Thermal transfer method and apparatus

Abstract

Facilities and methods for providing an ice and frost free facility at or above ground level for a variety of purposes including, but not limited to, animal drinking water and surfaces at or above ground level include fluid reservoirs and conduits partially above and partially below a ground frost line with a water conduit passing through the reservoirs and conduits and with means to direct flow of fluid within the reservoirs and conduits utilizing the difference in temperatures of the earth above and below the frost line. An induced Bernoulli effect aids in the proper flow of the fluid.

I claim:  
     
         1 . Cold weather heating system comprising: fluid containing and circulating means installed into the earth in such manner that at least a portion of said means is beneath a frost line; conductive means adjacent an earth surface above said fluid containing means; and means to cause thermal contact between the fluid containing and circulating means and the conductive means.  
     
     
         2 . The cold weather heating system of  claim 1  in which the fluid containing and circulating means comprises: a vertically aligned first interior conduit with means for circulation of fluid from an higher to a lower outlet; a second conduit and fluid reservoir surrounding said first conduit; and a conductive cover adjacent the higher outlet of the first conduit.  
     
     
         3 . Cold weather water facility comprising: a watering basin tank with an inverted dome like center; a first exterior casing and reservoir containing fluid attached to said basin and located in the ground in such manner that the basin is at or above ground level and a portion of the casing and reservoir is located beneath the frost line; and a fluid conduit located within said casing and reservoir with a first end adjacent said inverted dome like center and a second end below the frost line.  
     
     
         4 . The water facility of  claim 3  in which the tank is surrounded by an insulating sleeve above the frost line.  
     
     
         5 . Cold weather water facility comprising: a fluid reservoir means installed into ground at least partially below the frost line and partially above the frost line; fluid transfer means connecting said reservoir means to an exterior of a watering basin accessible from ground level; water source means intercommunicating from the exterior of the reservoir means beneath the frost line through said reservoir means to the interior of the tank; fluid conduit means within said reservoir means in such manner that warm fluid from the reservoir means can flow upwardly about said fluid conduit means and cold fluid can flow downwardly within said fluid conduit; and fluid means filling the reservoir means.  
     
     
         6 . A frost free facility comprising: a fluid reservoir means containing fluid installed into the earth at least partially below a frost line and partially above the frost line; a substance at or above a ground level; thermal conductive means intercommunicating from the exterior of the reservoir means above the frost line to the substance; and conduit means within said fluid reservoir means directing an upward flow of said fluid from below the frost line and a downward flow of said fluid from above the frost line.  
     
     
         7 . The frost free facility of  claim 6  wherein the conduit means within said fluid reservoir means directing an upward flow of said fluid from below the frost line and a downward flow of said fluid from above the frost line comprises a first elongate vertically aligned conduit means within a second elongate vertically aligned conduit means.  
     
     
         8 . The method of claim wherein means to create a Bernoulli effect is a funnel like arrangement depending from the first elongate vertically aligned conduit means toward the second vertically aligned conduit means.