A fluid coil includes a tube bundle having a series of straight tubing runs and a series of return bends extending between and fluidically connecting ones of the straight tubing runs, an expansion header fluidically connected to at least some of the return bends and a polymeric material disposed in the expansion header. The polymeric material has an initial shape and is compressible to repeatedly expand and contract between a first volume in which water is present in the tube bundle and a second volume in which the water undergoes a phase change. Contraction of the polymeric material absorbs an increase in volume as the water undergoes the phase change to prevent stressing and rupture of the tube bundle and upon an opposite phase change, the polymeric material returns to its initial shape. The polymeric material can be a pressurizable bladder. A system and method to prevent the rupture of a tube bundle in a fluid coil are also disclosed.

Freeze-protection systems and techniques are identified, particularly for equipment of swimming pools and spas. Included within structures subject to receiving water subject to freezing are means for accommodating expanded volumes of the water as it freezes. In this manner, the expanded volumes are less likely to cause damage to the structures themselves.

A heat pipe structure includes a tubular body. The tubular body has a first end and a second end and an airtight chamber. At least one capillary structure layer is disposed on a wall face of the tubular body. A working fluid is filled in the airtight chamber. Any of the first and second ends of the tubular body is such arranged as to be normal to a horizontal face. The first and second ends are respectively positioned at upper and lower ends of the tubular body. One end of the tubular body in contact with the horizontal face has a bulged space as an ice molecule releasing space after the working fluid is frozen.

A thermal energy storage system including an enclosure having an internal volume. An incompressible phase change material (PCM) is provided within the internal volume of the enclosure, where the PCM contracts into a solid state when its temperature falls below a certain temperature and expands into a liquid state when its temperature goes above the certain temperature. An elastic bladder is positioned adjacent to the PCM within the internal volume of the enclosure and is filled with a compressible material, where the PCM pushes against the bladder when it is expanded to the liquid state and causes the compressible material to be compressed within the bladder and the enclosure.

A fluid coil includes a tube bundle having a series of straight tubing runs and a series of return bends extending between and fluidically connecting ones of the straight tubing runs, an expansion header fluidically connected to at least some of the return bends and a polymeric material disposed in the expansion header. The polymeric material has an initial shape and is compressible to repeatedly expand and contract between a first volume in which water is present in the tube bundle and a second volume in which the water undergoes a phase change. Contraction of the polymeric material absorbs an increase in volume as the water undergoes the phase change to prevent stressing and rupture of the tube bundle and upon an opposite phase change, the polymeric material returns to its initial shape. The polymeric material can be a pressurizable bladder. A system and method to prevent the rupture of a tube bundle in a fluid coil are also disclosed.

A cooling device of an embodiment includes an evaporator, a condenser, a first connection pipe, a second connection pipe, and a third connection pipe. A refrigerant is vaporized in the evaporator by heat generated by a heating element. The condenser is located above the evaporator, and configured to condense the vaporized refrigerant by exchanging heat with an external fluid. The first connection pipe guides the refrigerant vaporized by the evaporator to the condenser. The second connection pipe guides the refrigerant condensed by the condenser to the evaporator. The third connection pipe connects a portion of the first connection pipe and a portion of the second connection pipe. A connection position between the third connection pipe and the first connection pipe is higher than a maximum liquid level height of the refrigerant in the second connection pipe during an operation.

A beverage chiller assembly has a bottom vessel portion and a top portion comprising a plurality of extruded tubes arranged in an array. The bottom and top portions fit together to receive and expeditiously chill a beverage, such as an individual portion of hot coffee, to produce ice coffee, or a bottle of white wine, or a serving of another beverage. The tubes are pre-cooled and extend vertically down into the beverage or fluid volume, and are arranged and dimensioned to provide effective, fast and substantially uniform cooling of the intended beverage volume to a specified serving temperature. Embodiments quickly convert hot coffee to iced coffee, or chill white wine to a proper temperature for serving. Specific embodiments may attain a stable final temperature and also function as serving vessels at table.

A heat exchanger includes a first side opposite a second side and a third side opposite a fourth side and a cold layer with an inlet at the first side of the heat exchanger, an outlet at the second side of the heat exchanger, and a cold passage extending from the inlet to the outlet. The heat exchanger also includes a hot layer with an inlet manifold at the third side of the heat exchanger extending between the first side and the second side, an outlet manifold at the fourth side of the heat exchanger opposite the inlet manifold and extending between the first side and the second side, a hot passage extending from the inlet manifold to the outlet manifold, and a tube on the first side of the heat exchanger extending from the third side to the fourth side.

An evaporator includes a cool storage material container. The cool storage material container contains a cool storage material and is disposed in a second part of the spaces. The cool storage material container includes a container main body portion joined to the refrigerant flow tubes. The outward projecting portion extends from an upper end of the leeward edge or windward edge of the container main body portion. The outward projecting portion has an expansion portion projecting from the container main body portion and projecting thickness of the expansion portion is greater than a thickness of the container main body portion. The expansion portion is located outward of the fins. At least one of left and right side walls of the expansion portion is so constructed to deform when an internal pressure in the cool storage material container increases beyond a predetermined pressure.

There are herein described energy storage systems. More particularly there are provided thermal energy storage systems comprising battery assemblies containing phase change materials and a monitoring system therefor. In addition there are provided thermal stores comprising battery assemblies having integral control means for management of the thermal energy provided by the battery assembly.