Patent Publication Number: US-6710281-B1

Title: Laser based heat exchanger

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of heat exchange systems in general and in particular to a heat exchange system that employs a laser as the heat generating source. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,142,088; 5,850,412; 4,152,567; and, 4,389,560, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse heating systems employing a variety of different heat sources. 
     While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical heat exchange apparatus that is particularly well suited for remote locations having limited conventional fuel resources. 
     With the current concern regarding the dwindling reserves of fossil fuels worldwide, it has become imperative that alternative heating systems be developed to stave off as long as possible the ultimate depletion of our fossil fuel supply. 
     As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need among conservationists and others for a new and improved heat exchange system which relies, at its core, upon a laser heat generating source; and, the provision of such an arrangement is the stated objective of the present invention. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly stated, the laser based heat exchange system that forms the basis of the present invention comprises in general a containment unit, a heat sink unit, a heat source and a mounting unit wherein, the heat source unit relies upon a laser member to generate heat within the heat sink unit that is convectively transferred to a fluid medium that passes through a duct or pipe containing the heat exchange system. 
     As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification, the containment unit includes an elongated containment vessel the interior of which is provided with the heat sink unit including a heat sink liner member having a plurality of ceramic tiles covering the interior of the containment vessel; wherein, the heat source unit comprises a carbon dioxide laser member the barrel of which is directed toward one end of the containment vessel to heat the ceramic tiles and the periphery of the containment vessel by conduction. 
     In addition, the mounting unit includes a framework member having inner and outer framework sections that support and suspend the containment vessel in a generally perpendicular fashion relative to the framework member wherein, the framework member also includes a plurality of fluid restrictor panels that force fluid flow around the periphery of the heated containment vessel to elevate the temperature of the fluid. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other attributes of the invention will become more clear upon a thorough study of the following description of the best mode for carrying out the invention, particularly when reviewed in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the laser based heat exchange apparatus that forms the basis of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an isolated detail view of the containment unit, the heat source unit, and the heat sink unit; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the heat exchange apparatus; and, 
     FIG. 4 is an isolated detail view of the heat source unit and the heat sink unit. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As can be seen by reference to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 1, the laser based heat exchange system that forms the basis of the present invention is designated generally by the reference number  10 . The system  10  comprises in general a containment unit  11  a heat sink unit  12  a heat source unit  13  and a mounting unit  14 . These units will now be described in seriatim fashion. 
     As shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, the containment unit  11  comprises in general a sealed generally elongated cylindrical containment vessel  20  preferably fabricated from ⅛″ to ¼″ steel  21  wherein, the containment vessel  20  is suspended within a pipe or duct (not shown) by the mounting unit  14  as will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 1 through 4, it can be seen that the heat sink unit  12  comprises a heat sink liner member  30  fabricated from a plurality of uniform thickness ceramic tiles  31  wherein the average thickness of the ceramic tiles  31  is between ⅜″ to 1″. 
     In addition, as shown in FIGS. 2 through 4, the heat source unit  13  comprises a carbon dioxide laser  40  suspended within the interior of the containment vessel from a framework  43  wherein the barrel  42  of the laser  40  is directed toward the ceramic tiles  31  on one end of the containment vessel  20  wherein, the ceramic tiles  31  impacted by the laser beam  45  convert the laser energy into heat which is transferred by conduction to the adjacent ceramic tiles  31  and the walls of the containment vessel  20 . 
     As can be seen by reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, the mounting unit  14  comprises a mounting framework  50  having an outer generally rectangular frame section  51  and an inner generally rectangular frame section  52  connected to one another by a plurality of cross-braces  53  wherein the inner frame section  52  and the cross-braces  53  cooperate with one another to captively engage and suspend the containment vessel  20  within the mounting unit  14  whereby the longitudinal axis of the containment vessel  20  is aligned generally perpendicular to the plane of the mounting framework  50 . 
     In addition, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the mounting framework is further provided with a plurality of fluid restrictor panels  54  that concentrate the fluid flow through openings  55  formed between the inner frame section  52  and the outer periphery of the heated containment vessel  20  where the fluid passing around the containment vessel  20  absorbs heat from the containment vessel  20  via convection in a well recognized manner. 
     At this juncture, it should be appreciated that the heat exchange system  10  of this invention only requires a source of electricity to power the carbon dioxide laser  40  to effect the heat exchange process and this electricity can be generated in many remote or even outer space environs having little or no readily available fuel sources via solar energy thereby virtually eliminating the need for fossil fuels. 
     Although only an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. 
     Having thereby described the subject matter of the present invention, it should be apparent that many substitutions, modifications, and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that the invention as taught and described herein is only to be limited to the extent of the breadth and scope of the appended claims.