1019results about "Machines using refrigerant evaporation" patented technology

Ergonomic systems which provide medical therapy, comfort and enhanced function are provided. Surfaces are provided with adjustable contour, transient force damping and temperature. The technologies are applied to footwear, seating surfaces an cryotherapy devices. The cooling and cryotherapy system employ an evaporator in close proximity to skin, and therefore employ methods to reduce risk of frostbite. Advanced control and power supply options are disclosed.

An energy saving control for appliances via an intelligent thermostat is provided. This intelligent thermostat provides programmatic control over the HVAC system, and provides coordinated control over the appliances. This control over the appliances is accomplished via a communications network between the intelligent thermostat and the appliances. The appliances include occupancy sensors and transmit usage and occupancy information to the intelligent thermostat. The intelligent thermostat processes this information to determine the occupancy of the dwelling. The thermostat controls the HVAC system and the appliances according to the determined occupancy of the dwelling.

An air conditioner control assembly for use with a room air conditioner having an electrical plug adapted to be plugged into an electrical socket in order to supply electrical power to the air conditioner is provided. The air conditioner control assembly includes a control unit having an electrical plug adapted to be plugged into an electrical power socket in a home, an electrical socket adapted to receive the electrical plug of the air conditioner, and a relay electrically connected between the two to selectively relay electrical power from the electrical power socket in a home to the air conditioner in response to a control signal. A thermostat located remotely from the control unit and from the air conditioner is electrically connected to the control unit, the thermostat generating the control signals to which the relay is responsive as a function of temperature sensed by the thermostat and time of day.

The present invention provides a system and a method for the production of microparticles and nanoparticles of materials that can be dissolved. The system and method of the present invention provide quicker freezing times, which in turn produces a more uniform distribution of particle sizes, smaller particles, particles with increased porosity and a more intimate mixing of the particle components. The system and method of the present invention also produce particles with greater surface area than conventional methods. One form of the present invention provides a method for the preparation of particles. An effective ingredient is mixed with water, one or more solvents, or a combination thereof, and the resulting mixture is sprayed through an insulating nozzle located at or below the level of a cryogenic liquid. The spray generates frozen particles.

A vertical support rigidly mounted to a planar base positions and supports a cryocooler expander unit off axis and away from a sample to be examined. The sample support is likewise rigidly mounted to the planar base with a rigidly mounted sample housing therein. The cryocooler expander unit is suspended in the vertical support by spring dampening bearings. A pair of opposing flexible vacuum bellows connects the cryocooler expander unit to the sample housing and vertical support. This configuration isolates the sample from vibration. Flexible thermal links associated with an predictive electronic closed loop control sequence maintains sample temperature.

An ejector cycle system with a refrigerant cycle through which refrigerant flows includes an ejector disposed downstream of a radiator, a first evaporator that evaporates refrigerant flowing out of the ejector, a throttling unit located in a branch passage and depressurizes refrigerant to adjust a flow rate of refrigerant, and a second evaporator located downstream of the throttling unit. In the ejector cycle system, a flow ratio adjusting means adjusts a flow ratio between a first refrigerant flow amount depressurized and expanded in a nozzle portion of the ejector and a second refrigerant flow amount drawn into a refrigerant suction port of the ejector, based on a physical quantity related to at least one of a state of refrigerant in the refrigerant cycle, a temperature of a space to be cooled by the first and second evaporators, and an ambient temperature of the space.

A fuel gas supply system of a ship is provided for supplying fuel gas to a high-pressure gas injection engine of the ship, wherein the ship has an LNG fuel tank for storing LNG as fuel and LNG is extracted from an LNG fuel tank of the ship, compressed at a high pressure, gasified, and then supplied to the high-pressure gas injection engine.

The present invention relates to an apparatus enabling interaction with a network computer system. It has particular application to a system employing a printer for printing an interface onto a surface to produce an interface surface.According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus enabling interaction with a network computer system, the apparatus including:an appliance for storing and cooling produce for use by an appliance user; anda printer device integrated into said appliance, the printer device being operatively interconnectable with said network computer system, the printer device including a printer module operable to print at least one form delivered from said network computer system, and the printer device being configured to receive indicating data from a sensing device operated by an appliance user, the sensing device when placed in an operative position relative to said at least one form sensing the indicating data.By means of the invention, a network terminal comprising an interactive printer device can be incorporated into, say, the door of a domestic refrigerator. Such an appliance is readily accessible, and is regularly visited by those who may be making use of the network terminal.

A refrigeration system and method includes a refrigeration component and an electronics module preconfigured with a data set for the refrigeration component. The electronics module stores the data set including identification and configuration parameters of the refrigeration component. A refrigeration system controller that communicates with the electronics module to copy the data set and to regulate operation of the refrigeration component within the refrigeration system.

A radio receiver disclosed is composed of a signal processing part, which includes a receive band pass filter 2 and a receive low noise amplifier 3, to process receive signal and discharge gas with time, the signal processing part being cooled by the cooling means 6, wherein the radio receiver is provided with an airtight container 10 that operates as inner sealing means to seal the receive band pass filter 2 and the receive low noise amplifier 3 to retain the gas, and a vacuum container 5 that operates as outer sealing means to seal in vacuum the airtight container 10 such that an interspace 12 between that and the airtight container 10 forms a vacuum insulating space to insulate in vacuum the airtight container 10 from outside.

The container has a specific construction for low weight with low thermal loss by combining the use of certain polymer insulation with the use of air space between internal structures. The container contains a single or multiple heaters or coolers that can be integrated as a single heating and cooling element, and either integrated into a single container, or in separate containers. The heating or cooling is accomplished by attaching to an internal thermal conducting, e.g. metal, structure either heating or cooling thermal conducting elements or internal thermal heat exchangers with a fan that circulates air over the thermal heat exchanger and heats or cools the air directly. An intelligent power management electronic controls management system is used to result in food delivery containers suitable for power, limited lower capacity vehicles such as motorcycles or scooters. The present invention provides the power for these hot and cold boxes by either modifying the existing alternator to increase the power available from a limited power low capacity motorcycle or similar vehicle or relying on one or more auxiliary alternators added to and driven by the limited power and low capacity vehicle. Further, an additional heat source can be used from the engine or exhaust and the heat can be transferred to the heated container by liquid, gas, or thermal conduction means, to reduce the electrical energy required for limited power low capacity vehicles.

An ejector cycle device includes a compressor that draws and compresses refrigerant, a radiator that radiates heat of high-pressure refrigerant discharged from the compressor, an ejector, a branch passage branched from a refrigerant passage between the radiator and a nozzle portion of the ejector and coupled to a suction port of the ejector, a throttle unit that is arranged in the branch passage and decompresses refrigerant, and an evaporator that is arranged on a downstream side of refrigerant flow of the throttle unit in the branch passage and evaporates refrigerant. Accordingly, even when a suction performance of the ejector is lowered, refrigerant can flow through the evaporator.

An ejector-type cycle with refrigeration ability improved by utilizing an evaporator efficiently is provided. An ejector-type cycle (50, 60), for exchanging heat using a refrigerant, comprises: a compressor (1) for compressing the refrigerant; a condenser (2) for condensing the compressed refrigerant, a first orifice (3) arranged downstream of the condenser; an ejector (6) arranged downstream of the first orifice and capable of exhibiting a sucking force at the inlet (64) thereof; a first evaporator (7) for exchanging heat with an external fluid by passing the refrigerant and having a refrigerant outlet connected to the inlet (64) of the ejector; a dryness degree adjusting mechanism (4) interposed between the first orifice and the ejector and connected to the ejector and the first evaporator so as to supply the refrigerant thereto, and a second orifice (5) arranged downstream of and connected to the dryness degree adjusting mechanism.

The present invention concerns a method for pre-cooling the passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle. The vehicle includes at least one electrically actuatable window and a HVAC system having at least a controller, a blower, a passenger compartment temperature sensor, and a HVAC ducting leading to the passenger compartment. The controller and the blower are connected to a vehicle battery. The method includes determining the passenger compartment temperature and comparing the temperature to a first predetermined value; cycling an blower inlet to an outside air intake position and operating the blower to provide pressurized air to the passenger compartment if the passenger compartment temperature is greater than the first predetermined value; opening the vehicle windows; comparing the passenger compartment temperature to a second predetermined value; and stopping operation of the blower when the passenger compartment temperature drops below the second predetermined value.

A heat exchange system for use in operating equipment in which a working fluid is utilized needing a heat exchange system to provide air and working fluid heat exchanges to cool the working fluid at selectively variable rates in airstreams. The system comprises a plurality of heat exchangers including a first heat exchanger in the plurality of heat exchangers that is mounted with respect to the equipment so as to permit corresponding portions of the airstreams to pass through the core thereof during at least some such uses of the equipment. Also, a second heat exchanger is mounted with respect to the equipment so as to selectively permit corresponding portions of the airstreams to pass through the core thereof during such uses of the equipment. A core actuator is mounted with respect to the second heat exchanger to selectively increase or reduce the passing of those corresponding portions of the airstreams through the core.

A thermoacoustic refrigerator having a relatively small size which utilizes one or more piezoelectric drivers to generate high frequency sound within a resonator at a frequency of between about 4000 Hz and ultrasonic frequencies. The interaction of the high frequency sound with one or more stacks create a temperature gradient across the stack which is conducted through a pair of heat exchangers located on opposite sides of each stack. The stack is comprised of an open-celled material that allows axial, radial, and azimuthal resonance modes of the resonator within the stack resulting in enhanced cooling power of the thermoacoustic refrigerator.

A method for nighttime pre-cooling of a building comprising inputting one or more user settings, lowering the indoor temperature reading of the building during nighttime by operating an outside air ventilation system followed, if necessary, by a vapor compression cooling system. The method provides for nighttime pre-cooling of a building that maintains indoor temperatures within a comfort range based on the user input settings, calculated operational settings, and predictions of indoor and outdoor temperature trends for a future period of time such as the next day.

An automatic cold-storage system includes a food package (22) provided with a noncontact IC tag (11), and a refrigerator (31) for storing the food package (22). Information is read from the noncontact IC tag (11) by a noncontact IC tag reader (12) and is compiled to a database (31c). A managing means (31b) controls the refrigerator (31) on the basis of information contained in the database (31c). The managing means (31b) makes a display device (14) display a warning on the basis of information read by the noncontact IC tag reader (12).

In an ejector cycle having an ejector for decompressing refrigerant, a check valve is disposed in an oil return passage through which refrigerant including a lubrication oil is introduced from a refrigerant outlet side of an evaporator to a refrigerant suction side of a compressor while bypassing the ejector. When the lubrication oil amount staying in the evaporator reduces, the check valve is automatically closed, and a normal operation mode of the ejector cycle is automatically set. On the contrary, when a large amount of lubrication oil stays in the evaporator, the check valve is automatically opened, and an oil return mode is automatically set. Therefore, the lubrication oil staying in the evaporator can be controlled equal to or lower than a predetermined amount, thereby effectively returning the lubrication oil to the compressor.

An aircraft adaptive power thermal management system for cooling one or more aircraft components includes an air cycle system, a vapor cycle system, and a fuel recirculation loop operably disposed therebetween. An air cycle system heat exchanger is between the air cycle system and the fuel recirculation loop, a vapor cycle system heat exchanger is between the vapor cycle system and the fuel recirculation loop, and one or more aircraft fuel tanks are in the fuel recirculation loop. An intercooler including a duct heat exchanger in an aircraft gas turbine engine FLADE duct may be in the air cycle system. The system is operable for providing on-demand cooling for one or more of the aircraft components by increasing heat sink capacity of the fuel tanks.

A cryogenic inertial Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) device is provided. The device may include a vibratory gyroscope operable to sense a rotational acceleration. The device may also include a pre-amplifier co-located in a close proximity to the vibratory gyroscope. The device may be operated at substantially low temperatures, such as cryogenic temperatures, to reduce electrical noise and improve stability of outputs of the system.

A heat exchange system for use in operating equipment in which a working fluid is utilized needing a heat exchange system to provide air and working fluid heat exchanges to cool the working fluid at selectively variable rates in airstreams. The system comprises a plurality of heat exchangers including a first heat exchanger in the plurality of heat exchangers that is mounted with respect to the equipment so as to permit corresponding portions of the airstreams to pass through the core thereof during at least some such uses of the equipment. Also, a second heat exchanger is mounted with respect to the equipment so as to selectively permit corresponding portions of the airstreams to pass through the core thereof during such uses of the equipment. A core actuator is mounted with respect to the second heat exchanger to selectively increase or reduce the passing of those corresponding portions of the airstreams through the core.

A zero boiloff cryogen cooled recondensing superconducting magnet assembly including superconducting magnet coils suitable for magnetic resonance imaging including a cryogen pressure vessel to contain a liquid cryogen reservoir to provide cryogenic temperatures to the magnet coils for superconducting operation; a vacuum vessel surrounding the pressure vessel and spaced therefrom; a first thermal shield surrounding and spaced from the pressure vessel; a second thermal shield surrounding and spaced from the first thermal shield and intermediate the vacuum vessel and the first shield; a cryocooler thermally connected by a first and a second thermal interface to the first and second thermal shields, respectively; a recondenser positioned in the space between the pressure vessel and the first thermal shield and thermally connected by a thermal interface to the cryocooler to recondense, back to liquid, cryogen gas provided from the pressure vessel; and means for returning the recondensed liquid cryogen the pressure vessel; wherein the second thermal shield surrounding the first thermal shield reduces a radiation heat load from the first thermal shield to the pressure vessel lowering boiloff of cryogen gas under conditions of failure or power off of the cryocooler.

Methods of controlling air conditioning and HVAC units using a thermostat for a discrete-speed unit that include changing speed based on how long the unit operates at a particular speed. Speed may be increased if a unit operates for longer than a predetermined time at a particular speed, and speed may be reduced if the unit operated for less than a specific amount of time during the prior run. In different embodiments, single-stage thermostats may control units that operate at three speeds, and two-stage thermostats may control units that operate at three to five or more speeds. In addition, in some embodiments, outdoor coil temperature may be measured and considered in determining speed. Further, in some embodiments, maintaining continuous or repeated operation at a boost speed may be avoided. Energy savings and noise reduction may result.

An aircraft adaptive power thermal management system for cooling one or more aircraft components includes an air cycle system, a vapor cycle system, and a fuel recirculation loop operably disposed therebetween. An air cycle system heat exchanger is between the air cycle system and the fuel recirculation loop, a vapor cycle system heat exchanger is between the vapor cycle system and the fuel recirculation loop, and one or more aircraft fuel tanks are in the fuel recirculation loop. An intercooler including a duct heat exchanger in an aircraft gas turbine engine FLADE duct may be in the air cycle system. The system is operable for providing on-demand cooling for one or more of the aircraft components by increasing heat sink capacity of the fuel tanks.

A cryogenic cooler and a dewar assembly including a cooled surface; a cooling surface for removing thermal energy from said cooled surface; and an adapter disposed between said cooling surface and the cooled surface for conducting thermal energy therebetween. A first fluid is disposed between the cooled surface and the adapter for conducting thermal energy from the cooled surface to the adapter. A second fluid is disposed between the cooling surface and the adapter for conducting thermal energy from the adapter to the cooling surface whereby the cooling surface remains free to move axially relative to the adapter at a temperature of the cooling surface at which the first fluid is susceptible to freezing. This allows for movement of the cold finger relative to the dewar and adapter, due to differential thermal coefficients of expansion or support structure motion, without adversely affecting the communication of thermal energy from the load. In the illustrative embodiment, the cooler is a Stirling cycle cooler, the first fluid is thermal grease and the second fluid is nitrogen. The cooling surface is a cylindrical cold finger of the Stirling cycle cooler and the cooled surface is an inner wall of a dewar assembly. The dewar is in thermal contact with a load. The adapter is disposed between the inner wall of the dewar and the cold finger. The adapter has an end cap and a cylindrical housing extending therefrom. The housing extends at least partially along a longitudinal axis of the cold finger. An insulator is disposed about the cold finger and the adapter housing. A spring is disposed between a proximal end of the insulator and a base of the cold finger to maintain a distal end of the insulator in contact with the adapter and the adapter in contact with the dewar.

A drying apparatus has a heat pump apparatus having a compressor, a radiator, an expansion mechanism and an evaporator connected in this order via pipes through which a refrigerant is circulated. The drying apparatus has a structure in which drying air heated in the radiator is introduced into a subject to be dried, drying air obtained by removing moisture or water from the subject to be dried is cooled and dehumidified by the evaporator, and then the drying air is reheated in the radiator to be reused as renewed drying air. The drying apparatus also has a structure in which drain water generated by dehumidifying the drying air in the evaporator is dropped or sprayed into the radiator.

A refrigerator includes a refrigerator housing, a refrigerated compartment disposed within the refrigerator housing, and a hollow refrigerator wall having insulation material therein. There is a first fluid connection from the vacuum pump to the hollow refrigerator wall for providing a first function of evacuating air from the hollow refrigerator wall and a second fluid connection from the vacuum pump for providing a second function of evacuating air.

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.