US 12,135,143 B2
System for heating and cooling system with stand-alone modular units
Berardo Matalucci, New York, NY (US); Theodorian Borca-Tasciuc, Troy, NY (US); Anna Helen Dyson, New York, NY (US); Benjamin Pearce, East Chatham, NY (US); and Jason Oliver Vollen, South Orange, NJ (US)
Assigned to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (US)
Filed by RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE, Troy, NY (US)
Filed on Nov. 9, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/185,487.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/757,928, filed on Nov. 9, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/583,807, filed on Nov. 9, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0137123 A1, May 9, 2019
Int. Cl. F24F 5/00 (2006.01); F24F 110/10 (2018.01); F24F 110/20 (2018.01); F24F 120/12 (2018.01)
CPC F24F 5/0042 (2013.01) [F24F 5/0021 (2013.01); F24F 2110/10 (2018.01); F24F 2110/20 (2018.01); F24F 2120/12 (2018.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for providing distributed heating and cooling, comprising:
one or more temperature control units, each temperature control unit among the one or more temperature control units being configured to heat and cool an area of an environment to be thermally regulated, the area being localized around the respective temperature control unit, each temperature control unit including:
a thermal storage system comprising:
a cylindrical shell having a first axial end and a second axial end as measured along a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical shell, and a length measured from the first axial end to the second axial end along the longitudinal axis, the cylindrical shell is elongated along the longitudinal axis;
a plurality of protrusions on the cylindrical shell, each of the plurality of protrusions fully extends along the length of the cylindrical shell from the first axial end to the second axial end parallel to the longitudinal axis;
a scaffolding structure within the cylindrical shell, the scaffolding structure forming a plurality of hollow regions; and
one or more substances for storing thermal energy housed within each of the plurality of hollow regions;
wherein the scaffolding structure and the cylindrical shell are integrally formed as a one-piece construction;
a heat distribution surface comprising a first surface, a second surface opposing the first surface, and a plurality of cavities passing entirely through the heat distribution surface from the first surface to the second surface, the heat distribution surface is substantially L-shaped;
a solid-state heat pump positioned between the thermal storage system and the heat distribution surface and configured to generate heat for absorption into the thermal storage system and the heat distribution surface; and
an air distribution module configured to force air flow between the heat distribution surface and the area; and
one or more controllers in communication with the solid-state heat pump and configured to provide a signal to the solid-state heat pump that controls an electric current through and heat transfer across the solid-state heat pump.