Refrigeration apparatus and method

Abstract

A heat exchange system includes a first reservoir having a first and second point and a first thermal material contained in the first reservoir. A first thermal contact is thermally coupled with the second point. Application of a force to the first thermal material can result in a temperature difference between the first and second points.

1 . A heat transfer system, said system comprising
 a first reservoir having a first point and a second point;   a first thermal material contained in the first reservoir;   a first thermal contact thermally coupled with the first point; and   a second thermal contact thermally coupled with the second point, and   wherein application of a force to the first thermal material can result in a temperature difference between the first and second points, and   wherein heat can flow between the first and second points in the first reservoir.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a second reservoir having a first point and a second point; and   a second thermal material contained in the second reservoir, wherein at least one thermodynamic property of the second material is different than the first material, and wherein subjecting the second thermal material to a force causes a temperature difference between the first and second points in the second reservoir, and   wherein the second point in the second reservoir is in thermal contact with the second point in the first reservoir.   
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a distance between the first point and the second point is less than 100 kilometers. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermal material comprises a gas, a liquid, or a solid material. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the force comprises a body force or a mechanical force. 
     
     
         7 . A method for facilitating heat flow, said method comprising
 employing a first reservoir having a first point and a second point;   employing a first thermal material contained in the first reservoir,   wherein the first thermal material is subjected to a force thereby forming a temperature difference between the first and second points; and   allowing heat flow through the first thermal material between the first point and the second point.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising
 employing a second reservoir having a first point and a second point;   employing a second thermal material contained in the second reservoir, wherein at least one thermodynamic property of the second material is different than the first material; and   wherein the second thermal material is subjected to a force thereby forming a temperature difference between the first and second points in the second reservoir, and   providing a thermal contact between the second point in the second reservoir and the second point in the first reservoir.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the force comprises a body force or a mechanical force in the first material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first material comprises a gas, a liquid, or a solid material. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising flowing heat between a second reservoir containing a second thermal material and the first point in the first thermal material in the first reservoir. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second material is different than the first material. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising flowing heat between the first point in the second reservoir and a third reservoir containing a third thermal material. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the third thermal material is different than the second thermal material. 
     
     
         16 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second reservoir containing a second thermal material and a second heat exchanger operably coupled to the first and second reservoirs such that heat can be exchanged between the second reservoir and the first point of the first reservoir. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the second thermal material is different than the first thermal material. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising a third reservoir containing a third thermal material and a thermal contact operably coupled to the second and id reservoirs such that heat can be exchanged between the first point of the second reservoir to ad the third reservoir. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the third thermal material is different than the second thermal material. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal contact is achieved via conduction, radiation, natural convection, or forced convection. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first material is configured to facilitate the transfer of heat between the first and second points in the first reservoir, and wherein the transfer of heat is by conduction, radiation, natural convection, or forced convection. 
     
     
         37 .- 87 . (canceled) 
     
     
         88 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least partial thermal insulation disposed along a path of the heat flow between the first point and the second point in the first thermal material. 
     
     
         89 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heat flow regulator configured to regulate heat flow through the first reservoir, or the heat transfer system. 
     
     
         90 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an accelerator configured to accelerate the first reservoir. 
     
     
         91 . The system of  claim 90 , further comprising a motor for accelerating the first reservoir. 
     
     
         92 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising a body force generating apparatus configured to apply the body force, and wherein the body force is constant in magnitude and direction within the first reservoir during normal operation. 
     
     
         93 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermal material comprises electrical charged elements and wherein at least a portion of the force is provided by an electrical potential difference between the first and second points in the first reservoir. 
     
     
         94 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first material comprises electric dipoles, and wherein at least a portion of the force is provided by an electrical field gradient between the first and second point the first reservoir. 
     
     
         95 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the force is provided by a gravitational potential difference applied to the first and second points in the first reservoir, or by acceleration of the first and second points the first reservoir in inertial space. 
     
     
         96 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first thermal material comprises magnetic dipoles and wherein at least a portion of the force is provided by a non-uniform magnetic field. 
     
     
         97 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein any materials thermally connected by the first or the second thermal contact are different materials. 
     
     
         98 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein heat flows between the second points in the first and second reservoirs, or heat flows between the first and second points in either the first reservoir or the second reservoir, and the heat flow comprises conduction, radiation, natural convection, or forced convection. 
     
     
         99 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the second thermal material comprises a gas, a liquid, or a solid material. 
     
     
         100 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the thermodynamic property comprises the specific heat capacity at constant pressure. 
     
     
         101 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the mechanical force is provided by a thermodynamic compressor or expander. 
     
     
         102 . The system of  claim 101 , wherein the thermodynamic compressor or expander comprises an axial compressor or turbine, a centrifugal compressor or turbine, or a converging or diverging duct. 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising at least partially thermally insulating the first reservoir along a path of the heat flow between the first point and the second point in the first thermal material. 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising accelerating the first reservoir. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising regulating a rate of heat flow through the first reservoir. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the force comprises a body force constant in magnitude and direction within at least a portion of the first reservoir during nominal operation. 
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first thermal material comprises electrical charged elements and wherein at least a portion of the force is provided by an electrical potential difference between the first and second points in the first reservoir. 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first material comprises electric dipoles, and wherein the at least a portion of the force is provided by producing an electrical field gradient between the first and second point the first reservoir. 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the force is provided by subjecting the first and second points in the first reservoir to a gravitational potential difference or accelerating the first reservoir in inertial space. 
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first thermal material comprises magnetic dipoles and wherein at least a portion of the force is provided by subjecting the first material to a non-uniform magnetic field. 
     
     
         111 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein allowing the heat flow through the first thermal material between the first and second points in the first reservoir, comprises transferring the heat by conduction, radiation, natural convection, or forced convection. 
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising flowing heat between the second points in the first and second reservoirs or flowing heat between the first and second points in either the first reservoir or second reservoir, and wherein the heat flow comprises conduction, radiation, natural convection, or forced convection. 
     
     
         113 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the thermodynamic property comprises the specific heat capacity at constant pressure. 
     
     
         114 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the second material comprises a gas, a liquid, or a solid material. 
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein applying the mechanical force comprises a thermodynamic compressor or expander. 
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 115 , wherein the thermodynamic compressor or expander comprises an axial compressor or turbine, a centrifugal compressor or turbine, or a converging or diverging duct. 
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising employing a body force generating apparatus to produce the body force.