US2496602A - Air-conditioning system - Google Patents

Description

Feb 7, 195% R. c. SCHLJCHTIG 2 9 AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 29, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 fly 2 INVENTOR Feb, 7, 19@ R. c. KSCHLECHTHG AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 29, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. @0601? C ficfi/iafifig Feb. 7, 19% R. c. SCHLICHTEG AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 F'i1ed Jan. 29, 1946 INVENTOR. fia/ph 6. Sch/ic/zfig; BY

Patented Feb. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM Ralph C. Schlichtig, Dishman, Wash.

Application January 29, 1946, Serial No. 643,992

Claims.

The present invention relates to an air conditioning system and is particularly concerned with a mechanical and thermo system for transferring heat and moisture into and out of a building or enclosure. It is the principal purpose of my invention to provide a system of the character described wherein the ratio of heat delivered is relatively high when compared with the heat equivalent of the mechanical energy used in bringing the temperature of the air in a confined space or enclosure to the desired level.

It is also a purpose of this invention to provide in such a system a novel means for replacing the confined air with fresh air.

It is a further purpose of this invention to provide a system of the character hereinbefore described wherein the humidity of the enclosed air can be brought to the desired percentage in a simple manner.

In carrying out the foregoing purposes of my invention, the construction contemplated is such as to employ relatively small moving parts when compared to the devices now in use, the moving parts being free of any reciprocating parts so as to reduce friction. The system is applicable to both heating and cooling of the enclosed space by simple change of position of vanes in air passages. The apparatus contemplated also uses a low compression ratio, to make thick confining walls unnecessary. The temperature ranges of the expanding and compressed air which is used as the working substance are kept at a minimum so as to secure a high thermodynamic efiiciency.

The system is also so constructed that in starting a small load is placed on the prime mover so that the prime mover need not be heavy merely to start.

The nature and advantages of my invention will appear more fully as the description proceeds in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is shown. It should be understood, however, that the drawings and description are illustrative only and should not be considered as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited by the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the cycle of the heat exchange system;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the turbine and compressor assembly employed;

Figure 3 is an edge view of one of the rotors embodied in the turbine and compressor assembly; and

Figure 4 is a view in side elevation of the rotor.

tinues in the conduit 9.

The schematic diagram shown in Figure 1 illustrates the vanes as set for operation of the system as a heating plant. Fresh air is taken into the system at 5. This air passes through a counter-flow heat exchanger 6 in the passages I. In so doing, the fresh air becomes heated to near room temperature by robbing heat from an opposing stream of air which is passed in the opposite direction through passages 8 of the heat exchanger 6. The warmed air from the passages i then is directed through a conduit 9 past a mixer l0 which is adapted to move part of the fresh air out of the conduit 9 and into the enclosure or room to be heated. The mixer also removes a like volume of stale room air from the room and mixes it with the fresh air that con- The mixer is a slowly turning wheel with wide radial fins operating in a chamber which is open at its two opposite sides.

The preheating of the incoming air is of particular value in keeping the compressor size and speed down where the difference between the enclosure to be heated and the surrounding air is great. For example, if this temperature is as much as 20 degrees centigrade, the air taken into the system would have to be heated several degrees more than 20 degrees in order to give up heat to the warm enclosure. If a proposed compressor would Warm the air only 15 degrees centigrade, the air must be preheated several degrees more than 5 degrees centigrade in order to make the total temperature rise sufficient. The heat exchange is therefore vital to maintain in order to keep the compressor size and power needs reasonable.

The conduit 9 opens into a moisture absorber H where the humidity of the air is lowered to the desired level. The air, after leaving the moisture absorber H, passes through a conduit I2 to an inlet l3 to a compressor M. The compressor has a rotor I5 therein which imparts to the air a very high velocity. This compressor operates substantially on the principle of the aspirator pump shown in my prior application Serial No. 618,885, filed September 27, 1945. The rotor l5 discharges the air at high speed into a stationary diffuser 16 where the kinetic energy of the air is converted to pressure energy. The compression is substantially adiabatic so that the temperature of the air is elevated considerably above room temperature when it is discharged into the outlet conduit I! from the diffuser IS. The conduit ll leads to a second counter-flow heat exchanger l8 where the excess heat of the compressed air is transferred from the air in the passages l9 to air in passages of the heat exchanger. The air in the passages 20 is normally the room air and it is directed into the passages 20 by a conduit 2| and discharged back into the room space through a conduit 22.

The air leaving the passages 19 is still compressed, although cooled to a substantial degree. Since the moisture has been removed from the air in the absorber H, the cooling of the air further as it passes through the passages 8 of the heat exchanger 6 does not result in condensation of any moisture. The passages 19 are connected to the passages 8 by the conduit 23.

The air from the passages 8 is directed through a conduit 24 to a motor driven rotor 25. The air by the time it enters the conduit 25 is lowered to nearly out-of-doors temperature, but it is still compressed two to three pounds per square inch (ten to sixteen centimeters if measured by a mercury column), above atmospheric pressure when it reaches the rotor 2 5. This-rotor is-driven by a motor 26. The rotor 25 converts the pressure ener y of the air from the conduit 24 into velocity-energy and the air at the high velocity is directed against the vanes of the turbine rotor 21. Further velocity energy in addition to that due to thepressure energy of the air in the conduit 24 is imparted to the air by the motor 26 which drives the rotor 25 at a high speed. The air stream is thus expanded adiabatically through the elements 25 and 27. The rotor 21 is directly connected by a shaft 28 to the compressor rotor 15 so-that the expansion of air through the elements 25, 2! drives the compressor. Also, the expansion of the air lowers its temperature to below that of the temperature out'of doors, and the cold air from the turbine rotor 21 is discharged through a conduit 29 to the exterior.

Figure 2 of the drawings shows the construction of the turbine compressor unit, and Figures 3 and 4 illustrate the manner of mounting the vanes upon the rotor. In order that the order of the pressure and velocity changes brought about in the turbine andthe compressor may better be understood, I will describe briefly the operation. Air entering the turbine unit through the conduit 24 will be at a high pressure pH when the mechanism is in operation. The pressure is of the order of ten to sixteen centimeters of mercury. When starting the rotor 25 by the motor 26, the pressure in the conduit 24 will not yet be built up. Centrifugal force will first build up pressure at the circumference of the rotor 25. The air passes through the passages between the fins 30 that are set radially in the rotor. The

passages are restricted so that they are smaller toward the right as viewed in Figure 2. Thus the velocity of the air must be greater at the right hand side of the rotor 25 than at the left. The fins 30 are so set that the air is directed sharply in the direction of rotation by the slope of the fins. Therefore, the surface movement of the rotor plus the slope of the fins gives a total velocity to th air which is much greater than that of the rotor surface itself. In addition, after the device is in operation a considerable pressure will exist in the conduit 24 which will further speed up the air velocity at the right hand side of the :-rotor 25. The air stream then passes through the vanes 3| of the turbine rotor 21. These vanes are so set as to produce expanding slots from right to left as illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings. The rotor 21 is turned by th energy of the air and in turn operates the shaft 28 to drive the compressor rotor I 5. The

air is discharged from the rotor 27 into the conduit 29 preferably at about atmospheric pressure.

The air entering the compressor at [3 is substantially at atmospheric pressure. The centrifugal force due to the rotation of the rotor 15 builds up the pressure at the inlet to the rotor and air is drawn through the passage between the vanes of the rotor i5 because of the partial vacuum created at the right hand ends of the passages between the vanes by the Bernoulli effect. Thus, the air is given a high forward velocity through the passages between the vanes of the rotor I5. To this velocity is added the velocity of the rotor itself and the air travelling at this relatively high velocity is fed into the expanding passages of the diffuser Hi. The diffuser, of course, is stationary and acts to change the velocity energy of the air to pressure energy in the conduit H.

The vapor absorbing solution employed in the dehumidiiyer H is regenerated in a boiler 34. Heat may be supplied by a heating element 35 and the'steam thus liberated can be utilized in heating a hot water tank 36. The condensed steam may, if desired, be collected for soft water. Any vapor needed for bringing up the relative humidity of the room air may be permitted to escape at the outlet 31.

When the system is used to cool the enclosure, the'only necessary shift is to change the position of the valves 37, 38 and 39 so as to direct air from the conduit 22 to the outside and to direct the cool dry air from the conduit 29 into the enclosure. No vapor will he wanted, of course, so the valve 3? willbe closed.

Having thus described my invention, I cl-aim:

1. A method of conditioning the air of an enclosed space which comprises drawing in air from a space outside the enclosure then drying and compressing, substantially adiabatically, air so drawn in, transferring heat from the compressed air to a counter stream of air drawn from the enclosed space, thereafter transferring additional heat from the compressed air to the air drawn in before it is compressed, and expanding, substantially adiabatically, the cooled compressed air, discharging the expanded stream to one space and discharging the counter stream to the other space.

2. A method of heating the air of an enclosed space which comprises drawing in air from a space outside the enclosure then drying and compressing, substantially adiabatically, air so drawn in, transferring heat from the compressed air to a counter'stream of air drawn from the enclosed space, thereafter transferring additional heat from the compressed air to the air drawn in before it is compressed, and expanding, substantially adiabatically, the cooled compressed air, adding at least part of the water taken from the air drawn in by drying to the air in said enclosure, discharging the expanded cooled air to the outer space, and discharging the counter ing the expanded air into the enclosure and discharging the counter stream of air to a space outside the enclosure.

4. A method of conditioning the air of an enclosed space which comprises drawing in air from a space outside the enclosure, interchangin part of the air drawn in for air in said enclosure then dryin and compressing, substantially adiabaticall'y, air so drawn in, transferring heat from the compressed air to a counter stream of air drawn from the enclosed space, thereafter transferring additional heat from the compressed air to the air drawn in before it is compressed, and expanding, substantially adiabatically, the cooled compressed air, discharging the expanded stream to one space and discharging the counter stream to the other space.

5. Apparatus for conditioning air of an enclosed space comprising an air inlet duct extending into said space from an outer space, an air duct section in heat exchange relation to said duct adjacent to its entry into the enclosed space, air transfer means connected to said inlet duct for exchanging part of the air in said inlet duct for part of the air in the enclosed space after the air has passed beyond the heat exchange duct section, means to extract water vapor from the air in the inlet duct after the air has passed the connection with said transfer means, power driven means for adiabatically compressing air, receiving the air from said inlet duct, a second air duct receiving the air from said compression means, another air duct in heat exchange relation to said last named air duct and receiving air from said enclosed space, whereby to extract heat from the compressed air, said second air duct leading to said air duct section whereby to deliver heat from the compressed air to the air flowing in the air inlet duct, a third duct receiving the compressed and cooled air from said air duct section, a power driven rotor receiving the air from said third duct and operabl to change the pressure energy thereof to kinetic energy and to supply additional energy thereto, a turbine driven by the air from said rotor and providing the power means for the air compressing means receiving air from the inlet duct, and a discharge duct for said turbine.

RALPH C. SCHLICHTIG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 879,392 Livilly Feb. 18, 1908 935,743 Collier Oct. 5, 1909 1,781,062 Houston Nov. 11, 1930 1,883,024 Smith Oct. 18, 1932 1,965,733 Chamberlain July 10, 1934 2,133,334 Rosett Oct. 18, 1938 2,186,844 Smith Jan. 9, 1940 2,222,882 Shames Nov. 26, 1940 2,419,477 Binder Apr, 22, 1947

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