High efficiency absorption cooling and heating apparatus and method

Claim 1

A method for providing a high efficiency absorption refrigeration system comprising the steps of: circulating an absorbent/refrigerant fluid in a fluid flow loop containing at least a condenser, a metering device, an evaporator, an absorber and a generator chamber; coupling a microwave energy source comprising at least one magnetron to the generator chamber for providing a heat source to increase the temperature of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid being circulated in the fluid flow loop, thereby releasing refrigerant vapor from the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; subjecting the absorbent/refrigerant fluid in the generator chamber to an ionizing current in addition to the microwave energy source in order to further facilitate the release of refrigerant vapor from the absorbent/refrigerant fluid within the generator chamber; passing the refrigerant vapor from the generator chamber through an electromagnetic vapor scrubber which further ionizes and separates the refrigerant vapor; passing the ionized refrigerant vapor from the scrubber to the condenser which transforms the refrigerant vapor to a refrigerant liquid, the refrigerant liquid leaving the condenser at the same pressure but at a lower temperature than upon entering the compressor; passing the refrigerant liquid through the metering device which reduces the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant liquid; passing the refrigerant liquid to the evaporator where a heat exchange medium transfers heat to the refrigerant liquid and transforms the liquid to a vapor in order to achieve a desired cooling effect upon the heat exchange medium; passing the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator to the absorber which increases the concentration of refrigerant in the absorbent of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; and recirculating the absorbent/refrigerant fluid to the generator chamber to repeat the cycle.

Claim 2

A method for providing a high efficiency absorption refrigeration system comprising the steps of: circulating an absorbent/refrigerant fluid in a fluid flow loop containing at least a condenser, a metering device, an evaporator, an absorber and a generator chamber; coupling a microwave energy source comprising at least one magnetron to the generator chamber for providing a heat source to increase the temperature of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid being circulated in the fluid flow loop, thereby releasing refrigerant vapor from the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; subjecting the absorbent/refrigerant fluid in the generator chamber to an ionizing current in addition to the microwave energy source in order to further facilitate the release of refrigerant vapor from the absorbent/refrigerant fluid within the generator chamber; passing the refrigerant vapor from the generator chamber through an electromagnetic vapor scrubber which further ionizes and separates the refrigerant vapor; passing the ionized refrigerant vapor from the scrubber to the condenser which transforms the refrigerant vapor to a refrigerant liquid, the refrigerant liquid leaving the condenser at the same pressure but at a lower temperature than upon entering the compressor; passing the refrigerant liquid through the metering device which reduces the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant liquid; passing the refrigerant liquid to the evaporator where a heat exchange medium transfers heat to the refrigerant liquid and transforms the liquid to a vapor in order to achieve a desired cooling effect upon the heat exchange medium; passing the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator to the absorber which increases the concentration of refrigerant in the absorbent of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; and recirculating the absorbent/refrigerant fluid to the generator chamber to repeat the cycle.

Claim 3

A method for providing a high efficiency absorption refrigeration system comprising the steps of: circulating an absorbent/refrigerant fluid in a fluid flow loop containing at least a condenser, a metering device, an evaporator, an absorber and a generator chamber; coupling at least one magnetron to the generator chamber for providing a microwave heat source to increase the temperature of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid being circulated in the fluid flow loop, thereby releasing refrigerant vapor from the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; mounting at least two electrodes in spaced-apart relation within the generator chamber in contact with the absorbent/refrigerant fluid and energizing the electrodes with an electrical current in order to further facilitate the release of refrigerant vapor from the absorbent/refrigerant fluid within the generator chamber; passing the refrigerant vapor from the generator chamber through an electromagnetic vapor scrubber which further ionizes and separates the refrigerant vapor; passing the ionized refrigerant vapor from the scrubber to the condenser which transforms the refrigerant vapor to a refrigerant liquid, the refrigerant liquid leaving the condenser at the same pressure but at a lower temperature than upon entering the compressor; passing the refrigerant liquid through the metering device which reduces the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant liquid; passing the refrigerant vapor to the evaporator where a heat exchange medium transfers heat to the refrigerant liquid and transforms the liquid back to a vapor in order to achieve a desired cooling effect upon the heat exchange medium; passing the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator to the absorber which increases the concentration of refrigerant in the absorbent of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; recirculating the absorbent/refrigerant fluid to the generator chamber to repeat the cycle; and wherein the electromagnetic vapor scrubber comprises an electromagnet encircling a portion of the fluid flow loop of the system.

Claim 4

A method for providing a high efficiency absorption refrigeration system comprising the steps of: circulating an absorbent/refrigerant fluid in a fluid flow loop containing at least a condenser, a metering device, an evaporator, an absorber and a generator chamber; coupling at least one magnetron to the generator chamber for providing a microwave heat source to increase the temperature of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid being circulated in the fluid flow loop, thereby releasing refrigerant vapor from the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; mounting at least two electrodes in spaced-apart relation within the generator chamber in contact with the absorbent/refrigerant fluid and energizing the electrodes with an electrical current in order to further facilitate the release of refrigerant vapor from the absorbent/refrigerant fluid within the generator chamber; passing the refrigerant vapor from the generator chamber through an electromagnetic vapor scrubber which further ionizes and separates the refrigerant vapor; passing the ionized refrigerant vapor from the scrubber to the condenser which transforms the refrigerant vapor to a refrigerant liquid, the refrigerant liquid leaving the condenser at the same pressure but at a lower temperature than upon entering the compressor; passing the refrigerant liquid through the metering device which reduces the pressure and temperature of the refrigerant liquid; passing the refrigerant vapor to the evaporator where a heat exchange medium transfers heat to the refrigerant liquid and transforms the liquid back to a vapor in order to achieve a desired cooling effect upon the heat exchange medium; passing the refrigerant vapor from the evaporator to the absorber which increases the concentration of refrigerant in the absorbent of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; recirculating the absorbent/refrigerant fluid to the generator chamber to repeat the cycle; and wherein the electromagnetic vapor scrubber comprises an electromagnet encircling a portion of the fluid flow loop of the system.

Claim 8

A method for separating a refrigerant portion from an absorbent portion of an absorbent/refrigerant fluid of the type used in an absorption refrigeration system, the method comprising the steps of: supplying a source of absorbent/refrigerant fluid to a generator chamber; supplying microwave energy to the generator chamber to heat the absorbent/refrigerant fluid to a temperature below the boiling point of the refrigerant portion of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; mounting at least two spaced-apart electrodes within the generator chamber and ionizing the absorbent/refrigerant fluid in the generator chamber by passing electrical current between the two spaced-apart electrodes, thereby producing a vaporized, predominantly refrigerant portion of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; scrubbing and further ionizing the vaporized, predominantly refrigerant portion of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid by passing such portion through a magnetic field having a magnetic resonance frequency matched to the refrigerant portion but not to the absorbent portion.

Claim 9

A method for separating a refrigerant portion from an absorbent portion of an absorbent/refrigerant fluid of the type used in an absorption refrigeration system, the method comprising the steps of: supplying a source of absorbent/refrigerant fluid to a generator chamber; supplying microwave energy to the generator chamber to heat the absorbent/refrigerant fluid to a temperature below the boiling point of the refrigerant portion of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; mounting at least two spaced-apart electrodes within the generator chamber and ionizing the absorbent/refrigerant fluid in the generator chamber by passing electrical current between the two spaced-apart electrodes, thereby producing a vaporized, predominantly refrigerant portion of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid; scrubbing and further ionizing the vaporized, predominantly refrigerant portion of the absorbent/refrigerant fluid by passing such portion through a magnetic field having a magnetic resonance frequency matched to the refrigerant portion but not to the absorbent portion.