Ut-battelle, Inc.

University of Illinois

Kashif Nawaz

Brian A Fricke

Kyle R Gluesenkamp

Zhiming Gao

Amelia M Elliott

Ayyoub Mehdizadeh Momen

Constantinos Tsouris

Edgar Lara-Curzio

Corson L Cramer

Kai Li

James E Parks

Timothy J LaClair

Bo Shen

Xin Sun

Xiaobing Liu

Alex E Pawlowski

Josh A Pihl

Joseph D Rendall

William E Asher

Ahmed F Elatar

Jamieson Brechtl

Joshua A Thompson

Keju An

Mingkan Zhang

Xiaoli Liu

Scott Sluder

Jian Sun

Anthony M Jacobi

Puxian Gao

Vivek M Rao

Matthew J Sandlin

Prashant K Jain

Richard R Lowden

A method of capturing carbon dioxide (CO) present in air is provided. The method includes adding a carbon-dioxide-capturing device to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of a building. The carbon-dioxide-capturing device is added to one or both of an air handler and air-distribution ductwork of the HVAC system. The method further includes circulating air including carbon dioxide through the carbon-dioxide-capturing device in the HVAC system. A direct decarbonization system for capturing carbon dioxide present in air is also provided. The system includes an HVAC unit, air-distribution ductwork connected to the HVAC unit, and a carbon-dioxide-capturing device disposed in one or both of the HVAC unit and the air-distribution ductwork. Carbon dioxide gas present in air passing through the HVAC unit or the air-distribution ductwork is removable from the air by the carbon-dioxide-capturing device.

Multi-functional equipment for direct decarbonization with improved indoor air quality

Systems and methods implementing a frost sensor comprising a substrate (S); and sub-sensors disposed on the substrate. The sub-sensors comprising: a resistance-based sub-sensor (RSS) formed of a first trace disposed on S in a winding pattern and configured to measure a temperature; a capacitance-based sub-sensor formed of a second trace defining a first electrode and a third trace defining a second electrode (wherein (i) the first and second electrodes comprise interdigitated fingers or other interdigitated structures (including, but not limited to, round, spiral interdigitated electrodes, etc.) configured to detect a change in capacitance due of frost, ice or water, and (ii) the second trace is integrally formed with the first trace); and another RSS formed of a fourth trace defining a third electrode and a fifth trace defining a fourth electrode (wherein (i) the third and fourth electrodes comprise interdigitated fingers or other interdigitated structures (including, but not limited to, round, spiral interdigitated electrodes, etc.) configured to detect a change in resistance due to the frost, ice or water, and (ii) the fourth trace is integrally formed with the third trace).

Sensor array for smart frost diagnostics

A medium for energy storage includes a plurality of capsules. Each capsule contains a phase changing material (PCM) configured to undergo a liquid-solid phase transition at a solidification temperature, T. The PCM undergoes a relative volume change due to the phase transition. A shell is filled with the PCM. The shell contains a first heat-conducting material, and is configured to comply to the relative volume change. The relative volume change is configured to cause a buoyancy force, which acts on the capsule when the capsule is disposed in water at a water temperature, T, to be larger than the capsule's weight for T>T, and equal to or smaller than the capsule's weight for T<T. The Tcan be within ±5° F. of a design water temperature Tat the outlet of a water tank. The capsule can be neutrally buoyant in water at T.

Density controlled phase-changing material (PCM) spheres for increased heating power and optimal delivery temperature in hot-water tanks

Improved heat exchangers according to several embodiments are provided. The heat exchangers provide improved heat transfer for air flow in wet and dry operating conditions, while minimizing pressure drop across the heat exchanger in some applications. According to one embodiment, an improved heat exchanger includes a plurality of metal foam fins between adjacent heat exchange conduits, the heat exchange conduits being arranged parallel to each other to define parallel flow paths between an inlet header and an outlet header. The metal foam fins occupy a cross-flow region between adjacent conduits, the fins having a fixed angular orientation or being rotatable in unison to vary the thermal capacitance of the heat exchanger.

Metal foam heat exchangers for air and gas cooling and heating applications

An improved method and system for treating flue gases from a natural gas furnace are provided. The method and system include an acidic gas trap (AGT) adsorber which enables the continuous adsorption and storage of SOx, NOx redox, and formic acid/CO/HC/CHoxidation, with a negligible pressure drop. The AGT adsorber includes a catalyst coating having a nanotube structure (e.g., a uniform nanostructure forest coating) or a uniform porous nanostructure of various low-cost oxides through scalable low temperature solution processes, including oxides of Ti, Cu, Ba, Mn, Zr, Zn, Sr, Ca, Li, K, Na, Al, or Ce.

Monolithic gas trap adsorber for high efficiency, cost effective, low-emission condensing furnace

A method for fabricating heat exchangers using additive manufacturing technologies. Additive manufacturing enables the manufacture of heat exchangers with complex geometries and/or with internal and external integral surface features. Additive manufacture also facilitates the manufacture of heat exchangers with regional variations, such as changes in size, shape and surface features. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a heat exchanger with a helicoidal shape that provides axial elastic compliance. In one embodiment, the internal channel of the heat exchanger varies along its length. The internal channel may have a cross-sectional area that increases progressively from one end to the other. In one embodiment, the external shape of the tubular structure may be non-circular to optimize heat transfer with an external heat transfer fluid. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a heat pipe with an internal wicking structure formed as an integral part of the additive manufacturing process.

Compliant heat exchangers, heat pipes and methods for making same

Growing community of inventors

Oak Ridge, TN, United States of America

Kashif Nawaz