Claims
- 1. A cryogenic temperature control apparatus, comprising:
a storage tank housing a quantity of cryogen; a housing defining a conditioned space; a heat exchanger in thermal communication with the conditioned space; a first flow path fluidly connecting the storage tank and the heat exchanger; a first valve positioned along the first flow path between the storage tank and the heat exchanger, the first valve having a first open position and a first closed position, wherein with the first valve in the first open position the first flow path fluidly connects the storage tank and the heat exchanger and in the first closed position the first valve fluidly seals the first flow path between the storage tank and the heat exchanger; a second flow path fluidly connecting the storage tank and the heat exchanger; and a second valve positioned along the second flow path between the storage tank and the heat exchanger, the second valve having a second open position and a second closed position, wherein with the second valve in the second open position the second valve and the second flow path fluidly connects the storage tank and the heat exchanger and in the second closed position the second valve fluidly seals the second flow path between the storage tank and the heat exchanger.
- 2. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller operable to selectively move the first valve between the first open position and the first closed position and to selectively move the second valve between the second open position and the second closed position.
- 3. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heating coil extending through the heat exchanger.
- 4. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 3, wherein a vehicle supports the housing, the vehicle having an engine and an engine cooling system, the engine cooling system circulating an engine coolant through the engine, and wherein the heating coil is in fluid communication with the engine cooling system.
- 5. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a third valve being operable to selectively fluidly connect and fluidly disconnect the heating coil and the engine cooling system.
- 6. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 3, wherein the heat exchanger is operable in a cooling mode, the first valve being in the first open position and the second valve being in the second closed position in the cooling mode.
- 7. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first valve has a first porting and the second valve has a second porting, the first porting being different than the second porting, the heat exchanger being operable in a second cooling mode wherein the second valve is in the second open position and the first valve is in the first closed position.
- 8. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 7, wherein the heat exchanger is operable in a third cooling mode wherein the first valve is in the first open position and the second valve is in the second open position.
- 9. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 8, wherein the heat exchanger is operable in a fourth cooling mode wherein the first valve is in the first closed position and the second valve is in the second closed position.
- 10. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fan having an operable condition and an idle condition, in the operable condition the fan being operable to move a quantity of air across the heat exchanger.
- 11. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a controller, the controller being operable to shift the fan between the operable condition and the idle condition.
- 12. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a temperature sensor in the conditioned space, the temperature sensor communicating with the controller to shift the fan between the operable condition and the idle condition.
- 13. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a second fan for moving a second quantity of air across the heat exchanger.
- 14. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a temperature sensor in the conditioned space, the temperature sensor communicating with the controller to move the first valve between the first open position and the first closed position and to move the second valve between the second open position and the second closed position.
- 15. The cryogenic temperature control apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a conduit extending between the storage tank and the heat exchanger, the conduit having a first branch and a second branch, and wherein the first flow path follows the first branch of the conduit and the second flow path follows the second branch of the conduit.
- 16. A method of controlling the temperature of a conditioned space with a heat exchanger, the conditioned space having a first temperature, the heat exchanger being in thermal communication with the conditioned space, the heat exchanger including a storage tank housing a cryogen, a first valve operable to fluidly connect the storage tank and the heat exchanger along a first flow path, and a second valve operable to fluidly connect the storage tank and the heat exchanger along a flow path, the method comprising:
providing a desired temperature for the conditioned space; sensing the first temperature; comparing the first temperature to the desired temperature; opening the first valve and introducing cryogen into the heat exchanger through the first valve along the first path; moving air from the conditioned space through the heat exchanger; opening the second valve and introducing cryogen into the heat exchanger through the second valve along the second path; sensing a second temperature; comparing the second temperature to the desired temperature; closing the first valve and preventing fluid from flowing along the first path between the storage tank and the heat exchanger; and closing the second valve and preventing fluid from flowing along the second path between the storage tank and the heat exchanger.
- 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the heat exchanger includes a fan and further comprises blowing air across the heat exchanger with the fan.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 to a provisional patent application No. 60/302,918, filed on Jul. 3, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60302918 |
Jul 2001 |
US |