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Centrifugal heat transfer engine and heat transfer systems embodying the same

  • US 20030145621A1
  • Filed: 10/04/2002
  • Published: 08/07/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1992
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A heat transfer engine for transferring heat between first and second heat exchanging circuits, comprising:

  • a stationary housing having first and second heat transfer chambers, and a thermal isolation barrier disposed therebetween, said first and second heat transfer chambers each having first and second ports and a continuous passageway therebetween; and

    a rotatable heat transfer structure rotatably supported within said stationary housing about an axis of rotation and having a substantially symmetrical moment of inertia about said axis of rotation, said rotatable heat transfer structure having a first end portion disposed within said first heat transfer chamber, a second end portion disposed within said second heat transfer chamber, and an intermediate portion disposed between said first and second end portions and including a means for, said rotatable heat transfer structure embodying a closed fluid circuit symmetrically arranged about said axis of rotation, and having a return portion extending along the direction of said axis of rotation and at least a subportion of said return portion having a helical geometry, and an interior volume for containing a predetermined amount of a heat carrying medium contained within said closed fluid circuit which automatically circulates within said closed fluid circuit as said rotatable heat transfer structure is rotated about said axis of rotation and therewhile undergoes a phase transformation within said closed fluid circuit in order to carry out a heat transfer process between said first and second portions of said rotatable heat transfer structure, said first end portion of said rotatable heat transfer structure being disposed in thermal communication with said first heat exchanging circuit, said second end portion rotatable heat transfer structure being disposed in thermal communication with said second heat exchanging circuit, said intermediate portion being physically adjacent to said thermal barrier so as to present a substantially high thermal resistance to heat transfer between said first and second heat transfer chambers during operation of said heat transfer engine, and said heat carrying medium being characterized by a predetermined heat of evaporation at which said heat carrying medium transforms from liquid phase to vapor phase, and a predetermined heat of condensation at which said heat carrying medium transforms from vapor phase to liquid phase, and wherein the direction of phase change of said heat carrying liquid is reversible; and

    a flow restriction means disposed along said intermediate portion for restricting the flow of said heat carrying fluid through said closed fluid circuit as said rotatable heat transfer structure is rotated within about said axis of rotation;

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