US4272268A — Chemical heat pump

Claim 1

Independent Claim 140 words

A chemical heat pump, comprising: a vaporizer container storing a material to be vaporized having a length or width which is at least ten times its thickness, said container being evacuated; a container storing a vapor absorptive chemical having a length or width which is at least ten times its thickness, said container being evacuated, said vapor absorptive chemical expanding and contracting as it absorbs and desorbs vapor, respectively, said container being subjected to a higher outside pressure than the evacuated inside pressure and having a sufficiently thin structure to permit said higher outside pressure to flex said structure during such expansion and contraction to prevent formation of voids in said vapor absorptive chemical; means exchanging heat through the walls of said vaporizer container and said chemical container; and a vapor conduit interconnecting said vaporizer container and said chemical container.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 140 words

A chemical heat pump, comprising: a vaporizer container storing a material to be vaporized having a length or width which is at least ten times its thickness, said container being evacuated; a container storing a vapor absorptive chemical having a length or width which is at least ten times its thickness, said container being evacuated, said vapor absorptive chemical expanding and contracting as it absorbs and desorbs vapor, respectively, said container being subjected to a higher outside pressure than the evacuated inside pressure and having a sufficiently thin structure to permit said higher outside pressure to flex said structure during such expansion and contraction to prevent formation of voids in said vapor absorptive chemical; means exchanging heat through the walls of said vaporizer container and said chemical container; and a vapor conduit interconnecting said vaporizer container and said chemical container.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 45 words

A chemical heat pump, as defined in claim 1, wherein said vaporizer container comprises relatively thin upper and lower wall members separated by said thickness, said vaporizer container additionally comprising ribs separating said upper and lower walls and supporting the atmospheric load on said walls.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 22 words

A chemical heat pump, as defined in claim 2, wherein said ribs are apertured to permit vapor flow throughout said vaporizer container.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 56 words

A chemical heat pump, as defined in claim 1, wherein said vapor absorptive chemical container includes a relatively thin upper and lower wall separated by said thickness, said container additionally comprising a vapor permeable wall separating said upper and lower walls, said vapor permeable wall supporting said vapor absorptive chemical in contact with said upper wall.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 48 words

A chemical heat pump, as defined in claim 4, wherein said vapor absorptive chemical container additionally comprises: plural ribs separating said vapor permeable wall from said lower wall to provide a vapor manifolding space, said ribs being apertured to permit free flow of vapor through said manifolding space.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 39 words

A chemical heat pump as defined in claim 1, said vapor conduit further comprising: a trap mounted adjacent said first container, said trap providing convoluted path for vapor flow, said convoluted path eliminating liquid from passing through said conduit.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 38 words

A chemical heat pump, as defined in claim 6, wherein said trap includes stacked filter paper layers, each of which is apertured to provide a passage at a different location than the passage in adjacent filter paper members.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 61 words

A chemical heat pump, as defined in claim 1, wherein said vapor absorptive chemical container comprises a wall which is sufficiently thin to permit said wall to move and thereby maintain intimate contact with said vapor absorptive chemical and to prevent voids in said vapor absorptive chemical as said vapor absorptive chemical expands and contracts during absorption and desorption of vapor.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 105 words

A heating system, comprising: a first container storing a material to be vaporized; a second container storing a chemical for absorbing the vapors from said material, said second container in vapor communication with said first container, said second container having a thin, flexible wall separating the inside of said second container from an area outside said second container having a higher pressure than the pressure within said second container, said wall being positioned relative said chemical and sufficiently flexible to be bent by said pressures inside and outside said second container to expand and contract with said chemical during absorption and desorption of said vapor.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 105 words

A heating system, comprising: a first container storing a material to be vaporized; a second container storing a chemical for absorbing the vapors from said material, said second container in vapor communication with said first container, said second container having a thin, flexible wall separating the inside of said second container from an area outside said second container having a higher pressure than the pressure within said second container, said wall being positioned relative said chemical and sufficiently flexible to be bent by said pressures inside and outside said second container to expand and contract with said chemical during absorption and desorption of said vapor.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 22 words

A heating system, as defined in claim 9, wherein said thin, flexible wall forms a heat exchange interface for said second container.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 32 words

A heating system, as defined in claim 9, wherein said second container additionally comprises a vapor permeable wall for supporting said chemical in a location for contact with said thin, flexible wall.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 28 words

A heating system, as defined in claim 9, wherein said thin, flexible wall is formed of metal foil having a thickness less than twenty thousandths of an inch.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 30 words

A heating system, as defined in claim 9, wherein said second container additionally comprises: plural ribs for supporting said chemical in a position for contact with said thin, flexible wall.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 44 words

A heating system, as defined in claim 9, wherein said second container comprises a thin, flat container, said thin, flexible wall forming the top of said container and having a length or width which is at least ten times the thickness of said container.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 80 words

A solar space heating system, comprising: a first container storing a vapor absorptive chemical, said first container being positioned to directly absorb incident solar radiation; a second container storing a material to be vaporized, said material forming a vapor which is absorbed by said chemical; means interconnecting said first and second containers for vapor transmission therebetween; a solar-energy transparent cover spaced from said first container; and means providing substantially eddy-free air flow between said transparent cover and said first container.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 80 words

A solar space heating system, comprising: a first container storing a vapor absorptive chemical, said first container being positioned to directly absorb incident solar radiation; a second container storing a material to be vaporized, said material forming a vapor which is absorbed by said chemical; means interconnecting said first and second containers for vapor transmission therebetween; a solar-energy transparent cover spaced from said first container; and means providing substantially eddy-free air flow between said transparent cover and said first container.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 75 words

A vapor absorption heat pump comprising: a vaporizer container storing a liquid to be vaporized; a vapor absorptive chemical container, comprising: a layer of vapor absorptive chemicals; and a porous partition supporting said chemical layer and providing one wall of a vapor communication space, said container being evacuated; a vapor conduit interconnecting said vaporizer container and said vapor absorptive chemical container; and plural support members for supporting said porous partition spaced from said chemical container.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 75 words

A vapor absorption heat pump comprising: a vaporizer container storing a liquid to be vaporized; a vapor absorptive chemical container, comprising: a layer of vapor absorptive chemicals; and a porous partition supporting said chemical layer and providing one wall of a vapor communication space, said container being evacuated; a vapor conduit interconnecting said vaporizer container and said vapor absorptive chemical container; and plural support members for supporting said porous partition spaced from said chemical container.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 17 words

A vapor absorption heat pump, as defined in claim 16, wherein said filter paper partition is corrugated.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 25 words

A vapor absorption heat pump, as defined in claim 16, wherein said vapor absorptive chemical is in a heat exchange relationship with said chemical container.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 125 words

A heating system, comprising: a first container storing a material to be vaporized; a second container storing a composition for absorbing the vapors from said material, said composition expanding and contracting independently of said container during absorption and desorption, said second container in vapor communication with said first container, said second container having a thin, flexible wall separating the inside of said second container from an environment at higher pressure than said inside, said wall being sufficiently flexible to conform by application of said higher pressure to varying configurations of said vapor absorbing composition to thereby hold said wall in heat exchange relationship with said composition by bending and distorting to conform to the shape of said composition during absorption and desorption of said vapor.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 125 words

A heating system, comprising: a first container storing a material to be vaporized; a second container storing a composition for absorbing the vapors from said material, said composition expanding and contracting independently of said container during absorption and desorption, said second container in vapor communication with said first container, said second container having a thin, flexible wall separating the inside of said second container from an environment at higher pressure than said inside, said wall being sufficiently flexible to conform by application of said higher pressure to varying configurations of said vapor absorbing composition to thereby hold said wall in heat exchange relationship with said composition by bending and distorting to conform to the shape of said composition during absorption and desorption of said vapor.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 24 words

The heating system, as defined in claim 19, wherein said vapor conduit alternately conducts vapors in opposite directions between said first and second containers.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 31 words

The heating system, as defined in claim 19, wherein said vapor conduit provides the sole means of transporting said material to be vaporized between said first container and said second container.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 140 words

A solar heating method comprising the steps of: (a) exposing a container of vapor absorbing chemical to radiant solar energy to thus heat the chemical container and the chemical contained therein to a desorption temperature to drive off vapors absorbed in said chemical; (b) conducting the vapors desorbed from the chemical to a vaporizer container in thermal communication with a space to be heated; (c) condensing said vapor to a liquid in the vaporizer container thereby releasing sensible heat of the vapor and heat of condensation of the liquid thus warming the space in thermal communication with the vaporizer container; periodically removing the vaporizer container from thermal communication with the space to be warmed and during such period of removal evaporating the liquid to form a vapor which is absorbed by the chemical; and repeating Steps (a), (b) and (c).

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 140 words

A solar heating method comprising the steps of: (a) exposing a container of vapor absorbing chemical to radiant solar energy to thus heat the chemical container and the chemical contained therein to a desorption temperature to drive off vapors absorbed in said chemical; (b) conducting the vapors desorbed from the chemical to a vaporizer container in thermal communication with a space to be heated; (c) condensing said vapor to a liquid in the vaporizer container thereby releasing sensible heat of the vapor and heat of condensation of the liquid thus warming the space in thermal communication with the vaporizer container; periodically removing the vaporizer container from thermal communication with the space to be warmed and during such period of removal evaporating the liquid to form a vapor which is absorbed by the chemical; and repeating Steps (a), (b) and (c).

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 55 words

The solar heating method of claim 22 further comprising the step of: periodically placing the absorption chemical container in thermal communication with the space to be heated during such period conducting vapors from the vaporizer container to the chemical container whereby heat of absorption in the chemical is released warming the space to be heated.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 145 words

A solar cooling method comprising the steps of: (a) exposing a container of a vapor absorbing chemical to radiant solar energy to thereby heat the container and the chemical therein to a desorption temperature to desorb a vapor therefrom; (b) condensing the desorbed vapor in an evaporator container to form a liquid in said container; (c) placing the evaporator container containing liquid in thermal communication with a space to be cooled; (d) reducing the vapor absorption chemical temperature to an absorption temperature below the desorption temperature; (e) vaporizing the liquid in the vaporizer container to absorb heat from and cool the space to be cooled and absorbing the vapor in the vapor absorbing chemical at an absorbing temperature; and (f) repeating Steps (a) through (e) to repeatedly recycle the vapor from the liquid phase into the chemically absorbed phase and back to the liquid phase.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 145 words

A solar cooling method comprising the steps of: (a) exposing a container of a vapor absorbing chemical to radiant solar energy to thereby heat the container and the chemical therein to a desorption temperature to desorb a vapor therefrom; (b) condensing the desorbed vapor in an evaporator container to form a liquid in said container; (c) placing the evaporator container containing liquid in thermal communication with a space to be cooled; (d) reducing the vapor absorption chemical temperature to an absorption temperature below the desorption temperature; (e) vaporizing the liquid in the vaporizer container to absorb heat from and cool the space to be cooled and absorbing the vapor in the vapor absorbing chemical at an absorbing temperature; and (f) repeating Steps (a) through (e) to repeatedly recycle the vapor from the liquid phase into the chemically absorbed phase and back to the liquid phase.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 154 words

A chemical heat pump comprising: at least one vaporizer container; at least one vapor absorption chemical in a container; vapor conduit means for selectively connecting the vaporizer containers to the chemical containers; means for thermally conducting heat between the vaporizer container and a space to be temperature conditioned; means positioning the vapor absorption chemical container in the path of radiant solar energy; and means positioning the vaporizer container out of the path of radiant solar energy; whereby radiant solar energy impinging upon the chemical container provides heat of desorption at a desorption temperature of said chemical to cause desorption of vapor previously absorbed at a lower absorption temperature than the desorption temperature of said chemical to thereby cyclically pump vapor from liquid in the vaporizer container to the chemical at an absorption temperature and to pump vapor from the chemical at a higher desorption temperature to condense as a liquid in the vaporizer container.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 154 words

A chemical heat pump comprising: at least one vaporizer container; at least one vapor absorption chemical in a container; vapor conduit means for selectively connecting the vaporizer containers to the chemical containers; means for thermally conducting heat between the vaporizer container and a space to be temperature conditioned; means positioning the vapor absorption chemical container in the path of radiant solar energy; and means positioning the vaporizer container out of the path of radiant solar energy; whereby radiant solar energy impinging upon the chemical container provides heat of desorption at a desorption temperature of said chemical to cause desorption of vapor previously absorbed at a lower absorption temperature than the desorption temperature of said chemical to thereby cyclically pump vapor from liquid in the vaporizer container to the chemical at an absorption temperature and to pump vapor from the chemical at a higher desorption temperature to condense as a liquid in the vaporizer container.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 17 words

The chemical heat pump of claim 25 comprising a plurality of said containers connected thermally in parallel.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 24 words

The chemical heat pump of claim 25 further comprising means for providing supplemental heat to the chemical container to provide additional heat of desorption.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 23 words

The chemical heat pump of claim 25 wherein the liquid and vapor are water and water vapor and the chemical is magnesium chloride.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1984-06-08	1984-12-08	1985-06-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1988-06-08	1988-12-08	1989-06-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1992-06-08	1992-12-08	1993-06-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Chemical heat pump

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