Abstract: An aircraft cabin air-conditioning system, of the type that uses engine bleed air, regulates the amount of tapped bleed air so as to be just sufficient to maintain a desired cabin pressure, thus minimizing the fuel burn allocated to the aircraft's environmental control system. The air-conditioning system cools the bleed air by passing it first through a heat exchanger 50 of a circulating glycol/water coolant loop 55 for heat transfer to a coolant and then through an evaporator 60 of an electrically-driven vapor-cycle loop 56 for supplemental heat transfer to a refrigerant. The rate at which the refrigerant is circulated through the evaporator 60 is regulated to be just sufficient to provide a required supplemental cooling capacity, thereby minimizing electrical power consumed by a compressor 63 that forms part of the vapor-cycle loop 56. A subbranch of the coolant loop 55 carries the coolant through a condenser 64 of the vapor-cycle loop 56 where there is an additional transfer of heat to the coolant.

Abstract: In an air conditioning system for an aircraft cabin, stale air is withdrawn from the cabin, then filtered, compressed and cooled in a recirculation loop which returns the reconditioned air to an air distribution manifold that supplies the cabin with fresh air. The compression stage moves the air through the recirculation loop and is provided by an air compressor driven by a power turbine that is in turn rotated by a flow of cabin air to an overboard exhaust nozzle caused by a cabin-to-ambient pressure differential. Cooling is provided by an air/air heat exchanger that transfers heat from the recirculation air, warmed by the compression stage, to cooler air discharged from the output side of the power turbine and flowing to the overboard exhaust nozzle. In one embodiment, the foregoing recirculation loop is integrated with an air cycle machine refrigeration stage of a conventional cabin air conditioning system supplied by fresh engine bleed air.

Abstract: A vapor compression refrigeration and/or heat pump system employing a particular type of expansion motor replacing the expansion valve of a conventional system.

Abstract: This invention embodies improvements in evaporative type refrigeration and space cooling units, both as to energy conservation and efficiency and economy of operation. It utilizes the new abentropic principle as set forth in my U.S. Pat. No. 4,109,470, which demonstrates that the energy of the latent heat of vapor is potential energy and need not be discarded as is done in present practice but can be converted to mechanical energy by taking advantage of the fact that the vapor pressure exuded by boiling hot condensate is the same as that of the vapor itself. The difference between this vapor pressure and that of a hard vacuum is sufficient to drive an engine. The energy necessary for the work done is extracted from the latent heat of the incoming vapor causing some of the vapor to condense at its boiling point proportionately as the work proceeds.

Abstract: A power generation-refrigeration system comprising a refrigerant boiler, and a primary turbine for extracting energy from the refrigerant. The system also comprises a reversible turbomachine having a compressor mode of operation for compressing refrigerant passing therethrough and a turbine mode of operation for extracting further energy from the refrigerant; a first flow path in communication with the primary turbine, the reversible turbomachine, and a condenser; a second flow path in communication with the primary turbine, the reversible turbomachine, the condenser, and an evaporator; and means for directing refrigerant through the first flow path when the reversible turbomachine is in the turbine mode and through the second flow path when the reversible turbomachine is in the compressor mode.

Abstract: A closed loop refrigeration system such as an air source heat pump includes a hermetic screw compressor and a helical screw rotary expander connected to an electric induction drive motor. The closed loop refrigeration circuit permits an air source evaporator to constitute a heat source for supplying vaporized refrigerant to the compressor and expander, while both are mechanically coupled to the electric induction drive motor and with both driven as compression units. The air source evaporator feeds to slide valve controlled inlet ports of both the compressor and expander. Compressed vapor from both units passes to condenser coil(s) such as heating condensers to increase the system capacity under this mode.

Abstract: Fluid to be conditioned is admitted to first passageways of a heat exchanger and thereafter to a point of use, traversing flow conducting means which include the second passageways of the heat exchanger and fluid conditioning means which reduces the energy level of the fluid admitted to the second passageways below the energy level of the fluid admitted to the first passageways so as to increase the energy level of the fluid flowing through the second passageways by heat exchange with the fluid flowing through the first passageways.

Abstract: A method of conveying a gas such as natural gas over long distances through a pipeline having a number of sections in series with intermediate compressor stations the pressure and temperature of the gas at entry to each pipeline section being such that the drop in pressure of the gas in each pipe section creates a drop in gas temperature and this low temperature gas is used to recool the gas heated by compression before it enters the next pipeline section.

Abstract: In a process for recovering the energy from a liquefied gas by evaporation in heat exchange with a cycle medium which is simultaneously cooled, said cycle medium being thereafter compressed, heated, subjected to engine expansion and recovered in a cyclical manner, wherein the improvement comprises operating the cycle so that the cycle medium remains in the gaseous phase throughout the entire cycle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring heat from a first fluid which is normally gaseous to a second fluid which is normally a liquid, by using a rotating rotor with passages for said first fluid extending from rotor center outward and with passages for said second fluid also extending outward within said rotor with said two fluids being in heat exchange relationship within said rotor with heat another transferred from said first fluid to said second fluid, wherein said first fluid temperature is increased by compressing said first fluid within said rotor. Said two fluids are then returned in separate passages to the center of said rotor and discharged; said first fluid will leave said rotor colder than it entered and said second fluid will leave said rotor warmer than it entered. In one form of the invention, said rotor is mounted within a sealed casing with entry and exit for first fluid to said casing, and a heat exchanger for adding heat is provided.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring heat by employing a rotating centrifuge to compress a gaseous first fluid with accompanying temperature increase and then transferring heat from said first fluid in its compressed state to a second fluid being circulated within said centrifuge in heat exchange relationship with said first fluid. After transferring said heat from said first fluid, said first fluid is allowed to expand within said centrifuge with accompanying temperature reduction. Said first fluid may then be passed out from said centrifuge, or said first fluid may be receiving heat within said centrifuge from a third fluid, being circulated in heat exchange relationship with said first fluid, after which said first fluid is again compressed within said centrifuge. Various gases may be employed as said first fluid, such as air, or halogenated hydrocarbons. Said second fluid is usually a liquid, such as water. The third fluid may also be water.

Abstract: An air conditioning unit having a driven rotor with a plurality of vanes and including a compressor portion and an expander portion, each having inlet and outlet ports, with a heat exchanger connected between the compressor outlet port and the expander inlet port. A non-condensing gas such as air is fed into the compressor inlet port, compressed, accompanied by a rise in temperature, cooled by the heat exchanger, and expanded back to substantially its initial pressure for discharge in the cold state at the expander outlet port, a non-condensing gas being defined as any gas which does not condense at the pressures and temperatures encountered in the unit.

Abstract: An open-cycle air-conditioner for compressing and expanding gas with heat rejection for cold production and more particularly to improved means for carrying out thermodynamic cycles in open cycle systems using an internal, stationary, porous body as a thermal capacitor.

Abstract: An expander compressor unit for a vapor compression refrigeration system is disclosed. The unit has a rotor which is provided with radial passageways terminating in tangentially oriented nozzles for expanding the high-pressure fluid and utilizing the kinetic energy of the expanding fluid to propel the rotor. The rotor is in driving engagement with a compressor which serves to compress fluid in the cycle. By this means the expander compressor unit substantially improves the efficiency of the cycle through efficient expansion of the refrigerant prior to evaporization and through reduction of the net work input into the system.

Abstract: An expander compressor unit for a vapor compression refrigeration system is disclosed. The unit has a rotor which is provided with radial passageways terminating in tangentially oriented nozzles for expanding the high-pressure fluid and utilizing the kinetic energy of the expanding fluid to propel the rotor. The rotor is in driving engagement with a compressor which serves to compress fluid in the cycle. By this means the expander compressor unit substantially improves the efficiency of the cycle through efficient expansion of the refrigerant prior to evaporization and through reduction of the net work input into the system.