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AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsFrancis D. Haynes, John P. Zarling, William F. Quinn
Estimating the term…
The present invention is directed to a hybrid thermosyphon which may be rapidly deployed to create a frozen soil barrier for containing toxic spills. In a particular embodiment, a plurality of thermosyphons are deployed for freezing the soil around and under a defined area of soil; each thermosyphon contains a working fluid and includes an evaporator section for contact with the soil for removing heat therefrom by evaporation of the working fluid. A condenser section in flow communication with evaporator section and remote from the soil transfers heat from the working fluid to ambient by heat exchange and subsequent condensation of the working fluid when the ambient is lower than the temperature of the soil. An active refrigeration stage in heat exchange relation with at least a portion of the condenser section removes heat from the working fluid by heat exchange when the ambient is above the soil temperature. Sensors may be provided for sensing the ambient temperature for selectively operating the active refrigeration stage.
Apparatus for containing a toxic spill on the soil within a defined area comprising a plurality of thermosyphons for freezing the soil around and under the defined area, each of said thermosyphons containing a working fluid in a closed refrigeration cycle, each thermosyphon comprising a closed pipe for containing the working fluid having an evaporator section for contact with the soil for removing heat therefrom by evaporation of the working fluid and a passive condenser section in flow communication with the evaporator section remote from the soil for transferring heat from the working fluid to ambient by heat exchange and consequent condensation thereof when the ambient temperature is below the temperature of the soil;
Apparatus for containing a toxic spill on the soil within a defined area comprising a plurality of thermosyphons for freezing the soil around and under the defined area, each of said thermosyphons containing a working fluid in a closed refrigeration cycle, each thermosyphon comprising a closed pipe for containing the working fluid having an evaporator section for contact with the soil for removing heat therefrom by evaporation of the working fluid and a passive condenser section in flow communication with the evaporator section remote from the soil for transferring heat from the working fluid to ambient by heat exchange and consequent condensation thereof when the ambient temperature is below the temperature of the soil;
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.