Patent ID: 6948328

Claim:
A rotatable heat transfer structure for use in a heat transfer engine capable of transferring heat between first and second heat exchanging circuits through which first and second heat exchanging mediums flow, respectively, said rotatable heat transfer engine including a stationary housing having first and second heat transfer chambers, and a thermal isolation barrier disposed therebetween, and said first and second heat transfer chambers each having first and second ports and a continuous passageway therebetween, and said rotatable heat transfer structure rotatably supported within said stationary housing about an axis of rotation and comprising: a substantially symmetrical moment of inertia about said axis of rotation; a first end portion disposed within said first heat transfer chamber; a second end portion disposed within said second heat transfer chamber; and an intermediate portion disposed between said first and second end portions, said rotatable heat transfer structure further embodying a closed fluid circuit arranged about said axis of rotation, and having a return portion extending along the direction of said axis of rotation and at least a subportion of said return portion having a helical geometry; and an interior volume for containing a predetermined amount of a heat carrying medium contained within said closed fluid circuit which automatically circulates within said closed fluid circuit as said rotatable heat transfer structure is rotated about said axis of rotation in order to transfer heat between said first and second portions of said rotatable heat transfer structure, said first end portion of said rotatable heat transfer structure being disposed in thermal communication with said first heat exchanging circuit, said second end portion of said rotatable heat transfer structure being disposed in thermal communication with said second heat exchanging circuit, and said intermediate portion being physically adjacent to said thermal isolation barrier so that said thermal isolation barrier presents a substantially high thermal resistance to heat transfer between said first and second heat transfer chambers during operation of said heat transfer engine.