Thermo Electron Corporation

Fred N Huffman

Kenneth G Hagen

Arthur E Ruggles

Disclosed is a heat pipe particularly suited for isothermal transfer of heat in high temperature, high pressure operation such as the growing of semiconductor crystals. The heat pipe has a stem communicating with its lower end, a cooler surrounding a portion of the stem, and an expansible bellows connected to the stem. The stem and the expansion chamber formed by the bellows accommodate displaced liquid working fluid to balance pressure within the heat pipe with ambient pressure outside the heat pipe. This avoids the need for complex, multi-layer structures or high strength materials in the heat pipe walls.

Pressure balanced heat pipe

A method and apparatus are described for producing negative deuterium ions for use in controlled thermonuclear reactions such as fusion. Negative ions are obtained by bombarding the surface of an ionization electrode with positive ions and extracting negative ions from the electrode. The unique surface layer of the electrode is formed by depositing onto a substrate the products of thermal decomposition of cesium carbonate. This layer, which is easily formed and renewed, is characterized by a very low value of work function of about 1.05 electron volts, which facilitates formation of large quantities of negative ions. Properties of the surface layer, particularly the low value of work function, are reproducible and relatively insensitive to variations in the thickness of the layer and to the substrate material selected for the electrode.

Method and apparatus for producing negative ions

An expansion mode tidal regenerator heat engine including a housing assembly enclosing an interior region, a power extraction means and a condensable vapor disposed within the interior region. A condenser is adapted to maintain a portion of the interior region at a condenser temperature equal to or below the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined minimum pressure. A super-heater is adapted to maintain a portion of the interior region at a super-heater temperature above the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined maximum temperature. A boiler is adapted to maintain a portion of the interior region below the super-heater temperature and above or equal to the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined maximum pressure. A tidal liquid regenerator is adapted to maintain a predetermined temperature gradient in the portion of the interior region between those characterized by the condenser and boiler temperatures and a vapor regenerator is adapted to maintain the predetermined temperature gradient in the portion of the interior region between those characterized by the boiler and super-heater temperatures. A cycle control means establishes a sequence of locations for the liquid vapor interface of the working fluid between and including the regions characterized by the boiler and condenser temperatures. The cycle control means successively establishes (1) heating and vaporizing of the working fluid at constant volume, vaporizing and super-heating the working fluid in part at constant pressure and in part with decreasing pressure (due to expansion), cooling at constant volume, condensing in part at constant volume and in part at constant pressure.

Expansion tidal regenerator heat engine

An annular tidal regenerator heat engine including a housing assembly enclosing a cylindrical interior region with a loose-fitting piston and a condensable vapor working fluid disposed therein. A condenser is adapted to maintain a portion of the interior region near one end of the piston at a condenser temperature equal to or below the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined minimum pressure. A super-heater is adapted to maintain a portion of the interior region near the other end of the piston at a super-heater temperature above the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined maximum pressure. A boiler is adapted to maintain a portion of the cylindrical shell portion of the interior region between the piston and housing at a boiler temperature below the super-heater temperature and above or equal to the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined maximum pressure. A tidal liquid regenerator is adapted to maintain a predetermined temperature gradient in the portion of the interior region between those characterized by the condenser and boiler temperatures and a vapor regenerator is adapted to maintain a predetermined temperature gradient in the portion of the interior region between those characterized by the boiler and super-heater temperatures. A power extraction means such as a bellows is connected to the cold end of the piston for coupling energy derived from piston motion to an external load. A cycle control means maintains a liquid-vapor interface of the working fluid to be positioned in the regions of the annular cross-section cylindrical shell region between the piston and the interior surfaces of the housing assembly. The cycle control further positions the interface to alternate between the portion of the shell region characterized by the boiler and condenser temperatures.

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Sudbury, MA, United States of America

Fred N Huffman