A portable vaporizer for heating a liquid-phase fuel. The vaporizer comprising a reservoir having a least one wall for containing a heat-conducting fluid within the reservoir. A heating tube extending into the reservoir such that the heating tube is in fluid contact with the heat-conducting fluid. The heating core has and inlet through which the liquid-phase fuel will flow and an outlet through which the vaporized liquid-phase fuel will flow. A heating core comprising an electric heating element placed within the reservoir to heat the heat-conducting fluid and vaporize the liquid-phase fuel passing through the heating tube.

A portable vaporizer for heating a liquid-phase fuel. The vaporizer comprising a reservoir having a least one wall for containing a heat-conducting fluid within the reservoir. A heating tube extending into the reservoir such that the heating tube is in fluid contact with the heat-conducting fluid. The heating core has and inlet through which the liquid-phase fuel will flow and an outlet through which the vaporized liquid-phase fuel will flow. A heating core comprising an electric heating element placed within the reservoir to heat the heat-conducting fluid and vaporize the liquid-phase fuel passing through the heating tube.

A system such as a hydrogen refueling station and a method are provided. The system includes a cryotank for storing a liquefied fuel having liquid and vapor phases, a pump for providing a first stream of the liquefied fuel in the liquid phase from the cryotank, a heat exchanger for converting at least a portion of the first stream to a gaseous fuel, a dispenser for dispensing at least a portion of the gaseous fuel to a receiving fuel tank, a refrigeration unit integrated with the heat exchanger, and a backup power unit. The refrigeration unit and the heat exchanger exchange heat with each other, and the refrigeration unit provides cooling capacity to a facility of environment where cooling is needed. The backup power unit generate electric power by using a second stream of the liquefied fuel in the vapor phase or in the liquid phase or both.

A system such as a hydrogen refueling station and a method are provided. The system includes a cryotank for storing a liquefied fuel having liquid and vapor phases, a pump for providing a first stream of the liquefied fuel in the liquid phase from the cryotank, a heat exchanger for converting at least a portion of the first stream to a gaseous fuel, a dispenser for dispensing at least a portion of the gaseous fuel to a receiving fuel tank, a refrigeration unit integrated with the heat exchanger, and a backup power unit. The refrigeration unit and the heat exchanger exchange heat with each other, and the refrigeration unit provides cooling capacity to a facility of environment where cooling is needed. The backup power unit generate electric power by using a second stream of the liquefied fuel in the vapor phase or in the liquid phase or both.

Heat exchangers, heat exchanger systems, and hypersonic vehicles are provided. For example, a heat exchanger is provided that comprises a first chamber for receipt of a flow of cool fluid and a second chamber for receipt of a flow of hot fluid. The heat exchanger further comprises a buffer fluid flowpath for circulation of a buffer fluid therethrough. The buffer fluid circulates within the buffer fluid flowpath disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber to transfer heat from the hot fluid to the cool fluid. In certain embodiments, a hypersonic vehicle comprises such a heat exchanger, and the cool fluid is cryogenic or near-cryogenic fuel of the hypersonic vehicle and the hot fluid is engine bleed air from a hypersonic propulsion engine of the vehicle.

Heat exchangers, heat exchanger systems, and hypersonic vehicles are provided. For example, a heat exchanger is provided that comprises a first chamber for receipt of a flow of cool fluid and a second chamber for receipt of a flow of hot fluid. The heat exchanger further comprises a buffer fluid flowpath for circulation of a buffer fluid therethrough. The buffer fluid circulates within the buffer fluid flowpath disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber to transfer heat from the hot fluid to the cool fluid. In certain embodiments, a hypersonic vehicle comprises such a heat exchanger, and the cool fluid is cryogenic or near-cryogenic fuel of the hypersonic vehicle and the hot fluid is engine bleed air from a hypersonic propulsion engine of the vehicle.

The invention relates to a liquid air energy storage system. The storage system includes a cryocooler, a dewar, and a Sterling engine. The cryocooler cools a tip of a cold head to cryogenic temperatures, the cryocooler further includes a heat sink to reject heat from the cryocooler and a cold head that protrudes into a dewar through a cryocooler cavity, the cold head to condense ambient air to create liquified air in the dewar. The dewar holds the liquified air at low temperatures, the dewar having the cryocooler cavity and a Stirling cavity. The Stirling engine drives an electric generator, the Stirling engine further including a cold finger protruding into the dewar through the Stirling cavity, the cold finger to move the liquified air from the dewar to a Stirling heat sink; the Stirling heat sink to expand the liquified air; and the electric generator to generate output electricity.

The invention relates to a liquid air energy storage system. The storage system includes a cryocooler, a dewar, and a Sterling engine. The cryocooler cools a tip of a cold head to cryogenic temperatures, the cryocooler further includes a heat sink to reject heat from the cryocooler and a cold head that protrudes into a dewar through a cryocooler cavity, the cold head to condense ambient air to create liquified air in the dewar. The dewar holds the liquified air at low temperatures, the dewar having the cryocooler cavity and a Stirling cavity. The Stirling engine drives an electric generator, the Stirling engine further including a cold finger protruding into the dewar through the Stirling cavity, the cold finger to move the liquified air from the dewar to a Stirling heat sink; the Stirling heat sink to expand the liquified air; and the electric generator to generate output electricity.

The invention relates to a process for cooling air-conditioning water used to air-condition a hospital building, comprising the steps of: (a) providing nitrogen in liquid form (LIN); (b) providing oxygen in liquid form (LOX); (c) providing air-conditioning water to be cooled; and (d) performing a heat exchange (4) between the air-conditioning water to be cooled and the nitrogen in liquid form (LIN) and/or the oxygen so as to cool the air-conditioning water and to vaporize the nitrogen and/or the oxygen and obtain nitrogen in gaseous form (GAN) and/or oxygen in gaseous form (GOX).

The invention relates to a process for cooling air-conditioning water used to air-condition a hospital building, comprising the steps of: (a) providing nitrogen in liquid form (LIN); (b) providing oxygen in liquid form (LOX); (c) providing air-conditioning water to be cooled; and (d) performing a heat exchange (4) between the air-conditioning water to be cooled and the nitrogen in liquid form (LIN) and/or the oxygen so as to cool the air-conditioning water and to vaporize the nitrogen and/or the oxygen and obtain nitrogen in gaseous form (GAN) and/or oxygen in gaseous form (GOX).