초록 ▼

A thermal storage and transfer system includes a cooling system and method using ice or other frozen material with heat pipes to produce a cool airstream. Preferably, the ice is disposed in a container with the condensers and evaporators of the heat pipes respectively inside and outside the containe

A thermal storage and transfer system includes a cooling system and method using ice or other frozen material with heat pipes to produce a cool airstream. Preferably, the ice is disposed in a container with the condensers and evaporators of the heat pipes respectively inside and outside the container. A fan blows air across the evaporator sections through a duct to circulate within an enclosed airspace to be cooled. A separate refrigeration system which may be used to independently cool the airspace also freezes water or another liquid to produce the ice or other frozen material in the container. The cooling system is broadly applicable, including use on motor vehicles to provide cooling for several hours when the vehicle engine is off. A heating system includes an adsorbent heat exchanger for extracting heat from exhaust gases of an engine and heating an enclosed airspace.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising:a container;material inside the container having a freezing point no higher than 5.0° C. at atmospheric pressure;a plurality of heat pipes having respective condenser sections disposed inside the container and respective evaporator sections dispos

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus comprising:a container;material inside the container having a freezing point no higher than 5.0° C. at atmospheric pressure;a plurality of heat pipes having respective condenser sections disposed inside the container and respective evaporator sections disposed outside the container;a first airstream conduit in which the evaporator sections are disposed;an enclosed airspace;an inlet and an outlet of the conduit each in communication with the airspace;a second airstream conduit which communicates with the enclosed airspace;a fuel-powered engine;an exhaust duct connected to the engine;a first heat exchanger disposed inside the exhaust duct;a second heat exchanger disposed in the second airstream conduit; anda coolant-receiving conduit extending from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger.