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US7017357B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Emergency power generation system

Assignee: Carrier Corp
•
Filing: 2003-11-18
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Granted: 2006-03-28
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Expires: 2023-11-18
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Abstract

Abstract In a comfort system having a combination furnace and air conditioner, the two are operated simultaneously at periods of time in which emergency power is desired, with the air conditioning system being temporarily converted to cause the flow of refrigerant to pass from the evaporator to a high pressure side of said compressor rather than to the low pressure side thereof to thereby drive the compressor in reverse such that it operates as a turbine. The turbine then drives its motor in reverse to generate power to be supplied to the various components of the systems and to other appliances during emergency mode operation.

Inventors

  • 👤 Joost J. Brasz

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 11:18
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25B; F25B1/00; F01; F01K; F01K25/00; F01K25/08; F25B1/04; F25B2400/00; F25B2400/14; F25B2400/141

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim 115 words
A comfort system for heating or cooling air by the selective circulation of air over a furnace heat exchanger or over an air conditioning evaporator coil comprising: a heating system for circulating hot gases through the heat exchanger; an air conditioning system for circulating refrigerant through an evaporator coil, a compressor, a condenser and an expansion valve; an activation control for simultaneously operating said heating and air conditioning systems to cause a combined heating of the air circulated thereover; and flow control apparatus for causing the flow of refrigerant to pass from said evaporator to a high pressure side of said compressor such that said compressor is driven in reverse to function as a turbine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 115 words
A comfort system for heating or cooling air by the selective circulation of air over a furnace heat exchanger or over an air conditioning evaporator coil comprising: a heating system for circulating hot gases through the heat exchanger; an air conditioning system for circulating refrigerant through an evaporator coil, a compressor, a condenser and an expansion valve; an activation control for simultaneously operating said heating and air conditioning systems to cause a combined heating of the air circulated thereover; and flow control apparatus for causing the flow of refrigerant to pass from said evaporator to a high pressure side of said compressor such that said compressor is driven in reverse to function as a turbine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 41 words
A comfort system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said compressor is a motor driven compressor and further wherein when said compressor is made to operate in reverse, said compressor functions to drive said motor in reverse to generate power.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
A comfort system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said compressor is a scroll compressor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
A comfort system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said compressor is a screw compressor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 22 words
A comfort system as set forth in claim 1 and including a pump for circulating refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 34 words
A comfort system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flow control apparatus includes valve means for conducting the flow of refrigerant from a low pressure side of said compressor to said condenser.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
A comfort system as set forth in claim 1 wherein flow control apparatus includes valve means for conducting the flow of refrigerant from said condenser to a pump.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 29 words
A comfort system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flow control apparatus includes valve means for conducting the flow of refrigerant of a pump to said evaporator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 21 words
A comfort system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said flow control apparatus includes at least one three way valve.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
A comfort system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said activation control also includes a battery.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 135 words
A method operating a comfort system having a heating system and a cooling system, the heating system having a heat exchanger through which hot gases are circulated and over which air is circulated to be heated, and the cooling system having in serial flow relationship a motor driven compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator coil, said heat exchanger and said evaporator coil both being in the path of the circulated air, comprising the steps of: causing said comfort system to operate such that circulated air passes over both said heat exchanger to be heated and over said evaporator coil; and changing the flow of refrigerant into said compressor from a low pressure side thereof to a high pressure side thereof so as to cause it to operate in reverse as a turbine.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 135 words
A method operating a comfort system having a heating system and a cooling system, the heating system having a heat exchanger through which hot gases are circulated and over which air is circulated to be heated, and the cooling system having in serial flow relationship a motor driven compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator coil, said heat exchanger and said evaporator coil both being in the path of the circulated air, comprising the steps of: causing said comfort system to operate such that circulated air passes over both said heat exchanger to be heated and over said evaporator coil; and changing the flow of refrigerant into said compressor from a low pressure side thereof to a high pressure side thereof so as to cause it to operate in reverse as a turbine.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 and including the step of providing a pump to circulate refrigerant from said condenser to said evaporator coil.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 45 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said compressor is motor driven and further wherein the step of causing said compressor to operate in reverse also causes said compressor to drive said motor in reverse such that said motor functions as a generator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said compressor is a scroll compressor.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 15 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said compressor is a screw compressor.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2009-03-27 2009-09-26 2010-03-28 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2013-03-27 2013-09-26 2014-03-28 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2017-03-27 2017-09-26 2018-03-28 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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