Heat exchange – Geographical
Utility Patent
1999-08-23
2001-01-02
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3743)
Heat exchange
Geographical
C165S104210, C119S073000
Utility Patent
active
06167945
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a heated animal or bird watering and/or food dish, and, in particular, to a self-contained dish that is heated without requiring an external power source in order to maintain the contents of the dish at a temperature above freezing.
Livestock, wildlife, and pets that live outdoors need a consistently available source of fresh water and/or food. When ambient temperatures drop below freezing, some means must be provided to keep their water and food sources from freezing.
A number of solutions to the problem of keeping a water source from freezing exist. The simplest, but most impractical, is to provide a running source of water. A common alternative is to use an immersion heater. Immersion heaters are convenient because they are available in a variety of sizes and can be used to heat everything from a large cattle trough holding hundreds of gallons of water to a pet dish holding less than a quart. It is also possible to incorporate a heating element directly into a water dish, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,063 to Reusche, et al.
A disadvantage of most heaters is that they require an external source of power, typically electric power. This means that they are an ongoing expense and often require power lines or extension cords to be run long distances. In addition, power failures are more likely to occur during a winter storm, which is exactly when a source of water is most important to livestock, wildlife, and pets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a non-freezing dish apparatus. The dish is heated by geothermal heat, transferred through a tube, by a phase change (gas-liquid) material from below the frost line to a removable or permanent dish above the earth's surface. Such a dish apparatus includes a sealed tube having a heating end and an opposed condensation end. The tube is configured to be inserted into ground soil so that the heated end is below the freezing line. A quantity of phase change material having a gas phase and a liquid phase is sealed in the tube. The gas liquid/phase change material is chosen so that the liquid phase pools in the heating end and vaporizes to the gas phase that rises to the condensation end after having absorbed sufficient ambient heat from the soil. A condensation means, such as a plurality of tubular fins or a coil, is positioned in the condensation end of the tube. Such fins or coil capture heat released as the gas phase is condensed to the liquid phase. A removable dish configured to absorb heat from the fins or coil is positioned at the condensation end of the sealed tube. A plurality of ebulators may be sealed in the tube in the heating end to facilitate boiling of the phase change material.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4320720 (1982-03-01), Streed
patent: 4930572 (1990-06-01), Doshier
patent: 4995450 (1991-02-01), Geppelt et al.
patent: 5345063 (1994-09-01), Reusche et al.
patent: 5813363 (1998-09-01), Snelling
patent: 57-131989 (1982-08-01), None
Bottum, Jr. Edward W.
Bottum, Sr. Edward W.
Clarke Sara
Lazarus Ira S.
MacMillan Sobanski & Todd LLC
Refrigeration Research, Inc.
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