John J Tomlinson

US Patent:

7028490, Apr 18, 2006

Filed:

May 28, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/856521

Inventors:

John J. Tomlinson - Knoxville TN, US

Assignee:

UT-Batelle, LLC - Oak Ridge TN

International Classification:

F25B 27/00

US Classification:

62115, 622386, 62505

Abstract:

A water-heating dehumidifier includes a refrigerant loop including a compressor, at least one condenser, an expansion device and an evaporator including an evaporator fan. The condenser includes a water inlet and a water outlet for flowing water therethrough or proximate thereto, or is affixed to the tank or immersed into the tank to effect water heating without flowing water. The immersed condenser design includes a self-insulated capillary tube expansion device for simplicity and high efficiency. In a water heating mode air is drawn by the evaporator fan across the evaporator to produce cooled and dehumidified air and heat taken from the air is absorbed by the refrigerant at the evaporator and is pumped to the condenser, where water is heated. When the tank of water heater is full of hot water or a humidistat set point is reached, the water-heating dehumidifier can switch to run as a dehumidifier.

US Patent:

7757508, Jul 20, 2010

Filed:

Aug 31, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/162167

Inventors:

Moonis Raza Ally - Oak Ridge TN, US
John Jager Tomlinson - Knoxville TN, US
Clifford Keith Rice - Clinton TN, US

Assignee:

UT-Battelle, LLC - Oak Ridge TN

International Classification:

F25D 23/00

US Classification:

62271, 62434, 622386, 62 61, 62260, 62 93, 62 94, 623241, 62160, 165 45

Abstract:

A heat pump has a refrigerant loop, a compressor in fluid communication with the refrigerant loop, at least one indoor heat exchanger in fluid communication with the refrigerant loop, and at least one outdoor heat exchanger in fluid communication with the refrigerant loop. The at least one outdoor heat exchanger has a phase change material in thermal communication with the refrigerant loop and in fluid communication with an outdoor environment. Other systems, devices, and methods are described.

US Patent:

20010032475, Oct 25, 2001

Filed:

May 17, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/859288

Inventors:

Fang Chen - Knoxville TN, US
Ronald Domitrovic - Knoxville TN, US
Viung Mei - Oak Ridge TN, US
John Tomlinson - Knoxville TN, US

International Classification:

F25B027/00

US Classification:

062/238700

Abstract:

An improved non-stratified heat pump water heater wherein the condenser assembly of the heat pump has at least one non-vertical section and is inserted into the water tank through an existing opening in the top of the tank. The condenser assembly has either a tube-in-a-tube style or U-tube style elongated heat exchanger construction. As the refrigerant condenses along the interior surface of the condenser assembly, the heat from the refrigerant is transferred to the water. Two embodiments of the invention include a water heater having a separate sacrificial anode rod and a water heater wherein the condenser assembly acts not only as a heat exchanger but also as the sacrificial anode in the water tank by being constructed of a metal which is more likely to corrode than the metal of the tank.

US Patent:

20060213210, Sep 28, 2006

Filed:

Mar 6, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/369086

Inventors:

John Tomlinson - Knoxville TN, US
Viung Mei - Knoxville TN, US

International Classification:

F25B 27/00

US Classification:

062238600

Abstract:

An improved heat pump water heater of the type having a water tank with an exterior surface and defining a water chamber, a top on the water tank with at least one opening therethrough in communication with the water chamber, and a heat pump of the type having a compressor, the compressor being in fluid communication with an annular condenser assembly via a first refrigerant conduit, the annular condenser assembly being in fluid communication with an expansion device through a second refrigerant conduit, the expansion device being in fluid communication with an evaporator through a third refrigerant conduit, the evaporator being in fluid communication with the compressor through a fourth refrigerant conduit and control means therefore, the improvement comprising disposing the annular condenser assembly through the opening in the top of the water tank and into the water chamber, the water tank opening further comprising a geometric twisted sleeve positioned to form a helical insertion pattern in the annular condenser assembly, the annular condenser assembly further comprising an elongate outer tube having a closed bottom end and an open and opposed upper end in flow communication with the first refrigerant conduit, an elongate return tube disposed within the outer tube and having an open bottom end and a closed and opposed top end in flow communication with the second refrigerant conduit, an elongate capillary tube disposed within the return tube and having an open bottom end and an open and opposed top end in flow communication with the second refrigerant conduit, and an air gap disposed between the capillary tube and the return tube.

US Patent:

62339583, May 22, 2001

Filed:

Sep 15, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/396061

Inventors:

Viung C. Mei - Oak Ridge TN
John J. Tomlinson - Knoxville TN
Fang C. Chen - Knoxville TN

Assignee:

Lockhead Martin Energy Research Corp. - Oakridge TN

International Classification:

F25B 2700

US Classification:

622387

Abstract:

An improved heat pump water heater wherein the condenser assembly of the heat pump is inserted into the water tank through an existing opening in the top of the tank, the assembly comprising a tube-in-a-tube construction with an elongated cylindrical outer body heat exchanger having a closed bottom with the superheated refrigerant that exits the compressor of the heat pump entering the top of the outer body. As the refrigerant condenses along the interior surface of the outer body, the heat from the refrigerant is transferred to the water through the outer body. The refrigerant then enters the bottom of an inner body coaxially disposed within the outer body and exits the top of the inner body into the refrigerant conduit leading into the expansion device of the heat pump. The outer body, in a second embodiment of the invention, acts not only as a heat exchanger but also as the sacrificial anode in the water tank by being constructed of a metal which is more likely to corrode than the metal of the tank.

US Patent:

55012680, Mar 26, 1996

Filed:

Jun 28, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/083678

Inventors:

Therese K. Stovall - Knoxville TN
John J. Tomlinson - Knoxville TN

Assignee:

Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. - Oak Ridge TN

International Classification:

F25B 2900
F24J 302

US Classification:

165 1

Abstract:

A method of energy load management for the heating and cooling of a building. The method involves utilizing a wallboard as a portion of the building, the wallboard containing about 5 to about 30 wt. % a phase change material such that melting of the phase change material occurs during a rise in temperature within the building to remove heat from the air, and a solidification of the phase change material occurs during a lowering of the temperature to dispense heat into the air. At the beginning of either of these cooling or heating cycles, the phase change material is preferably "fully charged". In preferred installations one type of wallboard is used on the interior surfaces of exterior walls, and another type as the surface on interior walls. The particular PCM is chosen for the desired wall and room temperature of these locations. In addition, load management is achieved by using PCM-containing wallboard that form cavities of the building such that the cavities can be used for the air handling duct and plenum system of the building.