A piezoelectric cooling system and method for driving the cooling system are described. The piezoelectric cooling system includes a first piezoelectric cooling element and a second piezoelectric cooling element. The first piezoelectric cooling element is configured to direct a fluid toward a surface of a heat-generating structure. The second piezoelectric cooling element is configured to direct the fluid to an outlet area after heat has been transferred to the fluid by the heat-generating structure.

A cooling system and method for using the cooling system are described. The cooling system includes a plurality of individual piezoelectric cooling elements spatially arranged in an array extending in at least two dimensions, a communications interface and driving circuitry. The communications interface is associated with the individual piezoelectric cooling elements such that selected individual piezoelectric cooling elements within the array can be activated based at least in part on heat energy generated in the vicinity of the selected individual piezoelectric cooling elements. The driving circuitry is associated with the individual piezoelectric cooling elements and is configured to drive the selected individual piezoelectric cooling elements.

A portable cooler container with active temperature control, comprising: a container body having a chamber configured to receive and hold one or more containers of medicine; a lid operable to access the chamber; and a temperature control system comprising one or more thermoelectric elements configured to actively heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber, circuitry configured to control an operation of the one or more thermoelectric elements to heat or cool at least a portion of the chamber to a predetermined temperature or temperature range; and a display screen disposed on one of the container body and the lid, the display screen configured to selectively display one or more of information associated with the operation of the portable cooler, information associated with the containers of medicine in the portable cooler, information associated with scheduled taking of the containers of medicine, and advertisements.

The present disclosure relates to a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system having a heat exchanger configured to thermally regulate a supply air flow, where the heat exchanger includes a thermoelectric device, a first plurality of fins coupled to the thermoelectric device, and a second plurality of fins coupled to the thermoelectric device. The first plurality of fins extend into a supply air flow path of the supply air flow to transfer thermal energy between the thermoelectric device and the supply air flow and the second plurality of fins convectively transfer thermal energy between the thermoelectric device and a working fluid exterior the supply air flow path.

A refrigerated food container system includes a container defining an inner volume and a thermoelectric module arranged in thermal contact with at least one surface of the container. The thermoelectric module includes a first thermoelectric cooling device and a second thermoelectric cooling device in thermal contact with the first thermoelectric cooling device. A control module is configured to provide a first voltage to the first thermoelectric cooling device and provide a second voltage to the second thermoelectric cooling device.

A refrigeration apparatus (1) includes a main refrigerant circuit (2) including a positive displacement compressor (4), a condenser (6), an expansion valve (8), and an evaporator (10), through which a refrigerant circulates successively in a closed loop circulation, a lubrication refrigerant line (18) connected to the main refrigerant circuit (2) between the condenser (6) and the expansion valve (8) or to the condenser (6), in which circulates a portion of the refrigerant of the main refrigerant circuit (2) and connected to the compressor (4) for lubrication of said compressor (4) with the refrigerant, at least one lubrication refrigerant storing cavity (70) connected to the lubrication refrigerant line (18), the lubrication refrigerant storing cavity (70) being configured to store liquid refrigerant for lubrication of the compressor (4) said at least one lubrication refrigerant storing cavity (70) being provided within the compressor (4).

A method for providing a thermal feedback, includes executing a virtual reality application providing a virtual space that includes a virtual area to which an area temperature attribute is assigned, and a virtual object to which an object temperature attributed is assigned. An area event that reflects that a player character enters the virtual area is detected. A feedback device is controlled to output thermal feedback associated to the area temperature attribute when the area event is detected, the feedback device outputting the thermal feedback using a thermoelectric element performing a thermoelectric operation. An object event reflecting the player character is influenced by the virtual object is detected. The feedback device is controlled to override the thermal feedback associated to the area temperature attribute and output thermal feedback associated to the object temperature when the object is detected while the player character is in the virtual area.

Thermal control systems that include variable conductivity metamaterial units are provided. The metamaterial unit a plurality of thermally conductive plates, a plurality of first bonds, each of which connects two adjoining thermally conductive plates, and a plurality of second bonds, each of which connects two adjoining thermally conductive plates. Also included is a load inducer constructed to cause the plurality of thermally conductive plates to move between a non-contact state, in which opposing surfaces of the plurality of thermally conductive plates are not in direct contact, to a contact state, in which the opposing surfaces of the plurality of thermally conductive are in at least partial direct contact, so as to change a thermal conductivity of the metamaterial unit from a first value to a second value. Through the ability to design the effective thermal conductivity as a function of temperature a passive thermal control capability is achieved by the introduction of thermal stability regions that will passively ensure thermal stability.

Techniques are described herein that are capable of using variable voltage sources to control respective thermoelectric coolers independently in a thermal testing environment. The variable voltage sources create temperature differentials between first and second opposing surfaces of the thermoelectric coolers by applying input voltages to the respective thermoelectric coolers. Heat is transferred, by first heat exchanger(s), between a fluid and respective subset(s) of the thermoelectric coolers Heat is transferred, by second heat exchanger(s), between semiconductor device(s) and the subset(s) of the thermoelectric coolers.

A method for adjusting an aquarium water temperature through direct heat exchange by a water temperature adjustment apparatus for an aquarium includes: a first step of allowing a smart sensor unit to measure the temperature of the water; a second step of controlling a heat exchange adjuster that sunk in the water to adjust the temperature of the water based on the temperature of the water measured by the smart sensor unit; and a third step of allowing the heat exchange adjuster to adjust direct heat exchange with the water.