US4006595A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Refrigerant-powered engine
Assignee: Orange State Inc
•
Filing: 1975-12-30
•
Granted: 1977-02-08
•
Expires: 1995-12-30
Abstract
Abstract A system for powering a gas-sealed, flywheel-type turbine comprises a pair of pressurized storage tanks used alternately as a source and sink of Freon. A rotary valve, in a first position, directs liquid Freon from the first storage tank, functioning as a Freon source, to a boiler to produce super-heated Freon vapor. The super-heated vapor is used to directly drive the turbine, and the turbine exhaust vapor is converted back to liquid Freon in a condenser. The high pressure outlet of the turbine is used, via a capillary tube, to supply pressure for forcing the liquid Freon from the storage tank to the boiler. The condensed Freon is then directed, through the rotary valve, to the second storage tank functioning as a Freon sink. When the liquid Freon in the first storage tank is nearly depleted, boiling of the Freon is detected by a thermostatic bulb in thermal contact with the tank bottom. A solenoid arrangement, controlled by the thermostatic bulb, indexes the rotary valve to a second position, and the system drives the turbine with the second storage tank functioning as the Freon source and the first storage tank functioning as the Freon sink. When the second tank is nearly depleted, Freon boiling is detected by a second thermostatic bulb in thermal contact with the second tank bottom. The second bulb, via the solenoid arrangement, indexes the rotary valve back to the first position and the process repeats to provide continuous operation of the turbine.
Inventors
- 👤 William J. Forbes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 19:52
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01K; F01K9/00; F01K9/02; F01K25/00; F01K25/08; F01K25/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
A power system comprising first and second tank means for liquid refrigerant; means for heating the refrigerant to produce super-heated vapor; means for transferring refrigerant selectively from said first and second tank means to said heating means; engine means for converting energy of the super-heated vapor into motive power; means for condensing the super-heated vapor; means associated with said first and second tank means for detecting a low level of refrigerant contained herein; and valve means for forming (1) a first flow of refrigerant along a first closed fluid flow path from said first tank means to said second tank means and including respectively said heating means, said engine means, and said condensing means, and (2) a second flow of refrigerant along a second closed fluid flow path from said second tank means to said first tank means and including respectively said heating means, said engine means and said condensing means; said valve means being controlled to provide alternatively (1) or (2) in response to an output of said refrigerant detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
A power system comprising first and second tank means for liquid refrigerant; means for heating the refrigerant to produce super-heated vapor; means for transferring refrigerant selectively from said first and second tank means to said heating means; engine means for converting energy of the super-heated vapor into motive power; means for condensing the super-heated vapor; means associated with said first and second tank means for detecting a low level of refrigerant contained herein; and valve means for forming (1) a first flow of refrigerant along a first closed fluid flow path from said first tank means to said second tank means and including respectively said heating means, said engine means, and said condensing means, and (2) a second flow of refrigerant along a second closed fluid flow path from said second tank means to said first tank means and including respectively said heating means, said engine means and said condensing means; said valve means being controlled to provide alternatively (1) or (2) in response to an output of said refrigerant detecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said refrigerant transferring means comprises capillary means connected to a high pressure outlet of said engine means for drawing refrigerant from said first and second tank means to said heater means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said refrigerant detecting means includes temperature responsive means responsive to the temperature of the refrigerant in said first and second tank means, said temperature responsive means detecting boiling of said refrigerant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 3, wherein said temperature responsive means includes a thermostatic switch in thermal contact with a lower end portion of each of said tank means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said valve means includes motor means for indexing said valve means to provide alternatively (1) or (2) in response to said refrigerant detecting means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 5, wherein said motor means includes electrical solenoid means connected to said refrigerant detecting means and said valve means, said solenoid means being actuated in response to an output of said detecting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 6, wherein said valve means includes a multiport rotary valve.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system of claim 7, wherein said solenoid means includes first and second solenoids located on opposite sides of said valve, one of said solenoids being actuated to rotate said rotary valve to provide (1) and the other of said solenoids being actuated to provide (2).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 8, wherein each of said solenoids is pivotally mounted on a base member to permit pivoting of said solenoids during rotation of said rotary valve.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1, including thottle means bypassing said engine means for controlling an amount of the super-heated vapor supplied to drive said engine means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 7, wherein said multiport rotary valve includes a valve body containing a plurality of ports, a rotary disc rotatably mounted in said body and containing U-channel means, said U-channel means joining together preselected pairs of said ports in accordance with the rotational position of said disc.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 8, wherein said first and second solenoids control a common armature, and said valve is coupled to said common armature.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said engine means includes a casing having an inlet and an outlet; rotor means rotatably mounted within said casing, a rim of said rotor means being exposed to said inlet; and means for supplying said super-heated vapor to said inlet; said rotor means including means responsive to said super-heated vapor supplied to said inlet for sustaining rotation of said rotor means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 13, wherein said sustaining means includes a series of indentations formed along the rim of said rotor means, said indentations being impinged by said super-heated vapor supplied to said inlet.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 14, wherein said indentations are half-moon ground and inclined toward said inlet with respect to radii of said rotor means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
155 words
A power system comprising first and second tank means for liquid refrigerant; means for heating the refrigerant to produce super-heated vapor; means for transferring the refrigerant selectively from said first and second tank means to said heating means; engine means for converting the energy of the super-heated vapor to motive power; means for condensing super-heated vapor; means for detecting an amount of refrigerant in said first and second tank means; and valve means for directing the liquid refrigerant between said first and second tank means, said refrigerant passing respectively through said heating means for forming the super-heated vapor, said engine means, and said condenser means for converting the super-heated vapor to liquid refrigerant; said valve means alternatively causing said first and second tank means to function as (1) a source and sink respectively, or (2) a sink and source, respectively, said valve means being operated in response to an output of said refrigerant detecting means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
155 words
A power system comprising first and second tank means for liquid refrigerant; means for heating the refrigerant to produce super-heated vapor; means for transferring the refrigerant selectively from said first and second tank means to said heating means; engine means for converting the energy of the super-heated vapor to motive power; means for condensing super-heated vapor; means for detecting an amount of refrigerant in said first and second tank means; and valve means for directing the liquid refrigerant between said first and second tank means, said refrigerant passing respectively through said heating means for forming the super-heated vapor, said engine means, and said condenser means for converting the super-heated vapor to liquid refrigerant; said valve means alternatively causing said first and second tank means to function as (1) a source and sink respectively, or (2) a sink and source, respectively, said valve means being operated in response to an output of said refrigerant detecting means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
The system of claim 16, wherein said transferring means includes capillary means connected to a high pressure outlet of said engine means for drawing refrigerant from said first and second tank means to said heater means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 16, wherein said refrigerant detecting means includes a dual temperature thermostatic switch means containing a pair of thermostatic bulbs responsive respectively to the temperature of the refrigerant in said first and second tank means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The system of claim 18, including motor means responsive to said thermostatic switch for controlling said valve means to cause said first and second tank means to function selectively as (1) or (2).
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 19, wherein said valve means icludes a multiport valve, and said motor means includes first and second solenoids, said first solenoid indexing said valve to cause said first and second tank means to function as (1) and said second solenoid indexing said valve to cause said first and second tank means to function as (2).
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 20, wherein said multiport valve is a rotary valve, and said first and second solenoids are located respectively on opposite sides of said rotary valve and coupled to a stem of said rotary valve.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 20, wherein said first and second solenoids control a common armature, and said valve is coupled to said common armature.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 21, wherein said solenoids are pivotally mounted to a base member to permit pivoting of said solenoids during indexing of said rotary valve.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
65 words
The system of claim 6, wherein said engine means includes a casing having an inlet and an outlet; rotor means rotatably mounted within said casing, a rim of said rotor means being exposed to said inlet; and means for supplying said super-heated vapor to said inlet, said rotor means responsive to said super-heated vapor supplied to said inlet for sustaining rotation of said rotor means.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 24, wherein said sustaining means includes a series of indentations formed along the rim of said rotor means, said indentations being impinged by said super-heated vapor supplied to said inlet.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 25, wherein said indentations are half-moon ground and inclined toward said inlet with respect to radii of said rotor means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
122 words
Method of continuously powering an engine means from liquid refrigerant comprising the steps of (1) heating the liquid refrigerant stored in a first tank functioning as a source to form a super-heated vapor; (2) supplying the super-heated vapor to said engine means, said engine means converting energy contained in the super-heated vapor to motive power; (3) condensing the super-heated vapor exhausted by said engine means to re-form liquid refrigerant; (4) directing the re-formed liquid refrigerant to a second tank functioning as a sink; (5) detecting a low level of refrigerant contained in said first tank; and, in response to said step of detecting, repeating steps (1)-(4) with said second tank functioning as the source and said first tank functioning as the sink.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
122 words
Method of continuously powering an engine means from liquid refrigerant comprising the steps of (1) heating the liquid refrigerant stored in a first tank functioning as a source to form a super-heated vapor; (2) supplying the super-heated vapor to said engine means, said engine means converting energy contained in the super-heated vapor to motive power; (3) condensing the super-heated vapor exhausted by said engine means to re-form liquid refrigerant; (4) directing the re-formed liquid refrigerant to a second tank functioning as a sink; (5) detecting a low level of refrigerant contained in said first tank; and, in response to said step of detecting, repeating steps (1)-(4) with said second tank functioning as the source and said first tank functioning as the sink.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 27, wherein the refrigerant is Freon.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 27, including the step of causing a controlled portion of the refrigerant to bypass said engine means for throttling.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 27, wherein said step of detecting includes the step of detecting boiling of the refrigerant in the first tank.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
137 words
In combination: first and second tank means for liquid refrigerant; means for heating the refrigerant to produce super-heated vapor; means for transferring the refrigerant selectively from said first and second tank means to said heating means; means for condensing super-heated vapor; means for detecting an amount of refrigerant in said first and second tank means; and valve means for directing the liquid refrigerant between said first and second tank means, said refrigerant passing respectively through said heating means for forming the super-heated vapor and said condenser means for converting the super-heated vapor to liquid refrigerant; said valve means alternatively causing said first and second tank means to function as (1) a source and sink, respectively, or (2) a sink and source, respectively, said valve means being operated in response to an output of said refrigerant detecting means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
137 words
In combination: first and second tank means for liquid refrigerant; means for heating the refrigerant to produce super-heated vapor; means for transferring the refrigerant selectively from said first and second tank means to said heating means; means for condensing super-heated vapor; means for detecting an amount of refrigerant in said first and second tank means; and valve means for directing the liquid refrigerant between said first and second tank means, said refrigerant passing respectively through said heating means for forming the super-heated vapor and said condenser means for converting the super-heated vapor to liquid refrigerant; said valve means alternatively causing said first and second tank means to function as (1) a source and sink, respectively, or (2) a sink and source, respectively, said valve means being operated in response to an output of said refrigerant detecting means.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination of claim 31, wherein said refrigerant detecting means includes means responsive respectively to the temperature of the refrigerant in said first and second tank means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-02-08 | 1980-08-09 | 1981-02-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-02-08 | 1984-08-09 | 1985-02-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-02-08 | 1988-08-09 | 1989-02-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |