A bottom mount refrigerator is provided including a thermal battery or phase change material positioned within the refrigerator or freezer in order to increase energy efficiency and compartment sizes of the refrigerator. The thermal battery can be used with an ice maker to aid in removing heat from the water in the ice maker to produce ice. Furthermore, the phase change material or thermal battery may be used with a thermoelectric cooler to aid in ice production. The phase change material may be tuned to various temperatures according to the desired use of the phase change material, as well as the location of the thermal battery or phase change material. Other embodiments include positioning the phase change material in the liner of the compartments or in thermal storage units in order to further increase the energy efficiency of the refrigerator.

An apparatus for the accumulation and transfer of thermal energy is disclosed including a thermal energy charging device having a bed of fluidizable solid particles received within a casing and acting as heat accumulation means by being exposed to a thermal energy source, heat exchange means operating in counter-current, configured for an exchange of thermal energy between a heated vector mass of the bed particles and an operative fluid, transport means configured for feeding the vector mass of the bed particles from the device to the heat exchange means and for returning part of the vector mass, downstream the heat exchange means, to the device, and a control unit associated with parameter detecting means arranged selected locations of the apparatus to control the flow of the vector mass within the apparatus.

An apparatus for the accumulation and transfer of thermal energy is disclosed including a thermal energy charging device having a bed of fluidizable solid particles received within a casing and acting as heat accumulation means by being exposed to a thermal energy source, heat exchange means operating in counter-current, configured for an exchange of thermal energy between a heated vector mass of the bed particles and an operative fluid, transport means configured for feeding the vector mass of the bed particles from the device to the heat exchange means and for returning part of the vector mass, downstream the heat exchange means, to the device, and a control unit associated with parameter detecting means arranged selected locations of the apparatus to control the flow of the vector mass within the apparatus.

Processes and systems applying day cycle temperature changes in conjunction with cool storage are provided. A thermal energy storage material is placed in heat transfer communication with lower temperature nighttime air resulting in a cooled thermal energy storage material. The cooled thermal energy storage material is subsequently utilized to cool an item such as a supply of higher temperature air, such as daytime air, or a cooling medium.

The present invention generally relates to a method for manufacturing phase change material (PCM) pellets. The method includes providing a melt composition, including paraffin and a polymer. The paraffin has a melt point of between about 10 C. and about 50 C., and more preferably between about 18 C. and about 28 C. In one embodiment, the melt composition includes various additives, such as a flame retardant. The method further includes forming the melt composition into PCM pellets. The method further may include the step of cooling the melt to increase the melt viscosity before pelletizing. Further, PCM compounds are provided having an organic PCM and a polymer. Methods are provided to convert the PCM compounds into various form-stable PCMs. A method of coating the PCMs is included to provide PCMs with substantially no paraffin seepage and with ignition resistance properties.

The present invention generally relates to a method for manufacturing phase change material (PCM) pellets. The method includes providing a melt composition, including paraffin and a polymer. The paraffin has a melt point of between about 10 C. and about 50 C., and more preferably between about 18 C. and about 28 C. In one embodiment, the melt composition includes various additives, such as a flame retardant. The method further includes forming the melt composition into PCM pellets. The method further may include the step of cooling the melt to increase the melt viscosity before pelletizing. Further, PCM compounds are provided having an organic PCM and a polymer. Methods are provided to convert the PCM compounds into various form-stable PCMs. A method of coating the PCMs is included to provide PCMs with substantially no paraffin seepage and with ignition resistance properties.

A flow rate adjustment device includes: an adjustment unit including a pipe and a sealing plate provided below an outlet of the pipe, the sealing plate having a sealing surface; and a moving unit that moves the sealing plate to a sealing position where the sealing surface of the sealing plate is positioned vertically below the outlet of the pipe and a retraction position where the sealing surface of the sealing plate is retracted from a point vertically below the outlet of the pipe.

This heat receiving tile formed of CFC is provided with a heat receiving block formed of a carbon fiber composite material and having a through hole, a cooling pipe inserted through the through hole of the heat receiving block, a buffer material provided to an outer periphery of the cooling pipe, a first brazing portion joining an inner surface of the through hole with an outer surface of the buffer material, a second brazing portion joining an inner surface of the buffer material with an outer surface of the cooling pipe, and a material discontinuous portion extending from a heat receiving surface of the heat receiving block up to the outer surface of the cooling pipe over a full length of the heat receiving block in an axis direction of the through hole.

The present invention is a vitrification and gasification system that operates at elevated pressures. The system includes a processing chamber having numerous penetrations, and seals for effectively sealing the penetrations to the processing chamber.

The present invention is a vitrification and gasification system that operates at elevated pressures. The system includes a processing chamber having numerous penetrations, and seals for effectively sealing the penetrations to the processing chamber.