Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc.

Restaurant Technology Inc.

Gas Research Institute

Amtrol Inc.

Other

A.o. Smith Corporation

Aos Holding Company

Consolidated Natural Gas Service Company, Inc.

Boston Gas Products, Inc.

Joseph Gerstmann

Andrew D Vasilakis

Henry Thomas Ewald

Roberto Nevarez

Glenn Schackmuth

Gerald A Sus

Curtis Clarence Pinnow

Keith A Stanger

Ron Dorsten

William Day

Mario G Ceste

Jenny M Hong

Doug Jones

Jerry Sank

John M Corliss

James Lozouski

Paul F Swenson

Kevin Edward Keough

Richard Terrazzano

Andrew Courier

Charles E Rose

Benny Nunley

John Meisner

Steven Konold

Richard Montafi

David Bone

Christopher Juneau

John A J Wedel

Tiffany C Curry

Eddie R Mann

George M Celorier, Jr

Ly Nguyen

Mitchell Strew

Douglas Christian Greening

Francesco Pompei

Jordan N Jacobs

Doug Christian Greening

Elia P Demetri

Donald W Pickard

Yizhak Friedman

Charles L Hannon

Edwin E Jordan

Robert Raymond

William M Hauck

Wayne S Hill

An automated food processing system and method are provided that allow food to be dispensed, fried and packaged in a suitable container, which may be an individual portion-sized container. In one embodiment, the system includes separate automated modules for dispensing, frying and packaging the food. In one embodiment, an automated dispensing device dispenses a predetermined portion of food from a bulk storage container or food dispensing magazine to an automated fry device that can include at least one circular fry wheel having a plurality of food containing compartments. After the food is fried it is dispensed from the fry device to an automated packaging device. The automated packaging device dispenses food to a container that may be an individual portion-sized container that is retrieved, erected and held into position for filling by an automated container handling system. A conveyor system transports the filled container to a suitable pick-up location.

Automated food processing system and method

An automated food processing system is provided that allows food to be dispensed, fried and packaged in a container, for example, an individual portion-sized container. The system includes separate automated modules for dispensing, frying and packaging food. An automated dispensing device dispenses a predetermined portion of food from a bulk storage container or food dispensing magazine. Food is dispensed from the automated dispensing device to an automated fry device that can include at least one circular fry wheel having a plurality of food containing compartments. After the food is fried, it is dispensed from the fry device to an automated packaging device. The automated packaging device dispenses food to a container, for example, an individual portion-sized container that is retrieved, erected and held in position for filling by an automated container handling system. After a food container is filled, a conveyor system transports the container to a pick-up location.

Automated food frying device and method

An automated food processing system and method is provided that allows food to be dispensed, fried and packaged in a suitable container, which may be an individual portion-sized container. In one embodiment, the system includes separate automated modules for dispensing, frying and packaging the food. In one embodiment, an automated dispensing device dispenses a predetermined portion of food from a bulk storage container or food dispensing magazine. Food is dispensed from the automated dispensing device to an automated fry device that can include at least one circular fry wheel having a plurality of food containing compartments. After the food is fried it is dispensed from the fry device to an automated packaging device. The automated packaging device dispenses food to a container that may be an individual portion-sized container that is retrieved, erected and held into position for filling by an automated container handling system. After a food container is filled, a conveyor system transports the filled container to a suitable pick-up location.

A heat exchanger/heater comprising a tubular member having a fluid inlet end, a fluid outlet end and plurality of pins secured to the interior wall of the tube. Various embodiments additionally comprise a blocking member disposed concentrically inside the pins, such as a core plug or a baffle array. Also disclosed is a vapor generator employing an internally pinned tube, and a fluid-heater/heat-exchanger utilizing an outer jacket tube and fluid-side baffle elements, as well as methods for heating a fluid using an internally pinned tube.

Heat exchanger with internal pin elements

Combustion apparatus ( ) includes a combustion chamber ( ), a cover ( ) covering an end wall ( ) of the combustion chamber and defining a buffer space ( ) therebetween, and a blower ( ) external to the cover and supplying air to the buffer space and pressurizing the buffer space to a higher pressure than the combustion chamber such that leakage at penetrations ( ) and/or interface ( ) flows from the buffer space into the combustion chamber, rather than the reverse, eliminating the need for leak-tight seals, and instead permitting leakage in a desired direction. In one embodiment, a first conduit ( ) supplies air along a path ( ) from the blower to the mixer and burner assembly without passing through the buffer space, and a second conduit ( ) independently supplies air from the blower to the buffer space. A pressure dropping orifice ( ) is provided between the blower and the mixer and burner assembly. A gas inlet port ( ) is external to the cover ( ) and downstream of the pressure dropping orifice ( ). The buffer space ( ) communicates with the blower ( ) along an air flow path ( ) upstream of the pressure dropping orifice ( ). In another embodiment, air flows through the buffer space ( ) to the mixer and burner assembly. The buffer space ( ) is thin and flat, and the cover ( ) covers only one end wall ( ) of the combustion chamber, not the other end wall nor the sidewall, such that the latter are accessible without removing the cover.

Pressurized air seal for combustion chamber

A firetube heat exchanger having a tubular member with a fluid inlet end and a fluid outlet end and a plurality of axially aligned fins secured to the interior wall of the tubular member. The axially aligned fins are constructed of at least one sheet of corrugated sheet metal, thereby providing fins having an upper side facing the interior of the tubular member and an underside facing the interior wall of the tubular member. Various embodiments include elements for controlling the flow of heat exchange fluid, typically products of combustion, on the upper side and the underside of the axially aligned fins.

Firetube heat exchanger with corrugated internal fins

Methods and apparatus for (a) increasing expansion tank 'acceptance' (defined herein as working fluid storage capacity); and (b) adjusting the rate of pressure variations within a prespecified range in precharged fluid storage systems (for example, holding pressure down below a prespecified threshold value for a given volume of acceptance, stored water temperature level, etc.). A 'volatile' fluid (defined herein as a fluid having a boiling point within the predetermined pressure and temperature operating ranges for a given system), is used at least in part as the expansion fluid in an expansion tank included in a fluid storage system. The volatile fluid, whether pure or combined with an ideal gas to temper the expansion fluids sensitivity to temperature, can be used to realize a relatively constant pressure 'vapor spring' to make internal expansion tank pressure relatively independent of acceptance (where the term 'relatively' in each instance is referring to a comparison between the use of an expansion fluid that contains a volatile liquid and one that does not contain such fluid).

Method and apparatus for increasing acceptance and adjusting the rate of

An engine-driven heat pump system is disclosed in which the waste heat from the engine is used to only heat the water contained in a water heater. Space heating may be then provided by circulating the water through an air-handling unit. In order to simplify the operation, the engine's coolant is circulated through a tube surrounding the heater's storage tank. Any risk of contamination to the potable water supply is removed by venting the region surrounding the coolant-to-water heat exchanger. This is achieved by assuring that a surrounding insulation layer does not form a seal over the heat exchanger and by using a non-setting thermally conductive paste between the tube and tank.

Two-pipe heat pump system with isolated tank coil for domestic hot water

A heat recovery system (including associated methods, apparatus and controls for implementing such a system) integrated in a hot water heating system that is combinable with an air conditioning loop containing hot gas wherein the hot water system selectively utilizes heat recovered from the hot gas to produce and store hot water at a preselected temperature level requiring the use of only a single water storage tank. According to one aspect of the invention, hot gas is taken from the air conditioning loop and placed directly into a heat exchanger coil immersed in the water storage tank for selective use therein to produce hot water. According to a further aspect of the invention, a control means is provided to monitor and analyze water temperatures at a plurality of locations within the water storage tank; determine the presence of hot gas and its temperature; and, as a function of the set point for the hot water heating system, selectively activate at least one of a plurality of heaters located in the water storage tank. The heaters include a heat exchanger that may be energized by the hot gas when the gas is at a desirable temperature and available for use; and at least one other heating element, such as electrically energizable heating elements.

Heat recovery system

A heat pump system for heating and cooling including a vapor compressor driven by a heat engine in which the refrigerant is isolated from a space being conditioned, by a two-pipe loop that, in a heating mode transfers both refrigeration derived heat and heat rejected by the heat engine in an efficient serial manner. The system circuitry includes a counterflow heat transfer fluid to air heat exchanger and a heat transfer fluid to potable water heater exchanger.

Two-pipe system for refrigerant isolation

Combustion apparatus (10) includes a combustion chamber (12, 212), a cover (24, 208) covering an end wall (14, 210) of the combustion chamber and defining a buffer space (26, 206) therebetween, and a blower (32, 202) external to the cover and supplying air to the buffer space and pressurizing the buffer space to a higher pressure than the combustion chamber such that leakage at penetrations (46) and/or interface (334, 336) flows from the buffer space into the combustion chamber, rather than the reverse, eliminating the need for leak-tight seals, and instead permitting leakage in a desired direction. In one embodiment, a first conduit (58) supplies air along a path (34) from the blower to the mixer and burner assembly without passing through the buffer space, and a second conduit (60) independently supplies air from the blower to the buffer space. A pressure dropping orifice (36) is provided between the blower and the mixer and burner assembly. A gas inlet port (40) is external to the cover (24) and downstream of the pressure dropping orifice (36). The buffer space (26) communicates with the blower (32) along an air flow path (44) upstream of the pressure dropping orifice (36). In another embodiment, air flows through the buffer space (20) to the mixer and burner assembly. The buffer space (26, 206) is thin and flat, and the cover (24, 208) covers only one end wall (14, 210) of the combustion chamber, not the other end wall nor the sidewall, such that the latter are accessible without removing the cover.

Diesel fuel is vaporized and then burned on a cylindrical screen flame holder. The fuel is vaporized in a finned, vertical tube vapor generator and directed through a superheater tube past the flame to a flow control valve and nozzle. A flow restriction is provided between a liquid fuel supply and the vapor generator. The flame holder is vertically supported over a mixer and the nozzle. A flame deflector about the flame holder and a reservoir about the nozzle collect fuel condensate during start-up.

Vaporizing diesel burner

Space heating and cooling and potable water heating are provided by a single appliance. The housing appliance is divided into four sections: a lower water storage section, a middle hardware section, an upper internal air handling section and a side external air handling section which may protrude through a building wall. A heating medium from a single burner heat exchanger may be directed to either a liquid to air heat exchanger for space heating or to a hot water storage tank for heating potable water. The storage tank contains a heat exchanger for heat transfer from the heating medium to the potable water. A single thermostatic flow control maintains a constant temperature of heating medium directed to either the liquid to air heat exchanger or the storage tank to provide condensation of products of combustion during the space heating mode of operation and part of the water heating mode of operation and yet preclude overheating of the heating medium. As a result of the thermostatic flow control, a low flow rate for higher efficiency is feasible and the flow rate may be varied with changes in the temperature of the stored water. For added efficiency, refrigerant from the air conditioner compressor may pass in heat exchange relationship with the stored water to recover heat of compression by the stored water.

Integrated space heating, air conditioning and potable water heating

Growing community of inventors

Framingham, MA, United States of America

Joseph Gerstmann