Heat exchange technique

• US 20050022974A1
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Forced Physics LLC
• Original Assignee: Forced Physics LLC
• Inventors: Davis, Scott
• Application Number:
  US10/742,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20050022974A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 165/86
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 15/00 Nanotechnology for interacting, sensing or actuating, e.g. quantum dots as markers in protein assays or molecular motors
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 1/36 using fluid friction
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 19/042 Turbomolecular vacuum pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/582 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 33/00 Non-positive-displacement pumps with other than pure rotation, e.g. of oscillating type F04D35/00 takes precedence; hand-held fans A45B
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/82 Micromachines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/84 Nanomachines
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/00 Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing F28F1/00 - F28F11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 13/02 by influencing fluid boundary boundary-layer control in general F15D

Abstract

A method and device that transfers heat to or from a gas. The method includes the steps of moving a surface with sufficient speed to disrupt a velocity boundary layer for molecules of the gas in contact with the surface, and cooling or heating the surface. The surface can be a heteroscopic structure that selects molecules from the gas. Cooling results in a transfer of energy from the molecules to the surface, whereas heating results in a transfer of energy from the surface to the molecules.

Claims

1. A method of transferring heat to or from a gas, comprising the steps of:

moving a rotating surface with sufficient speed to disrupt a velocity boundary layer for molecules of the gas in contact with the surface; and

cooling or heating the surface;

wherein cooling results in a transfer of energy from the molecules to the surface, and heating results in a transfer of energy from the surface to the molecules.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the moving step and the heating or cooling step occur simultaneously.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the gas is air.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein at least part of the rotating surface moves at a speed comparable to a mean thermal velocity of the gas.

5. A method of transferring heat to or from a gas, comprising the steps of:

selecting molecules from the gas using a heteroscopic structure; and

heating or cooling at least part of the heteroscopic structure that comes into contact with the selected molecules;

wherein cooling results in a transfer of energy from the molecules to the heteroscopic structure, and heating results in a transfer of energy from the heteroscopic structure to the molecules.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the selecting step and the heating or cooling step occur simultaneously.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein the gas is air.

8. A method as in claim 5, wherein the molecules are selected from the gas at higher than near-vacuum pressure.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein the molecules are selected from the gas at atmospheric pressure.

10. A method as in claim 5, wherein the heteroscopic structure includes microscopic or nanoscopic turbine blades moving at a speed comparable to a mean thermal velocity of the gas.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein the turbine blades feed into microscopic or nanoscopic ducts that are cooled or heated.

12. A method as in claim 10, wherein the turbine blades are mounted on or in a rotating structure.

13. A method as in claim 10, wherein the turbine blades are mounted on or in a linearly moving structure.

14. A method as in claim 13, wherein the linearly moving structure is a component of a vehicle that moves through the gas.

15. A method as in claim 14, wherein the component is a radiator.

16. A device that transfers heat to or from a gas, comprising:

a rotating surface moved with sufficient speed to disrupt a velocity boundary layer for molecules of the gas in contact with the surface; and

cooling or heating elements that cool or heat the surface;

wherein cooling results in a transfer of energy from the molecules to the surface, and heating results in a transfer of energy from the surface to the molecules.

17. A device as in claim 16, wherein the gas is air.

18. A device as in claim 16, wherein at least part of the rotating surface moves at a speed comparable to a mean thermal velocity of the gas.

19. A device that transfers heat to or from a gas, comprising:

a heteroscopic structure that selects molecules from the gas; and

cooling or heating elements that cool or heat at least part of the heteroscopic structure that comes into contact with the selected molecules;

wherein cooling results in a transfer of energy from the molecules to the heteroscopic structure, and heating results in a transfer of energy from the heteroscopic structure to the molecules.

20. A device as in claim 19, wherein the gas is air.

21. A device as in claim 19, wherein the molecules are selected from the gas at higher than near-vacuum pressure.

22. A device as in claim 21, wherein the molecules are selected from the gas at atmospheric pressure.

23. A device as in claim 19, wherein the heteroscopic structure includes microscopic or nanoscopic turbine blades moving at a speed comparable to a mean thermal velocity of the gas.

24. A device as in claim 23, wherein the turbine blades feed into microscopic or nanoscopic ducts that are cooled or heated.

25. A device as in claim 23, wherein the turbine blades are mounted on or in a rotating structure.

26. A device as in claim 23, wherein the turbine blades are mounted on or in a linearly moving structure.

27. A device as in claim 26, wherein the linearly moving structure is a component of a vehicle that moves through the gas.

28. A device as in claim 27, wherein the component is a radiator.