Purdue Research Foundation

William Travis Horton

James Edward Braun

Eckhard Achim Groll

Orkan Kurtulus

Vatsal Manilal Shah

Andres F Arrieta Diaz

A shape-morphing fin includes a fixed portion, a multistable portion, a coupling portion, and a vibration source. The multistable portion functions as a negative stiffness element. The multistable portion is selectively movable between a first position and a second position. The movement between first position and the second position is configured to remove the ice formation from the structure. The coupling portion couples the fixed portion to the multistable portion. The vibration source is configured to produce a resonant vibration to engage the movement of the multistable portion from the first position to the second position.

Shape morphing fins for frost removal

A system for measuring oil circulation ratio in a vapor-compression refrigeration system (VCRS) is provided. The system may include an oil separator configured to receive the refrigerant and oil flow from the low-pressure line of the VCRS and output a oil flow and a refrigerant flow. The system may further include an oil collector configured to receive the separated oil flow provided by the oil separator. A valve may control an oil flow from the oil collector to the low-pressure line. A level sensor may measure oil level in the oil collector. The system may close, in response to the oil being at or less than a first level, the valve to collect oil in the oil collector. The system may open, in response to the oil being at or greater than a second level, the valve to release oil from the oil collector to the low-pressure line.

Growing community of inventors

West Lafayette, IN, United States of America

William Travis Horton