Method and apparatus for extracting heat and mechanical energy from a pressured gas

An air cooling apparatus comprising, in combination, a rotatable body;

• power means for rotating said body about a first axis;
• a cylinder means defining an elongated fluid pressure chamber having a generally S-shaped longitudinal axis;
• means for rigidly mounting said cylinder means on said body with the ends of said fluid pressure chamber disposed on opposite sides of said first axis and radially remote therefrom, and the central portions of said fluid pressure chamber disposed proximate to said axis;
• said fluid pressure chamber having a uniform cross-section throughout its length;
• a free piston mounted in said fluid pressure chamber for sliding sealable movement through the S-shaped length thereof;
• first and second valve means for respectively supplying pressured air to the ends of said fluid pressure chamber;
• third and fourth valve means for respectively exhausting expanded air from the ends of said fluid pressure chamber, a plurality of piston detecting means spaced along the length of said cylinder means and operatively connected to said first, second, third, and fourth valve means to cause said piston to continuously reciprocate from one end to the other of said fluid pressure chamber as said body is rotated;
• and conduit means for connecting said third and fourth valve means to a chamber to be cooled.

Air cooling apparatus comprising, in combination, a rotatable body;

• power means for rotating said body about a first axis;
• a cylinder means defining an elongated fluid pressure chamber having a generally S-shaped longitudinal axis;
• means for rigidly mounting said cylinder means on said body with the ends of said fluid pressure chamber disposed on opposite sides of said first axis and radially remote therefrom, and the central portions of said fluid pressure chamber disposed proximate to said first axis;
• said fluid pressure chamber having a uniform cross-section throughout its length, a free piston mounted in said fluid pressure chamber for sliding sealable movement throughout the S-shaped length thereof;
• first and second valve means for respectively supplying pressured air to the ends of said fluid pressure chamber;
• third and fourth valve means for respectively exhausting expanded gas from the ends of said fluid pressure chamber;
• and a plurality of piston detecting means spaced along the length of said cylinder means and operatively connected to said first, second, third and fourth valve means to cause said piston to continuously reciprocate from one end to the other of said fluid pressure chamber as said body is rotated;
• a compressor co-rotatable with said rotatable body;
• first conduit means connecting said third and fourth valve means to a room to be cooled;
• second conduit means connecting said room to the inlet of said compressor;
• and third conduit means connecting the outlet of said compressor to said first and second valve means to supply pressured air thereto.

Air cooling apparatus comprising, in combination, a rotatable body, power means for rotating said body about a first axis;

• a cylinder means defining an elongated fluid pressure chamber having a generally S-shaped longitudinal axis;
• means for rigidly mounting said cylinder means on said body with the ends of said fluid pressure chamber disposed on opposite sides of said first axis and radially remote therefrom, and the central portions of said fluid pressure chamber disposed proximate to said first axis;
• said fluid pressure chamber having a uniform cross-section throughout its length;
• a free piston mounted in said fluid pressure chamber for sliding sealable movement throughout the S-shaped length thereof;
• first and second valve means for respectively supplying pressured gas to the ends of said fluid pressure chamber;
• third and fourth valve means for respectively exhausting expanded gas from the ends of said fluid pressure chamber, and a plurality of piston detecting means spaced along the length of said cylinder means and operatively connected to said first, second, third, and fourth valve means to cause said piston to continuously reciprocate from one end to the other of said fluid pressure chamber as said body is rotated;
• a compressor co-rotatable with said rotatable body;
• a heat exchanger for cooling an air stream;
• and conduit means for directing expanded gas from said third and fourth valve means through said heat exchanger, to the inlet of said rotary compressor, and from the outlet of said rotary compressor to said first and second valve means.

Apparatus for extracting heat and mechanical energy from a pressured gas comprising, in combination, a body rotatable about a first axis;

• a cylinder means defining an elongated fluid pressure chamber having a generally S-shaped longitudinal axis;
• means for rigidly mounting said cylinder means on said body with the ends of said fluid pressure chamber disposed on opposite sides of said first axis and radially remote therefrom, and the central portions of said fluid pressure chamber proximate to said first axis;
• a free piston mounted in said fluid pressure chamber for sliding sealable movement throughout the S-shaped length thereof;
• first and second valve means for respectively supplying pressured gas to the ends of said fluid pressure chamber;
• third and fourth valve means for respectively exhausting expanded gas from the ends of said fluid pressure chamber;
• and means responsive to the position of said piston in said fluid pressure chamber for controlling said first, second, third and fourth valve means to cause said piston to continuously reciprocate from one end to the other of said fluid pressure chamber and produce reaction forces on said cylinder to rotate said cylinder about said first axis.

Apparatus for extracting heat and mechanical energy from a pressured gas comprising, in combination, a body rotatable about a first axis;

• a cylinder means defining an elongated fluid pressure chamber having a generally S-shaped longitudinal axis;
• means for rigidly mounting said cylinder means on said body with the ends of said fluid pressure chamber disposed on opposite sides of said first axis and radially remote therefrom, and the central portions of said fluid pressure chamber proximate to said fist axis;
• a free piston mounted in said fluid pressure chamber for sliding sealable movement through the S-shaped length thereof;
• first and second valve means for respectively supplying pressured gas to the ends of said fluid pressure chamber;
• third and fourth valve means for respectively exhausting expanded gas from the ends of said fluid pressure chamber;
• and a plurality of piston detecting means spaced along the length of said cylinder means and operatively connected to said first, second, third and fourth valve means to cause said piston to continuously reciprocate from one end to the other of said fluid pressure chamber and produce reaction forces on said cylinder to rotate said cylinder about said first axis.

The method of deriving mechanical energy from a pressured gas comprising the steps of:

• (1) rotating by a separate motor a cylinder defining an S-shaped fluid pressure chamber about an axis transverse to the elongated axis of the chamber at its center;
• (2) inserting a free piston element in the S-shaped fluid pressure chamber for slidable sealing movement therein;
• (3) applying a valving head to each end of the cylinder, each said valving head having a power operated inlet valve and exhaust valve, and
• (4) opening the inlet valve to admit pressured fluid and closing the exhaust valve at one cylinder end and closing the inlet valve and opening the exhaust valve at the other cylinder end as the free piston approaches said one end, thereby producing a reciprocating movement of the free piston and a reaction force on the cylinder ends aiding the rotation thereof.

The method of expanding and cooling a pressured gas while deriving mechanical energy comprising the steps of:

• (1) rotating by a separate motor a cylinder defining an S-shaped fluid pressure chamber about an axis transverse to the elongated axis of the chamber at its center;
• (2) inserting a free piston element in the S-shaped fluid pressure chamber for slidable sealing movement therein;
• (3) applying a valving head to each end of the cylinder, each said valving head having a power operated inlet valve and exhaust valve,
• (4) opening the inlet valve to admit pressured fluid and closing the exhaust valve at one cylinder end and closing the inlet valve and opening the exhaust valve at the other cylinder end as the free piston approaches said one end, thereby producing a reciprocating movement of the free piston and a reaction force on the cylinder ends aiding the rotation thereof;
• (5) closing the opened inlet valve in one cylinder end after the free piston has moved a preselected distance toward the other cylinder end, thereby trapping fluid until the free piston approaches the other cylinder end.

The method of extracting mechanical energy from a pressured gas comprising:

• (1) rotating a cylinder defining an S-shaped fluid pressure chamber about an axis transverse to and intersecting the center of the longitudinal axis of the S-shaped fluid pressure chamber with the opposed ends of said S-shaped fluid pressure chamber extending in the direction of rotation of said cylinder;
• (2) permitting a free piston to slidably and sealably move in said S-shaped fluid pressure chamber;
• (3) introducing pressured gas in said S-shaped fluid pressure chamber to impart kinetic energy to said piston to move toward one end of said S-shaped fluid pressure chamber while exerting a fluid pressure force on the other cylinder end to aid rotation of said cylinder;
• and
• (4) transmitting said kinetic energy of said piston to a charge of gas in said one end of said S-shaped fluid pressure chamber to further aid in rotation of said cylinder.

The method of extracting mechanical energy from a pressured gas comprising:

• (1) rotating a cylinder defining an S-shaped fluid pressure chamber about an axis proximate and transverse to the center of the longitudinal axis of the S-shaped fluid pressure chamber with the opposed ends of said S-shaped fluid pressure chamber extending in the direction of rotation of said cylinder;
• (2)l permitting a free piston to slidably and sealably move in said S-shaped fluid pressure chamber;
• (3) introducing pressured gas in said S-shaped fluid pressure chamber to impart kinetic energy to said piston to move toward one end of said S-shaped fluid pressure chamber while exerting a fluid pressure force on the other cylinder end to aid rotation of said cylinder;
• and
• (4) transmitting said kinetic energy of said piston to a charge of gas in said one end of said S-shaped fluid pressure chamber to further aid in rotation of said cylinder.