Combustion powered cooling system
AssigneeApplied Power Technology Incorporated
InventorsDavid Lackstrom, Thomas B. de Treville
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A combustion powered cooling system (10, 100) includes a power loop (12, 102) and a cooling loop (14, 104). Heat produced by combustion is used to produce superheated steam in a steam generator (18). The steam is used to move a reciprocating steam piston (26) in a power unit (16). Power is transferred from the steam piston through a energy transfer mechanism (44) to a compressor piston (40) in the cooling loop. Refrigerant material in the cooling loop is used to provide air conditioning for a residence or other facility through a chilled water circuit (60). The system is also operative as a heat pump for heating a residence or other facility.
Claims33
a combustion powered cooling system comprising:
- a power loop, wherein a first working fluid flows in the power loop;
- a cooling loop, wherein a second working fluid flows in the cooling loop;
- a power unit in operative connection with the power loop and the cooling loop;
- wherein the power unit includes an expander end and a compressor end, wherein the expander end includes a steam piston, and wherein the compressor end includes a compressor piston, and wherein the power unit also includes means for transferring power from the steam piston to the compressor piston;
- a steam generator in operative connection with the power loop, wherein the steam generator is operative to produce a superheated fluid from the first working fluid, wherein the power loop is operative to selectively deliver the superheated fluid to the steam piston, wherein the steam piston moves in a first reciprocating motion as the superheated fluid is alternately expanded and exhausted from the expander end, wherein the power transfer means is operative to have the compressor piston move in a second reciprocating motion responsive to the first reciprocating motion of the steam piston, and wherein the compressor piston is operative to compress the first working fluid;
- a first condenser in operative connection with the power loop, wherein the first condenser is operative to condense the expanded first working fluid to a liquid;
- a condensate pump in operative connection with the power loop, wherein the condensate pump is operative to return the liquid first working fluid to the steam generator;
- a second condenser in operative connection with the cooling loop, wherein the second condenser is operative to condense the compressed second working fluid to a liquid, wherein heat is released from the compressed second working fluid;
- an expansion device in operative connection with the cooling loop, wherein the expansion device is operative to selectively control the flow of the liquid second working fluid therethrough;
- and
- an evaporator in operative connection with the cooling loop, wherein the liquid second working fluid passes through the expansion device and expands in the evaporator to a vapor phase;
- and wherein the second working fluid acquires heat when expanding to a vapor phase;
- and wherein the vapor second working fluid returns to the compressor end.
The combustion powered cooling system as recited in claim I wherein the system further includes a heating loop, wherein the heating loop comprises the super heated fluid from the steam generator, wherein the system is operative to have an air flow across a portion of the heating loop, wherein the air flow acquires heat from the heating loop.
The combustion powered cooling system as recited in claim I further comprising an air flow out of the system and a set of steam coils, wherein the set of steam coils is in operative connection with the power loop, wherein the evaporator includes a set of evaporator coils wherein when the system is in a heating mode, the steam coils heat the air flow before the airflow passes across the evaporator coils, wherein the evaporator coils are defrosted by the heated airflow.
A method for cooling comprising the steps of:
- a) burning a mixture of gas and air inside a steam generator to generate heat energy;
- b) flashing a first working fluid from a liquid phase to a vapor phase with the heat from the steam generator;
- c) superheating the vapor first working fluid to a superheated fluid with heat from the steam generator;
- d) generating mechanical power by moving a steam piston in a reciprocating motion inside a steam cylinder of an expander by injecting superheated fluid and exhausting expanded first working fluid from the steam cylinder;
- e) condensing the expanded first working fluid to a liquid phase with a first condenser;
- f) pumping the liquid first working fluid to the steam generator;
- g) transferring mechanical power from the expander to a compressor piston inside a compression cylinder of a compressor, wherein the compressor piston has a reciprocating motion;
- h) compressing a second working fluid with the compressor piston;
- i) condensing the compressed second working fluid from a vapor phase to a liquid phase in a second condenser wherein heat is released from the second working fluid;
- j) controlling the flow of liquid second working fluid to an evaporator with an expansion device;
- k) expanding the second working fluid from a liquid to a vapor in the expander;
- wherein the expander includes expander coils, wherein the second working fluid acquires heat from the expander coils;
- l) removing heat from an air flow passing across the expander coils;
- and
- m) returning the vapor second working fluid to the compressor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.