Abstract:
A method and device that transfers heat to or from a gas. The method includes the steps of moving a surface with sufficient speed to disrupt a velocity boundary layer for molecules of the gas in contact with the surface, and cooling or heating the surface. The surface can be a heteroscopic structure that selects molecules from the gas. Cooling results in a transfer of energy from the molecules to the surface, whereas heating results in a transfer of energy from the surface to the molecules.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority from Provisional Application No. 60/434852, “Air Flow, Heat Exchange, and Molecular Selection Systems,” filed Dec. 19, 2002, in the name of inventors Scott Davis and Art Williams; from Provisional Application No. 60/499,066, “Molecular Speed Selection, Flow Generation, Adiabatic Cooling, and Other Heteroscopic Technologies,” filed Aug. 29, 2003, in the name of inventors Scott Davis and Art Williams; from U.S. patent application No. Ser. 10/693,635, “Heteroscopic Turbine,” filed Oct. 24, 2003, in the name of inventor Scott Davis; and from U.S. patent application No. Ser. ______, “Molecular Speed and Direction Selection,” filed Dec. 16, 2003, in the name of inventor Scott Davis, Express Mail Label No. EL 768 962 519 US. These applications are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This invention relates to exchanging heat with a gas. In particular, the invention relates to transferring heat to or from the gas, for example through forced conduction.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0005]     One prevalent device in modern technology is a device that exchanges heat with air or other gaseous matter. Examples of such devices include cooling units for computers, radiators for cars, air conditioners, refrigerators, heaters, industrial cooling units for large machinery, and innumerable other devices.  
         [0006]     Prior art techniques for exchanging heat with air involve forced convection. In forced convention, air is forced to flow over or through some heating or cooling element. For example, air can be blown over or through a heated or cooled substrate, duct or grille. The purpose of these arrangements can be to heat or cool either the air or the substrate, duct or grille.  
         [0007]     In all of these prior art arrangements, a boundary layer forms over the surface of the substrate, duct or grille. In particular, air molecules in contact with the surface tend to “stick” to the surface. These air molecules in turn impede the motion of adjacent air molecules in the air flow, which in turn impede other air molecules. Thus, a region of slow-moving air molecules forms over the surface. This region is known as a velocity boundary layer.  
         [0008]     The velocity boundary layer limits the number of air molecules that come into contact with the surface. Actual heat transfer only occurs at this surface. As a result, once heat is transferred to or from the molecules in the boundary layer, further transfer of heat is largely blocked. More heat can only be transferred once the molecules in the boundary layer are dragged away from the surface by the viscosity of the air, which is an intrinsically inefficient process. Molecular collisions also can drive the molecules away from the surface, but this is an even more inefficient process. As a result, the velocity boundary layer is accompanied by a thermal boundary layer.  
         [0009]     The thermal boundary layer greatly impedes the transfer of heat between the forced air and the substrate, duct or grille. In addition, the forcing elements (e.g., fans) for conventional heat transfer devices must be powerful enough to overcome the viscosity of the air. Otherwise, little heat transfer will occur. Because of these factors, heating and cooling units tend to be fairly large devices with large footprints. These large footprints are the limiting design factors in many modern devices.  
         [0010]     One alternative technique that has been explored with little success is heating or cooling the blades of fans that force (i.e., blow) air. However, in this approach, a thermal boundary layer forms on the blades. As a result, this approach is no more efficient than forcing air over or through a substrate, duct or grille. All of these problems also exist when transferring heat to or from any other gas or gas mixture besides air.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     What is needed is a device or technique that permits heat exchange to or from air (or other gaseous matter) substantially without creation of velocity and thermal boundary layers.  
         [0012]     Accordingly, one aspect of the invention is a method of transferring heat to or from a gas. The method includes the steps of moving a surface with sufficient speed to disrupt a velocity boundary layer for molecules of the gas in contact with the surface, and cooling or heating the surface. Preferably, the moving step and the heating or cooling step occur simultaneously. Cooling results in a transfer of energy from the molecules to the surface, whereas heating results in a transfer of energy from the surface to the molecules.  
         [0013]     Another aspect of the invention is also a method of transferring heat to or from a gas. This method includes the steps of selecting molecules from the gas using a heteroscopic structure, and heating or cooling at least part of the heteroscopic structure that comes into contact with the selected molecules. Cooling results in a transfer of energy from the molecules to the heteroscopic structure, whereas heating results in a transfer of energy from the heteroscopic structure to the molecules.  
         [0014]     An embodiment of the invention can perform one or both of these methods. In particular, a velocity boundary layer is unlikely to form on a heteroscopic structure that is moved sufficiently fast to selects molecules from a gas.  
         [0015]     The gas can be air, and the molecules can be selected from the gas at higher than near-vacuum pressure such as atmospheric pressure.  
         [0016]     Preferably, the heteroscopic structure includes microscopic or nanoscopic turbine blades moving at a speed comparable to a mean thermal velocity of the gas. These turbine blades can feed into microscopic or nanoscopic ducts that are cooled or heated.  
         [0017]     In heteroscopic turbine embodiments, the turbine blades can be mounted on or in a rotating structure. Alternatively, the turbine blades can be mounted on or in a linearly moving structure, for example a component such as a radiator of a vehicle that moves through the gas.  
         [0018]     Additional aspects of the invention include devices that implement the foregoing methods, as well as other embodiments and features discussed below.  
         [0019]     This brief summary has been provided so that the nature of the invention may be understood quickly. A more complete understanding of the invention may be obtained by reference to the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof in connection with the attached drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]      FIG. 1  shows transfer of heat to a gas from a surface with an attenuated or absent velocity boundary layer according to one aspect of the invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows transfer of heat from a gas to a surface with an attenuated or absent velocity boundary layer according to one aspect of the invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 3  shows a rotational embodiment of one aspect of the invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 4  shows a linearly moving embodiment of one aspect of the invention.  
         [0024]     FIGS.  5  to  8  show embodiments of aspects of the invention that work in conjunction with selection of molecules from a gas, for example by a heteroscopic turbine.  
         [0025]      FIG. 9  illustrates transfer of heat to or from a gas in a duct according to an aspect of the invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 10  illustrates some possible mounting arrangements for blades for a turbine that can be used in conjunction with aspects of the invention.  
         [0027]     FIGS.  11  to  35  illustrate various blade and ducting arrangements that can be used in conjunction with aspects of the invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [heading-0028]     Lexicography  
         [0029]     Nanoscopic: Having lengths or dimensions less than or equal to a billionth of a meter.  
         [0030]     Microscopic: Having lengths or dimensions less than or equal to one millimeter.  
         [0031]     Macroscopic: Having lengths or dimensions greater than or equal to one millimeter, and numbers greater than about one hundred.  
         [0032]     Heteroscopic: Characterized by use of microscopic or nanoscopic principles to generate macroscopic effects.  
         [0033]     Transport speed: The mean speed of an flow of gaseous matter moving in bulk. Also called bulk speed.  
         [0034]     Mean thermal velocity: The speed of molecules in gaseous matter.  
         [0035]     Mean free path distance: The average distance that molecules in gaseous matter travel between collisions with other molecules in the gaseous matter.  
         [0036]     Hotter molecules: In reference to a given gas, hotter molecules consist of an aggregation of molecules selected from the gas that have a mean thermal velocity faster than the mean thermal velocity of the gas. In reference to individual molecules, a so-called hotter molecule is expected, on average, to be faster and therefore hotter than a so-called cooler molecule, but exceptions can occur.  
         [0037]     Cooler molecules: In reference to a given gas, cooler molecules consist of an aggregation of molecules selected from the gas that have a mean thermal velocity slower than the mean thermal velocity of the gas. In reference to individual molecules, a so-called cooler molecule is expected, on average, to be slower and therefore cooler than a so-called hotter molecule, but exceptions can occur.  
         [0038]     Near vacuum conditions: Pressures less than or equal to 0.001 atmospheres.  
         [0039]     Blade: Broadly, any edge that is moved through air. This term encompasses both flat blades and tops of holes in a moving surface.  
         [0040]     Comparable: In this application, speeds and distances are comparable if they are within an order of magnitude of each other. For example, if air molecules have a mean thermal velocity of 500 meters per second, blades moving at 50 to 5,000 meters per second would be moving at speeds comparable to the mean thermal velocity of the air molecules. Throughout this disclosure, the term “on an order of” is synonymous to “comparable to.” 
         [heading-0041]     Boundary Layer Attenuation  
         [0042]      FIG. 1  shows transfer of heat to a gas from a surface with an attenuated or absent velocity boundary layer according to one aspect of the invention.  
         [0043]     In  FIG. 1 , substrate  1  is being heated by heating element  2 , which can be below, within, otherwise in contact with, or part of substrate  1 . This element is shown as a coil, but could be any other type of heating element.  
         [0044]     A surface of substrate  1  is in contact with a gas. The gas could be but is not limited to air. The invention preferably can operate at higher than near-vacuum pressure, including at atmospheric pressure.  
         [0045]     The arrow in  FIG. 1  indicates movement of substrate  1 . If this movement is sufficiently fast, velocity and thermal boundary layer  4  will be attenuated or even eliminated.  
         [0046]     Thermal motion of molecule  5  can bring the molecule into contact with the surface more easily than would be possible if a significant boundary layer was present. Applicant refers to this process as “forced conduction.” 
         [0047]     In  FIG. 1 , the molecule comes into contact with the surface at energy transfer point  6 . Because substrate  1  is heated, the speed (i.e., thermal velocity) of molecule  5  is increased by the contact. After this energy transfer, the molecule has a significant chance of flying off to or even through transport layer  7  for the gas at the surface.  
         [0048]     In the absence of a strong boundary layer, a great many molecules can undergo the process described above for molecule  5 . As a result, highly efficient transfer of heat from substrate  1  to the gas is facilitated, thereby heating the gas.  
         [0049]      FIG. 2  shows transfer of heat from a gas to a surface with an attenuated or absent velocity boundary layer according to one aspect of the invention.  
         [0050]     In  FIG. 2 , substrate  9  is being cooled by cooling element  10 , which can be below, within, otherwise in contact with, or part of substrate  9 . This element is shown as a coil, but could be any other type of cooling element.  
         [0051]     A surface of substrate  9  is in contact with a gas. The gas could be but is not limited to air. The invention preferably can operate at higher than near-vacuum pressure, including at atmospheric pressure.  
         [0052]     The arrow in  FIG. 2  indicates movement of substrate  9 . If this movement is sufficiently fast, velocity and thermal boundary layer  12  will be attenuated or even eliminated.  
         [0053]     Thermal motion of molecule  13  can bring the molecule into contact with the surface more easily than would be possible if a significant boundary layer was present. Applicant refers to this process as “forced conduction.” 
         [0054]     In  FIG. 2 , the molecule comes into contact with the surface at energy transfer point  14 . Because substrate  9  is cooled, the speed (i.e., thermal velocity) of molecule  13  is decreased by the contact. Despite being slowed, the molecule has a significant chance of flying off to or even through transport layer  15  for the gas at the surface after the energy transfer.  
         [0055]     In the absence of a strong boundary layer, a great many molecules can undergo the process described above for molecule  13 . As a result, highly efficient transfer of heat from the gas to substrate  9  is facilitated, thereby cooling the gas.  
         [0056]      FIG. 3  shows a rotational embodiment of one aspect of the invention. In  FIG. 3 , a substrate is formed into a rotational surface. Such surfaces include, but are not limited to, disks, annular airfoils, and the like. Preferably, the surface is rotated such that it moves at a speed comparable to a mean thermal velocity of a gas in which the embodiment is intended to operate.  
         [0057]     Heating or cooling elements are disposed across the surface, as illustrated by the dashed lines. Thus, energy transfer as described above can occur throughout the surface.  
         [0058]     In an alternative embodiment, heating or cooling elements are preferentially disposed near the outside circumference of the surface to take advantage of higher radial velocities. These higher velocities tend to help attenuate or eliminate the boundary layer.  
         [0059]      FIG. 4  shows a linearly moving embodiment of one aspect of the invention.  
         [0060]     Preferably, the surface moves at a speed comparable to a mean thermal velocity of a gas in which the embodiment is intended to operate.  
         [0061]     In  FIG. 4 , heating or cooling elements are disposed across the surface of a substrate, as illustrated by the dashed lines. Thus, energy transfer as described above can occur throughout the surface.  
         [0062]     In some embodiments, the substrate in  FIG. 4  could be a component such as a radiator of a vehicle that moves through the gas. Other settings exist in which the linearly moving embodiment could be useful.  
         [heading-0063]     Additional Structures  
         [0064]     In each of the situations described above, disruption of the boundary layer can be facilitated by the addition of structures onto the surface of the substrate. Preferably, the structures are microscopic or nanoscopic, and a large number of the structures are used. For example, in some embodiments, well over a trillion such structures could be situated on the surface of a substrate according to the invention. More or less such structures could be used in different embodiments.  
         [heading-0065]     Heteroscopic Devices and Effects  
         [0066]     One class of devices that embodies such microscopic or nanoscopic structures includes heteroscopic turbines. These devices use blades to segregate molecules from a gas. A bulk flow is then created from those molecules.  
         [0067]     In more detail, heteroscopic devices operate on two different scales. First, the devices select molecules from a gas on a microscopic or nanoscopic scale. In particular, the structures that select the molecules have dimensions comparable with the mean free path distance of the molecules for a gas at a pressure at which the turbine is intended to operate. In normal operating conditions, for example regular atmospheric pressure, these dimensions are somewhere between microscopic and nanoscopic. The invention is not limited to such operating conditions.  
         [0068]     Second, the devices generate macroscopic effects. For example, the segregated molecules converge or are directed to generate a bulk flow. The bulk flow can be created from the segregated molecules by the arrangement of the segregating structures, by use of macroscopic structures such as flow ducts, by some combination of these arrangements, or by some other structures or techniques.  
         [0069]     On an output side, a bulk flow generated by the aggregation of the selected molecules serves to push other ambient molecules out of the way. In systems that do not generate such bulk flows, “infidel” molecules entering from the output side can force the systems to do significant extra work. In the invention, the momentum of molecules comprising the bulk flow pushes would-be infidels away from the output side, thereby helping to prevent those molecules from colliding with the structures.  
         [0070]     The action of the heteroscopic turbine leads to an attenuated or absent boundary layer at an interface between a gas and the turbine blades. As a result, a great many molecules can come into contact with the structures of the turbine and therefore can be selected and aggregated into a bulk flow. Preferably, the molecules can be heated or cooled as they are selected, while being aggregated in the bulk flow, or both, thereby facilitating efficient heating or cooling of those molecules.  
         [0071]     The invention is also applicable to heteroscopic devices other than turbines. For example, blades as described for the turbine could be disposed across a linearly moving surface such as the one illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0072]     With the heteroscopic devices, heating or cooling elements can be used to heat or cool the blades, the substrates on which the blades are mounted or otherwise disposed, any ducting for directing molecular or aggregated (i.e., bulk) flow, and any other parts of the devices. When molecules contact these heated or cooled surfaces, a transfer of energy alters the thermal velocity of the molecules, heating or cooling the gas comprised of the molecules. In the case of the blades, ducting for molecular flow, and some other parts of the devices, the molecular nature of the interaction results in an attenuated or an eliminated boundary layer, permitting more molecules to interact and thereby helping to improve efficiency.  
         [0073]     FIGS.  5  to  8  show embodiments of aspects of the invention that work in conjunction with selection of molecules from a gas, for example by a heteroscopic turbine.  
         [0074]      FIG. 5  shows an example in which molecules of a gas are heated. In  FIG. 5 , blades  20  are mounted on or in substrate  21 . Heat is being applied to blades  20 , for example through substrate  21 . The height and spacing of the blades are preferably comparable to a mean free path distance for the gas in which the device is intended to operate. In one embodiment, the blades are angled in a direction of expected motion, represented by an arrow in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0075]     When blades  20  are in motion, the tops of the blades form direction selection plane  23 . When thermal motion of molecules brings them across the direction selection plane, blades  20  will whisk them away. Molecules that do not cross direction selection plane  23  do not “stick” to the plane, so little or not boundary layer forms.  
         [0076]     Molecule  24  is an example of a molecule that crosses direction selection plane  23 . The molecule strikes one of blades  20  at energy transfer point  25 . Any point in the device could be such an energy transfer point.  
         [0077]     Because the blade is heated, the thermal velocity of molecule  24  is increased at energy transfer point  25 . In other words, energy is transferred from the blade to the molecule. Additional energy transfers could occur. The molecule then passes through an opening or duct (not shown) in substrate  21  to contribute to flow  27 .  
         [0078]     In the absence of a strong boundary layer, a great many molecules can undergo the process described above for molecule  24 . As a result, highly efficient transfer of heat from the device to the gas is facilitated, thereby heating the gas.  
         [0079]      FIG. 6  shows an example in which molecules of a gas are cooled. In  FIG. 6 , blades  30  are mounted on or in substrate  31 . Cool is being applied to blades  30 , for example through substrate  31 . The height and spacing of the blades are preferably comparable to a mean free path distance for the gas in which the device is intended to operate. In one embodiment, the blades are angled in a direction of expected motion, represented by an arrow in  FIG. 6 .  
         [0080]     When blades  30  are in motion, the tops of the blades form direction selection plane  33 . When thermal motion of molecules brings them across the direction selection plane, blades  30  will whisk them away. Molecules that do not cross direction selection plane  33  do not “stick” to the plane, so little or not boundary layer forms.  
         [0081]     Molecule  34  is an example of a molecule that crosses direction selection plane  33 . The molecule strikes one of blades  20  at energy transfer point  35 . Any point in the device could be such an energy transfer point.  
         [0082]     Because the blade is cooled, the thermal velocity of molecule  34  is decreased. In other words, energy is transferred from the molecule to the blade. Additional energy transfers could occur. The molecule then passes through an opening or duct (not shown) in substrate  31  to contribute to flow  37 .  
         [0083]     In the absence of a strong boundary layer, a great many molecules can undergo the process described above for molecule  34 . As a result, highly efficient transfer of heat from the gas to the device is facilitated, thereby cooling the gas.  
         [0084]      FIG. 7  shows an example in which molecules of a gas are heated. This embodiment is akin to the one shown in  FIG. 5 , except that blades with different heights are used. Some of the blades are shorter than other blades.  
         [0085]     The shorter blades form speed selection plane  40 . Only molecules with a sufficiently high thermal velocity (i.e., moving sufficiently fast) will cross the speed selection plane before a shorter blade passes. Thus, the shorter blades tend to capture a hotter subset of molecules.  
         [0086]     In  FIG. 7 , molecule  41  is a hotter molecule that crosses both the direction selection and the speed selection planes before being captured by a shorter blade. The molecule strikes one of the blades at energy transfer point  43 . Any point in the device could be such an energy transfer point.  
         [0087]     Because the blade is heated, the thermal velocity of molecule  41  is increased at energy transfer point  43 . In other words, energy is transferred from the blade to the molecule. Additional energy transfers could occur. The molecule then passes through an opening or duct (not shown) in the substrate to contribute to flow  44 .  
         [0088]     Cooler molecules could cross the speed selection plane but not be captured by a shorter blade. Such molecules also could be heated. However, because these molecules start out cooler, heating the molecules might be less effective. In some embodiments, such molecules are shunted toward a cool exhaust, for example through some form of ducting.  
         [0089]      FIG. 8  shows an example in which molecules of a gas are cooled. This embodiment is akin to the one shown in  FIG. 6 , except that blades with different heights are used. Some of the blades are shorter than other blades.  
         [0090]     The shorter blades form speed selection plane  50 . Only molecules with a sufficiently high thermal velocity (i.e., moving sufficiently fast) will cross the speed selection plane before a shorter blade passes. Thus, the shorter blades tend to capture a hotter subset of molecules.  
         [0091]     In  FIG. 8 , molecule  51  is a cooler molecule that does not cross the speed selection plane in time to be captured by a shorter blade. The molecule strikes one of the blades at energy transfer point  53 . Any point in the device could be such an energy transfer point.  
         [0092]     Because the blade is cooled, the thermal velocity of molecule  51  is decreased at energy transfer point  53 . In other words, energy is transferred from the molecule to the blade. Additional energy transfers could occur. The molecule then passes through an opening or duct (not shown) in the substrate to contribute to flow  54 .  
         [0093]     Hotter molecules could cross both the direction selection and the speed selection planes before being captured by a shorter blade. Such molecules also could be cooled. However, because these molecules start out hotter, cooling the molecules might be less effective. In some embodiments, such molecules are shunted toward a hot exhaust, for example through some form of ducting.  
         [0094]      FIG. 9  illustrates transfer of heat to or from a gas in a duct according to an aspect of the invention. Ducting can be used to transport molecules that have been selected by blades such as those illustrated herein.  
         [0095]     The ducting could be small enough (e.g., on an order of a mean from path distance) so that only molecular flow occurs within it. In such a case, little or not boundary layer can form on the sides of the duct. Thus, molecules that pass through the duct can easily strike the sides of the duct, for example at energy transfer point  60 . When a molecule strikes the duct, energy could be transferred to for from the molecule, depending on if the duct is heated or cooled.  
         [0096]     Alternatively, the duct could be a macroscopic duct. In such a case, a boundary layer could form on the sides of the duct. Alternatively, if the flow through the duct is sufficiently fast, the boundary layer could be absent or attenuated. In either case, energy transfers to molecules that collide with the sides of the duct could occur, although more are likely to occur if the boundary layer is absent or attenuated.  
         [0097]      FIG. 10  illustrates some possible mounting arrangements for blades for a turbine that can be used in conjunction with aspects of the invention.  FIG. 10  shows an annulus with two different mounting arrangements. These arrangements could be used separately, in conjunction, or in conjunction with other mounting arrangements.  
         [0098]     One arrangement is illustrated with dashed curved lines  62 . These lines represent blades mounted all over the surface of the edge of the annulus. The advantage of this arrangement is that a great many blades can be packed onto the surface with little wasted space.  
         [0099]     The other arrangement is illustrated with small circles  64 . These circles represent chips manufactured with the blades. The advantage of this arrangement is that the smaller chips can be easier to manufacture. In addition, a manufacturing defect in a chip ruins only that chip, which preferably can be replaced.  
         [0100]     Preferably, the annulus rotates such that the mounted blades move at a speed comparable to a mean thermal velocity of a gas in which the embodiment is intended to operate.  
         [0101]     One possible embodiment of the annulus has a circumference of 4 meters and rotates at 7,500 RPM. Somewhere on the order of 1.75E+13 such blades could easily by placed on the annulus, which could be heated or cooled as desired. This would result in a significant flow of heated or cooled gas exiting the annulus. Of course, the invention is not limited in any way to these particular numerical examples.  
         [0102]      FIG. 10  also illustrates conventions for “radial view” and “tangential view” that are used in some of the illustrations in FIGS.  11  to  35 . Even where these conventions are noted in those figures, the structures shown in FIGS.  11  to  35  are equally applicable to linearly moving embodiments of the invention.  
         [0103]     FIGS.  11  to  35  illustrate various blade and ducting arrangements that can be used in conjunction with aspects of the invention. Each of these structures can be used with the devices and techniques described above.  
         [heading-0104]     Alternative Embodiments  
         [0105]     Although preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein, many variations are possible which remain within the content, scope and spirit of the invention, and these variations would become clear to those skilled in the art after perusal of this application.