Apparatus for extracting useful work or electricity from low grade thermal sources comprising a chamber, a source of heated dense heat transfer fluid in communication with the chamber, a source of motive fluid in communication with the chamber, wherein the motive fluid comprises a liquid phase, a flow control mechanism cooperating with the source of heated dense heat transfer fluid and with the source of motive fluid to deliver said fluids into the chamber in a manner that said fluids come into direct contact with each other in the chamber to effect a phase change of the motive fluid from liquid to gas to increase the pressure within the chamber to yield pressurized fluids, and a work extracting mechanism in communication with the chamber that extracts work from the pressurized fluids by way of pressure let down.

A single inlet/single outlet modular counterflow cooling tower having two heat transfer sections installed atop two cold water basin sections and below three fan sections, each heat transfer section having its own water distribution system and draining into its own distinct cold water basin section. The water distribution system can provide flow over both heat transfer sections or over only a single section. The center fan support section supports the mechanical drive system for the fan and has a sealing plate at its bottom for sealing the gap between the two heat transfer sections.

A single inlet/single outlet modular counterflow cooling tower having two heat transfer sections installed atop two cold water basin sections and below three fan sections, each heat transfer section having its own water distribution system and draining into its own distinct cold water basin section. The water distribution system can provide flow over both heat transfer sections or over only a single section. The center fan support section supports the mechanical drive system for the fan and has a sealing plate at its bottom for sealing the gap between the two heat transfer sections.

Portage storage containers including controlled evaporative cooling systems are described herein. In some embodiments, a portable container including an integral controlled evaporative cooling system includes: a storage region, an evaporative region adjacent to the storage region, a desiccant region adjacent to the outside of the container, and an insulation region positioned between the evaporative region and the desiccant region. A vapor conduit with an attached vapor control unit has a first end within the evaporative region and a second end within the desiccant region. In some embodiments, the controlled evaporative cooling systems are positioned in a radial configuration within the portable container.

Portage storage containers including controlled evaporative cooling systems are described herein. In some embodiments, a portable container including an integral controlled evaporative cooling system includes: a storage region, an evaporative region adjacent to the storage region, a desiccant region adjacent to the outside of the container, and an insulation region positioned between the evaporative region and the desiccant region. A vapor conduit with an attached vapor control unit has a first end within the evaporative region and a second end within the desiccant region. In some embodiments, the controlled evaporative cooling systems are positioned in a radial configuration within the portable container.

One variation of a cooling system includes: a cooling unit including a substrate defining a thermally-conductive material and a coating defining a porous, hydrophilic material. The substrate defines: a base; a heatsink structure extending from the base; and an open network of pores extending between surfaces of the substrate. The coating extends across surfaces of the substrate and lines the open network of pores within the substrate. The heatsink structure is configured to: communicate thermal energy from a first working fluid, flowing over the heatsink structure, into the heatsink structure, to cool the first working fluid; and release thermal energy and moisture, contained in pores of the coating, into a second working fluid flowing over the heatsink structure, to cool the second working fluid and the heatsink structure.

A convector for air cooling of a fluid flowing in a pipe, comprising: a path for a cooling air flow comprising an inlet from and an outlet towards the environment, a heat exchange section comprising at least one tube bundle defining a heat exchange surface, said section being provided in said path for the air flow, fan means producing said air flow along said path, so that said air flow externally invests said tube bundle on said; heat exchange surface, a humidifying section arranged in said path, upstream of said heat exchange section, where water is atomized to be invested by the air flow, characterized by comprising a wetting device for wetting directly with water a portion of the heat exchange surface of said tube bundle to further cool said portion of tube bundle.

A convector for air cooling of a fluid flowing in a pipe, comprising: a path for a cooling air flow comprising an inlet from and an outlet towards the environment, a heat exchange section comprising at least one tube bundle defining a heat exchange surface, said section being provided in said path for the air flow, fan means producing said air flow along said path, so that said air flow externally invests said tube bundle on said; heat exchange surface, a humidifying section arranged in said path, upstream of said heat exchange section, where water is atomized to be invested by the air flow, characterized by comprising a wetting device for wetting directly with water a portion of the heat exchange surface of said tube bundle to further cool said portion of tube bundle.

Systems and methods that involve distributing water droplets onto a media, particular but nonlimiting examples of which include systems and methods for exchanging heat between process water and air in an evaporative cooling system that includes media with a plurality of individual elements each having a surface. The surfaces of at least some of the individual elements individually have a static electrical charge, and the static electrical charges are different among the surfaces of the individual elements.

Systems and methods that involve distributing water droplets onto a media, particular but nonlimiting examples of which include systems and methods for exchanging heat between process water and air in an evaporative cooling system that includes media with a plurality of individual elements each having a surface. The surfaces of at least some of the individual elements individually have a static electrical charge, and the static electrical charges are different among the surfaces of the individual elements.