Isothermally heatsunk diffusion cloud chamber refrigerator
OwnerSerafin G. Menocalinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A means of refrigeration is provided for a diffusion cloud chamber, which effects the temperatures required for operation of the cloud chamber by heatsinking a Peltier thermoelectric element with a two-phase saturated substance at equilibrium and constant pressure. Use is made of the fact that a two phase saturated substance at equilibrium and constant pressure is thermodynamically fixed in temperature. By sinking a Peltier thermoelectric element to this substance, the entire temperature difference across the Peltier thermoelectric element is offset below the saturation temperature of the two-phase substance. A diffusion cloud chamber incorporating this refrigerator could utilize ice-water cooling rather than dry ice, and therefore be easily set up in any classroom.
Claims5
A diffusion cloud chamber isothermally heatsunk refrigerator which comprises:
- (a) a heatsink consisting of two phases of a saturated substance existing in thermodynamic equilibrium at constant pressure and therefore at constant temperature, contained in a reservoir;
- (b) a means of pressure damping to maintain constant pressure, as the ratio of the two phases present changes and introduces volumetric changes in the substance;
- (c) a cooling member which transfer heat from vapor in contact with the cooling member surface to the "cold side" of a Peltier thermoelectric element with which the cooling member is in thermal contact;
- (d) a Peltier thermoelectric element which removes the heat supplied by the cooling member from its "cold side" and pumps it to the "hot side" when driven by an electric current;
- and
- (e) a means of transferring heat from the "hot side" of the Peltier thermoelectric element to the two-phase isothermal substance in the reservoir.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.