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  Thermosyphon device, cooling and heating device and method using the thermosyphone device, and plant cultivating methodUSPTO Application #: 20060185828Title: Thermosyphon device, cooling and heating device and method using the thermosyphone device, and plant cultivating method Abstract: A thermosyphon device is provided for both cooling and warming (heating) enabling, by a simple structure, the easy installation operation, elimination of the need of adjusting operation, a reduction in manufacturing cost, and an increase in heat transportation efficiency. A large number of circumferentially-formed narrow concave grooves (G) are formed in the inner wall surface (121) of an outer tube (12) and in the outer wall surface (141) of an inner tube (14) facing the working space (S) of a double tube type thermosyphon disposed in the lateral direction. An operating liquid (Q) is evaporated at the evaporating portion of either of the inner wall surface (121) of the outer tube and the outer wall surface (141) of the inner tube and is condensed on the other wall surface while being raised in the circumferential direction of the wall surfaces (121, 141) by a capillary attraction via the narrow recessed grooves (G) to cool or heat the outer area of the outer tube. Depending on whether the surroundings of the outer tube are cooled or heated, a thermal source fluid of refrigerant or heat medium is supplied into the inner tube. (end of abstract) Agent: Jordan And Hamburg LLP - New York, NY, US Inventors: Toshio Takehara, Hiroaki Kasi USPTO Applicaton #: 20060185828 - Class: 165104260 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Heat Exchange, Intermediate Fluent Heat Exchange Material Receiving And Discharging Heat, Liquid Fluent Heat Exchange Material, Utilizing Change Of State, Utilizing Capillary Attraction The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060185828. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] This invention relates to a thermosyphon. More particularly, this invention relates to a double tube type thermosyphon device that is used by passing an inner tube, through which a thermal source fluid flows, through an outer tube and that is multifunctional to be usable either for cooling or for heating, relates to a cooling and heating device using the thermosyphon device, relates to a cooling and heating method using the thermosyphon device, and relates to a plant cultivating method using the thermosyphon device. BACKGROUND ART [0002] Although a thermal converter, such as a heat pump, in which heat exchange efficiency falls in proportion to the smallness of a temperature difference between heat exchange fluids is known, a thermosyphon has recently come into practical use. The thermosyphon is capable of conveying a large amount of heat in a state of keeping the temperature difference therebetween small while utilizing an evaporation or condensation phase change. The thermosyphon can be fundamentally regarded as a form of the heat pipe, and has an excellent heat transfer characteristic and temperature uniformity that are features of the heat pipe. For example, Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model Application No. S62-136777 discloses a conventional example of a heat pipe (thermosyphon) of a double tube type. The device disclosed by the publication has a double-tube structure. In the device, one of either the inner circumferential surface of an inner tube and the outer circumferential surface of an outer tube is used as a heat receiving surface, and the other circumferential surface is used as a heat radiating surface. A heat medium, which is vaporized by receiving heat from the heat receiving surface and which radiates heat to the heat radiating surface by condensation, is contained in a hermetically-closed space formed between the inner tube and the outer tube. With the structure, a heat transfer area of the heat receiving part and that of the heat radiating part are designed to be large, and the device is intended to be reduced in size and to improve heat transfer efficiency. Patent Document 1: Japanese Published Unexamined Utility Model Application No. S62-136777 (see the claim for utility model registration, FIG. 1) DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention [0003] In the Document 1 mentioned above, for example, when the outer circumference of the outer tube is heated by supplying a high temperature fluid to the inner tube, a practical-level function to heat the outer area around the outer tube cannot be fulfilled, because an area where the heat medium (operating liquid) comes into contact with the surface of the inner tube is small and because the heat transfer coefficient and the heat transportation limit of the outer wall of the inner tube are low as shown in FIG. 2 of the Document 1. The device disclosed by the Document 1 has a structure in which the outer circumference of the outer tube receives heat at a high temperature and radiates the heat toward the inner circumference of the inner tube. In the thus structured device, the inner tube is required to be eccentrically disposed above the outer tube, and, in accordance with the place at which the device is used, a determination must be made of whether a tube arrangement is performed for heating or cooling the area around the tubes when the device is installed. When switching between cooling and heating is performed after the device is installed, there has been a fear that major construction work must be performed for a change in the tube arrangement. A possible countermeasure to the problem is to attach wicks, such as wire nets or sintered metals, made of a porous material to the outer wall of the inner tube and to the inner wall of the outer tube so as to return the operating liquid to an evaporating portion. However, it is difficult to maintain a state in which these wicks are in close contact with the tube walls. Thus, there has been a problem in the fact that production and adjustment in installation cannot be easily performed or in the fact that high cost is entailed because the tubes must be made of the same material as a container in connection with electrolytic corrosion. Additionally, because of thermal resistance caused by the structure of the porous wick or by insufficient adhesion of the wick to the tube wall, an effect desired enough to be put to practical use can be hardly achieved especially when the area around the outer tube having a high temperature is cooled. Therefore, generally, the thermosyphon is used only for warming or heating the outside of the tube in most cases. [0004] The present invention has been made in consideration of the foregoing problems. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a thermosyphon device for cooling and warming (heating) the outside of the device enabling, by an extremely simple structure, the easy installation operation, elimination of the need of adjusting operation, a reduction in manufacturing cost, and an increase in heat transportation efficiency, provide a cooling and heating device using the thermosyphon device, provide a cooling and heating method using the thermosyphon device, and provide a plant cultivating method using the thermosyphon device. It is another object of the present invention to provide a thermosyphon device capable of cooling and heating the outside of the device at the level of practical use by changing a thermal source fluid in spite of being a single device, provide a cooling and heating device using the thermosyphon device, provide a cooling and heating method using the thermosyphon device, and provide a plant cultivating method using the thermosyphon device. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a thermosyphon device superior to a conventional thermosyphon in a function to cool and heat the outside of the device, provide a cooling and heating device using the thermosyphon device, provide a cooling and heating method using the thermosyphon device, and provide a plant cultivating method using the thermosyphon device. Means for Solving the Problems [0005] To achieve the objects, the present invention is a double tube type thermosyphon device in which an inner tube 14 is disposed to be longitudinally passed through an outer tube 12 disposed to be horizontally long, in which a working space S defined between the outer tube 12 and the inner tube 14 is provided with an operating liquid Q and is hermetically closed, and in which heat exchange is performed between an outside and an inside of the outer tube 12 while allowing a thermal source fluid U to flow through the inner tube 14. The double tube type thermosyphon device is characterized in that a large number of circumferentially-formed narrow concave grooves G are formed both in an inner wall surface 121 of the outer tube 12 facing the working space S and in an outer wall surface 141 of the inner tube 14 facing the working space S; and the operating liquid Q is raised in a circumferential direction of the wall surface (121, 141) by capillary attraction via the narrow concave grooves G, and is evaporated on an evaporating portion of either of the inner wall surface 121 of the outer tube and the outer wall surface 141 of the inner tube, whereas the operating liquid is condensed on the other wall surface, so that the outside of the outer tube is cooled or heated. The thermosyphon device of the present invention is a double tube type thermosyphon device disposed in the lateral direction. The operating liquid is raised by the capillary attraction of many narrow concave grooves in the circumferential direction of the inner wall surface of the outer tube and the outer wall surface of the inner tube that face the hermetically closed working space, and is evaporated by being brought into direct contact with either tube wall that receives heat. The groove width of the narrow concave groove, the groove cross-sectional shape thereof, the pitch interval thereof, whether the groove is a spirally continuous groove or a one-loop ended groove, and whether the groove is continuous or intermittent in the longitudinal direction of the tube may be arbitrarily determined as long as a function by which the operating fluid is raised in the circumferential direction with the aid of surface tension and capillary attraction is secured. Water or ammonia, instead of alcohol, maybe used as the operating liquid. Additionally, the material of the tube may be arbitrarily determined in accordance with the conditions of a location to be applied in consideration of durability and corrosion resistance. The thermosyphon device of the present invention can be used as a device for cooling and warming from under the floor of a house or a building, a device for heat exchange with other fluids or gases, and a device for various cooling and warming (heating) operations. [0006] Preferably, the narrow concave groove has a groove width Wg shown in a predetermined mathematical expression as an allowable maximum groove width, and has a predetermined groove depth Hg under the condition of the groove width. [0007] Preferably, in that case, the thermosyphon device is of an eccentric double tube type in which the inner tube 14 has an axial center CS located at a position deviated from an axial center CL of the outer tube 12 and in which the axial center CS of the inner tube 14 is located below the axial center CL of the outer tube. [0008] Additionally, the present invention is a cooling and heating device that uses the thermosyphon device 10 of any one of claims 1 to 3 and that performs switching between a cold fluid and a hot fluid serving as thermal source fluids U, and cools and heats the surroundings of the device as a single device. [0009] Additionally, the present invention is a double tube type thermosyphon device 101 or 102 in which an inner tube 14 is disposed to be longitudinally passed through an outer tube 12 disposed to be horizontally long, in which a working space S defined between the outer tube 12 and the inner tube 14 is provided with an operating liquid Q and is hermetically closed, and in which heat exchange is performed between an outside and an inside of the outer tube 12 while allowing a thermal source fluid U to flow through the inner tube 14. The double tube type thermosyphon device is characterized in that a large number of circumferentially-formed narrow concave grooves G are formed either in an inner wall surface 121 of the outer tube 12 facing the working space S or in an outer wall surface 141 of the inner tube 14 facing the working space S; and the operating liquid Q is raised in a circumferential direction of the wall surface (121, 141) by capillary attraction via the narrow concave grooves G, and is evaporated on an evaporating portion of either of the inner wall surface 121 of the outer tube and the outer wall surface 141 of the inner tube, whereas the operating liquid is condensed on the other wall surface, so that the outside of the outer tube is cooled or heated. [0010] Additionally, the present invention is a cooling and heating method using a double tube type thermosyphon in which an inner tube is disposed to be longitudinally passed through an outer tube disposed to be horizontally long, in which a working space defined between the outer tube and the inner tube is provided with an operating liquid and is hermetically closed, and in which heat exchange is performed between an outside and an inside of the outer tube while allowing a thermal source fluid to flow through the inner tube. The double tube type thermosyphon is characterized in that a large number of circumferentially-formed narrow concave grooves are formed both in an inner wall surface of the outer tube facing the working space and in an outer wall surface of the inner tube facing the working space; the operating liquid is always borne on the tube surfaces by capillary attraction through the narrow concave grooves; and the outside of the outer tube is cooled or heated in accordance with the thermal source fluid while guiding the operating liquid upwardly and downwardly on the surface of each tube. [0011] Additionally, the present invention is a plant cultivating method carried out by burying the thermosyphon device of any one of claims 1 to 4 in plant cultivating soil. Effect of the Invention [0012] According to the thermosyphon device of the present invention, in the double tube type thermosyphon device in which the inner tube is disposed to be longitudinally passed through the outer tube disposed to be horizontally long, in which the working space defined between the outer tube and the inner tube is provided with the operating liquid and is hermetically closed, and in which heat exchange is performed between the outside and the inside of the outer tube while allowing the thermal source fluid to flow through the inner tube, the large number of circumferentially-formed narrow concave grooves are formed both in the inner wall surface of the outer tube facing the working space and in the outer wall surface of the inner tube facing the working space; and the operating liquid is raised in the circumferential direction of the wall surface by capillary attraction via the narrow concave grooves, and is evaporated on the evaporating portion of either of the inner wall surface of the outer tube and the outer wall surface of the inner tube, whereas the operating liquid is condensed on the other wall surface, so that the outside of the outer tube is cooled or heated. Therefore, the thermosyphon device of the present invention can be easily produced by an extremely simple structure without using a mesh wick, or the like, that is expensive and has difficulty in being attached. Although the thermosyphon device of the present invention is produced at low cost, the surroundings of the device can be cooled and heated by an efficient heat transfer. Additionally, the operation to cool or heat the surroundings can be freely selected and performed merely by changing the thermal source fluid to be supplied to the inner tube. [0013] Additionally, since the narrow concave groove has the groove width Wg as an allowable maximum groove width, and has the predetermined groove depth, a horizontally-mounted double tube type thermosyphon that does not require the work of closely attaching a mesh wick onto the inside of the tube and that has a simple structure formed at low cost can be put to practical use. [0014] Additionally, since the thermosyphon device is of an eccentric double tube type in which the inner tube has the axial center located at a position deviated from the axial center of the outer tube and in which the axial center of the inner tube is located below the axial center of the outer tube, the operating liquid is efficiently evaporated from the narrow concave grooves formed in the outer wall surface of the inner tube, and is condensed on the entire outer wall surface including the grooves and parts other than the grooves at a condensing step, and hence excellent heat transportation efficiency can be obtained. [0015] Additionally, since the cooling and heating device is structured that uses the thermosyphon device of claim 1 or claim 2 and that performs switching between a cold fluid and a hot fluid serving as thermal source fluids so as to cool and heat the surroundings of the device as a single device, the cooling and heating device can be effectively used while freely performing switching between cooling and heating by installing the device in various locations required to cool and heat the surroundings. [0016] Additionally, according to the present invention, in the double tube type thermosyphon device in which the inner tube is disposed to be longitudinally passed through the outer tube disposed to be horizontally long, in which the working space defined between the outer tube and the inner tube is provided with the operating liquid and is hermetically closed, and in which heat exchange is performed between the outside and the inside of the outer tube while allowing the thermal source fluid to flow through the inner tube, the large number of circumferentially-formed narrow concave grooves are formed either in the inner wall surface of the outer tube facing the working space or in the outer wall surface of the inner tube facing the working space; and the operating liquid is raised in a circumferential direction of the wall surface by capillary attraction via the narrow concave grooves, and is evaporated on the evaporating portion of either of the inner wall surface of the outer tube and the outer wall surface of the inner tube, whereas the operating liquid is condensed on the other wall surface, so that the outside of the outer tube is cooled or heated. Therefore, the surroundings can be effectively cooled and heated when necessary, even in the double tube type thermosyphon in which the narrow concave grooves are formed either in the inner wall surface of the outer tube or in the outer wall surface of the inner tube. [0017] Additionally, according to the present invention, in the cooling and heating method using the double tube type thermosyphon in which the inner tube is disposed to be longitudinally passed through the outer tube disposed to be horizontally long, in which the working space defined between the outer tube and the inner tube is provided with the operating liquid and is hermetically closed, and in which heat exchange is performed between the outside and the inside of the outer tube while allowing the thermal source fluid to flow through the inner tube, the large number of circumferentially-formed narrow concave grooves are formed both in the inner wall surface of the outer tube facing the working space and in the outer wall surface of the inner tube facing the working space; the operating liquid is always borne on the tube surfaces by capillary attraction via the narrow concave grooves; and the outside of the outer tube is cooled or heated in accordance with the thermal source fluid while guiding the operating liquid upwardly and downwardly on the surface of each tube. Therefore, the surroundings of the device can be cooled and heated with a simple structure at the level of practical use without using a mesh wick that is expensive and has difficulty in being attached. Additionally, the operation to cool or heat the surroundings can be freely selected and performed merely by changing the thermal source fluid to be supplied to the inner tube. [0018] Additionally, since the present invention is the plant cultivating method carried out by burying the thermosyphon device of claim 1 or claim 2 in plant cultivating soil, the growth of tame plants can be promoted, and expensive plants, such as highland vegetables, can be cultivated especially in level ground or in other various regions. Continue reading... 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