Gani Balasubramanian Ganapathi

US Patent:

20130294890, Nov 7, 2013

Filed:

May 1, 2013

Appl. No.:

13/875188

Inventors:

Juan Cepeda-Rizo - Long Beach CA, US
Gani B. Ganapathi - La Crescenta CA, US

Assignee:

CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY - Pasadena CA

International Classification:

F04D 29/58

US Classification:

415116, 415 1

Abstract:

An automotive cabin cooling system uses a bladeless turbocompressor driven by automobile engine exhaust to compress incoming ambient air. The compressed air is directed to an intercooler where it is cooled and then to another bladeless turbine used as an expander where the air cools as it expands and is directed to the cabin interior. Excess energy may be captured by an alternator couple to the expander turbine. The system employs no chemical refrigerant and may be further modified to include another intercooler on the output of the expander turbine to isolate the cooled cabin environment.

US Patent:

20120067551, Mar 22, 2012

Filed:

Sep 20, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/237875

Inventors:

GANI B. GANAPATHI - La Crescenta CA, US

Assignee:

California Institute of Technology - Pasadena CA

International Classification:

F28D 15/00

US Classification:

16510421

Abstract:

A thermal energy storage system is described employing latent heat storage of a supercritical fluid instead of typical phase change materials. Two fundamental thermodynamic concepts are invoked. First, by using the latent heat of liquid/vapor phase change, high energy density storage is feasible. Second, by operating the thermal energy storage system at a higher pressure, the saturation temperature is increased to operate at molten salt temperatures and above. Beyond the two-phase regime, supercritical operation permits capturing and utilizing heat taking advantage of latent and sensible heat, both in the two-phase regime as well as in supercritical regime while at the same time, reducing the required volume by taking advantage of the high compressibilities.