Heating units

Claim 2

In combination: a fluid flow system including a garment having a fluid flow path formed therethrough, and a heat exchanger having a flow path at its secondary side, and a pump, said fluid flow path of the garment and the flow path of the heater and the pump being connected in series in a closed circuit; means for generating heat; means for applying the heat generated thereby to said heat exchanger at its primary side; and heat motor means for utilizing heat generated by said means for generating heat to operate said pump.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 3, in which said heat motor comprises a body of heat motor fluid having boiling temperature above temperature of ambient temperature of the environment to which the garment is subjected and below the temperature generated by said means for generating heat; a closed loop, unidirectional flow path containing said motor fluid and having one portion thereof in thermal communication with said means for generating heat and having another portion thereof removed from said means for generating heat; and means in said closed loop, unidirectional flow path for operating said pump as an incident to flow there along.

Claim 4

In combination: a fluid flow system including a garment having a fluid flow path formed therethrough, and a heat exchanger having a flow path at its secondary side, and a pump, said fluid flow path of the garment and the flow path of the heater and the pump being connected in series in a closed circuit; means for generating heat; means for applying the heat generated thereby to said heat exchanger at its primary side; in which said means for generating heat comprises fuel and a reaction material capable of chemical reaction with the fuel to produce a heated reaction product, and means placing that reaction product in thermal communication with said heat exchanger at its primary side; and in which said fuel and said reaction materiaL combine to form a pressurized gas; which further comprises a gas powered motor connected to drive said pump; and which further comprises means for utilizing said gas reaction product to power the gas motor.

Claim 5

The invention defined in claim 5, in which said fuel comprises a chemical which reacts exothermally with water to produce a gas and which further comprises flow path means for conducting water to said fuel and including a second pump operatively connected to said gas powered motor.

Claim 6

In combination: a quantity of chemical material of a type which reacts on contact with a reactant liquid to produce heat contained in the reaction product; means for selectively contacting said chemical material with reactant liquid; means for transferring heat from the reaction product to a circulation liquid; said chemical material reacting on with water to produce heat in the reaction product; means for controlling the rate of said reaction by controlling the rate at which water is supplied to said quantity of chemical material; and a container immersible in water and in which said chemical material is disposed; said chemical material being of a type which combines with water to produce a product gas; said means for controlling the rate of said reaction comprises means for conducting surrounding environmental water to the chemical material and for exhausting product gas to said surrounding environmental water; and said means for transferring heat from the reaction product to a circulation liquid comprising a flow path for circulation liquid and a flow path for said gas, and a heat exchanger having its primary side in thermal communication with said flow path for gas and its secondary side in communication with said flow path for circulating fluid.

Claim 7

In combination: a container for fuel of a type which reacts with water to generate heat resident in the reaction product; water inlet means for conducting water from an ambient water environment to said container at controlled rate; a flow path for circulating water; heat exchanger means in thermal communication with the product of said reaction at its primary side and in thermal communication with said flow path at its secondary side; said water inlet means comprising an inlet flow path extending from ambient water environment through said flow path for circulating water to the interior of said container; said inlet further comprising a pump in series in said inlet flow path, and means for substantially preventing water flow from said container to said flow path for circulating water and for substantially preventing water flow from said flow path for circulating water to the environment.

Claim 8

In combination: a container for fuel of a type which reacts with water to generate heat resident in the reaction product; water inlet means for conducting water from an ambient water environment to said container at controlled rate; a flow path for circulating water; heat exchanger means in thermal communication with the product of said reaction at its primary side and in thermal communication with said flow path at its secondary side; a housing in which the container is disposed, the wall of said container comprising the heat exchanger, said flow path for circulating water being formed by the exterior wall of said container and the inner wall of said housing, said container and housing comprising a common end wall; and resilient means for urging said end wall into engagement with said housing whereby said end wall serves as a safety valve movable against the bias of said resilient means for relieving pressurized gases from said container.

Claim 9

In combination: a container for fuel of a type which reacts with water to generate heat resident in the reaction product; water inlet means for conducting water from an ambient water environment to said container at controlled rate; a flow path for circulatIng water; heat exchanger means in thermal communication with the product of said reaction at its primary side and in thermal communication with said flow path at its secondary side; a housing in which the container in disposed, the wall of said container comprising the heat exchanger, said flow path for circulating water being formed by the exterior wall of said container and the inner wall of said housing; means for permitting environmental water flow into the housing and for preventing flow from the housing to the surrounding environment; and further including a pump disposed in said housing, and a pump discharge line extending from the pump to the container, said pump comprising a movable walled container including check valve means for permitting flow into said movable walled container, manual means for moving the movable wall of the walled container to increase container volume, and biasing means for urging displacement of said movable wall to reduce the volume of said movable walled container.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 10, which further comprises means for distributing inlet water to multiple points within said container comprising an element in series with said inlet flow path and disposed in said container and comprising a surface through which water is permeable.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 11, which further comprises a bag formed of permeable material and capable of containing a solid fuel, said bag being contained within said container surrounding said means for distributing water to multiple points within said container.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 12, which further comprises a heat exchanger in the form of a conduit disposed within said housing outside of said container providing communication from said container to a point outside said housing, and which further comprises an adjustable flow valve in said water inlet means.

Claim 13

The invention defined in claim 13, in which said adjustable flow control valve in said water inlet means comprises a temperature control valve sensitive to the temperature of the water in said flow path for circulating water.

Claim 14

In combination: a fluid flow system including a garment having a fluid flow path formed therethrough, and a heat exchanger having a flow path at its secondary side, and a pump, said fluid flow path of the garment and the flow path of the heater and the pump being connected in series in a closed circuit; means for generating heat; and means for applying the heat generated thereby to said heat exchanger at its primary side; in which said heat exchanger comprises an outer container and an inner container, said inner container being disposed within said outer container, the two containers having a common, removable end wall.

Claim 15

The invention defined in claim 15 which further comprises resilient means for urging said common, removable end wall into engagement with said two containers, said resilient means being yieldable at a predetermined pressure within said inner container whereby said end wall serves as a safety valve for permitting release of excessively pressured gases therefrom.