A heat-activated pump regulates the temperature of a battery or motor. For a battery, an evaporator has fluid passageways arranged in a serpentine path or multiple parallel paths, in direct contact with battery cells. For a motor, the passageways wrap around its casing or within. Working fluid in the passageways is converted to vapor. Whenever a target pressure is exceeded, a pressure-control valve allows vaporized working fluid to escape into a liquid-piston chamber, where it expands adiabatically and displaces pumped liquid, expelling it in a pumping stage from the liquid-piston chamber through a check valve into a condenser. Another check valve allows the pumped liquid to return in a suction stage to the chamber. An injector valve between the liquid-piston chamber and the evaporator returns jets of condensed working fluid to the evaporator in successive brief spurts responsive to periodic pressure pulses in the liquid-piston chamber.

A pump system includes a particulate consolidator pump that has a pump outlet. A duct is coupled to the pump outlet. The duct has a wall that is coupled with an oscillator. The oscillator is operable to oscillate the wall at a controlled frequency. The controlled frequency is selected with respect to breaking static bridging of particulate in the duct due, at least in part, to consolidation of the particulate from a downstream check valve.

A pump system includes a particulate consolidator pump that has a pump outlet. A duct is coupled to the pump outlet. The duct has a wall that is coupled with an oscillator. The oscillator is operable to oscillate the wall at a controlled frequency. The controlled frequency is selected with respect to breaking static bridging of particulate in the duct due, at least in part, to consolidation of the particulate from a downstream check valve.

A non-mechanical fluid transfer device is disclosed herein. The device can include at least one tubular body configured to deliver a fluid, the tubular body having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a proximal end, and a distal end. Additionally, the device can include a series of ratchets disposed along an interior surface of the tubular body such that the fluid moves from the proximal end of the tubular body to the distal end of the tubular body when the interior surface of the tubular body is heated to a temperature at or above the Leidenfrost point of the fluid. Additional aspects are described herein.

A non-mechanical fluid transfer device is disclosed herein. The device can include at least one tubular body configured to deliver a fluid, the tubular body having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a proximal end, and a distal end. Additionally, the device can include a series of ratchets disposed along an interior surface of the tubular body such that the fluid moves from the proximal end of the tubular body to the distal end of the tubular body when the interior surface of the tubular body is heated to a temperature at or above the Leidenfrost point of the fluid. Additional aspects are described herein.

A solar-thermal refrigerant compression system employing refrigerants, such as R410a and R500, and a method of employing the system in refrigeration and air-conditioning units. The system includes a refrigerant storage tank, an evaporator, a mixing chamber, a condenser and an isochoric thermal compressor comprising a condensate heat exchanger and a heating coil connected to a solar collector field.

A micropump that pumps liquid using electrothermally-induced flow is described, along with a corresponding self-regulating pump and infusion pump. The micropump has applications in microfluidic systems, such as biochips. The self-regulating infusion pump is useful for administration of large and small volumes of liquids such as drugs to patients and can be designed for a wide range of flow rates by combining multiple micropumps in one infusion pump system. The micropump uses electrode sequences on opposing surfaces of a flow chamber that are staggered with respect to each other. The opposing surfaces include staggered electrodes that have the same phase and same electrode sequence. As such electrodes with the same phase are staggered and not eclipsed.

A micropump that pumps liquid using electrothermally-induced flow is described, along with a corresponding self-regulating pump and infusion pump. The micropump has applications in microfluidic systems, such as biochips. The self-regulating infusion pump is useful for administration of large and small volumes of liquids such as drugs to patients and can be designed for a wide range of flow rates by combining multiple micropumps in one infusion pump system. The micropump uses electrode sequences on opposing surfaces of a flow chamber that are staggered with respect to each other. The opposing surfaces include staggered electrodes that have the same phase and same electrode sequence. As such electrodes with the same phase are staggered and not eclipsed.

NMSET and related device uses and improvements to the forces generated. Laminar flow control systems benefit from NMSET and related devices as they simplify installation and are easier to retrofit on existing aircraft. Necessary temperature gradients can me generated by using a heated material with the sides at different energy accommodation coefficients. Surface geometries can be used to increase the force generated. Photovoltaic film can be embedded into the membrane, providing a source of energy that can offset the power required for desired thrust. Intake scoops improve the air flow through the micro thrusters and surface geometries, and airflow diffusers increase air flow interaction with the hotter surface resulting in higher thrust outputs.

A solar-thermal refrigerant compression system employing refrigerants, such as R410a and R500, and a method of employing the system in refrigeration and air-conditioning units. The system includes a refrigerant storage tank, an evaporator, a mixing chamber, a condenser and an isochoric thermal compressor comprising a condensate heat exchanger and a heating coil connected to a solar collector field.