A heat exchanger includes a plurality of flat heat-transfer tubes and a corrugated fin placed between the plurality of flat heat-transfer tubes. Louvers in fin sections of the corrugated fin are divided into a first louver group formed further upstream in a direction of flow of air than a drain slit in the corrugated fin and a second louver group formed further downstream in the direction of flow of air than the drain slit. Plate portions of the first louver group and plate portions of the second louver group are inclined to a flat-plate portion in the fin sections and inclined in respective directions that are opposite to each other. The drain slit includes a plurality of drain slits formed between the first louver group and the second louver group at an interval in the direction of flow of air.

A corrugated fin of a heat exchanger is formed such that fin sections are joined together one after another in a tube axial direction of a plurality of flat heat-transfer tubes. Louvers in the fin sections of the corrugated fin are divided into a first louver group formed further upstream in a direction of flow of air than a drain slit in the corrugated fin and a second louver group formed further downstream in the direction of flow of air than the drain slit. Plate portions of the first louver group and plate portions of the second louver group are inclined to a flat-plate portion in the fin sections and inclined in respective directions that are opposite to each other. The drain slit includes a plurality of drain slits provided in a plurality of respective rows between the first louver group and the second louver group.

A refrigerator appliance having a dispensing assembly is provided herein. The refrigerator appliance may include a cabinet, a door rotatably mounted to the cabinet, and the dispensing assembly. The dispensing assembly may include a dispenser recess and an outlet conduit. The dispenser recess may be defined along an outer surface of the door and extend in a lateral direction from a first side portion to a second side portion of the door. The outlet conduit may be in selective fluid communication with the dispenser recess to direct a fluid thereto.

A heat storage device (1) of the present disclosure includes: a heat storage container (10) having an inlet (2) and an outlet (3) for a heat medium; a plate-like heat storage body (4) disposed in the heat storage container (10) and having a heat storage material (4a) and an envelope (4b) containing the heat storage material (4a); a plate-like spacer (6) placed on the heat storage body (4) in the heat storage container (10) and having a plurality of contact portions (6a) that are in contact with the heat storage body (4) and a plurality of non-contact portions (6b) that are spaced from the heat storage body (4), the contact portions (6a) and the non-contact portions (6b) being alternately formed in a specific direction; and a plurality of flow paths (5) for leading the heat medium from the inlet (2) to the outlet (3), the flow paths being formed by a surface of the heat storage body (4) and the non-contact portions (6b) and extending in a direction intersecting the specific direction. Thereby, the heat transfer characteristics between the heat storage material and the heat medium are good.

This document describes techniques for implementing phase-change cooling in a three-dimensional structure. A three-dimensional structure having three-dimensional curvatures is fabricated to include a phase-change chamber with a fluid in a saturated thermodynamic state. As part of fabrication, specific mechanisms may be included that create a thermo-mechanical network that improves thermal performance of the phase-change chamber and also provides structural integrity to the three-dimensional structure.

There are herein described energy storage systems. More particularly there are provided thermal energy storage systems comprising battery assemblies containing phase change materials and a monitoring system therefor. In addition there are provided thermal stores comprising battery assemblies having integral control means for management of the thermal energy provided by the battery assembly.

A body of heat transfer fluid circulates in a first loop through an indirect screw-type thermal processor, a rundown tank, a pump, a heater and a fill tank, continuously heating the processor. With the pump operating, a first vertical distance between the fill tank bottom and the processor under the influence of gravity sets a minimum fluid pressure at the processor; a stem pipe opening in the fill tank at a second vertical distance above the processor sets a maximum pressure. With the pump inactive, the entire body of fluid passively drains to the rundown tank. Supplying the fluid may entail melting a salt, hydrating a salt, or both; such may be done in the rundown tank before circulation through the processor begins. A hydrated salt may be circulated, then heated and dehydrated, to gradually warm the processor. A dehydrated salt may be rehydrated and then stored; this may be done in the rundown tank after ceasing circulation through the processor. Also described: misting hydration and variable-speed-pump pressure regulation.

Thermal Moisture Enhanced Gradient Strata (TMEGS) for Heat Exchangers optimizes the performance of energy flows for building heating, cooling, hot water, and industrial processes. TMEGS are temperature and moisture control layers which reduce the cost of closed loop ground heat exchangers and increase heat exchanger performance by improving energy transfer between solar, geothermal, process heat and renewable energy exchangers. Circuit optimized thermally active building structures (COTABS) configure heat exchangers and thermal energy strata for application specific requirements. TMEGS integrated with COTABS is a scalable and interoperable carbon-free, planet friendly architecture for net zero energy buildings. Embodiments include the use of recycled materials, waste tire derived aggregate, nanofluids, phase change materials, cathodic protection, and integrated microprocessor and client-server controls.

Heat exchange devices, including aseptic cooler devices, and systems including same are provided. Methods of using heat exchange device are also provided. In a general embodiment, the present disclosure provides heat exchangers having an open chamber configuration and including a first section containing a cooling or heating media and a second section containing a food product. The first section includes a level detecting device that is configured to maintain a level of cooling or heating media in the first section, while preventing the cooling or heating media from pressurizing the first section. The open chamber configuration provides an air break at a top portion of the first section that ensures that the cooling or heating media entering the first section is at, or close to, atmospheric pressure.

In some embodiments, a thermal energy storage system includes multiple thermal energy storage containers adapted to store thermal energy storage media, the containers having high emissivity inner surfaces that are adapted to radiate heat into the stored thermal energy storage media.