IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,188,717
Granted Patent B2
US 12,188,717 · App. 18/077,370 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Thermo-chemical recuperation systems, devices, and methods

Inventors: Russell Goldfarbmuren (Denver, CO); Luke Erickson (Denver, CO)
Assignee: Rebound Technologies, Inc.
F25D5/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,188,717
App. No.
18/077,370
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Thermo-chemical recuperation systems, devices, and methods are provided in accordance with various embodiments. Embodiments may generally relate to the field of refrigeration and/or heat pumping. Within that field, some embodiments apply to the recuperation or recapturing of both thermal and chemical potential in a freeze point suppression cycle. Some embodiments include a method and/or system of thermo-chemical recuperation that includes creating a flow of ice and flowing a brine against the flow of the ice. Some embodiments manage the thermal and chemical potentials by mixing a dilute brine stream exiting an ice mixing vessel with an ice stream before it enters the ice mixing vessel. By controlling this mixing in a counter-flow or step-wise cross flow manner with sufficient steps, both the thermal and chemical potential of the dilute bine stream may be recuperated.

Claims (20)

1. A thermo-chemical recuperation system comprising;

one or more ice flow channels;

one or more brine ports, wherein the one or more ice flow channels and the one or more brine ports are positioned with respect to each other such that a flow of brine from the one or more brine ports is against a flow of the ice through the one or more ice flow channels; and

a separator positioned to receive the brine after the brine flows against the flow of the ice, wherein:

the separator forms at least a concentrated brine or water from the brine; and

the separator is coupled with an ice tank such that the concentrated brine is delivered to the ice tank.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least the one or more ice flow channels or the one or more brine ports are positioned to form a counter flow of the brine against the flow of the ice.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least the one or more ice flow channels or the one or more brine ports are positioned to form a step-wise cross flow of the brine against the flow of the ice.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the step-wise cross flow of the brine against the flow of the ice includes cyclically injecting the brine from a plurality of brine ports from the one or more brine ports with respect to the flow of the ice through the one or more ice flow channels.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least the one or more ice flow channels or the one or more brine ports are positioned such that the brine flows with gravity against the flow of the ice.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein at least the one or more ice flow channels or the one or more brine ports are positioned such that the flow of the ice flows the ice against gravity.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least the one or more ice flow channels or the one or more brine ports are positioned such that the flow of the ice flows the ice with gravity.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least the one or more ice flow channels or the one or more brine ports are positioned such that flow of the ice and the flow of the brine against the flow of the ice occurs horizontally.

9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an auger positioned with respect to the one or more ice flow channels to create the flow of the ice.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a chain conveyor positioned with respect to the one or more ice flow channels to create the flow of the ice.

11. The system of claim 1 , further compromising an ice tank positioned to receive the flow of the ice after the ice flows through the one or more ice channels.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more ice flow channels include at least a tube that includes a horizontal portion.

13. The system of claim 12 , further comprising an auger that packs the ice into the tube that includes the horizontal portion.

14. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an ice maker to form the ice for the flow of the ice.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the separator is coupled with the ice maker such that the water from the separator is delivered to the ice maker to form the ice for the flow of the ice.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 24, 2026
From: CORNERSTONE COLLATERAL CORP.
To: REBOUND TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 073875/0541 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 24, 2026
From: CORNERSTONE COLLATERAL CORP.
To: REBOUND TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 073875/0793 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2024
From: REBOUND TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: CORNERSTONE COLLATERAL CORP.
Reel/Frame 068538/0943 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2024
From: REBOUND TECHNOLOGIES, INC.,
To: CORNERSTONE COLLATERAL CORP.
Reel/Frame 067933/0233 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2023
From: GOLDFARBMUREN, RUSSELL; ERICKSON, LUKE
To: REBOUND TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 062340/0140 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17352326 · Jun 20, 2021
Continuation PCTUS2019067892 · Dec 20, 2019
Provisional Application 62782378 · Dec 20, 2018
Related Publication 20230175754A1 · Jun 8, 2023
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