US 4,378,681 AGranted

Refrigeration system

AssigneeModisette, Inc.

InventorJerry Modisette

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Abstract

A closed refrigeration system in which a fluid refrigerated can be circulated includes a heater for converting the fluid to gas at a high pressure, an expansion chamber downstream of the heater, the expansion chamber including a cylindrical chamber with an inlet adapted for introducing the gas tangentially into the chamber, and an outlet coaxial with the chamber but of smaller diameter so that conservation of angular momentum increases the tangential velocity of the gas as it flows through the expansion chamber, producing an approximately isentropic expansion. A compression chamber is connected to the outlet of the expansion chamber, the compression chamber being approximately a mirror image of the expansion chamber so that the fluid undergoes approximately isentropic compression in passing through the compression chamber. A condenser condenses the fluid from the compression chamber to a liquid, which is circulated back to the heater. A portion of the liquid is diverted to a low pressure evaporator which provides refrigeration, with the evaporator outlet connected to an opening in the expansion chamber near the axis so that the low pressure causes the fluid to circulate through the evaporator. The fluid from the evaporator is entrained in the flow from the expansion chamber to the compression chamber, which is larger than the expansion chamber so as to accommodate the increased flow volume.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A closed refrigeration system in which a fluid refrigerant can be circulated, comprising:

(a) heating means for converting the fluid to a relatively high pressure gas;
(b) an expansion chamber downstream from the heating means, the expansion chamber including a cylindrical chamber with a fluid inlet opening adapted for introducing the gas tangentially into the chamber and an outlet concentric about the chamber axis, and of smaller diameter than the chamber so that conservation of angular momentum causes the fluid to increase the tangential component of its velocity, thereby producing an approximately isentropic expansion with reduced pressure and temperature as it passes through the expansion chamber;
(c) a compression chamber connected to the outlet of the expansion chamber, the compression chamber being approximately a mirror image of the expansion chamber, so that the tangential component of the fluid velocity is caused to decrease by the conservation of angular momentum as the fluid passes from the small diameter inlet to the tangential outlet, thereby producing an approximately isentropic compression;
(d) condensing means downstream of the compression chamber and upstream of the heating means for condensing the gas from the compression chamber to a liquid;
(e) vaporizing means for vaporizing a portion of the liquid at a relatively low pressure for providing refrigeration, the inlet of the vaporizing means being connected between the condensing means and the heating means for diverting a portion of the fluid flowing from the condensing means;
(f) a conduit connected at one end to the outlet of the vaporizing means, the other end being located on the axis of the expansion chamber so that the low pressure region will cause fluid to circulate through the vaporizing means;
(g) circulating means for circulating fluid through the condensing means, heating means, expansion chamber, and compression chamber;
(h) the outlet of the compression chamber being larger than the inlet to the expansion chamber so as to accommodate the increased flow volume, including the added flow from the evaporator and the increased volume of the gas due to heating;
(i) means within the expansion chamber in the form of a generally conically shaped body to guide the flow to the tangential outlet in a smooth manner.

6 more elements

A closed refrigeration system in which a fluid refrigerant can be circulated, comprising:

(a) means for compressing the fluid to a high pressure;
(b) an expansion chamber downstream from the compressor, the expansion chamber including a cylindrical chamber with a fluid inlet opening adapted for introducing the gas tangentially into the chamber and an outlet concentric about the chamber axis, and of smaller diameter than the chamber so that conservation of angular momentum causes the fluid to increase the tangential component of its velocity, thereby producing an approximately isentropic expansion with reduced temperature and pressure as it passes through the expansion chamber;
(c) a compression chamber connected to the outlet of the expansion chamber, the compression chamber being approximately a mirror image of the expansion chamber, so that the tangential component of the fluid velocity is caused to decrease by the conservation of angular momentum as the fluid passes from the small diameter inlet to the tangential outlet, thereby producing an approximately isentropic compression;
(d) a conduit connecting the outlet of the compression chamber to the inlet of the compression means;
(e) condensing means for condensing a portion of the fluid to a liquid, the inlet of the condensing means being connected between the outlet of the compression chamber and the inlet of the means for compressing the fluid in order to divert a portion of the fluid flowing from the compression chamber;
(f) vaporizing means for vaporizing the liquid from the condensing means at a relatively low pressure for providing refrigeration, the inlet of the vaporizing means being connected to the outlet of the condensing means;
(g) a conduit connected at one end to the outlet of the vaporizing means, the other end being located on the axis of the expansion chamber so that the low pressure region will cause fluid to circulate through the vaporizing means;
(h) the outlet of the compression chamber being larger than the inlet to the expansion chamber so as to accommodate the increased flow volume, including the added flow from the evaporator and the increased volume of the gas due to heating;
(i) means within the expansion chamber in the form of a generally conically shaped body to guide the flow to the tangential outlet in a smooth manner.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.