Claims
- 1. Rotary closed Rankine cycle engine powered heating and cooling apparatus utilizing a single fluid for both engine power and refrigeration comprising
- a cylindrical housing mounted for rotation about the axis thereof including an internal boiler for the engine power portion of said single fluid,
- means for heating the fluid in said boiler to generate pressure power fluid vapor therein,
- means subdividing the interior of said rotatable housing to provide a high pressure fluid compartment and a low pressure fluid compartment,
- a first expander in said housing for expanding the pressure power fluid generated in the boiler and discharging the expanded fluid to the high pressure compartment of the housing, including a coaxial driving member rotatably driven at a first predetermined speed by said power fluid,
- a compressor rotatably mounted coaxially in the housing driven by said first expander driving member and operable to compress the refrigerant portion of the single fluid in said low pressure fluid compartment and discharge the compressed refrigerant to said high pressure compartment of the housing,
- a condenser mounted coaxially of the housing and rotatable therewith comprising a plurality of axially spaced radial annular fins having heat exchange tubes extending longitudinally therethrough an communicating with the high pressure compartment of the housing to receive and condense therein the power and refrigerant portions of said single fluid discharged from the first expander and compressor,
- a second expander in said housing for expanding the refrigerant portion of the fluid condensed in said condenser,
- means for dividing and supplying the liquid condensed in the condenser to the boiler and to said second expander in predetermined proportions,
- an evaporator mounted coaxially of the housing and rotatable therewith comprising a plurality of axially spaced annular fins having heat exchange tubes extending longitudinally therethrough and communicating with the low pressure compartment of the housing to receive the vaporize therein the refrigerant portion of the fluid discharged from said second expander and return the vaporized refrigerant portion to the low pressure compartment of the housing.
- and means operable to rotationally drive the housing, condenser and evaporator as a unit at a second predetermined speed operable to cause a gaseous heat exchange fluid to be conveyed and accelerated by viscosity shear forces outwardly between the fins of the condenser and evaporator to the velocity providing optimum heat exchange between said gaseous fluid and the power and refrigerant portions of the fluid in the heat exchange tubes of the condenser and evaporator.
- 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for supplying to the boiler the power fluid portion of the liquid condensed in the condenser is constructed and operable to supply said liquid to the boiler at the rate to maintain a constant predetermined liquid level in said boiler, the balance of the liquid condensed in said condenser being delivered to the second expander.
- 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the means for supplying condensed liquid to the boiler comprises a plurality of radial feed tubes having their outer ends immersed in the boiler liquid, and a plurality of radial sensor tubes having their outer ends disposed at the desired level of liquid in the boiler and cooperable with said feed tubes automatically to maintain the level of liquid in the boiler substantially continuously at said desired level.
- 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the scond expander for the refrigerant portin of the liquid condensed in the condenser is constructed and operable in response to the pressure drop across said expander between the condenser and evaporator automatically to establish and maintain capacity balance in the refrigerant system.
- 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for supplying condensed liquid to the second expander comprises a plurality of feed systems each including means defining a chamber, means for supplying condensed liquid to said chamber, and means for supplying liquid from the chamber to said second expander.
- 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for supplying to the boiler the power fluid portion of the liquid condensed in the condenser is constructed and operable to supply said liquid to the boiler at the rate to maintain a constant predetermined liquid level in said boiler, the balance of the liquid condensed in said condenser being delivered to the second expander, and said second expander is constructed and operable in response to the pressure drop across the second expander between the condenser and evaporator automatically to establish and maintain capacity balance in the refrigerant system.
- 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for supplying condensed liquid to the boiler comprises a plurality of radial feed tubes having their outer ends immersed in the boiler liquid, and a plurality of radial sensor tubes having their outer ends disposed at the desired level of liquid in the boiler and operable automatically to maintain the level of liquid in said boiler at said desired level; the means for supplying condensed liquid to the second expander comprises a plurality of feed systems each including means defining a chamber, means for supplying condensed liquid to said chamber, and means for supplying liquid from the chamber to said second expander; and fluid connections are provided between the sensor tubes and the chambers of said feed systems cooperable therewith automatically to supply condensed liquid through said feed systems to the second expander substantially at the rate required to establish and maintain capacity balance in the refrigerant system.
- 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second expander comprises a plurality of capillary tubes equally spaced circumferentially of the housing and rotatable therewith, the length of said capillary tubes being correlated to the internal flow area thereof and to the number of said tubes to establish and maintain capacity balance in the refrigerant system in response to the pressure drop across said capillary tubes.
- 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for rotationally driving the housing, condenser and evaporator as a unit comprises an occluded fixed-ratio gear train mounted coaxially within the housing and connected between the power fluid expander driving member and said housing, and torque anchor means cooperable with the occluded gear train opposing the reaction torque generated thereby so that the full power output of the power fluid expander is transmitted directly to the compressor and rotary housing.
- 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the rotary housing includes a sump compartment for containing an annular bath of lubricant and the torque anchor means to non-rotatable with the housing and includes pump means operable to pump lubricant inwardly from said annular bath to the expander driving member to lubricate same.
- 11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 comprising means for returning to the low pressure compartment of the housing lubricant that migrates into the refrigerant system and collects in the evaporator tubes.
- 12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the axial spacing between adjacent annular fins of the condenser is correlated to the speed of rotation thereof and the kinematic viscosity of the cooling fluid to provide a Taylor number operable at the ratio of the inner to outer radii of the fins to convey and accelerate said cooling fluid by viscosity shear forces spirally outward between the fins substantially to the velocity providing optimum heat exchange between the cooling fluid and the fluid in said heat exchange tubes.
- 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the axial spacing between adjacent annular fins of the evaporator is correlated to the speed of rotation thereof and the kinematic viscosity of the cooling fluid to provide a Taylor number operable at the ratio of the inner to outer radii of the fins to convey and accelerate said cooling fluid by viscosity shear forces spirally outward betwen the fins substantially to the velocity providing optimum heat exchange between the cooling fluid and the fluid in said heat exchange tubes.
- 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the axial spacing between adjacent annular fins of the condenser and evaporator is correlated to the speed of rotation thereof and the kinematic viscosity of the cooling fluid to provide a Taylor number operable at the ratio of the inner to outer radii of the fins to convey and accelerate said cooling fluid by viscosity shear forces spirally outward between the fins substantially to the velocity providing optimum heat exchange between the cooling fluid and the fluid in said heat exchange tubes of the condenser and evaporator.
- 15. Cooling and heating apparatus as claimed in claim 14 comprising a fluid inlet duct connected to the inlet to the condenser fluid chamber, a housing defining a plenum chamber enclosing the condenser for receiving heated fluid discharged outwardly through the condenser fins, an exhaust duct connected to the condenser plenum chamber to receive heated fluid therefrom, a fluid distribution duct connected to said exhaust duct for conducting heated fluid therefrom to a remote zone, a return duct from said zone terminating in a first branch duct connected to said air inlet duct to the condenser chamber and a second branch duct connected to the fluid inlet chamber of the evaporator and to said air distribution duct, a housing defining a plenum chamber enclosing the evaporator for receiving therefrom cool fluid discharged outwardly through the evaporator fins, a cool fluid duct connected to said evaporator plenum chamber for receiving cool fluid therefrom, said cool fluid duct also being connected to said first return branch duct and to said distribution duct, valve means selectively operable for controlling the flow of fluid respectively from said exhaust duct and said cool fluid duct to the distribution duct, and valve means selectively operable for controlling fluid flow from said return duct to the said first and second branch ducts and between the latter and said cool fluid duct and fluid distribution duct.
- 16. Cooling and heating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 comprising a fluid inlet duct connected to the inlet to the condenser fluid chamber, a housing defining a plenum chamber enclosing the condenser for receiving heated fluid discharge outwardly through the condenser fins, an exhaust duct connected to the condenser plenum chamber to receive heated fluid therefrom, a fluid distribution duct connected to said exhaust duct for conducting heated fluid therefrom to a remote zone, a return duct from said zone terminating in a first branch duct connected to said air inlet duct to the condenser chamber and a second branch duct connected to the fluid inlet chamber of the evaporator and to said air distribution duct, a housing defining a plenum chamber enclosing the evaporator for receiving therefrom cool fluid discharged outwardly through the evaporator fins, a cool fluid duct connected to said evaporator plenum chamber for receiving cool fluid therefrom, said cool fluid duct also being connected to said first return branch duct and to said distribution duct, valve means selectively operable for controlling the flow of fluid respectively from said exhaust duct and said cool fluid duct to the distribution duct, and valve means selectively operable for controlling fluid flow from said return duct to said first and second branch ducts and between the latter and said cool fluid duct and fluid distribution duct.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 316,851, filed Jan. 2, 1973, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of my earlier application Ser. No. 277,902 filed Feb. 22, 1972, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
316851 |
Jan 1973 |
|
Parent |
277902 |
Feb 1972 |
|