Rotary thermodynamic apparatus and method

Claim 2

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device operable as a gas-flow driven heat pump in which heat is transferred from a lower temperature heat source to a higher temperature heat sink, comprising gas-flow driven heat pump means having a low pressure portion in which heat received directly or indirectly from said source evolves a volatile component as a gas from an absorbent liquor to concentrate said liquor and a high-pressure portion in which heat delivered to said sink is produced by absorption of the gas into the concentrated liquor; means supplying said gas at a relatively high pressure to said high-pressure portion of the gas-flow driven heat pump means; and means accepting said gas at a low pressure from said low-pressure portion of the gas-flow driven heat pump means.

Claim 3

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 1, wherein said low-pressure portion includes a desorption chamber through which said liquor flows and in which heat from absorption in said high-pressure portion evolves said gas in said low-pressure portion to concentrate said liquor, and said high-pressure portion includes an absorption chamber through which the liquor concentrated in said desorption chamber flows absorbing the high pressure gas and from which heat of absorption is transferred at said higher temperature to said heat sink.

Claim 4

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 2, wherein said absorption chamber is disposed radially outward of said separation chamber.

Claim 5

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 3, further comprising pumping means for pumping said liquor from said absorption chamber to said separation chamber.

Claim 6

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 1, said gas-flow driven heat pump means further including feedback means thermally coupling said high-pressure portion and said low-pressure portion of said gas-flow driven heat pump means for additionally concentrating the liquor in said low-pressure portion in accordance with the difference in temperature between said higher temperature heat sink and said source by transfer of at least a portion of the heat produced by absorption in said high-pressure portion to the liquor in said low-pressure portion.

Claim 7

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 5, wherein said low-pressure portion includes a desorption chamber in which said liquor flows in one direction and heat from said source evolves said gas to concentrate said liquor; said high-pressure portion includes an absorption chamber in which the liquor concentrated in the desorption chamber flows in another direction countercurrent to said one direction; and said feedback means includes countercurrent heat transfer means transferring the heat of absorption of the liquor in said absorption chamber to the liquor in said desorption chamber.

Claim 8

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 2 or 6, wherein said desorption chamber and said absorption chamber each include flow control means ensuring that the concentration of the liquor flowing therein varies in the direction of flow therein.

Claim 9

An absorptive inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 7, wherein said flow control means in said desorption chamber includes a plurality of underspill barrier means disposed between inlet and outlet ends of the desorption chamber and the flow control means in said absorption chamber includes a plurality of overspill barrier means disposed between inlet and outlet ends of the absorption chamber.

Claim 10

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 8, wherein successive ones of said underspill barrier means define respective desorber stages within the desorption chamber such that the liquor at a radially more distant portion of each stage flows to a radially less distant surface of the liquor in the next successive desorber stage.

Claim 11

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 9, wherein each said underspill barrier means comprises a first barrier open at a radially more distant edge thereof to permit flow therepast of said liquor from a radially more distant portion thereof, and a second barrier open at a radially closer edge to guide the liquor flowing past the first barrier to a radially closer portion of the next successive desorber stage.

Claim 12

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 10, wherein the radially closer edges of the second barriers of successive ones of said underspill barrier means are stepped in radial distance.

Claim 13

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 8, wherein successive ones of said overspill barrer means define respective absorber stages within the absorption chamber such that the liquor at a radially closer surface of the liquor in each such stage spills over to a radially more distant portion of the next respective stage.

Claim 14

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 12, wherein each said overspill barrier means comprises a first barrier open only at a radially closer edge to permit spillage thereover of said liquor from a surface layer thereof, and a second barrier open at a radially more distant edge to guide the liquor spilling over said first barrier to a radially more distant portion of the next successive absorber stage.

Claim 15

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 13, wherein the radially closer edges of the first barrier of successive ones of said overspill barrier means are stepped in radial distance.

Claim 16

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 1, further comprising heat-flow driven gas-pumping means having a high-pressure side constituting said means supplying said gas at high pressure and a low-pressure side constituting said means accepting said gas at low pressure.

Claim 17

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device operable as a heat-flow driven gas pump in which gas supplied from a low-pressure inlet is transferred to an outlet at a higher pressure, comprising heat-flow driven gas pump means having for at least one concentration of liquor at least one relatively low temperature, low pressure portion in which gas received from said inlet is absorbed into said absorbent liquor to dilute the same, and for the same said or lesser concentration of said liquor, at least one relatively high pressure portion in which the gas delivered to said outlet is evolved from said liquor; heat source means supplying input heat at a higher temperature, directly or indirectly, to said high-pressure portion of said heat-flow driven gas pump means; and low-temperature heat sink means accepting said heat at lower temperature than said input heat from at least one portion of said low-pressure portion of said heat-flow driven gas pump means.

Claim 18

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device operable as a heat-flow driven gas pump in which gas supplied from a low-pressure inlet is transferred to an outlet at a higher pressure, comprising heat-flow driven gas pump means having for at least one concentration of liquor at least one relatively low temperature, low pressure portion in which gas received from said inlet is absorbed into said absorbent liquor to dilute the same, and for the same said or lesser concentration of said liquor, at least one relatively high pressure portion in which the gas delivered to said outlet is evolved from said liquor; heat source means supplying input heat at a higher temperature, directly or indirectly, to said high-pressure portion of said heat-flow driven gas pump means; and low-temperature heat sink means accepting said heat at lower temperature than said input heat from at least one portion of said low-pressure portion of said heat-flow driven gas pump means.

Claim 19

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 16, wherein said low-pressure portion includes an absorption chamber through which said liquor flows and in which the low-pressure gas from said inlet is absorbed to dilute said liquor and liberate heat to be transferred to said low-temperature heat sink means; and said high-pressure portion includes a desportion chamber through which the liquor diluted in said absorption chamber flows receiving heat directly or indirectly from said heat source means and evolving the gas at high pressure to be delivered to said outlet.

Claim 20

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 17, wherein said desorption chamber is disposed radially outward of said absorption chamber.

Claim 21

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 18, further comprising pumping means for pumping said liquor from said desorption chamber to said absorption chamber.

Claim 22

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 16, said heat-flow driven gas pump means further including feedback means thermally coupling said high-pressure portion and said low-pressure portion of said heat-flow driven gas pump means for additionally diluting the liquor in the low-pressure portion in accordance with the difference in gas pressure between said inlet and said outlet by transfer of heat produced in said low-pressure portion to the liquor in said high-pressure portion.

Claim 23

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 20, wherein said low-pressure portion includes an absorption chamber in which said liquor flows in one direction and gas supplied to said inlet is absorbed to dilute said liquor; said high-pressure portion includes a desorption chamber in which the liquor diluted in said absorption chamber flows in another direction countercurrent to said one direction; and said feedback means includes countercurrent heat transfer means transferring heat of absorption of the liquor in said absorption chamber to the liquor in said desorption chamber.

Claim 24

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device an in claim 17 or 21, wherein said desorption chamber and said absorption chamber each include flow control means ensuring that the concentration of the liquor flowing therein varies in the direction of flow therein.

Claim 25

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 22, wherein said flow control means in said desorption chamber includes a plurality of underspill barrier means disposed between inlet and outlet ends of the desorption chamber and the flow control means in said absorption chamber includes a plurality of overspill barrier means disposed between inlet and outlet ends of the absorption chamber.

Claim 26

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 23, wherein successive ones of said underspill barrier means define respective desorber stages within the desorption chamber such that the liquor at a radially more distant portion of each stage flows to a radially less distant surface of the liquor in the next successive desorber stage.

Claim 27

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 24, wherein each said underspill barrier means comprises a first barrier open at a radially more distant edge thereof to permit flow therepast of said liquor from a radially more distant portion thereof, and a second barrier open at a radially closer edge to guide the liquor flowing past the first barrier to a radially closer portion of the next successive desorber stage.

Claim 28

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device an in claim 25, wherein the radially closer edges of the second barriers of successive ones of said underspill barrier means are stepped in radial distance.

Claim 29

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 23, wherein successive ones of said overspill barrier means define respective absorber stages within the absorption chamber such that the liquor at a radially closer surface of the liquor in each such stage spill over to a radially more distant portion of the next successive stage.

Claim 30

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 27, wherein each said overspill barrier means comprises a first barrier open only at a radially closer edge thereof to permit spillage thereover of said liquor from an exposed surface layer thereof, and a second barrier open at a radially more distant edge to guide the liquor spilling over said first barrier to a radially more distant portion of the next successive stage.

Claim 31

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 28, wherein the radially closer edges of the first barriers of successive ones of said underspill barrier means are stepped in radial distance.

Claim 32

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device as in claim 16, further comprising gas-flow driven heat-pumping means having a high-pressure side coupled to said gas outlet and a low-pressure side coupled to said gas inlet.

Claim 33

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device in which heat is transferred from a lower-temperature heat source to a higher-temperature heat sink, comprising a low-pressure portion in which heat received directly or indirectly from said source evolves a volatile component as gas from an absorbent liquor to concentrate the same; a high-pressure portion in which heat delivered to said higher-temperature heat sink is produced by absorption of the gas into the concentrated liquor; and self-adjusting means thermally coupling said high-pressure portion with said low-pressure portion for additionally concentrating the liquor in the low-pressure portion in accordance with the difference in temperature between said higher-temperature sink and said lower-temperature heat source by transfer of heat produced in said high-pressure portion to the liquor in said low-pressure portion.

Claim 34

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device in which heat is transferred from a lower-temperature heat source to a higher-temperature heat sink, comprising a low-pressure portion in which heat received directly or indirectly from said source evolves a volatile component as gas from an absorbent liquor to concentrate the same; a high-pressure portion in which heat delivered to said higher-temperature heat sink is produced by absorption of the gas into the concentrated liquor; and self-adjusting means thermally coupling said high-pressure portion with said low-pressure portion for additionally concentrating the liquor in the low-pressure portion in accordance with the difference in temperature between said higher-temperature sink and said lower-temperature heat source by transfer of heat produced in said high-pressure portion to the liquor in said low-pressure portion.

Claim 35

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device in which gas supplied at low pressure from a low-pressure inlet is transferred at high pressure to an outlet, comprising for at least one concentration of liquor at least one relatively low-pressure portion in which gas received from said inlet is absorbed into an absorbent liquor to dilute the same; and for the same said concentration or lesser concentration of said liquor at least one high-pressure portion in which the gas delivered to said outlet is evolved from the diluted liquor; and self-adjusting means thermally coupling said low-pressure portion and said high-pressure portion for additionally diluting the liquor in the low-pressure portion in accordance with the difference in pressure between said oulet and said inlet by transfer of heat produced in said low-pressure portion to the liquor in said high-pressure portion with relative liquor concentrations, at such thermally coupled locations, such that absorption at the lower gas pressure produces heat at a temperature greater than or equal to the temperature at which heat can be absorbed by the liquor in the higher pressure portion evolving gas from said liquor at said higher pressure.

Claim 36

An absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device in which gas supplied at low pressure from a low-pressure inlet is transferred at high pressure to an outlet, comprising for at least one concentration of liquor at least one relatively low-pressure portion in which gas received from said inlet is absorbed into an absorbent liquor to dilute the same; and for the same said concentration or lesser concentration of said liquor at least one high-pressure portion in which the gas delivered to said outlet is evolved from the diluted liquor; and self-adjusting means thermally coupling said low-pressure portion and said high-pressure portion for additionally diluting the liquor in the low-pressure portion in accordance with the difference in pressure between said oulet and said inlet by transfer of heat produced in said low-pressure portion to the liquor in said high-pressure portion with relative liquor concentrations, at such thermally coupled locations, such that absorption at the lower gas pressure produces heat at a temperature greater than or equal to the temperature at which heat can be absorbed by the liquor in the higher pressure portion evolving gas from said liquor at said higher pressure.

Claim 37

Absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic method of pumping heat from a low temperature heat source to a higher temperature heat sink and driven by flow of a gas, comprising the steps of receiving heat from said source in a low-pressure chamber in which an absorbent liquor flows; evolving a volatile component as said gas from said liquor to concentrate the liquor; outletting the evolved gas at low pressure from said low-pressure chamber; supplying said gas at high pressure to a high-pressure chamber; and producing heat to be delivered to said sink by absorbing the gas into the concentrated liquor in said high-pressure chamber.

Claim 38

Absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic method of pumping heat from a low temperature heat source to a higher temperature heat sink and driven by flow of a gas, comprising the steps of receiving heat from said source in a low-pressure chamber in which an absorbent liquor flows; evolving a volatile component as said gas from said liquor to concentrate the liquor; outletting the evolved gas at low pressure from said low-pressure chamber; supplying said gas at high pressure to a high-pressure chamber; and producing heat to be delivered to said sink by absorbing the gas into the concentrated liquor in said high-pressure chamber.

Claim 39

Absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic method of pumping gas from an inlet at a lower pressure to an outlet at a higher pressure, and driven by flow of heat, comprising the steps of receiving the gas at low pressure in a low-pressure chamber in which an absorbent liquor flows; for at least one concentration of liquor, absorbing the gas into said liquor in the low-pressure chamber to dilute the liquor; supplying heat to a high-pressure chamber in which the diluted liquor flows; and evolving in said high-pressure chamber from said liquor at the same said or lesser concentration said gas to be delivered to said outlet at high pressure by heating the diluted liquor.

Claim 40

Absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic method of pumping gas from an inlet at a lower pressure to an outlet at a higher pressure, and driven by flow of heat, comprising the steps of receiving the gas at low pressure in a low-pressure chamber in which an absorbent liquor flows; for at least one concentration of liquor, absorbing the gas into said liquor in the low-pressure chamber to dilute the liquor; supplying heat to a high-pressure chamber in which the diluted liquor flows; and evolving in said high-pressure chamber from said liquor at the same said or lesser concentration said gas to be delivered to said outlet at high pressure by heating the diluted liquor.

Claim 41

Absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic method of pumping heat from a low temperature heat source to a higher temperature heat sink and driven by flow of a gas, comprising the steps of receiving heat from said source in a low-pressure chamber in which an absorbent liquor flows; evolving a volatile component as a gas from said liquor to concentrate said liquor; producing heat to be delivered to said sink by absorbing the gas into the concentrated liquor in a high-pressure chamber; and thermally coupling said low-pressure chamber with said high-pressure chamber for additionally concentrating the liquor in the low-pressure chamber in accordance with the difference in temperature between said heat sink and heat source by transfer of heat produced in said high-pressure chamber to the liquor in said low-pressure chamber.

Claim 42

Absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic method of pumping heat from a low temperature heat source to a higher temperature heat sink and driven by flow of a gas, comprising the steps of receiving heat from said source in a low-pressure chamber in which an absorbent liquor flows; evolving a volatile component as a gas from said liquor to concentrate said liquor; producing heat to be delivered to said sink by absorbing the gas into the concentrated liquor in a high-pressure chamber; and thermally coupling said low-pressure chamber with said high-pressure chamber for additionally concentrating the liquor in the low-pressure chamber in accordance with the difference in temperature between said heat sink and heat source by transfer of heat produced in said high-pressure chamber to the liquor in said low-pressure chamber.

Claim 43

Absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic method of pumping gas supplied from an inlet at low pressure to an outlet at a higher pressure, and driven by flow of heat, comprising the steps of receiving the gas from said inlet at a low pressure in a low-pressure chamber in which an absorbent liquor flows; absorbing the gas into the liquor in the low-pressure chamber to dilute the liquor; evolving said gas at the higher pressure in a high-pressure chamber, with the evolved gas to be delivered to said outlet; and thermally coupling the low-pressure chamber with the high-pressure chamber for additionally diluting the liquor in the low-pressure chamber in an amount that varies with the difference in gas pressure between said outlet and said inlet by transfer produced in said low-pressure chamber to the liquor in said high-pressure chamber.

Claim 44

Absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic method of pumping gas supplied from an inlet at low pressure to an outlet at a higher pressure, and driven by flow of heat, comprising the steps of receiving the gas from said inlet at a low pressure in a low-pressure chamber in which an absorbent liquor flows; absorbing the gas into the liquor in the low-pressure chamber to dilute the liquor; evolving said gas at the higher pressure in a high-pressure chamber, with the evolved gas to be delivered to said outlet; and thermally coupling the low-pressure chamber with the high-pressure chamber for additionally diluting the liquor in the low-pressure chamber in an amount that varies with the difference in gas pressure between said outlet and said inlet by transfer produced in said low-pressure chamber to the liquor in said high-pressure chamber.

Claim 45

In an absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device including an absorption chamber in which a gas is absorbed in an absorbent liquor, a desorption chamber having means for conducting heat from a source into a liquor in said separation chamber to drive said gas out of said liquor, means for pumping said liquor through a closed circuit path including said absorption and desorption chambers, means for conducting heat from the liquor in said desorption chamber to a sink, and means for conducting from said absorption chamber to said desorption chamber heat developed by the absorption of said gas into said liquor, the improvement wherein said desorption and absorption chambers include self-adjusting means thermally coupling said desorption chamber and said absorption chamber for absorbing additional gas into said liquor in said absorption chamber and separating additional gas from the liquor in said desorption chamber in accordance with the difference in temperature between said source and sink.

Claim 46

In an absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device including an absorption chamber in which a gas is absorbed in an absorbent liquor, a desorption chamber having means for conducting heat from a source into a liquor in said separation chamber to drive said gas out of said liquor, means for pumping said liquor through a closed circuit path including said absorption and desorption chambers, means for conducting heat from the liquor in said desorption chamber to a sink, and means for conducting from said absorption chamber to said desorption chamber heat developed by the absorption of said gas into said liquor, the improvement wherein said desorption and absorption chambers include self-adjusting means thermally coupling said desorption chamber and said absorption chamber for absorbing additional gas into said liquor in said absorption chamber and separating additional gas from the liquor in said desorption chamber in accordance with the difference in temperature between said source and sink.

Claim 47

In an absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device including an absorption chamber in which gas is absorbed into an absorbent liquor, a desorption chamber having means for conducting heat into liquor in said desorption chamber to drive said gas out of said liquor, means for pumping said liquor through a closed circuit path including said absorption and desorption chambers, and means for conducting from said absorption chamber to said desorption chamber heat developed by the absorption of said gas into said liquor; the improvement wherein for at least one concentration of liquor, in at least one portion of said absorption chamber said gas is absorbed into said liquor to dilute the same and, for the same said or a lesser concentration of said liquor, in at least one portion of said desorption chamber said gas is evolved from said liquor.

Claim 48

In an absorptive rotary inertial thermodynamic device including an absorption chamber in which gas is absorbed into an absorbent liquor, a desorption chamber having means for conducting heat into liquor in said desorption chamber to drive said gas out of said liquor, means for pumping said liquor through a closed circuit path including said absorption and desorption chambers, and means for conducting from said absorption chamber to said desorption chamber heat developed by the absorption of said gas into said liquor; the improvement wherein for at least one concentration of liquor, in at least one portion of said absorption chamber said gas is absorbed into said liquor to dilute the same and, for the same said or a lesser concentration of said liquor, in at least one portion of said desorption chamber said gas is evolved from said liquor.