Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090121488 | Electric power generation system driven by solar flux and geocooling - A system for generating electric power by utilizing solar heat flux. The system comprises a heating sub system and a cooling loop. The cooling loop circulates a coolant through a heat exchanger with an expanded second refrigerant which has been heated by the heating sub system thereby heating the coolant. The cooling loop includes a pipe buried in the ground at depth, D. A soil surrounds the length, L, of the pipe and a wrapping material defines and maintains a radial soil annulus width, δ | 05-14-2009 |
20100060005 | Power generation system using low grade solar energy - Disclosed is a system providing practical power generation from heat energy input from a low grade source, such as solar energy. In a modified Rankine cycle, increased energy is extracted via the turbine by letting the working fluid drop to a lower pressure. Phase change of the low pressure working fluid is accomplished using enhanced condensation. Condensation is enhanced by use of an evaporative cooler. To enable continued operation when solar exposure is attenuated, a supplemental heater is included to heat the working fluid. | 03-11-2010 |
20110289959 | AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM HAVING AN IMPROVED INTERNAL HEAT EXCHANGER - An air conditioning system having an improved internal heat exchanger (IHX) assembly. The IHX assembly includes an elongated cavity for low pressure refrigerant flow from an evaporator and an interior tube disposed within the cavity for high pressure refrigerant flow from a condenser, and a pressure equalization passage between the low and high pressure sides. The passage is large enough to allow pressures to equalize between the condenser and evaporator while the air conditioning system is inactive, so as to prevent the pressure differential that would otherwise enable the loss of refrigerant oil from the compressor, and small enough not to effect the operation of the air conditioning system. The pressure equalization passage may be a by-pass valve assembly having a reed portion that is normally open when the air conditioning system is inactive and closed when the air conditioning system is active for maximum cooling efficiency. | 12-01-2011 |
20120266608 | THERMOELECTRIC HEAT EXCHANGER CAPABLE OF PROVIDING TWO DIFFERENT DISCHARGE TEMPERATURES - A thermoelectric heat exchanger and a thermoelectric heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) configured to provide a cooled fluid or air stream and a heated fluid or air stream. The thermoelectric heat exchanger may include a plurality thermoelectric devices (TEDs), also known as thermoelectric coolers (TECs) or Peltier coolers, in thermal communication. The thermoelectric devices may be arranged in a three dimensional array to provide compact packaging for the thermoelectric heat exchanger assembly. The thermoelectric heat exchanger may be configured to transfer thermal energy between a first thermoelectric device and a second thermoelectric device via evaporation and condensation of a working fluid or refrigerant contained within the thermoelectric heat exchanger. | 10-25-2012 |
20120276831 | System and Method of Providing Quick Thermal Comfort with Reduced Energy by Using Directed Spot Conditioning - A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and a method of controlling a HVAC system that is configured to provide a perceived comfortable ambient environment to an occupant seated in a vehicle cabin. The system includes a nozzle configured to direct an air stream from the HVAC system to the location of a thermally sensitive portion of the body of the occupant. The system also includes a controller configured to determine an air stream temperature and an air stream flow rate necessary to establish the desired heat supply rate for the sensitive portion and provide a comfortable thermal environment by thermally isolating the occupant from the ambient vehicle cabin temperature. The system may include a sensor to determine the location of the sensitive portion. The nozzle may include a thermoelectric device to heat or cool the air stream. | 11-01-2012 |
20130248166 | PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL EVAPORATOR CHARGING CONTROL - An evaporator has a manifold and a plurality of refrigerant tubes extending downward in the direction of gravity from the manifold. The evaporator includes at least one PCM housing engaging the upper portion of the refrigerant tube for storing a phase change material. When operating in a first operating mode, heat is transferred from the phase change material to the refrigerant to freeze and cool the phase change material. When operating in a second operating mode, heat is transferred from the refrigerant to the frozen phase change material to condense the refrigerant. The condensed refrigerant falls downwardly through the tubes and receives heat from a flow of air to cool the air and evaporate the refrigerant. The evaporated refrigerant rises upwardly back to the low pressure of the cold manifold. | 09-26-2013 |
20130283827 | PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL EVAPORATOR CHARGING CONTROL - A method of controlling an air conditioning compressor in a heating ventilation and air conditioning system having a evaporator including a phase change material is presented. The method includes the steps of measuring an evaporator output air temperature, determining a state of charge value by calculating a difference between an estimated refrigerant temperature based on the evaporator output air temperature and a phase change material freeze temperature and integrating this difference over time and operating the air conditioning compressor to maintain the state of charge value between an upper and lower limit. A method of recovering braking energy in a vehicle containing a heating ventilation and air conditioning system having the evaporator including the phase change material is also presented. | 10-31-2013 |
20130344791 | AIR STREAM VELOCITY CONTROL FOR VENTILATION SYSTEM - A system and a method of controlling a ventilation or HVAC system that is configured to provide an air stream having a comfortable contact velocity to an occupant seated in a vehicle cabin. The system includes a sensor to determine the distance from a discharge nozzle to the vehicle occupant and a controller to control the exit velocity and/or an effective diameter of the nozzle. The sensor may use ultrasonic, infrared, LIDAR, or RADAR technology to determine distance. The system may determine the distance from the nozzle to the occupant based on a seat location determined by a seat location sensor. The seat location sensor may be common to an inflatable restraint (air bag) system. | 12-26-2013 |
20140096945 | HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM FOR OCCUPANTS OF THE REAR PORTION OF A VEHICLE - A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system configured for use in a vehicle to provide a perceived comfortable thermal environment to an occupant seated in a rear portion of a vehicle cabin. A heat exchanger provides a first airstream characterized as having a first temperature to an air moving device configured to generate a second airstream characterized as having a second temperature. The second airstream comprises a mixture of the first airstream and cabin air drawn from the rear portion of the vehicle cabin. The air moving device may be disposed in the rear portion of the vehicle. The HVAC system further includes a nozzle that may be configured to direct the second airstream toward an occupant in the rear portion of the vehicle cabin to provide spot conditioning. | 04-10-2014 |