# US 4,397,121 A · Method and apparatus for reducing the rate of heat transfer > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,397,121 A - Document ID: US4397121A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/191,904 - Filed: 1980-09-29 - Granted: 1983-08-09 - Earliest claimed: 1978-07-28 - Inventors: Howard L. Dunsmore - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397121A ## CPC - F28F 27/00: Control arrangements or safety devices specially adapted for heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus (control arrangements in general G05) - E04B 1/7612: {in combination with an air space} - F24F 7/06: with forced air circulation, e.g. by fan {positioning of a ventilator in or against a conduit} - F28F 13/00: Arrangements for modifying heat-transfer, e.g. increasing, decreasing (F28F1/00 - F28F11/00 take precedence) - F28F: DETAILS OF HEAT-EXCHANGE AND HEAT-TRANSFER APPARATUS, OF GENERAL APPLICATION (water and air traps, air venting F16) - E04B: GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS (border constructions of opening in walls, floors or ceilings E06B1/00; {electromagnetic shielding H05K9/0001}) - F24F: AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING (removing dirt or fumes from areas where they are produced B08B15/00; vertical ducts for carrying away waste gases from buildings E04F17/02; tops for chimneys or ventilating shafts, terminals for flues F23L17/02) ## Abstract A method and apparatus for reducing the rate of heat transfer between adjacent bodies, at least one of which is a body of fluid responsive to forces tending to move the fluid along the interface between the bodies, the fluid adjacent to the interface being more responsive to such forces by reason of heat transfer across the interface. The method collects fluid displaced along an expanse of the interface, transports the collected fluid to the other side of the expanse, and discharges it there for repeated displacement across the expanse to again be collected. The apparatus includes one or more distributor means and one or more collector means at opposite sides of the expanse, and one or more recirculating means for returning fluid from the collecting means to the distributor means. The recirculating means are power-operated fans or pumps, and may be individually servo-controlled. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Apparatus for reducing the rate of heat transfer from a constrained heat loss surface to a fluid in contact therewith, comprising: a collector mounted adjacent to the heat loss surface and formed for intercepting fluid displaced along said surface by forces acting in the direction of said collector in accordance with heat loss from said surface into said fluid; a distributor mounted adjacent to said heat loss surface in spaced relation to said collector and formed for discharging fluid for displacement along said surface to said collector; recirculating means formed for removing fluid from said collector and supplying such fluid to said distributor; and recirculation rate control means for so controlling the rate at which said recirculating means removes said fluid from said collector and supplies it to said distributor that the temperature of the recirculating fluid tends to approach a temperature intermediate between the temperature of said heat loss surface and the temperature of said fluid at which, for at least some temperature differentials between said heat loss surface and said fluid, said rate of heat transfer is less than that which is achieved when said recirculating means is operated at a fixed rate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Apparatus as described in claim 1, and wherein said heat loss surface is provided by a relatively thin barrier between adjacent fluid bodies of differing temperatures. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Apparatus as described in claim 2, and wherein said adjacent fluid bodies are gaseous. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) Apparatus as described in claim 3, and wherein said adjacent fluid bodies are air. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) Apparatus as described in claim 4, and wherein said adjacent fluid bodies are indoor air and outdoor air. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) Apparatus as described in claim 5, and wherein said barrier comprises a window. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Apparatus as described in claim 1, and wherein said heat loss surface is provided by a relatively thin barrier between a fluid body and a substantial vacuum. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Apparatus as described in claim 7, and wherein said fluid is air. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) Apparatus as described in claim 8, and wherein said barrier comprises a window for a spacecraft. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, and wherein one of said fluid bodies is gaseous, and the other of said fluid bodies is liquid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) Apparatus as described in claim 10, and wherein said heat loss surface is provided by a relatively thin barrier between the interior of a transport vessel and a liquid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) Apparatus as described in claim 11, and wherein said barrier comprises a window for a submersible craft. ### Claim 13 Apparatus for reducing the rate of heat transfer from a constrained heat loss surface to a fluid in contact therewith, comprising: a plurality of collectors mounted adjacent to the heat loss surface and formed for intercepting fluid displaced along said surface by forces acting in the direction of said collector in accordance with heat loss from said surface into said fluid, said collectors being disposed in an array extending outwardly from said heat loss surface; a plurality of distributors mounted adjacent to said heat loss surface in spaced relation to said array of collectors and formed for discharging fluid for displacement along said surface to said collector, said distributors being disposed in an array extending outwardly from said heat loss surface; a plurality of recirculating means formed for removing fluid from individual ones of said collectors and supplying such fluid to corresponding ones of said distributors; and recirculation rate control means for so controlling the rate at which said recirculating means removes said fluid from said collectors and supplies it to said distributors that the temperature of the recirculating fluid in each of said recirculating means tends to approach a temperature intermediate between the temperature of said heat loss surface and the temperature of said fluid, and determined in accordance with the position in said arrays of the collector and distributor associated with the particular recirculating means, at which intermediate temperature, for at least some temperature differentials between said heat loss surface and said fluid, said rate of heat transfer is less than that which is achieved when said recirculating means is operated at a fixed rate. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) Apparatus as described in claim 13, and wherein said heat loss surface is provided by a relatively thin barrier between adjacent fluid bodies of differing temperatures. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) Apparatus as described in claim 14, and wherein said adjacent fluid bodies are gaseous. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) Apparatus as described in claim 15, and wherein said adjacent fluid bodies are air. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) Apparatus as described in claim 16, and wherein said adjacent fluid bodies are indoor air and oudoor air. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) Apparatus as described in claim 17, and wherein said barrier comprises a window. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) Apparatus as described in claim 13, and wherein said heat loss surface is provided by a relatively thin barrier between a fluid body and a substantial vacuum. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) Apparatus as described in claim 19, and wherein said fluid is air. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) Apparatus as described in claim 20, and wherein said barrier comprises a window for a spacecraft. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) Apparatus as described in claim 19, and wherein one of said fluid bodies is gaseous and the other of said fluid bodies is liquid. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) Apparatus as described in claim 22, and wherein said heat loss surface is provided by a relatively thin barrier between the interior of a transport vessel and a liquid. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) Apparatus as described in claim 23, and wherein said barrier comprises a window for a submersible craft.