Patent US4336693A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4336693A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Refrigeration process using two-phase turbine
Assignee: Biphase Energy Co
•
Filing: 1980-05-01
•
Granted: 1982-06-29
•
Expires: 2000-05-01
Abstract
Abstract A reaction turbine is used in a refrigeration (or heat pump) process, to improve efficiency.
Inventors
- 👤 Lance G. Hays
- 👤 Walter R. Studhalter
- 👤 Emil W. Ritzi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 20:42
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25B; F25B9/00; F25B9/002; F01; F01D; F01D1/00; F01D1/32; F25B1/00; F25B1/10; F25B11/00; F05; F05D; F05D2210/00; F05D2210/10; F05D2210/13
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
In a refrigeration process employing a circulating fluid refrigerant, the process including compressing and cooling the refrigerant, expanding the cooled refrigerant to lower temperature and pressure levels, and then passing the expanded refrigerant through a refrigeration zone wherein heat is absorbed by the refrigerant, the steps that include (a) carrying out said expansion through a first nozzle flow region to produce a liquid and vapor discharge, (b) providing a rotor and collecting the liquid discharge in a ring on the rotor in such manner as to centrifugally pressurize the collected liquid, (c) providing reaction nozzle means to rotate with the rotor and in communication with the ring of collected liquid and controllably passing the collected liquid through said reaction nozzle means to produce torque to rotate the rotor and to maintain said ring, and (d) collecting liquid discharged from said reaction nozzle means for supply to said refrigeration zone.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a refrigeration process employing a circulating fluid refrigerant, the process including compressing and cooling the refrigerant, expanding the cooled refrigerant to lower temperature and pressure levels, and then passing the expanded refrigerant through a refrigeration zone wherein heat is absorbed by the refrigerant, the steps that include (a) carrying out said expansion through a first nozzle flow region to produce a liquid and vapor discharge, (b) providing a rotor and collecting the liquid discharge in a ring on the rotor in such manner as to centrifugally pressurize the collected liquid, (c) providing reaction nozzle means to rotate with the rotor and in communication with the ring of collected liquid and controllably passing the collected liquid through said reaction nozzle means to produce torque to rotate the rotor and to maintain said ring, and (d) collecting liquid discharged from said reaction nozzle means for supply to said refrigeration zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 including compressing the vapor in response to rotation of the rotor, and returning the compressed vapor to the circulating refrigerant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
The process of claim 1 including also subjecting liquid discharged from the reaction nozzle means to additional steps (a)', (b)', (c)' and (d)' respectively corresponding to steps (a), (b), (c) and (d).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 including controlling the rate of rotation of the rotor to maintain a ring of said liquid collected on the rotor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said (c) step includes controllably adjusting the size of the flow path through said reaction nozzle means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 including causing vanes on the rotor to compress the vapor discharge, and conducting said compressed vapor from the rotor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 6 including recirculating the compressed vapor to the process to be compressed and cooled as aforesaid.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 including converting the energy of rotor rotation into electrical power.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
151 words
In a heat pump process employing a circulating fluid, the process including compressing and cooling the fluid to provide heat, expanding the cooled fluid to lower temperature and pressure levels, and then passing the expanding fuid through a zone wherein heat is absorbed by the expanded fluid, the steps that include: (a) carrying out said expansion through a first nozzle flow region to produce a liquid and vapor discharge, (b) providing a rotor and collecting the liquid discharge in a ring on the rotor in such manner as to centrifugally pressurize the collected liquid, (c) providing reaction nozzle means in association with the rotor and in communication with the ring of collected liquid and controllably passing the collected liquid through said rection nozzle means to produce torque to rotate the rotor and to maintain said ring, and (d) collecting liquid discharged from said reaction nozzle means for supply to said zone.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
151 words
In a heat pump process employing a circulating fluid, the process including compressing and cooling the fluid to provide heat, expanding the cooled fluid to lower temperature and pressure levels, and then passing the expanding fuid through a zone wherein heat is absorbed by the expanded fluid, the steps that include: (a) carrying out said expansion through a first nozzle flow region to produce a liquid and vapor discharge, (b) providing a rotor and collecting the liquid discharge in a ring on the rotor in such manner as to centrifugally pressurize the collected liquid, (c) providing reaction nozzle means in association with the rotor and in communication with the ring of collected liquid and controllably passing the collected liquid through said rection nozzle means to produce torque to rotate the rotor and to maintain said ring, and (d) collecting liquid discharged from said reaction nozzle means for supply to said zone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
114 words
In a process wherein a fluid stream is supplied at elevated pressure, the process including expanding the fluid to a lower pressure level, the steps that include (a) carrying out said expansion through a first nozzle flow region to produce a liquid and gas discharge, (b) providing a rotor and collecting the liquid discharge in a ring on the rotor in such manner as to centrifugally pressurized the collected liquid, (c) providing reaction nozzle means in association with the rotor and in communication with the ring of collected liquid and controllably passing the collected centrifugally pressurized liquid through said reaction nozzle means to produce torque to rotate the rotor and to maintain said ring.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
114 words
In a process wherein a fluid stream is supplied at elevated pressure, the process including expanding the fluid to a lower pressure level, the steps that include (a) carrying out said expansion through a first nozzle flow region to produce a liquid and gas discharge, (b) providing a rotor and collecting the liquid discharge in a ring on the rotor in such manner as to centrifugally pressurized the collected liquid, (c) providing reaction nozzle means in association with the rotor and in communication with the ring of collected liquid and controllably passing the collected centrifugally pressurized liquid through said reaction nozzle means to produce torque to rotate the rotor and to maintain said ring.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
101 words
In a process wherein a fluid stream is supplied at elevated pressure, the process including expanding the fluid to a lower pressure level, the steps that include (a) carrying out said expansion through a first nozzle flow region to produce a liquid and gas discharge, (b) providing a rotor and collecting the liquid discharge in a ring on the rotor in such manner as to centrifugally pressurized the collected liquid, (c) controllably removing liquid from the ring on the rotor so as to maintain said ring, with the rotor rotating, and (d) converting the energy of rotor rotation into usable power.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
101 words
In a process wherein a fluid stream is supplied at elevated pressure, the process including expanding the fluid to a lower pressure level, the steps that include (a) carrying out said expansion through a first nozzle flow region to produce a liquid and gas discharge, (b) providing a rotor and collecting the liquid discharge in a ring on the rotor in such manner as to centrifugally pressurized the collected liquid, (c) controllably removing liquid from the ring on the rotor so as to maintain said ring, with the rotor rotating, and (d) converting the energy of rotor rotation into usable power.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 11 including returning to the process the liquid removed from said ring for repressurization to said elevated pressure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 11 including converting energy of rotor rotation into electrical power.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 11 including causing vanes on the rotor to compress the gaseous discharge, and conducting said compressed gas from the rotor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 11 including conducting the gaseous discharge to a region generally radially outwardly of the rotor, and causing vanes on the rotor to compress the gas during said conducting so as to pressurized the gas in said region.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 15 including returning the pressurized gas to the process fluid stream at a point prior to said expansion of the stream.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2488157A
Cited
US2519010A
Cited
US3300995A
Cited
US3808828A
Cited
US3879949A
Cited
US3972195A
Cited
US4170116A
Cited
US4087261A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-06-28 | 1985-12-28 | 1986-06-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-06-28 | 1989-12-28 | 1990-06-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-06-28 | 1993-12-28 | 1994-06-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |