Heat transfer apparatus and method employing active regenerative cycle
First Claim
1. A heat transfer apparatus employing an active regenerative cycle for transferring beat from a thermal load to a heat sink comprising(A) a regenerator comprising working fluid contained in a plurality of separate first vessels arranged in an ordered array, each of said first vessels having a designated location between said thermal load and said heat sink and having a mean operating temperature corresponding to said designated location;
- (B) a heat transfer fluid physically separated from said working fluid and in thermal communication with said thermal load and said heat sink;
(C) work input means for periodically compressing and expanding said working fluid to alternatively increase and decrease the temperature thereof; and
(D) circulation means for periodically circulating said heat transfer fluid relative to said working fluid to either accept heat from or transfer heat to said working fluid.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This application relates to a heat transfer apparatus and method employing an active regenerative cycle. The invention employs a working or “active” fluid and a heat transfer fluid which are physically separated. The working fluid is contained in an array of refrigeration elements that are distributed over the temperature gradient of a regenerative bed. The work for the refrigeration cycle is provided by alternative compression and expansion of the working fluid in each of the refrigeration elements at a temperature corresponding to the element'"'"'s location in the temperature gradient. The compression and expansion strokes may be coupled together for optimum work recovery. The heat transfer fluid is circulated relative to the working fluid between a thermal load and a heat sink to enact a refrigeration cycle having improved energy efficiency.
131 Citations
49 Claims
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1. A heat transfer apparatus employing an active regenerative cycle for transferring beat from a thermal load to a heat sink comprising
(A) a regenerator comprising working fluid contained in a plurality of separate first vessels arranged in an ordered array, each of said first vessels having a designated location between said thermal load and said heat sink and having a mean operating temperature corresponding to said designated location; -
(B) a heat transfer fluid physically separated from said working fluid and in thermal communication with said thermal load and said heat sink;
(C) work input means for periodically compressing and expanding said working fluid to alternatively increase and decrease the temperature thereof; and
(D) circulation means for periodically circulating said heat transfer fluid relative to said working fluid to either accept heat from or transfer heat to said working fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
(A) a high temperature heat transfer system for receiving said heat transfer fluid leaving said heat transfer channel after passing said upper vessel and transferring heat therefrom to said heat sink and for returning said heat transfer fluid to said heat transfer channel; and
(B) a low temperature heat transfer system for transferring heat from said thermal load to said heat transfer fluid after said heat transfer fluid has passed said lower vessel.
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7. The heat transfer system of claim 1, further comprising at least one second vessel for containing said heat transfer fluid.
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8. The heat transfer system of claim 7, wherein said plurality of separate first vessels are located within said second vessel.
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11. The heat transfer system of claim 4, wherein said work input means comprises:
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(A) a third vessel in fluid communication with each of said first vessels for holding said working fluid; and
(B) a compressor for periodically compressing and expanding said working fluid in said third vessel to cause corresponding compression and expansion cycles in each of said first vessels, wherein said working fluid in said third vessel is thermally isolated from said working fluid in said first vessels.
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12. The heat transfer system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of passive regenerators for operatively coupling said third vessel to each of said first vessels.
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13. The heat transfer system of claim 4, wherein each of said first vessels comprises an elongated tube and wherein said work input means is moveable relative to a longitudinal axis thereof.
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14. The heat transfer system of claim 13, wherein said work input means comprises a shuttle mounted for reciprocal movement in said tube.
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15. The heat transfer system of claim 13, wherein said tubes are arranged in a parallel array and wherein said longitudinal axis of each of said tubes extends in a direction generally perpendicular to the flow path of said heat transfer fluid.
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9. A heat transfer apparatus employing art active regenerative cycle for transferring heat from a thermal load to a heat sink comprising
(A) a regenerator comprising working fluid contained within at least one first vessel; -
(B) a heat transfer fluid contained within at least one second vessel, wherein said heat transfer fluid is physically separated from said working fluid and is in thermal communication with said thermal load and said heat sink;
(C) work input weans for periodically compressing and expanding said working fluid to alternatively increase and decrease the temperature thereof; and
(D) circulation means for periodically circulating said heat transfer fluid relative to said working fluid to either accept heat from or transfer heat to said working fluid. - View Dependent Claims (10, 44)
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16. A method of enacting an active regenerative refrigeration cycle for transferring heat from a thermal load to a heat sink comprising:
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(A) providing a regenerator spanning a temperature gradient between said thermal load and said heat sink, said regenerator comprising a plurality of separate refrigeration elements each containing a working fluid and having a designated position in said temperature gradient;
(B) providing a heat transfer fluid physically separated from said working fluid and movable relative to said refrigeration elements across said temperature gradient between said thermal load and said heat sink;
(C) compressing said working fluid contained in each of said refrigeration elements to increase the temperature thereof;
(D) moving said heat transfer fluid relative to said refrigeration elements in a flow direction from said thermal load toward said heat sink;
(E) expanding said working fluid contained in each of said refrigeration elements to decrease the temperature thereof; and
(F) moving said heat transfer fluid relative to said refrigeration elements in a flow direction from said heat sink toward said thermal load. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A regenerative heat transfer device for transferring heat between a thermal load and a heat sink comprising:
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(a) an array of discrete refrigeration elements spaced apart at intermediate locations between said thermal load and said heat sink, wherein each of said refrigeration elements contains a working fluid and has a mean operating temperature corresponding to its relative location between said thermal load and said heat sink;
(b) an actuator for periodically compressing and expanding said working fluid to thereby increase or decrease the temperature of said refrigeration elements; and
(c) a circulator for circulating a heat transfer fluid in a flow path between said thermal load and said heat sink, wherein said heat transfer fluid passes relative to said array of refrigeration elements to either accept heat from or transfer heat to said refrigeration elements. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A refrigeration element comprising:
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(a) a container for holding a working fluid;
(b) at least one conduit extending within said container for holding a heat transfer fluid separate from said working fluid; and
(c) an actuator for periodically compressing and expanding said working fluid to vary the temperature of said working fluid. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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45. A heat transfer apparatus employing an active regenerative cycle for transferring heat from a thermal load to a heat sink comprising
(A) a regenerator comprising contained working fluid; -
(B) a heat transfer fluid physically separated from said working fluid and in thermal communication with said thermal load and said heat sink;
(C) work input means for periodically compressing and expanding said working fluid to alternatively increase and decrease the temperature thereof; and
(D) circulation means for periodically circulating said heat transfer fluid relative to said working fluid to either accept heat from or transfer heat to said working fluid, wherein said heat transfer fluid moves between said thermal load and said heat sink in an oscillatory manner.
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46. A regenerative heat transfer device for transferring heat across a temperature gradient between a thermal load and a heat sink comprising:
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(a) a regenerator comprising an array of discrete refrigeration elements spaced apart at intermediate locations between said thermal load and said heat sink, wherein each of said refrigeration elements contains a working fluid and has a mean operating temperature corresponding to its relative location between said thermal load and said heat sink;
(b) an actuator for periodically compressing and expanding said working fluid to thereby increase or decrease the temperature of said refrigeration elements; and
(c) a circulator for circulating a heat transfer fluid relative to said array of refrigeration elements to either accept heat from or transfer heat to said refrigeration elements, wherein said heat transfer fluid is moveable in a first flow path within said regenerator between said thermal load and said heat sink and a second flow path between said regenerator and an auxiliary device capable of accepting or rejecting heat located externally of said regenerator, whereby a portion of said heat transfer fluid is divertable to said auxiliary device. - View Dependent Claims (47)
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48. A method of cooling a thermal load comprising
(a) providing a regenerator comprising an array of discrete refrigeration elements spaced apart at intermediate locations across a temperature gradient, wherein each of said refrigeration elements contains a working fluid and has a mean operating temperature corresponding to its relative location in said temperature gradient; -
(b) periodically compressing and expanding said working fluid to thereby increase or decrease the temperature of said refrigeration elements,; and
(c) periodically circulating a heat transfer fluid relative to said array of refrigeration elements to either accept heat from or transfer heat to said refrigeration elements, wherein a portion of said heat transfer fluid is further conveyed to a thermal load located externally of said regenerator to accept heat therefrom.
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49. A regenerative heat transfer device comprising a plurality of refrigeration elements, wherein each of said refrigeration elements comprises:
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(a) a container for holding a working fluid;
(b) at least one conduit extending within said container for holding a heat transfer fluid separate from said working fluid; and
(c) an actuator for periodically compressing and expanding said working fluid to vary the temperature of said working fluid, wherein said refrigeration elements are connected together such that said heat transfer fluid in adjacent pairs of said elements is in fluid communication.
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Specification