Hydrocarbon fluid, ejector refrigeration system

Claim 2

A refrigeration system comprising: a vapor ejector cycle including a working fluid having a property such that entropy of the working fluid when in a saturated vapor state decreases as pressure decreases, the vapor ejector cycle comprising: a condenser located on a common fluid flow path; a diverter located downstream from the condenser for diverting the working fluid into a primary fluid flow path and a secondary fluid flow path parallel to the primary fluid flow path; an evaporator located on the secondary fluid flow path; an expansion device located on the secondary fluid flow path upstream of the evaporator; a boiler located on the primary fluid flow path parallel to the evaporator for boiling the working fluid, the boiler comprising an axially extending core region having a substantially constant cross sectional area and a porous capillary region surrounding the core region, the core region extending a length sufficient to produce a near sonic velocity saturated vapor; and an ejector having an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet of the condenser and an inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the evaporator and the outlet of the boiler and in which the flows of the working fluid from the evaporator and the boiler are mixed and the pressure of the working fluid is increased to at least the pressure of the condenser, the ejector inlet, located downstream from the axially extending core region, including a primary nozzle located sufficiently close to the outlet of the boiler to minimize a pressure drop between the boiler and the primary nozzle, the primary nozzle of the ejector including a converging section having an included angle and length preselected to receive the working fluid from the boiler as a near sonic velocity saturated vapor.

Claim 3

The refrigeration system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid is a hydrocarbon.

Claim 4

The refrigeration system of claim 2, wherein the hydrocarbon is isopentane.

Claim 5

The refrigeration system of claim 2, wherein the hydrocarbon is butane.

Claim 6

The refrigeration system of claim 2, wherein the hydrocarbon is pentane.

Claim 7

The refrigeration system of claim 2, wherein the hydrocarbon is heptane.

Claim 8

The refrigeration system of claim 2, wherein the hydrocarbon is hexane.

Claim 9

The refrigeration system of claim 2, wherein the hydrocarbon is isobutane.

Claim 10

The refrigeration system of claim 2, wherein the hydrocarbon is octane.

Claim 11

The refrigeration system of claim 2, wherein the hydrocarbon is Refrigerant 114.

Claim 12

The refrigeration system of claim 2, wherein the hydrocarbon is Refrigerant C-318.

Claim 13

The refrigeration system of claim wherein the boiler comprises an evaporator section of a heat pipe.

Claim 14

The refrigeration system of claim 1, wherein the axially extending core region is axially aligned with the primary nozzle of the ejector.

Claim 15

The refrigeration system of claim 1, wherein the axially extending core region includes an outlet located in direct fluid communication with the primary nozzle of the ejector.

Claim 16

The refrigeration system of claim 1, wherein the near sonic velocity saturated vapor from the boiler has a Mach number of at least 0.85.

Claim 17

The refrigeration system of claim 15, wherein the near sonic velocity saturated vapor from the boiler has a Mach number between 0.90 and 0.95.

Claim 18

The refrigeration system of claim 1, wherein the primary nozzle of the ejector has an efficiency of at least 95%.

Claim 19

The refrigeration system of claim 1, wherein the primary nozzle of the ejector has an efficiency of at least 98%.

Claim 20

The refrigeration system of claim 1, wherein the primary nozzle of the ejector is sized to maximize the inlet stagnation pressure.

Claim 21

The refrigeration system of claim 1, further comprising a pump located in the second fluid flow path upstream of the boiler to pump the working fluid to the boiler.

Claim 22

The refrigeration system of claim 1, wherein the ejector is configured to operate at an entrainment ratio of within 98% of an ideal ejector.

Claim 23

An air conditioning system for an automobile comprising: a working fluid having a property such that entropy of the working fluid when in a saturated vapor state decreases as pressure decreases; a condenser located along a common fluid flow path for condensing the working fluid to a saturated liquid; a diverter located downstream of the condenser for diverting the working fluid into a primary fluid flow path and a secondary fluid flow path parallel to the primary fluid flow path; an expansion device located along the secondary fluid flow path for decreasing the pressure of the working fluid; an evaporator located along the secondary fluid flow path downstream of the expansion device for evaporating the working fluid; means located along the primary fluid flow path for boiling the working fluid to produce a near sonic velocity saturated vapor; and an ejector located at a junction of the primary and secondary flow paths, the ejector including means, located downstream from the boiling means and sufficiently close to the boiling means to minimize a pressure drop between the boiling means and the ejector, for receiving the working fluid from the boiling means in the near sonic velocity saturated vapor state and for increasing the velocity of the working fluid to a supersonic velocity, the ejector further including a section downstream from the receiving and velocity increasing means to mix the working fluid from the boiling means with the working fluid from the evaporator and to increase the pressure of the mixed working fluid to at least the pressure at the condenser.

Claim 24

An air conditioning system for an automobile comprising: a working fluid having a property such that entropy of the working fluid when in a saturated vapor state decreases as pressure decreases; a condenser located along a common fluid flow path for condensing the working fluid to a saturated liquid; a diverter located downstream of the condenser for diverting the working fluid into a primary fluid flow path and a secondary fluid flow path parallel to the primary fluid flow path; an expansion device located along the secondary fluid flow path for decreasing the pressure of the working fluid; an evaporator located along the secondary fluid flow path downstream of the expansion device for evaporating the working fluid; means located along the primary fluid flow path for boiling the working fluid to produce a near sonic velocity saturated vapor; and an ejector located at a junction of the primary and secondary flow paths, the ejector including means, located downstream from the boiling means and sufficiently close to the boiling means to minimize a pressure drop between the boiling means and the ejector, for receiving the working fluid from the boiling means in the near sonic velocity saturated vapor state and for increasing the velocity of the working fluid to a supersonic velocity, the ejector further including a section downstream from the receiving and velocity increasing means to mix the working fluid from the boiling means with the working fluid from the evaporator and to increase the pressure of the mixed working fluid to at least the pressure at the condenser.

Claim 25

The air conditioning system of claim 22, wherein the working fluid is a hydrocarbon.

Claim 26

The air conditioning system of claim 22, wherein the hydrocarbon is isopentane.

Claim 27

The air conditioning system of claim 23, wherein the hydrocarbon is butane.

Claim 28

The refrigeration system of claim 23, wherein the hydrocarbon is pentane.

Claim 29

The air conditioning system of claim 22, wherein the hydrocarbon is isobutane.

Claim 30

The air conditioning system of claim 22, wherein the boiling means comprises: an evaporator section of a heat pipe comprising a core, a jacket surrounding the core, and a porous section between the jacket and the core through which fluid flows by capillary action, the core having a length preselected to produce a near sonic velocity saturated vapor; a source of a heating fluid connected to the jacket to heat fluid in the porous section and in the core, whereby the working fluid in the porous section enters the core by evaporation; an inlet for supplying the working fluid to the porous section; and an outlet from the core for supplying the working fluid as a near sonic velocity saturated vapor to the ejector.

Claim 31

The air conditioning system of claim 22, wherein the ejector comprises: a converging-diverging nozzle through which the working fluid from the boiling means travels and from which the working fluid from the boiling means exits at a supersonic velocity and reduced pressure; an annular input nozzle surrounding the converging-diverging nozzle through which the working fluid from the evaporating means enters the ejector; a mixing section in which the working fluid from the boiling means and the working fluid from the evaporator are mixed, the mixing section including a shock wave region for creating a standing shock wave to increase the pressure of the working fluid; and a diffuser to further increase the pressure of the working fluid such that the pressure of the working fluid at the exit of the diffuser is at least the saturation pressure of the condenser.

Claim 32

The refrigeration system of claim 29, wherein the converging-diverging nozzle of the ejector has an efficiency of at least 95%.

Claim 33

The refrigeration system of claim 29, wherein the converging-diverging nozzle of the ejector has an efficiency of at least 98%.

Claim 34

The air conditioning system of claim 22, wherein the ejector entrains the working fluid from the evaporator within the working fluid from the boiling means and converts the enthalpy of the working fluid from the boiling means to kinetic energy to increase the pressure of the working fluid from the evaporating means.

Claim 35

The air conditioning system of claim 22, further comprising a pump located in the primary flow path upstream of the boiling means to pump the working fluid to the boiling means.

Claim 36

The refrigeration system of claim 22, wherein the converging section of the converging-diverging nozzle is sized to maximize the inlet stagnation pressure.

Claim 37

The air conditioning system of claim 22, wherein the boiling means further comprises means for supplying waste heat from an automobile engine.

Claim 38

The air conditioning system of claim 35, wherein the waste heat supplying means supplies heat from an engine coolant fluid.

Claim 39

The air conditioning, system of claim 35, wherein the waste heat supplying means supplies heat from exhaust gases from the engine.

Claim 40

The air conditioning system of claim 22, wherein the boiling means comprises an automobile radiator.

Claim 41

The refrigeration system of claim 22, wherein the near sonic velocity saturated vapor from the boiling means has a Mach number of at least 0.85.

Claim 42

The refrigeration system of claim 39, wherein the near sonic velocity saturated vapor from the boiler has a Mach number between 0.90 and 0.95.

Claim 43

An air conditioning system for an automobile comprising: a working fluid having a property such that entropy of the working fluid when in a saturated vapor state decreases as pressure decreases; a condenser located along a common fluid flow path for condensing the working fluid to a saturated liquid; a diverter located downstream of the condenser for diverting the working fluid into a primary fluid flow path and a secondary fluid flow path parallel to the primary fluid flow path; an expansion device located along the secondary fluid flow path for decreasing the pressure of the working fluid; an evaporator located along the secondary fluid flow path downstream of the expansion device for evaporating the working fluid; a boiler located on the primary fluid flow path parallel to the evaporator for boiling the working fluid, the boiler comprising an axially extending core region having a substantially constant cross sectional area and a predetermined length, and a porous capillary region surrounding the core region and cooperating with the core region to define means to produce a near sonic velocity saturated vapor; and an ejector located at a junction of the primary and secondary flow paths sufficiently close to the outlet of the boiler to receive the near sonic velocity saturated vapor from the boiler, the ejector comprising: a converging-diverging nozzle through which the working fluid from the boiler travels and from which the working fluid from the boiler exits at a supersonic velocity and reduced pressure, the converging section having an included angle and length preselected to receive the working fluid from the boiler as a near sonic velocity saturated vapor; an annular input nozzle surrounding the converging-diverging nozzle through which the working fluid from the evaporator means enters the ejector; a mixing section in which the working fluid from the boiler and the working fluid from the evaporator are mixed, the mixing section including a shock wave region for creating a standing shock wave to increase the pressure of the working fluid; and a diffuser to further increase the pressure of the working fluid such that the pressure of the working fluid at the exist of the diffuser is at least the saturation pressure of the condenser.

Claim 44

An air conditioning system for an automobile comprising: a working fluid having a property such that entropy of the working fluid when in a saturated vapor state decreases as pressure decreases; a condenser located along a common fluid flow path for condensing the working fluid to a saturated liquid; a diverter located downstream of the condenser for diverting the working fluid into a primary fluid flow path and a secondary fluid flow path parallel to the primary fluid flow path; an expansion device located along the secondary fluid flow path for decreasing the pressure of the working fluid; an evaporator located along the secondary fluid flow path downstream of the expansion device for evaporating the working fluid; a boiler located on the primary fluid flow path parallel to the evaporator for boiling the working fluid, the boiler comprising an axially extending core region having a substantially constant cross sectional area and a predetermined length, and a porous capillary region surrounding the core region and cooperating with the core region to define means to produce a near sonic velocity saturated vapor; and an ejector located at a junction of the primary and secondary flow paths sufficiently close to the outlet of the boiler to receive the near sonic velocity saturated vapor from the boiler, the ejector comprising: a converging-diverging nozzle through which the working fluid from the boiler travels and from which the working fluid from the boiler exits at a supersonic velocity and reduced pressure, the converging section having an included angle and length preselected to receive the working fluid from the boiler as a near sonic velocity saturated vapor; an annular input nozzle surrounding the converging-diverging nozzle through which the working fluid from the evaporator means enters the ejector; a mixing section in which the working fluid from the boiler and the working fluid from the evaporator are mixed, the mixing section including a shock wave region for creating a standing shock wave to increase the pressure of the working fluid; and a diffuser to further increase the pressure of the working fluid such that the pressure of the working fluid at the exist of the diffuser is at least the saturation pressure of the condenser.

Claim 45

The air conditioning system of claim 41, wherein the working fluid is a hydrocarbon.

Claim 46

The air conditioning system of claim 42, wherein the hydrocarbon comprises isopentane, butane, or pentane.

Claim 47

The air conditioning system of claim 41, wherein the converging-diverging nozzle of the ejector has an efficiency of at least 95%.

Claim 48

The air conditioning system of claim 41, wherein the converging-diverging nozzle of the ejector has an efficiency of at least 98%.

Claim 49

The air conditioning system of claim 41, wherein the near sonic velocity saturated vapor produced by the boiler has a Mach number of at least 0.85.

Claim 50

The air conditioning system of claim 42, wherein the near sonic velocity saturated vapor produced by the boiler has a Mach number between 0.90 and 0.95.