Patent ID: 8739859
Filing Date: 2014-06-03
Classification: F28F,G05D

Abstract:
1. A reversible thermal rectifier for selectively controlling a direction of heat flow, the reversible thermal rectifier comprising: a plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects distributed in a fluid medium, each of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects comprising a refractive side and a reflective side, wherein heat flows past the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the refractive side, and heat is reflected from the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects when approaching from the reflective side; and a bidirectional field actuator system that applies a field to the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects to selectively orient the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects between a first orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a first direction, and a second orientation, wherein the reflective sides of the plurality of asymmetrically shaped objects face a second direction, substantially opposite the first direction.