Air cycle refrigeration system and method

Claim 1

AN AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE COMPRISING: A SOURCE OF AIR, MEANS FOR COOLING THE AIR FROM THE SOURCE, COLD AIR PASSAGE MEANS CONNECTED WITH THE COOLING MEANS THROUGH WHICH COOLED AIR FROM THE AIR COOLING MEANS IS DISCHARGED, CONDUIT MEANS FOR CIRCULATING A FLUID IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATION WITH THE COLD AIR PASSAGE MEANS AND WIDTH THE VEHICLE PUMP MEANS CONNECTED TO THE CONDUIT MEANS FOR CIRCULATING THE FLUID THROUGH THE CONDUIT MEANS, THE AIR COOLING MEANS INCLUDES AN AIR EXPANSION TURBINE HAVING AN AIR INLET CONNECTED TO THE SOURCE OF AIR AND AN AIR OUTLET CONNECTED TO AND DISCHARGING COOLED AIR INTO A DUCT FORMING THE COLD AIR PASSAGE MEANS, THE AIR COOLING MEANS INCLUDES AN AIR COMPRESSOR CONNECTED TO THE TURBINE FOR ABSORBING WORK ENERGY EXTRACTED FROM THE AIR BY THE TURBINE TO COOL THE AIR THE CONDUIT MEANS INCLUDING A LIQUID-TO-AIR HEAT EXCHANGER MOUNTED ADJACENT A DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF THE DUCT, THE LIQUID-TO-AIR HEAT EXCHANGER INCLUDES A BANK OF BARE TUBES MOUNTED ADJACENT THE DOWNSTREAM SIDE OF THE DUCT TO FORM AN ANTI-ICING SCREEN TO PREVENT THE IMPINGEMENT FORMATION OF ICE RESULTING FROM CONDENSED MOISTURE ENTRAINED IN THE COLD AIR, AND THE HEAT EXCHANGER ALSO INCLUDES A BANK OF FINNED TUBES MOUNTED ADJACENT AND DOWNSTREAM OF THE BARE TUBES.