: 5351502
    Abstract: The ancillary heat pump apparatus of the present invention for producing domestic hot water generally includes a domestic hot water heat pump having refrigerant and water circuits which are operatively disposed at the proximal ends thereof into close array at the heat exchanger of tile domestic hot water heat pump. The refrigerant circuit of the domestic hot water heat pump hereof has a heat exchanger coil disposed at the distal end thereof, and the water circuit is connected at the distal end thereof to a hot water heater. In the apparatus of the present invention, the distal refrigerant circuit heat exchanger coil is disposed into operative heat exchanging position, directly or indirectly, with a return fluid stream of a heat source. In combination therewith is a multimodal dehumidification apparatus providing a valve for defining flow through a selected portion of dehumidification coils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1994
    Assignee: Lennox Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Theodore C. Gilles, Robert B. Uselton
  • Patent number: 5284029
    Abstract: Triple-effect absorption heat exchange apparatus for transferring heat from a heat load to a heat sink. The apparatus comprises first and second interconnected refrigerant loops. The first loop comprises a first generator, a first condenser, a first evaporator, and a first absorber operatively linked together. The second loop comprises a second generator, a second condenser, a second evaporator, and a second absorber operatively linked together. The first absorber and the first condenser are in direct heat exchange relation with the second generator. This direct heat exchange relation may be established by providing a two-stage generator in which the condenser and absorber of a first loop are in the same vessel as the generator of a second loop. The condenser and absorber of the first loop provide the heat necessary to operate the second-loop generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 8, 1994
    Assignee: Gas Research Institute
    Inventors: Edward F. Keuper, William J. Plzak
  • Patent number: 5265442
    Abstract: A system for cooling employee and customer-occupied area of a commercial establishment of a type having an internal refrigerated inventory storage compartment includes a water reservoir located within the refrigerated compartment. Included is an assembly for continually supplying a portion of water from the reservoir to an input of a heat exchanger external of the refrigerated compartment. Further included is an assembly for, after circulation of water through the heat exchanger, return of the water to the water reservoir within the refrigerated compartment. The system also includes an assembly for inputting air external of the refrigerated compartment through the heat exchanger to transfer the air's thermal values to the circulated water. Further provided are a fan and ductwork sub-system for distributing resulting cooled air outputted from the heat exchanger to the employee and customer-occupied areas of the establishment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Inventor: Thomas T. Lamie