A microfluidic valve comprises a first reservoir, a second reservoir, an inertial pump and a channel connecting the first reservoir to the second reservoir. The second reservoir is to receive fluid from the first reservoir through the channel under a pressure gradient. The inertial pump is within the channel proximate the second reservoir and distant the first reservoir.

The invention relates to a hydrogen compressor with metal hydride comprising: a pressure chamber, comprising an inner space, defined by a first inner surface; a shell with a thickness E, the shell comprising a first outer surface facing the first inner surface, the shell comprising an insulating material with first thermal conductivity; and a hydrogen storage element, contained in the shell, comprising a storage material suitable for storing or releasing hydrogen as a function of a temperature that is imposed on same, and having a second thermal conductivity higher than the first thermal conductivity.

The invention relates to a hydrogen compressor with metal hydride comprising: a pressure chamber, comprising an inner space, defined by a first inner surface; a shell with a thickness E, the shell comprising a first outer surface facing the first inner surface, the shell comprising an insulating material with first thermal conductivity; and a hydrogen storage element, contained in the shell, comprising a storage material suitable for storing or releasing hydrogen as a function of a temperature that is imposed on same, and having a second thermal conductivity higher than the first thermal conductivity.

The invention relates to two-phase heat transfer devices based on a closed evaporation-condensation cycle wherein the circulation of a working fluid is provided by capillary forces. The pressure capillary pump (PCP) according to the invention comprises a sealed housing having an inner cavity divided with a lyophobic capillary-porous partition into an evaporator cavity and a condenser cavity. A wick is arranged in the evaporator cavity. The condenser and evaporator cavities are mutually connected with a pipeline system to form a closed loop. The housing is filled with a two-phase working fluid, wherein a porous space of the wick, the condenser cavity and the pipeline system are filled with the liquid phase, and the space between the wick and the lyophobic partition is filled with saturated vapor. The housing may be made in the form of two cylindrical shells arranged coaxially to form an annular cavity, wherein a heat-generating source is arranged along the axis of the shells. To directly convert the thermal energy into the electric one, the PCP may comprise a liquid-metal MHD generator, wherein the housing is filled with a working fluid in the form of a liquid metal. The technical result consists in an increase in pressure and more efficient conversion of the thermal energy into the mechanical energy of the liquid working fluid flow.

Hybrid thermodynamic compressor (8) for compressing a working fluid, the compressor comprising a volumetric cylinder (1) and a thermal cylinder (2) connected to one another mechanically by a connecting rod system (5) and pneumatically by a connecting circuit (12) optionally with a valve (4), a reversible electric machine (6), the volumetric cylinder comprising a first piston (81) that separates a first chamber (Ch1) from a second chamber (Ch2), the thermal cylinder comprising a second piston (82) which separates a third chamber (Ch3) from a fourth chamber (Ch4), which can be brought into thermal contact with a heat source (21) to thereby generate a cycled movement in the thermal cylinder, and concerning the connecting rod system (5), the first and second pistons are connected to a rotor (52) by first and second respective connecting rods (91,92), with a predetermined angular offset (θd), the volumetric cylinder being equipped with non-return valves (61,62), the power produced in the thermal cylinder being transmitted to the volumetric cylinder essentially via the connecting circuit and not via the rod system.

A heat-activated pump removes waste heat from electronic components, at a data center, circuit board, or chip level. A set of evaporators receive heat from the electronics, converting a working fluid into vapor. Piping from the evaporators to a shared condenser(s) and back form a fluid circulation system. A pressure-control valve set for a specified electronic operating temperature allows vaporized working fluid to vent into a liquid-piston chamber, where it expands adiabatically, displacing pumped liquid in a pumping stage and expelling it from the chamber through a unidirectional valve to the shared condenser(s). The condenser(s) has a heatsink transferring heat away to a flow of cooler fluid. The pumped liquid returns in a suction cycle to the chamber through another unidirectional valve. An injector valve returns jets of condensed working fluid to the evaporator in successive brief spurts responsive to periodic pressure pulses in the chamber.

A solar power refrigerant heating device for use in an air conditioning system includes an intake passageway and a plurality of intake valves are in fluid communication with the intake passageway. A plurality of heating chambers are in fluid communication with respective ones of the plurality of intake valves. A plurality of discharge valves are in communication with respective ones of the plurality of heating chambers. A solar powered temperature control device is in thermal communication with the heating chambers for converting solar energy into heat and selectively applying the heat to the heating chambers. The intake valves, the discharge valves, and the solar powered temperature control device are operatively connected to facilitate sequential receipt of refrigerant from the intake passageway into the heating chambers, heating of the received refrigerant within the heating chambers, and discharge of the refrigerant from the heating chambers according to a prescribed operational sequence.

One example includes a device that may include a heating element and a molecular binding site. The heating element may heat a fluid volume, interfaced with the heating element, in response to a voltage being applied to the heating element, the heat transforming the fluid volume from a liquid state into a vaporized state to generate fluid motion within the fluid volume. The molecular binding site may be disposed proximate to the heating element, in which a portion of the fluid volume expands when the fluid volume transforms from the liquid state into the vaporized state, the vaporized state of the fluid volume generating the fluid motion within a target fluid that is disposed within the molecular binding site.

A vapor-pressure driven micro pump system comprising an enclosure of a supporting structure; a first chamber having a first volatile material as a propellant with a plurality of exit nozzles; a second chamber have a second volatile material inside of a collapsible diaphragm which separates the first and the second chambers within said enclosure, wherein a vacuum at the plurality of exit nozzles causes vaporization of said propellant, which is compensated and displaced by vapor of said second volatile material at a substantially constant pressure by moving of said collapsible diaphragm. The vapor-pressure driven pump system is useful for various situations, especially in a gravity-free environment in space exploration.

A vapor-pressure driven micro pump system comprising an enclosure of a supporting structure; a first chamber having a first volatile material as a propellant with a plurality of exit nozzles; a second chamber have a second volatile material inside of a collapsible diaphragm which separates the first and the second chambers within said enclosure, wherein a vacuum at the plurality of exit nozzles causes vaporization of said propellant, which is compensated and displaced by vapor of said second volatile material at a substantially constant pressure by moving of said collapsible diaphragm. The vapor-pressure driven pump system is useful for various situations, especially in a gravity-free environment in space exploration.