The invention is directed to a method and a system for regenerating an endothermic salt composition from an aqueous solution thereof, said method comprising a) contacting a switchable-polarity compound with the aqueous solution of the endothermic salt composition to obtain a raffinate phase and an extract phase, wherein the raffinate phase comprises said endothermic salt composition in a higher concentration than said aqueous solution and said extract phase comprises the switchable-polarity compound and water; and b) separating the raffinate phase and the extract phase into a separated raffinate and a separated extract. The endothermic salt can be used in systems for cooling food, milk, medicines and/or air.

The invention is directed to a method and a system for regenerating an endothermic salt composition from an aqueous solution thereof, said method comprising a) contacting a switchable-polarity compound with the aqueous solution of the endothermic salt composition to obtain a raffinate phase and an extract phase, wherein the raffinate phase comprises said endothermic salt composition in a higher concentration than said aqueous solution and said extract phase comprises the switchable-polarity compound and water; and b) separating the raffinate phase and the extract phase into a separated raffinate and a separated extract. The endothermic salt can be used in systems for cooling food, milk, medicines and/or air.

Thermally-sensitive hardware is at least partially enclosed within a container in which reactants for a solid-solid endothermic chemical reaction are disposed, surrounding at least a portion of the thermally-sensitive hardware. The reactants or a structure including the reactants are positioned between the thermally-sensitive hardware and a heat source, such as an external surface of a missile traveling through atmospheric gases at extremely high speed and experiencing extreme frictional heating. The reactants absorb heat during the solid-solid endothermic reaction to thermally protect the thermally-sensitive hardware. The reactants are preferably selected to absorb heat of at least 5 kilo-Joules per gram (kJ/g) during the solid-solid endothermic chemical reaction.

Thermally-sensitive hardware is at least partially enclosed within a container in which reactants for a solid-solid endothermic chemical reaction are disposed, surrounding at least a portion of the thermally-sensitive hardware. The reactants or a structure including the reactants are positioned between the thermally-sensitive hardware and a heat source, such as an external surface of a missile traveling through atmospheric gases at extremely high speed and experiencing extreme frictional heating. The reactants absorb heat during the solid-solid endothermic reaction to thermally protect the thermally-sensitive hardware. The reactants are preferably selected to absorb heat of at least 5 kilo-Joules per gram (kJ/g) during the solid-solid endothermic chemical reaction.

An apparatus for heating a product includes a storage compartment for a product to be heated and a heater module physically and thermally coupled to the storage compartment. The heater module has a housing that defines a reaction chamber. A rigid barrier is inside the reaction chamber and defines first and second portions thereof. A first reactant is inside the reaction chamber, and a flexible bag (with a second reactant) is in the first portion of the first chemical reactant. The first and second reactants react exothermically upon contact. A piercing element can pierce the flexible bag. After piercing, the a fluid path and one or more fluid channels carry the second reactant to a section of the first portion of the reaction chamber away from where the flexible bag is located.

A portable device for cooling a container, such as a beverage, while providing a source of illumination. The portable device may have one or more inner packets containing one or more chemicals, within an outer packet containing one or more chemicals, whereby breaching the one or more inner packets causes the contents of the one or more inner packets to combine with the contents of the outer packet, resulting in one or more chemical reactions that lower the temperature of the outer surface of the outer packet and generate light.

The invention is directed to a method and a system for regenerating an endothermic salt composition from an aqueous solution thereof, said method comprising a) contacting a switchable-polarity compound with the aqueous solution of the endothermic salt composition to obtain a raffinate phase and an extract phase, wherein the raffinate phase comprises said endothermic salt composition in a higher concentration than said aqueous solution and said extract phase comprises the switchable-polarity compound and water; and b) separating the raffinate phase and the extract phase into a separated raffinate and a separated extract. The endothermic salt can be used in systems for cooling food, milk, medicines and/or air.

The invention is directed to a method and a system for regenerating an endothermic salt composition from an aqueous solution thereof, said method comprising a) contacting a switchable-polarity compound with the aqueous solution of the endothermic salt composition to obtain a raffinate phase and an extract phase, wherein the raffinate phase comprises said endothermic salt composition in a higher concentration than said aqueous solution and said extract phase comprises the switchable-polarity compound and water; and b) separating the raffinate phase and the extract phase into a separated raffinate and a separated extract. The endothermic salt can be used in systems for cooling food, milk, medicines and/or air.

The present invention pertains to cooling, heating, and refrigeration cycles using, for example, phase transitions to pump heat. Embodiments of the present invention may comprise systems, methods, or processes for liquid-liquid phase transition refrigeration cycles pumping heat across temperature differences greater than the adiabatic temperature change of a liquid-liquid phase transition within said liquid-liquid phase transition refrigeration cycle. Embodiments of the present invention also may comprise powering said liquid-liquid phase transition refrigeration cycle using electricity, heat, cold, the mixing of a saltwater and freshwater, the mixing of high osmotic pressure liquid and low osmotic pressure liquid, or a combination thereof.

The present invention pertains to cooling, heating, and refrigeration cycles using, for example, phase transitions to pump heat. Embodiments of the present invention may comprise systems, methods, or processes for liquid-liquid phase transition refrigeration cycles pumping heat across temperature differences greater than the adiabatic temperature change of a liquid-liquid phase transition within said liquid-liquid phase transition refrigeration cycle. Embodiments of the present invention also may comprise powering said liquid-liquid phase transition refrigeration cycle using electricity, heat, cold, the mixing of a saltwater and freshwater, the mixing of high osmotic pressure liquid and low osmotic pressure liquid, or a combination thereof.