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Title: Variably insulating portable heater/cooler

Abstract

A compact vacuum insulation panel is described comprising a chamber enclosed by two sheets of metal, glass-like spaces disposed in the chamber between the sidewalls, and a high-grade vacuum in the chamber includes apparatus and methods for enabling and disabling, or turning ``on`` and ``off`` the thermal insulating capability of the panel. One type of enabling and disabling apparatus and method includes a metal hydride for releasing hydrogen gas into the chamber in response to heat, and a hydrogen grate between the metal hydride and the chamber for selectively preventing and allowing return of the hydrogen gas to the metal hydride. Another type of enabling and disabling apparatus and method includes a variable emissivity coating on the sheets of metal in which the emissivity is controllably variable by heat or electricity. Still another type of enabling and disabling apparatus and method includes metal-to-metal contact devices that can be actuated to establish or break metal-to-metal heat paths or thermal short circuits between the metal sidewalls. 25 figs.

Inventors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
672631
Patent Number(s):
US 5,813,454/A/
Application Number:
PAN: 8-716,822
Assignee:
Varitec Thermal, L.L.C., Denver, CO (United States)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-83CH10093
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 29 Sep 1998
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION; PANELS; VACUUM SYSTEMS; THERMAL INSULATION; CONTROL EQUIPMENT; OPERATION; HYDRIDES; HYDROGEN

Citation Formats

Potter, T. F. Variably insulating portable heater/cooler. United States: N. p., 1998. Web.
Potter, T. F. Variably insulating portable heater/cooler. United States.
Potter, T. F. 1998. "Variably insulating portable heater/cooler". United States.
@article{osti_672631,
title = {Variably insulating portable heater/cooler},
author = {Potter, T. F.},
abstractNote = {A compact vacuum insulation panel is described comprising a chamber enclosed by two sheets of metal, glass-like spaces disposed in the chamber between the sidewalls, and a high-grade vacuum in the chamber includes apparatus and methods for enabling and disabling, or turning ``on`` and ``off`` the thermal insulating capability of the panel. One type of enabling and disabling apparatus and method includes a metal hydride for releasing hydrogen gas into the chamber in response to heat, and a hydrogen grate between the metal hydride and the chamber for selectively preventing and allowing return of the hydrogen gas to the metal hydride. Another type of enabling and disabling apparatus and method includes a variable emissivity coating on the sheets of metal in which the emissivity is controllably variable by heat or electricity. Still another type of enabling and disabling apparatus and method includes metal-to-metal contact devices that can be actuated to establish or break metal-to-metal heat paths or thermal short circuits between the metal sidewalls. 25 figs.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/672631}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Sep 29 00:00:00 EDT 1998},
month = {Tue Sep 29 00:00:00 EDT 1998}
}