Patent ID: 8134066

Claim:
A system comprising a vortex tube having a gas inlet port, a first cold gas outlet port and a first hot gas outlet port, a thermoelectric potential generator having a hot gas inlet port coupled to the first hot gas outlet port of the vortex tube, a cold gas inlet port coupled to the first cold gas outlet port of the vortex tube, and at least one of a second hot gas outlet port, a second cold gas outlet port and a mixed gas outlet port for exhausting at least one of hot gas, cold gas and mixed gas from the thermoelectric potential generator, (a) thermoelectric element(s) coupled in heat conducting relationship between the cold gas inlet port and the hot gas inlet port, the thermoelectric element further comprising an electrical output port through which an output current is established by the heat/cold flow through the thermoelectric element, and an electrostatically-aided coating material atomizer coupled to the electrical output port for utilizing the output current and to the at least one of the second hot gas outlet port, the second cold gas outlet port and the mixed gas outlet port for utilizing the gas exhausted therefrom as a pneumatic atomization gas supply to the electrostatically-aided coating material atomizer.