CA1036375A - Rotary heat engine powered single fluid cooling and heating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract Of The Disclosure Rotary closed Rankine cycle cooling and heating apparatus utilizing a single fluid for both engine power and refrigeration.
The apparatus includes a rotary housing containing a boiler, power fluid expander coupled with a refrigerant fluid compressor and a refrigerant expander. A condenser for the expanded power portion and the compressed refrigerant portion of the single fluid, and an evaporator for the expanded refrigerant fluid por-tion, are mounted at respectively opposite sides of the housing coaxially thereof for rotation with the housing as a unit. The power fluid expander is driven at a predetermined speed by pres-sure power fluid vapor generated in the boiler and in turn drives the refrigerant fluid compressor. The refrigerant expander is of the capillary type constructed and arranged with respect to the evaporator to automatically control the capacity balance of the refrigerant system. The entire unit is hermetically sealed and the Rankine cycle power system is adapted and designed for use with a high molecular weight fluid. The expanded power and com-pressed refrigerant portions of the single fluid are condensed in the condenser and means are provided in the housing for dividing and supplying the condensed liquid to the boiler at the rate to maintain a constant predetermined liquid level in the boiler and to the refrigerant expander to establish and maintain capacity balance in the refrigerant system.

Description

~,03637S
Th$~ lnventlon relat~ to rotar~ hoat ongine power¢d ~lngle fluid cooling and heating apparatu~, and more partlcu-lsrly to closed Rankine cycle engine powered ~lngle ~luid apparatus havlng a conden~er and evaporator coupled to the engine ~or rotation th~rew*th a~ a unlt.
An ob~ect of the present inve~tion ls to provide a rotary closed ~ankine cycle englno powered ~ingle ~luid cooling and heatlng apparatu~ that 1~ Or comp~ct, unltary construction and both quiet and er~iclent in operation.
Anothor obJect of the inve~tion i~ to providc a rotary engine powered slngle rluid apparatus Or the type ~escribed that i hermetlcally sealed and does not require high apeed ~eal~ for 3eparating portions of the apparatus operating at difrerent pres~ures.
Another obJect Or the invention is to provide a rotary engine po~ercd refrigeratlon apparatus as de~cribed which utllize~ a ~ingle fluid for both engine power and refrigeration.
Another obJect o~ the irlvention 1~ to provide a rotary englnc powered ~ingle ~luld apparatu3 o~ the character ~et ~orth that i8 operable to ~unction either as a space cooler or heater as desired and the rotary co~den~er and ovaporator ~unction also as blowers for circulating the cooling ~r heating fluid lndependently o~ other power sources.
Another ob~ect of the invention i~ to provide a refrigeratlon app&ratus embodying the feature~ set forth that can be manufactured and shipped ~ully assembled, hermetlcally sealed and charged with the single re~rigerant and power fluid.
With these and other ob~ects in view, the pre~ent invention provides a rotary, closed Rankine cycle engine powered heating and cooling apparatus utilizing a single fluid for both ~ngine power and refrigeration, said apparatus having (1) a boiler for the engine power portion of said slngle <~ ..

` 1036375 fluld, (2) a flr~t expander for expanding the pr~s~ure power fluid generated in the boiler, (3) a condenser to rQceive and conaense th~rein th~ po~er snd rofrigerant portions of the fluid dlscharge from the fir3t expander and compres~or, (4) a second e~pander for expanding the refrigerant Portion Or the fluid condensed in said condenser, (5) an evaporator to receive and vaporize thereln the fluld discharged from ~aid second expander, (6) a compres~or coupled to said first 0xpander to compress the refrigerant portion of ~ald ~luidJ
(7) a means for rotationally drivlng the housing, condonser a~d evaporator coupled to sald ~irst expAnder) and (8) condenser and evaporator plenum chambers, as~oeiated ducting and valve mean~ for selectively controlllng the cool and warm air flow characterizod by mean~ for div~ding and supplying the liquid condensed in the condeaaer to the boller and to the second oxpander in predetermined proportlon~.
An embodiment of the present lnvention provides a rotary closad Rankine cycle engine powered heating and cooling apparatus utillzing a single fluid for both engine po~er and refrigeration compriQing a cylindrical ho w ing mounted for rotation about the aXiB thereof including an internal boller for the engine power Portion of ~ai~ ~ingle fluid, means f~r heating the fluid in æaid boilcr to gen~ate pressure power fluid ~apor therein, means subdi~iding the interior of ~aid rotatable housing to provide a high pressure fluld compartment and a low pre~sure fluid compartment, ~ fiE~t expander in said houæing for expanding the 30 preBsure power fluid generated in the boller and d~scharging the expanded fluid to the high pressure compartment o~ the housing, in-cluding a coaxial driving member rotatably driven . *

10363~s at a fir~t predetermined ~peed by ~aid po~er ~luid, a compres60r rotatably mounted coaxially in the housing dri~en by ~a~.d ~ir~t expander driving member ~nd operable to compress the refrigerant portion of the slngle fluld in said low pressure fluid compartment and d~charge the compressed refrigerant to said high pressure compartment o~
the hou~ing, a condenser mounted coaxially Or the housing and rotatable therewith comprls~ng a plurality Or axially spaced radial annular rins having heat exch~nge tubes ~xtending longitudinslly therethrou6h and communicating with the high pres~ure compartment of the housi~g bo r.ecelve ; ~nd condense th~rein the power and refriger~nt portlon~ of said ~ingle fluid discharged from the first e~pander and co~pressor, a ~econd expander in said housing for e~æanding the re~rigerant portion of the fluid condensed ln - sa~d conden~er, means for di~iding and suppl~ing the l~quid conden~ed ~ - 3a -.~

1036;~7S

ln the condenser to th~ bol1er and to ~ald second e~pander in predetermined proportions, an evaporator mounted coaxi~lly o~ the houslng and rotatable therewith comprising a plurality Or axi~lly spaced annular fin~ having heat exchange tube3 extending longitudin~lly thero-through and communicatin~ with the low presæuro compartment of the housing to receive and vaporize therein the refrigerant portion of tho fluid dis-charged from said second expander and return the vaporized refrigerant portion to the low pre3suro compartment o~ the housing, and mean~ operable to rotationally drlve the housing, condenser and evaporator as a unit at a second predetermined speed oporable to cau~e a gasoous heat exch~nge rluid to be conveyed and accelerated .
b~ vi~cosity æhear forceæ ou~wardly betw~en the ~in~o~ the condenser ~nd evaporator to the velocity providing optimum heat exchange between said gaseous fluid and the power and re~rigerant portions of the fluid :~n the heat exch~ng~
tubes of the condensor and evaporator.

- 3b _ 1~)36;~7S
The in~entlon may be lllustrated by re~erence to the rollowlng drawing~, ln whlch:
Flg. 1 1~ a typlcal ~ectlonal view diametrlcally through a rotary heat englne powered apparatus embodying the present lnventlcn ~tlllzing a slngle rluid for the boiler power ~luld and the refrlgerant.
Flg. 2 1~ a tran~verse sectional vlew on Line 2-2, Flg. l;
Fl~. 3 is an cnlarged ~ragmentary vertlcal sectlonal view diametrlcally through the rotary heat engine embodylng the present invention;
Flg. 4 1~ an enlarged fragmentary vertlcal section~l view diametrlcally through the central hub portion of the rotary heat engine;
Fig. 5 ls a sectional vlew ~n line~ 5-5, Fig. 3, and - 3c -:

1 10363~75 ~
¦ Fig. 6 is a schematic view on iine 6~6, Fig. 4 of the ¦ fixed-ratio gear train.
¦ Refcrring to the drawings, the illustrated embodiment ¦ of rotary engine powered single fluid cooling and heating ¦ apparatus according to the present invention comprises a rotary ¦ closed Rankine cycle engine including a boiler B and boiler ¦ ~luid expander PX togetber with a compressor P, expander RX
and evaporator E for the refrigerant component of the single ¦ fluid, and a condenser C for both the power and refrigerant ¦ portions of the single fluid. Tne components are mounted on a I common axis with the condenser C and evaporator E axially '! ¦ spaced at opposite sides of the boiler B, expander PX, compresso~ `
P and expander RX wh~ch are compactly arranged therebetween I . :';
, i ¦ in a coaxial housing H.
! I s ¦ The boiler B, condenser C and evaporator E are mounted I for coaxial rotation together as a unit, The boiler press~re ~;
I fl~d expander PX is driven at a predetermined speed by the " I pressure power fluid generated by the boiler B and in turn , I drives the compressor P and an internal occluded fixed-ratio ¦ gear train that is connected to~ the boiler-condenser-evaporator 1 ¦ unit to rotationally drive the latter at a predetermined lesser ,~ ¦ speed. The entire unit is hermetically sealed and a pendulum restrained torque~anchor T is provided for the ~ear train. The -¦ closed Rankine cycle power engine is adapted and designed for j 25 ¦ use with high molecular weight fluids and the same high molecu-, ¦ lar weight fluid is used for both the boiler power fluid and the refrigerant.
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: In the embodimcnt of the invention shown in the drawings and with re~ercnce particularly to.Fig. 3 thereof, :; .
~ the rotary boiler B is formed integral with the coaxial engine ; ~.
.~ housing H and comprises a cylindrical annul~r chamber 1 .~ : .
.. circumscribing the housing H and deÇined by an outer continuous .-. . .
circumferentially extending wall 2,. side walls 3 and 4 and an :~
inner continuous wall 5, the latter constituting the peripheral .
wall of the en~ine housing H. Preferably:the outer~circum- ... ~
ferential wall 2 o the boiler is provided with:circumferentiàl ..; : .,.
:~ fins 6, as shown, to increase thermal conductivity therethrough, .~ ;
nr the wall 2 may be configurated or contoured to provide an ;.
.. expanded or extended thermal conductive surface area in :;~
accordance with the invention disclosed in U.S. Patent .~ ~.
.~ No, 3,690,302 issued September 12, 1972, ~ .
In addition to the peripheral wall 5, the en8ine .: ~ .
housing H comprises axially spaced side wall portions 7 and 8, .. : .
respeotively. The engine housing H and boiler B are moun~ed I
:~ for rotation about their common axis by means of a shaft 9 . secured to and extending coaxially outward from the housing .
. . side wall 7 and a tubular shaft 10 that is formed as an .
~20 integral part of:the housing side wall 8. The outer end of .~:
the shaft 9 is journalled by means of a bearing ll.jin.a ,~ stationary hub 12 that is fixedly supported by means of i!~ radial spokes 13 from a circumscribing concentric ring 14 . that in turn is fixedly. supported-by a standard 15 from a fixed base or support 16 of the machine. In similar manner, and as best shown in Fig. 1 of the dra~ings, the outer end o the shat 10 is rotatably journalled by means of a - 5 - .
. .
.' _ . ., 363!7S

bearing in a s~ationary collar or ring 18 that is s~pported by means of radial spokes l9 within a circumscribing concen- ;
tric ring 20 that is in turn fixedly supported by a standard 21 ¦ from the fixed base 16 of the machine. From the foregoing, it ¦ will be apparent that the cylindrical boiler B and engine ~1 housing H together with the shafts 9 and 10, constitute a `
¦ unitary structure tha~ is rota~ably mounted or coaxial rotation as a unit about the engine axis.
¦ The rotary housing and boiLer are adapted to be ¦ driven about their axis at a predetermined speed of rotation calculated to create the centrifugal force necessary to ~ -dispose and maintain the selected boiler liquid therein uni-¦ formly distributed circumferentially about and in contact with ¦ the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall 2 of the boiler with a liquid/vapor interface, designated i in Fig. 3, that is ¦ highly stable and e9sentially cylindrical and concentric ¦ with the axis of rotation with the boiler. Essentially the ¦ liquid/vapor interface i is disposed at a predete:rmined radius ¦ ~rom the rotation axis of the boiler to provide high boiling ~
heat fluxes in excess of those obtainable at ambient gravity. `~
¦ Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the annular body of liqui `
in the boiler may be heated to the required boiling temperature to vaporize the same, for example, by the combustion of a ,.7 suitable fuel-air mixture in a stationary combustion box 22 that circumscribes the rotatable boiler chamber l. Fuel for combustion is discharged into the combustion box 22 from a . .~
,,, . .
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o363qs nozzle ~3 at ~hc requircd r~ltc and pressure, ~nd air for mix~ure with the fuel is dischargcd into tlle combustion box through a ¦plurality of por~s 24 in the peripheral wall 25. A hood struc-¦ture 26 defines a plenum chamber 27 into which the air is suppl~d I .
¦through a duct 28 at the pressure and volume required for ;
efficient combustion of ~he fuel to heat the liquid in the boiler ~-l casing to the desired temperature. The residual combustion gases ! are discharged through an exhaust duct 29, and a stationary ! ¦transverse ba1e 30 con~igurated for complementary interfittin~
, cooperation with the configuration of the boiler peripheral ;
wall 2, is mounted intermediate the fuel nozzle 23 and exhaust duct 29 to control recirculation of the combustion gases.
Thé invention is not limited to the particular boiler and ~.
¦combustor shown and described and~alternatLve constructions may :
be provided such as, for example, disclosed in my U.S. Patent No. 3,850,147 issued November 26, 1974, or heat such as hot air . ~ ¦ may be supplied from an external source.
Coaxially mounted withln the englne housing H for rota-~; ~ tion with the latter ls the annular power fluld expander PX `
~20 having a central bore 31 extending coaxially therethrough, as best shown in Fig, 4 The expander PX is fixedly supported coaxially withLn the engine housing H by means Of a plurality . of radially disposed vanes 32a equally spaced circumferentially within the engine housing H and fixedly secured at their inner and outer edges to the expander PX and engine housing wall 8 ¦respectively, for example by welding.
Referring to Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings, the boilcr ¦pressure luid vapor exponder PX is in the fort~ Of a sinale-sLage¦

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a63'75 ~ ~
~hrouded turbine comprlsing a rotor 35 havlng a serles of turbine blades 37 arranged peripherally thereabout. me turbine rotor 35 is mounted for coaxial rotation independently of the boiler B and engine housing H on a shaft 38 that 18 rotatably mounted within the bore 31 Or the expander PX by meanB of a , bearing 39. An annular series of nozzles 40 i~ provided in ; the power rluid expander PX coaxially adJacent the turbine ~ ~
rotor 35 and in confronting relation to the blades 37 thereof. ~ ;
An annular high pressure manifold 41 18 provided in the expander PX and opens to the ~urbine nozzles 40.
Also mounted wlthin the engine~housing H coaxially ad~acent the power rluid expander PX i8 a compressor or pump P - ~ ~
or the rerrlgerant portlon Or the single fluid. m e compressor ~ ~-P comprises an annular housing structure 42 that is Pixedly supported within the rotary engine housing H by means of radial vanes 32b, 80 that the compressor housing 42 rotateR
, coaxially as a unlt with the engine housing H and boller B. As ~1, best shown ln Flg. 4 Or the drawings, the compressor housing ~, structure 42 de~ines interlorly thereo~ a coaxlal annular 20 chamber 43 in which iB mounted a compressor rotor 44 that is keyed to the turbine sha~t 38 to be driven thereby. Fixedly secu~ed coaxially to-the outer side Or the compressor housing 42, for example by bolts 45, is an annular plate 46 that cooperates with the compressor housing 42 to derine a plurality of circum-~erentially spaced radial inlet passages 47 to the compressor -rotor 44. The turbine shaft 38 ex~ends coaxially through the plate 46 and iæ Journalled therein by a bearing 48.!~errigerant ;i , ~ rluid entering the compressor through passageæ 47 iB COmpreæBed ~ ~' ~'`

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by the rotor 44 and then disc~larged th~ough an annular diffuser .;~ ..`-.
¦ 49a, mani~old 49b and a plurality oP radial passages 49 to the ~.
I high pressure compartment of the housing now to be described. .
.~ ¦ Referring to Fig. 3, the interior of the engine housing ¦
5 ¦H is subdivided into two separate high and low pressure com- .
¦partments X and Y, respectively, by means of an annular dish- ~:
¦ shaped partition 50 that is interposed between the radial ..
8upport vanes 32a and 32b previously described and secured . ~. :
therèto, for example, by welding or the like. The inner ¦perlpheral edge of the partition 50 continuously circumscribes .
: ¦and is welded or otherwise secured in fluid-tight re}ation to ¦the outer peripheral surface of the compressor P intermediate ..
the compressor inlet passages 47 and discharge passages 49, ...
.~ ¦as shown at 51. The outer peripheral portion of the partition l 50 is. formed to provLde a continuous axially extending rim . ~
¦portion 52 that abuts and is also welded or otherwise secured .~ :
¦in fluid-tight relatLon to the inner surface o the housing .
wall 8 a short distance radially outward of the inner ends .
: 1f the annular series of the heat exchange tubes of the ~20 ¦condenser C, hereinafter described. .
. ¦ -High pressure vapor is supplied;from the boiler chamber 1 :
. ¦to the manifold 41 through a plurality of radial ports or ~ .
¦passages 53 and a corresponding plurality of radially disposed vapor tubes 54 arranged in equally spaced relation circum-~! 25 ¦ferentially of the axis to insure rotational balance. Thus the . ¦high pressure vapor generated in the boiler chamber 1 passes .:
¦rom the latter through the tubes 54 and passages 53 to the ¦high pressure manifold 41 from which ;t is discharged through the turbine nozzles 40 and im~inges upon the blades 37 to drive _ g _ : `
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the turbinc rotor 35 and its shaft 38 at the desired speed of :~
rotation. A seal 55, such as a no-contact labyrinth seal, i9 ~ ~:
provided on the turbine shaft 38 in~ardly adjacent the bearing 39 .
¦ to minimize migration o~ the vapor from the turbine along the S ¦ shaft 38 ¦ An annular diffuser 56 is fixedly mounted coaxially ~ :
adjacent the turbine rotor 35 to receive the exhaust vapor from i the expander, and the inlet opening thereto is disposed in con-~ronting relation to the turbine blades 37 at opposide sides `~
thereof from the nozzles 40. Exhaust vapor is discharged from ;`
the diffuser 56 intb the high pressure compartment X of~the ¦ engine housing H from which it passes into the condenser C as ,:
.~ . ¦ hereinafter described. A plurality of axially extending radial ~ ~ partitions 57 are provided in the diffuser 56 and these~ toget-:~ 15 her with the radial vanes 32a previbusly described,~function to.r~; :
.~ maintain the angular velocity of the exhaust vapor the same as :
¦ that of the rota~ing boiler and housing unit As previously stated, the boiler B, housing H, condenser s C and evaporator E are mounted for coaxial rotation together .
as a unit, and in accordance with the present invention a mechanical coupling is provided between the expander PX and the .~ . boiler-condenser-evaporator. unit so that during operation o the .
. machine, after start up, the unit is rotationally drive~ con-~ tinuously by the primary power output generated by the engine. :~ .
:~ 25 ¦ This is accomplished by means o~ an internal occluded fixed-ratio gear train arranged coaxially of ~he machine and interiorly .
. of the engine housing H, for example, similar to that shown and . :~
.. described in U.S Patent No. 3,769,796 issued November 6, 1973.
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10363q5 ~ ~ ~ :
In the cmbodimen~ o the invention shown in the ' :~
drawings, and with particular reference to Figs. 4 and 6, the ,:
.- . gear train is in the fonm of a planetary gear system comprising ... , : : ,.. "
a sun gear 60 fixedly mounted on and driven by the~turbine ' shaft 38. The driven sun gear 60 drlves a plurality of com-.
,, pound gears each rotatably mounted by means of needle bearings ,~
,,., . 61 on a stub shaft 62 that is fixedly mounted in the adiacent :: :
' portion o~ a non-rotating torque anchor member T having a co- , ,, axially disposed central hub portion 63 that is journalled,on , the inner end of the engine shaft 9 by means of pairs of , , bearings 64, As shown, the sun gear 60 is neshed with and ~
".' ' rotationally drives the larger diameter gear 65 of each compound ~:
~' gear and the smaller diameter gear 66~of each compound gear is ,1 ~ , meshed with and drives a coaxial annular ring gear 67 recessed within and carried by the plate 46 of the compressor housing '~
' ' : 42. ' .
The torjue anchor T includes a central portion 70 ' ;~
,. coaxially disposed outwardly adjacent the gear train, for , .~ example as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and a pendulum , element 71 that depends radially outward from the central ¦ portion 70 thereof. The pendulum 71 is of predetermined density dimensions and location to generate the desired counterforce ~
to oppose the external reaction torque of the air drag in the , .~ condenser and evaporator and provide a counter-torque force .
sufficient to hold the torque anchor T stationary and prevent rotation thereof.
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. ~0363~75 ¦ By reason o~ ~he non-ro~ating torque anchor T the .'~ .
, compound pl~ne~ary gears are fixedly positioned so that their . ,,,~,,~ -, .
:' 1 axes do not rotate or move circumferentially relative to or ,.';;.:
¦ about the engine axis. Thùs the balance of the power outpu~
~ 5 ¦ of the engine expander PX not used to drive the compressor ,,~
.. rotor 44 is transmitted from the driving sun gear 60 through the compound planetary gears directly to the driven ring gear 67 on the rotary boiler-condenser-evaporator unit thereby , , rotationally driving said unit at, the ~ixed speed of the particular gear train. ' ' ' ~ As previously stated, the exhaust vapor component of ; . the single fLuid is discharged from the turbine di,ffuser 5'6 , .
~ into the high pressure compartment X of the housing H and enters ., . the.rotary condenser C where it is condensed, and the compressed ~
; 15 refrigerant component of the fluid is discharged from the ......... ",:-,.. ..
1 : compressor P to said high pressure compartment X and is also t ., condensed in the condenser G. In the illustrated embodiment i. ', of the invention shown in Figs, l and 3, the rotarg condenser C ' ...
: : comprises a coaxial array of annular radial fins 75 and ~'20' axially extending heat exchange tubes 76 arranged in circum- .
ferentially spaced relation about the engine shaft lO and ~
. mounted to rotate with ~he engine housing H and boiler B ., . .,.' ~ as a unit. The fins 75 consist of separate ~r independent .
,~ annular disk elements supported and secured ~'n predetermined ~ , :
~;~ 25 equally spaced paralleL relation with respect to one another by ~, ,¦ means of e heat exchange tubes 76 that extend 1Ongitudina11y ¦~

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through the ins 75. The fins 75 and tubes 76 are fabricated of metal having high theL~al conductivity such as, for example, ;-copper or aluninum, and said fins preferably are bonded to the ; heat exchange tubes by brazing, soldering, or the like to provide maximum thermal conductivity therebetween. ~ ~-~
The heat exchange tubes 76 are arranged in rotationally balanced equally spaced relation circumferentially of the ; ~ ~ins 75, and about shat lO, for example, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. In accordance with the present in~ention, ~;
the heat exchange tubes 76 of the condenser C operate to condense the vapor fluid component exhausted from the diffuser 56 and compressed refrigerant fluid component discharged by the ;
` compressor P.
To this end, as s~own in Fig. 3, the inner ends of ~ 15 the tubes 76 are mounted and secured in corresponding openings ; 77 provided in the adjacent engine housing wall 8 so that the interiors of the tubes 76 are in communication with the interior o the adjacent engine compartment X of the housing H. ~ --` As shown in Fig. 1, the outer ends of the tubes 76 are mounted ~20 and secured in recesses 78 provided in an annular end ring 79 .!~ . that i8 disposed coaxially a~jacent the outermost of the fins 75 and supported from the engine shaft 10 by circumferentially spaced radial spokes 80.
The inner peripheral edg~s of the fins 75 deine internally thereof a coaxial inlet chamber 81 for the cooling ;
fluid to be discharged outwardly by and between the plurality ''~ . .
~ -13-', ' ~ t7s ~

of rotating fins as hereinaftcr set forth. The inner diametcrs of the ring 20 and rillg 79 are the same as the inner diameter o the adjacent ~roup of fins 75 so as not to restrict the flow of fluid inwardly to the chamber 81, and an outwardly flared 'or bell-shaped fluid intake member 20a is fixedly mounted on ¦ the ring 20 in coaxial relation outwardly adjacent the inlet ¦end of the chamber 81. The central portion of the engine Ihousing wall 8 adjàcent the shaf~ 10 is of curved, generally ¦ conical shape as indica~ed at 8a for streamlining flow of the ¦heat exchange fluid through the chamber 81 to the fins 75 of i-the condenser.
; ;'~ ¦ The axial length of the condenser C and the spacing ~ lor distance between the adjacent fins 75 is determined with /~ ¦relation to the rotational speed at which the boiler-condenser-lS levaporator unit is driven and to the kinematic viscosity vf the ' ¦cooling 1uid to provide a Taylor number in the range of about ~ ¦ 5 to 10, preferably about 6~ and the inner radius and outer I ~ ' ¦radius of the ins ~re determined to provide a ratio of inner to ¦outer radii of the fins 75 in the range of a~out 0.70 to 0.85, ¦preferably about 0.77, as described in my U.S. Patent No.¦3,866,668 issued February 18, 1975. By this construction ¦the viscous properties of the cooling fluid and the shear forces , ¦exerted thereon by the rotating fins 75 are utilized to convey ; ! land accelerate the fluid radially outward between said fins 25 , ~substantially to the velocity providing optim~m total heat ~ !
¦exchange between the fluids in the tubes 76 and the fluid passing bctween th~ fins 75.

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~ ~0363~75 -~
,,, . ;.. ,'' The outer peripheral portion of both the housing wall 8 and the ring 79 extend radially outward beyond the fins 75 a distance to provide annular radial flange portions F and F', : ~ .
respectively, that operate to augment fluid flow outwardly between the fins 75 as described in U S. Patent No. 3,773,I06 issued November 20, 1973. Also, axial fluid flow augmentation;~ .
blades of the type and construction shown and described in said Patent No. 3,773,106 can be provided between the flange portions ;`-F and F' when desired in any particular engine installation.
As shown in Fig. 3, the outer rim portion 52~of the housing partition 50 cooperates with the inner surface of the ~-housing wall 8 to define an annular condensate collection chamber 82, or the fluLd that is condensed in the heat exchange ~-tubes 76 of the condenser C by heat exchange with a cooling ~ -fluid, such as ambient air, discharged outwardly between the i array of ~ins 75 as previously described. The condensate thus ormed in the tubes 76 flows inwardly therein and is discharged rom the inner ends of said tubes into the annular collection chamber 82. Since the same fluid is employed for both refrigera-,~20 tion and engine power purposes, the liquid condensed in the tubes 76 and collected in the annular chamber 82 is split or divided and conducted in predetermined proportions to the boiler and to the refrigerant expander RX, respectively, as hereinaf ter described . ' ``',, , '`'~ "~'`~ .

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. . The power fluid portion of the condensate collected ~:
in the chamber 82 is returned to the boiler B by a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced radial tubes 84 connected -I,between the chamber 82 and boiler 1. Each of the tubes 84 has ~ :
S ~ its outer end immersed in the annular body of liquid in the . . :
boiler ~ and its inner end is spaced a short distance inwardly ::
.` from the circumferential wall o~ the collector ring as shown ~
. in Fig. 3. Each of the boiler feed tubes 84 -'s enclosed ~.
.~ within a concentric circumscribing sensor tube 85 of greater -- :
diameter than said tubes 84. The inner ends of the sensor tubes , 85 are enclosed and sealed about the tubes 84 and the outer `.
ends of said sensor tubes 85 are open and disposed at the :
. desired operating liquid level i of the liquid in the boiler ' B. These sensor tubes 85 function as described in my U. S. . .
;,~ 15 Patent No. 3,590,786 issued July 6, 1971, to maintain the liquid ~ .
l level i in the boiler B. .
., . The inner end of each sensor tube 85 is connected .l by means of a radial tube 86 to an annular manifold ring 87.
In the embodiment of the invention shown, the ring 87 is of circular cross-section shape and circumscribes the boiler fluid ~
.. , . expander PX in radially spaced relation thereto. .
:. ~he refri~erant portion of the liquid condensate ~, collected in the chamber 82 is supplied to the expander RX :
~ by means of a plurality of radially disposed circumferentially ~ ;
.~, 25 equally spaced feed assemblies A. As shown, each feed assembly .
I . A comprises a radially disposed thimble 89 that is closed at ~ its outer end and has its inner end secured in fluid-tight ~ ', ' -1~-',':, , ' .' .' ~: .-,.-:. - ,, , : .. , ~ . " . . .. . .
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` 1~363~7S .
relation to the ou~cr circ~Eerential sur~ace of the outer rim ¦ portion 52 o~ the partition 50.
; ¦ A radiaL tube 90 in each thimble 89 has its inner end secured in the circumferential rim 52 of the partition 50 in communication with the annular collection chamber~82 to admit liquid condensate from the chamber 82 to the thimbles 89, the ¦outer ends of the tubes 90 terminating short of outer ends of the thimbles 89 as shown. A connection is also provided between each thimbLe 89 and the annular manifold ring 87 by means of a ¦radial tube 91 that is operable under certain operating condi-, tions of the boiler to permit high pressure boiler vapor to flow radially inward through the sensor tubes 85 to the manifold --¦ring 87 and thence to said thimbles 89 where it is cooled and ~ ;

, ¦condensed.
Extending radially inward within each thimble 89 is a tube 92 for supplyLng liquid to the refrigerant expsnder RX.
!~ ¦The inner ends of the ~upply tubes 92 terminate in predeter--1~ mined radially spaced relation to the outer surface of ` ~ the partition rim 52 of the collection chamber 82 and the outer ~ends of said tubes 92 extend through the outer end walls of ; ` the thimbles 89 and are~connected to the inlet ends of a cor-¦responding pluraiity of capillary tubes 93 comprising the re-;~ frigerant expander RX. From the supply tubes 92, the capillary tubes 93 extend generally laterally within the housing H in radi-ally spaced relation to the pendulum 71 of the torque anchor T
and then radially in~ard to the evaporator E to discharge ex-panded refrigerant thereto where the liquid portion is vaporized.
., ~ -17-,,, .

..... . . . . . . :

l ~ ~ ~ ~
~0363qS :~
: by heat exchange with another fluid, such'as ambient air.
: ~n the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the ~;
evaporator E is generally similar in construction to the condenser C previously described, and comprises a coaxial array : 5 of annular radial fins 9S and axially extending heat exchange tubes 96 arranged in circumferentially spaced relation about the engine shaft 9 and mounted for rotation with the engine "' -housing H, boiler B and condenser C as a unit.
The inner ends o the tubes 96 are mounted and secured "~ ~

in corresponding openings 97 provided in the adjacent engine . .~.
~ housing wall 7 so that the interiors of the tubes 96 are in ~ - ' :. communication with the adjacent low pressure compartment Y ' ; ~' ' of the engine housing H. An annular collecting ring 98 having ~.
an inwardly projecting lip 99 circumscribes the inner ends of the tubes 96. The outer ends of the tubes 96 are mounted and' '.. ~ : ?' secured in recesses 100 and interconnected by an annular '' maniold 101 provided in an annular end ring 102 that is dis-posed coaxially adajcent the outermost o the fins 95 and ' '. supported from the engine shaft 9 by circumferentially spaced radial spokes 103. . . ' - :
Referring to Figs. l and 3 of'the drawings, the inner ' ;
.' . peripheral edges of the fins 95 define interiorly thereof a -:
~ coaxial inlet chamber 104 for the heat exchange fluid to be :
.. discharged outwardly by and between the plurality of rotating . 25 fins 95 in the manner previously described in connection with -~
. the condenser C. The inner diameters of the ring 102 and the ~
. outwardly adjacent ring 14 are the same as the inner diameter of :
. ' ., ~ - ' i ' . ` : ' , ~ ' ' . r , ~ . ", . ~ C ~ ?
103S~t75 - the fins 95 so as not to restrict the flow of fluid into the chamber 104 and an outwardly flared or bell-shaped intake member 105 is fixedly mounted on the ring 14 in coaxial relation outwardly adjacent the inlet end o~ the chamber l04. A curved, . S generally conical shaped cowl 106 surrounds the engine shaft 9 for streamlining flow of the heat exchange fluid through . chamber 104 to the array of fins 9S of the evaporator E. ~
~: Also, as in ~he condenser C, the outer peripheral por- ;~
tions of both the adjacent housing wall 7 and the ring 102 extend radially outward beyond the fins 95 a distance to provide annular :
radial flange portions F " and F "' that operate to augment ~
; fluid flow outwardly between the fins, and axial fluid flow ;
augmentation blades can be provided between the flange portions .
F " and F " ' when desired, as previously described, .
: 5 As in the case of the condenser C the axial length of the :
. evaporator E and the spacing or distance between the adjacent fins 95 is determined with relation to the rotational speed of -.
.. the evaporator and to the inner and outer radii of said fins 9S :
so as to utilize the viscous properties of the fluid and the .
shear forces exerted thereon by the fins to convey and accelerate .
. the fluid radially outward between the fins substantially to the velocity providing optimum total heat exchange between the 1uid discharged through tbe fins 95 and the refrigerant in the tubes 96 -.. . With more particular reference to the refrigerant expander . RX, the length and internal diameter of the capillary tubes 93 :
are correlated to each other and to the number of tubes employed to match the refrigerant flow rate in the capillary expander '.' `' '~ - 19 -~:
: :~ -: -,.- .. ..

~ :~
`'.- ' 10363q5 ., ; tubes to the refrigerant ~low rate throu~h ~he comprcssor. This correla~ion is critical and can be determined precisely or ~, each installation of the apparatus by a person skilled in the ~' art of refrigeration. In the present invention the capillary expanders 93 and the evaporator E are constructed and arranged so that the refrigerant flow rate in the capillary expander -tubes 93 is automatically adjusted according to the refrigerant '~
flow rate through the compressor P to thereby maintain the capacity balance o~ the refrigerant system.
' lO While it is preferred, in the case o high boiling point refrigerants, that the liquid level in the evaporator tubes 96 ~
be at a greater radial distance from the rotation axis of the ;
' apparatus than the radial distance of the refrigerant condenser '' tubes 76, this is not necessary in the case of louer boiling point refrigerants and with some such refrigerants the evapora-tor tubes 96 may be at a less radial distance ~rom the axis than '~
the condenser tubes 76. In either arrangement the flow rate o ~;' ' refrigerant through the capillary expander tubes 93 is con- ; ' trolled by the pressure drop acxoss the capillary expandex ' ~
tubes 93 which is detexmined not only by the diffexence between - -the pxessure of the vapor at the rerigerant'chamber 82 and that'of the vapor at the evaporator collectox ring 98, but also by the difference between the liquid level r in the radially ' extending tubes 92 adja'cent the collection chamber 82 and the liquid level in the evaporator tubes 96.
Thus, when the compressor P delivers refrigerant at a -' high flow rate, the liquid level r in the radial tubes 92 will , ':' ' -- 20 -- ' . :-..

' ~ ~ ~o~P63 q S
.- move raclially inward ~hcrei.n ~o ~rovide thc additional pressure necessary to drive the re~riger~nt through the capillary .
¦expanclcr tubes 93 at the proper matching 10~ rate in relation . ¦to the delivery 10w rate of the compressor P. Due to the :~
¦amplifying efect of the centrifugal force created by rotation ¦of the housing-condenser-evaporator~unit, small variations in ¦the liquid level r will compensate for wide variations in the ¦flow rate o~ the refrigerant and the described arrangement of ¦capillary expander and evapora~or is operable to provide a ;:
¦capacity balanced system for any refrigerant flow rate from the designed flow rate of the particular apparatus to zero flow of ::
. the refrigerant The expanded refrigerant is discharged from each of . . ¦the capillary tubes 93 into the inner end of the proximate :,."
¦ev~porator tubes 96, except a few thereof, for example, two, . . designated 96a. The refrigerant entering the tubes 96 is ¦vaporized therein by heat exchange with a ~luid, such as ambient ¦air, discharged outwardly between the array of fins 95 as pre-viously described, and the vaporized refrigerant flows inwardly -........ .
20 and is discharged from the inner ends of the tubes 96 into the ~-. adjacent low pressure compartment Y in the engine housing H.
.~ From the compartment Y the evaporated refrigerant reenters the compressor P through the inlet passages 47 where it is again compressed and-discharged by the rotor 44 to the condenser C, as ;
,. , ;:' . 25 previously described.
The two tubes 96a that the refrigerant does not enter are disposed diametrically 180 apart and refrigerant is pre-~` vented from entering said tubes 96a by closure plugs 108 that '' ' ~ ,.
. - 21 -`'~.

i .
. .-,. - ~ , . ~ . ; ' , are dlsposed in the inner open ends of said two tubes 96a as -~
shown in Fig. 3 Or the drawings. The apparatus disclosed ,~
embodies a force feed lubrication system hereinarter de~cribed and the two evaporator tubes 9 ~ functlon to collect and return ~ to the housing compartment Y any lubricant which migrates into ; the rerrigerant ~luid portlon. Any lubrlcant that migrates lnto , the rerrlgerant ~ystem wlll not evaporate ln the tubea 96 but ~?
,, , will flo~ through the manifold 101 and collect in the two ~; dlametric~lly opposed tubes 96~. me collected lubrlcant rlows inwardly ~ithin the tubes 96a and i8 by ~eans Or a pair Or ~ diametrlcally dl~po~ed U-shaped tubes 109 returned to the;~ ~;
,j lubrl¢ant bath 110 at the inner surrace Or the perlpheral engine housing wall 5 adJacent boiler chamber~
e rorce feed lubrlcatlon system utilizes a Pitot pump, , sucn-~ shown in Fig. 3 Or the draNings, of the type described `1 and claimed in my U.S. Patent 3 744 246 issued ~uly 10, 19 n .
, I ., , AB shown, the Pitot pump comprise8 a radial pas~4ge 110a ~ormed in the pendulum n having at lt~ outer end an L-shaped scoop 111, ~;~
. . .
~,! the lnlet end o~ which 1B immereed in the annular bath o~
lubricant extending circumferentlally interiorly Or the engine ho w ing H and ~acing in the direction opposite the direction of rotation thereo~
Ad~acent the inner end, the pa~sage 110~divides into two acgularly extending branch paæsages 112 and 113, respectively.
The passage 112 conducts lubrlcant to thei interior o~ the hub ~ -ii portion 63 ~or lubrlcation of the bearings 64 on the inner end of the engine sha~t 9 and the branch passage 113 connects to -~
.. .
. ~
. . . .
_ 22 -i' ~' .
:'' .,, i~ , ..

....... .. . ... . . . . . . .. . .
. .. ,. . , " ,. . - - .~ . ,: ,. . . . .

., 10363q5 ~
tlle radial leg o an inverted L-shaped connector 114, the horizontal portion of which extends coaxially within the spur gear 60 of the fixed-ratio gear train, for example, as shown -in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The engine shaft 38 is~provided interiorly thereof with a coaxially extending lubricant bore 115 having radial passages 116 and 117 communicating outwardly therefrom for lubricating the engine shaft bearings 48 and 39, respectively, as well as the seyeral gears in the fixed-ratio gear train.
Rotation of the engine housing H relative to the non-rotating torque anchor T operates to pump lubricant frQm the bath 110 inwardly of the scoop 111 and through the connecting passages and tubes to the bearings 39, 48 and 64, and the gear train, as described. Lubricant from the bearing 39 drains through radial passages L18 to a pair of diametrically disposed -radial pipes or tubes 120 by means of which it is returned to the lubricant bath 110. Lubricant ~rom the bearlng 48 and the gear train drains into an annular collector ring 121 from which it is returned by a pair of diametrically disposed tubes 122 to the lubricant bath lL0. SimilarLy, lubricant from the bearings 64 also drains into a collector ring 123 from which it is returned to the lubricant bath 110 by means of a pair of diametrically disposed radial tu':qs 124.
- The temperature of the l-~ricant bath 110 usually is higher than the temperature of the expanding refrigerant portion of the fluid in the capillary tubes 93 and, accordingly, the portions of the tubes 93 passing through the lubricant bath preferably are thermally insulated from the lubricant, for - 23 - `

. y, ~ ;, .
;;; `, ` .

1~
3~ 5 example, by means o a circumscribing tubular sh~ath 125 closed at its opposite ends and filled with a suitable insulating material 126.
. In operation of the apparatus, it will be apparent at ~;-start-up that there will be no pressure vapor generated by the boiler B to drive the expander PX, the compressor P and in ~ turn the boiler-condenser-evaporator unit. Consequently, at ; start-up it is necessary to independently drive the boiler-condenser-evaporator unit at the designed predetermined speed ; 10 of rotation to establish and maintain the liquid/vapor inter-face i in the boiler chamber 1 until the annular body of liquid -~
in the boiler ls heated to the temperature to produce the desired pressure vapor to drive the turbine 35, This may be accomplished, for example, by means of a starter motor M driving a pulley 128 fixed on the engine shaft 10 through a belt or chain 129. Means such as a clutch (not shownj, can be provided ; for breaklng the drive between mo~or M and pulley l28 when the engine attains normal operation, or the motor can continue to be driven by the rotating boiler-condenser-evaporator unit and shaft 10 to unction as a genêrator operable, for example, ~or ;
~ charging a battery that powers accessories such as the starter -~ motor, lights and the like.
-As previously stated, the partition 50 divides the interior of the engine housing H into two compartments ~ and Y
~ that are at different pressures during operation of the ;~ apparatus. With reference to Fig. 3, the lethand compartment Y
operates at the lo~er pressure o the evaporator and the inlet "'.', , , ' , . .

' ~' .. .... - .. . ... . . , . .- .. ... . .. .

lV36:~J75 to the compressor. On the other hand, the rlght hand compart- ~ ~
.
ment X operates at the high pressure of the compressor and diffuser dlscharge and the condenser C. Thus, ln operatlon, refrigerant vapor in the houslng compartment Y enters the - compressor P through lntake passages 47, is compressed, and dlscharged through the passages 49 Into the hlgh pressure compartment X where lt comblnes wlth the turblne exhaust vapor ~; dlscharged from the englne turblne through dlffuser 56. m is comblned fluld ln the englne compartment X enters the heat exchange tubes 76 of the condenser C where lt 18 condensed by heat exchange wlth a coollng fluld dlscharged outwardly between ~;
the flns 75 of the condenser as prevlously descrlbed. ;~
;1 The condensate formed ln the tubes 76 flows from the ,..................................................................... .
lnner ends thereof and 18 collected in the annular chamber 82 where lt 18 split or dlvlded and supplled to the boller through ~;~ the radlal tubes 84 and to the expander tubes 93 through the thlmbles 89 of the feed systems A as prevlously descrlbed. -~
- --~When the condensate ln the thlmbles 89 rlses to level of the inner ends of the radlal tubes 92 it overflows lnto sald tubes 20 and to and through the a8soclated caplllary tubes 93 where lt :
18 expanded and supplled to the evaporator E. As the llquld ln ~ -~
the boller B ls vaporlzed and dlscharged through the radial ~, .
tubes 54 to the turblne, the llquid 18 depleted so that the r level 1 moves radlally and exposes the outer ends of the sensor tubes 85 thereby causlng hlgh pressure boller vapor to flow radlally lnward through the sensor tubes 85 and tubes 86 to the manlfold rlng 87 and thence through tubes 91 lnto the thlmbles 89.
., ., -- , .
.~' .... .
~ - 25 - ~

.
., . . :

,:
.

3q5 ~3 ~ Boiler pressure vapor entering the thimblos 89 increases ^. the pressure in the interior thimble spaces 130 above the inner :~
.~. ends of the tubes 92 sufficiently to prevent the overflow of :~, condensate into said tubes 92. This causcs the condensate in .
S the chamber 82 to increase in depth until the condensate over-flows into the boiler feed tubes 84 thereby raising the boiler ~ liquid level i radially inward to close the ends o~ the sensor :
.l tubes 85 and interrupt the flow of boiler pressure vapor to the thimbles 89. The boiler pressure vapor in the sensor tubes 85 ~ ~
is cooled by contact with the boiler feed tubes 84 returning I :
cold liquid condensate to the`boiler and the pressure vapor in the thimbles 89 is further chilled by the coLd liquid in the , thimbles thereby cooling the saturated vapor sufficiently to .
cause condensation thereof accompanied by a reduction in pressure - ;
, 15 in the thimble ~paces 130 sufficient to permit resumption of ~:
.~ . overflow of liquid condensate into the inner ends o the.
tubes 92 and to the cap-lllary expansion tubes 93, .
This interplay between fluctuation of the boiler liquid , level i to open and close the outer ends of the sensor tubes 85 .~:
" 20 and thereby control the division and flow of condensate from the chamber 82 to the boiler B and capillary expander tubes 93-is substantially continuous so.that the surface level of the liquid in the boiler is automatically maintained substan~ially contin-uously at the level ~ shown in the drawings and the flow of . -the refrigerant portion of the condensate to and through the :` capillary expander tubes 93 is also substantially continuous.
,'`. ~. , - - `"' : '' . 26 -' .

~'' ^ 1~ S ~ ..
A typical example of closed Rankine cycle rotary engine powered heating and cooling apparatus embodying the single ~;
, fluid system o~ the prescnt'invention designed for an output ;' ' ~ of 4.6 hp at the turbine ghaft 38, comprises a boLler B having ,"i 5 a liquid level i diameter of 40 inches and an axiat internal ,~
length sufficient to provide the heat input required to the ,~'; boiler liquid from the combustion gases. The diameter of the ,~ boiler vapor expander turbine at the blades 37 is of the order ' ' ':~ of 2.5 inches and the diameter of the compressor is designed to com,press the refrigerant fluid from evaporator pressure to the ,3 - c,ondenser pressure. The fins of the condenser~C have an outer ,' diameter of 2L,0 inches and an inner diameter of 17.4 inches.
The axial length of the series of condenser fins 75 is'21.0 `: ~ inches and the spacing between adjacent fins is 0.`036 ~inches with 3 15 the axes of the heat exchange tubes disposed~ at a~radius of 9.4 ;
! ~ inches rom the rotation axis of the apparatus-~ 'The fins 9S o~ ~-''3 ' the evaporator have an outer'diameter of 21.0 inches and an , "~ inner diameter of 17.4 inches. The,axial length of the series ' , ~ , of evaporator fins is 4.5 inches and the spacing between ~ , ~ 20 adjacent fins is 0.036 inches,~ The axially extending evaporator ~
,, tubes 96,96a are also disposed at a radius of 9.6 inches from ~ , the rotational axis of the apparatus. The boiler-condenser-i~ ~ evaporator assembLy is rotationally driven at a speed of 1200 ~3 ~ r.p.m. by the turbine through the fixed-ratio gear train in the ,~,"I~ 25 direction opposite to rotation of the turbine rotor 44.
Using as the single boiler and refrigerant fluid 1,1,2-tri~
- , chloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane the specifications of a typical , operation of the designed apparatus are as follows:
.

~'`' - 27 - ,' ' .

,. , . . : .. -.:

~ . ~ l 10363~75 .~ Boiler temperaturc (F.)....................... 370.
jp Boiler pressure (psia)~........................ 331. ~.
~ Boiler load (Btu!hr) .. .......,......................... 80,800.
.~ Turbine speed (rpm) ... . . . , ....................... ~ 42,000.
-.~ 5 Rankine cycle efficiency ... ;, ~.,...,.,................ 0.20 .
.; Condenser satura~ion temperature .~ (F.) ...................... 130.
Condenser pressure (psia) ................... ............ 18.
Condenser load (Btu/hr3 ..................... ........ 94,000.

Condenser air flow (cfm) .................... ......... 3,900. ;.~ .
~ Evaporator temperature (F.) .~......................... - 40, .. ~Evaporator pressure (psia) ............................... 2.7 ' Evaporator load (Btu!hr) ........ ,.... ,............... 18,000. 4: ' Evaporator ai~r flow (cfm) ................ .............. 600.

, The apparatus of the present invention is well suited for ~
cooling or heating the interior of buildings, home8 and other .
. enclosed structures, and typical arrangements thereof for summer .~
I: and winter operations are shown in Figs. 7 and 8, respectively, - :
:~ ~ . of the drawings. ~ .~
Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, the apparatus embodying the ~. :
. ~ . .invention is shown with associated ducts and valves arranged ~
: for cooling and heating a building, respectively. Preferably, .;
~ : - the apparatus is located adjacent a wall or walls of the . .......... :.
.~ . building for convenient access to the atmosphere outside the : :
.~ 25 building such as, for example, adjacent the corncr of two side .~ ~ walls 132 and 133 of a building, as shown.

; - 28 -~ !:
''.. ,; ~ :~
~ ' ~, - - ' . - ', : , . .. :~ : .- . . . ;, ~` 10363!7s In the arrangement shown, alr from outslde the building ~ ;~
ls supplled to the inlet of the rotary condenser C of the apparatus through a horlzontal duct 134 that extends lnwardly ~ ,:. . -through the bulldlng wall 132 and connects at lts lnner end to an lnlet housing 135 havlng an openlng 136 to the condenser lnlet. The outer end of the duct 134 is provlded wlth sultable r~ valve closure means such as shutters 137 whlch may be opened, ` as shown, to admit outside alr through the duct to the condenser, :3 or closed to prevent the admlsslon Or outslde alr to the con-10 denser, A stationary housing or plenum chamber 138 clrcumferen-tlally encloses the rotary condenser C of the apparatus and alr ;
3 admltted to the condenser C is discharged outwardly through the condenser flns 75 where it ls heated by heat exchange wlth the fluld belng condensed ln the condenser tubes 76. An exhaust duct 139 ror the heated alr dlscharged lnto the plenum chamber 138 leads tangentlally therefrom and then outwardly through the bulldlng wall 133 to the exterlor of the bulldlng. m e f outlet end o~ the duct 139 18 also provided wlth sultable valve 20 closure means, such as shutters 140, for openlng or closlng the duct outlet to the outslde atmosphere. A dlstrlbutlon duct 141, ,, .
for conveylng heated or cooled alr from the apparatus to æuit~
f able outlets 142 appropriately located throughout the building, has an inlet thereto connected at 143 to the exhaust duct 139.
Similar to the condenser plenum chamber 138, the rotary - evaporator E is also circumferentially enclosed withln a stationary houslng or plenum chamber 144 to recelve the air .
'.
.. .. .

`` lV36375 dlscharged radlally outward through the flns 95 Or the evaporator during which it has been cooled by heat exchange wlth the condensed refrigerant in the evaporator tubes 96.
The cooled air discharged to the plenum chamber 144 19 delivered to a duct 145 that is connected at one end thereof to the distribution duct 141 through a side wall thereof as indicated at 146 Valve means, such as a shutter 147, ls provided ln the dlstrlbutlon duct 141 ~or selectlvely admlttlng alr to the duct 141 from elther the condenser exhaust duct 139 or the 10 evaporator exhaust duct 145. For example, with the shutter 147 ln the position shown in Fig~ 7 disposed crosswise of the dlstributlon duct 141, alr is admltted from duct 145 to duct 141 and air from the condenser exhaust duct 139 18 prevented from enterlng the duct 141. m e other end of the duct 145 is ; connected to the return duct branch 148a through a slde wall thereof, as lndicated at 145a, and valve means, such as shutter 145b is provided for selectlvely admlttlng the cooled alr from duct 145 to duct 148a.
, . . .
A~r di~trlbuted by the duct 141 and dlscharged throughout the lnterlor of the bulldlng through one or more of the outlets 142 ls returned to the apparatus by a return duct 148 that dlvldes into two branches 148a and 148b, respectlvely, a valve, such as shutter 148c belng provlded for selectlvely ad-mlttlng returning alr to branch ducts 148a or 148b as desired.
m e branch duct 148a leads from the duct 148 and 18 connected lnto the fresh air inlet duct 134 through a side wall thereof as indicated at 149. The other branch duct 148b is connected to . , ' ~, , ' .
, 30 v .. .... . . - - . .--.a36~'7s ~
the fluld lnlet chamber of the evaporator E and also to the alr dlstrlbution duct 141, a valve, such aB shutter 148d being pro-vlded for selectlvely controlllng the flow of returning alr to the evaporator lnlet E or the alr dlstrlbutlon duct 141 as deslred.
Referrlng to Flg. 7 of the drawlngs, for coollng or ,~ alr condltlonlng the bulldlng ln summer or other warm cllmate, ;~
the fresh alr lnlet shutters 137 are open as are the shutters 140 of the condenser exhaust duct 139, and the shutter 147 18 .
10 posltloned, as shown, to open the duct 145 and admlt cooled alr to the dlstrlbutlon duct 141 and close the latter to alr ~rom ;~ - -the condenser exhaust duct 139. Shutter 145b ln duct~145 ls closed thereby preventlng dlscharge of cooled alr through branch duct 148a lnto the branch duct 148b. Also, shutter 148d ln duct 148b 18 clo~ed and shutter 148c 18 posltloned as shown, '~ to close duct 148a and open duct 148b 80 that all alr returnlng through duct 148 18 conducted to the lnlet of the evaporator.
; In operatlon of the arrangement shown ln Flg. 7, all of the heated alr discharged from the condenser C 18 exhausted l~ 20 through duct 139 to the outslde atmosphere and does not enter the dlstrlbutlon duct 141, On the other hand, all of the ~ -cooled alr dlscharged from the evaporator Ej ls dellvered by -duct 145 to the duct 141 and dlstrlbuted thereby to the outlets ~; 142 located throughout the bulldlng. m e alr dl~charged lnto ~
the bulldlng is returned to the apparatus through the duct 148. -~ ~-Slnce the shutter 148d ln branch duct 148b is closed, and shutter 148c iB closed to branch duct 148a and open to branch . .

~v : . . . .. .. . ..

` ~ 1036.~75 :
duct 148b, all of thc air returned by the duct 148 is delivered by branch duct 148b to the evaporator E where it is again ~, j cooled and recirculated through the building as described.
~, I For winter or other cold climate operation as shown in ,1 ~,~, 5 ~ Fig. 8, the fresh air inlet shutters 137 are closed as are the , ¦ condenser external exhaust, shutters 140, and the shutter 147 is ¦ positioned to close the duct 145 and alLow all of the heated ~, I air from the duct 139 to enter the distribution duct 141. Also, , ¦ the shutter 148c is closed to branch duct 148b and opened to ~ ,~
branch duct 148a to admit return air from duct 148 into the ,, ~
condenser inlet duct 134. Thus, in operation, all of the , ~ ~ "
-I ¦ heated air from the condenser C is discharged into the duct 141.
~, A portion of the heated air is distributed to the building ¦ outlets 142 and the air returned by ,the duct 148 is delivered ~-;
¦ by branch duct 148a to the condenser inlet duct 134 to be again '' ~-heated and recircuLated as described. The balance of the , ¦ heated air i8 conducted through branch duct 148_ to the inlet of ' ,, 'f~ ' ' ¦ the evaporator and the cooled air from the evaporator discharged '~' through duct 145 into the branch duct 148a. , ,'' ¦ By short-circuiting the evaporator air flo~ through the ,'' ,-¦ condenser as shown in Fig. 8 the evapor'ator temperat'ure and '~,,' ¦ pressure-are raised and the condenser temneratlire and pressure are lowered, The reduced pressure rise across the~ refrigerant ¦ compressor combined with a decrease in com~ressor speed during ~, ¦ winter operation reduces the comp~essor wor~; load, The low , ¦ pressure ratio, low speed compressor operation serves as an idle, ¦ condition or the compressor during winter operation.

I , - 32 -I
I
,~ ,~, . . , . .. - . . . .... . .

.~i , i . .- . .. . ;~; .

..
However, ln wlnder operatlon as descrlbed, the amount :
of heat re~ected from the condenser C and plcked up by the alr dlscharged therethrough may be somewhat less than normally would be requlred to heat a buIldlng for whlch the capaclty of the refrigeratlon system 18 deslgned to adequately alr-condition ~ ~-the bullding, and consequently increased heat lnput to the boiler may be necessary to provlde adequate heating for wlnter ~ `~
or cold cllmate operation.
From the foregolng lt wlll be apparent that the present inventlon provldes a novel rotary closed Rankine cycle englne powder coollng and heatlng apparatus utlllzlng a slngle fluld ~ ;
for both englne power and refrigeratlon. The apparatus of the lnvention ls of compa~t, unltary constructlon, qulet and efflclent ln operation, does not require high speed seals for separating portlons of the apparatus operatlng at dlfferent ~-pressures, and can be manufactured and shlpped fully assembled charged wlth the slngle refrlgerant and power fluld. m e lnven- ~
tlon also provldes apparatus as descrlbed that functlons elther ~;as a space cooler or heater 8 deslred and employs lsenthalplc expan~lon of the re~rlgerant portlon Or the slngle fluld thereby supplylng addltlonal powerto offset the load on the compressor whlle lncreaslng the coollng capaclty of the refrlgerant.
.
Whlle a partlcular embodiment of the present lnventlon has been lllustrated and descrlbed, lt 18 not lntended to llmit the lnventlon to such dlsclosures ~nd lt 18 contemplated that changes and modlflcatlons may be made to and lncorporated ln the ~ ~-- apparatus wlthln the scope of the follGwing claims~
- ..

:

: '-''~ ,

Claims (10)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A rotary, closed Rankine cycle engine powered heating and cooling apparatus utilizing a single fluid for both engine power and refrigeration, said apparatus having:
a boiler for the engine power portion of said single fluid;
a first expander for expanding the pressure power fluid generated in the boiler;
a compressor coupled to said first expander to compress the refrigerant portion of said fluid;
a condenser to receive and condense therein the power and refrigerant portion of the fluid discharged from the first expander and compressor;
a second expander for expanding the refrigerant portion of the fluid condensed in said condenser;
an evaporator to receive and vaporize therein the fluid discharged from said second expander;
a means for rotationally driving the housing, con-denser and evaporator coupled to said first expander; and condenser and evaporator plenum chambers, associated ducting and valve means for selectively controlling the cool and warm air flow;
said apparatus characterized by means for dividing and supplying the liquid condensed in the condenser to the boiler and to the second expander in predetermined portions, wherein the means for supplying condensed liquid to the boiler comprises a plurality of radial feed tubes having their outer ends immersed in the boiler liquid, and a plurality of radial sensor tubes having their outer ends disposed at the desired level of liquid in the boiler and operable automatically to maintain the level of liquid in said boiler at said desired level, the means for supplying condensed liquid to the second expander comprises a plurality of feed systems each including means defining a chamber, means for supplying condensed liquid to said chamber, and means for supplying liquid from the chamber to said second expander, and fluid connections are provided between the sensor tubes and the chamber of said feed systems cooperable therewith automatically to supply condensed liquid through said feed systems to the second expander substantially at the rate required to establish and maintain capacity balance in the refrigerant system.

2. Rotary closed Rankine cycle engine powered heating and cooling apparatus utilizing a single fluid for both engine power and refrigeration comprising a cylindrical housing mounted for rotation about the axis thereof including an internal boiler for the engine power portion of said single fluid, means for heating the fluid in said boiler to generate pressure power fluid vapor therein, means subdividing the interior of said rotatable housing to provide a high pressure fluid compartment and a low pressure fluid compartment, a first expander in said housing for expanding the pressure power fluid generated in the boiler and discharging the expanded fluid to the high pressure compartment of the housing, including a coaxial driving member rotatably driven at a first predetermined speed by said power fluid, a compressor rotatably mounted coaxially in the housing driven by said first expander driving member and operable to compress the refrigerant portion of the single fluid in said low pressure fluid compartment and discharge the compressed refrig-erant to said high pressure compartment of the housing, a condenser mounted coaxially of the housing and rotatable therewith comprising a plurality of axially spaced radial annular fins having heat exchange tubes extending longi-tudinally therethrough and communicating with the high pressure compartment of the housing to receive and condense therein the power and refrigerant portions of said single fluid discharged from the first expander and compressor, a second expander in said housing for expanding the refrigerant portion of the fluid condensed in said condenser, means for dividing and supplying the liquid condensed in the condenser to the boiler and to said second expander in predetermined proportions, wherein the means for supplying condensed liquid to the boiler comprises a plurality of radial feed tubes having their outer ends immersed in the boiler liquid, and a plurality of radial sensor tubes having their outer ends disposed at the desired level of liquid in the boiler and operable automatically to main-tain the level of liquid in said boiler at said desired level;
the means for supplying condensed liquid to the second expander comprises a plurality of reed systems each including means defining a chamber, means for supplying condensed liquid to said chamber, and means for supplying liquid from the chamber to said second expander; and fluid connections are provided between the sensor tubes and the chambers of said feed systems cooperable therewith automatically to supply condensed liquid through said reed systems to the second expander substantially at the rate required to establish and maintain capacity balance in the refrigerant system, an evaporator mounted coaxially of the housing and rotatable therewith comprising a plurality of axially spaced annular fins having heat exchange tubes extending longitudinally therethrough and communicating with the low pressure compartment of the housing to receive and vaporize therein the refrigerant portion of the fluid discharged from said second expander and return the vaporized refrigerant portion to the low pressure compartment of the housing, and means operable to rotationally drive the housing, condenser and evaporator as a unit at a second predetermined speed operable to cause a gaseous heat exchange fluid to be con-veyed and accelerated by viscosity shear forces outwardly between the fins of the condenser and evaporator to the velocity pro-viding optimum heat exchange between said gaseous fluid and the power and refrigerant portions of the fluid in the heat exchange tubes of the condenser and evaporator.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the second expander comprises a plurality of capillary tubes equally spaced circumferentially of the housing and rotatable therewith, the length of said capillary tubes being correlated to the internal flow area thereof and to the number of said tubes to establish and maintain capacity balance in the refrigerant system in response to the pressure drop across said capillary tubes.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the means for rotationally driving the housing, condenser and evaporator as a unit comprises an occluded fixed-ratio gear train mounted coaxially within the housing and connected between the power fluid expander driving member and said housing, and torque anchor means cooperable with the occluded gear train opposing the reaction torque generated thereby so that the full power output of the power fluid expander is transmitted directly to the compressor and rotary housing.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the axial spacing between adjacent annular fins of the condenser is cor-related to the speed of rotation thereof and the kinematic viscosity of the cooling fluid to provide a Taylor number operable at the ratio of the inner to outer radil of the fins to convey and accelerate said cooling fluid by viscosity shear forces spirally outward between the fins substantially to the velocity providing optimum heat exchange between the cooling fluid and the fluid in said heat exchange tubes.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the axial spacing between adjacent annular fins of the evaporator is cor-related to the speed of rotation thereof and the kinematic viscosity of the cooling fluid to provide a Taylor number operable at the ratio of the inner to outer radii of the fins to convey and accelerate said cooling fluid by viscosity shear forces spirally outward between the fins substantially to the velocity providing optimum heat exchange between the cooling fluid and the fluid in said heat exchange tubes.

7, Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the axial spacing between adjacent annular fins of the condenser and evaporator is correlated to the speed of rotation thereof and the kinematic viscosity of the cooling fluid to provide a Taylor number operable at the ratio of the inner to outer radil of the fins to convey and accelerate said cooling fluid by viscosity shear forces spirally outward between the fins substantially to the velocity providing optimum heat exchange between the cooling fluid and the fluid in said heat exchange tubes of the condenser and evaporator.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the rotary housing includes a sump compartment for containing an annular bath of lubricant and the torque anchor means is non-rotatable with the housing and includes pump means operable to pump lubricant inwardly from said annular bath to the expander driving member to lubricate same.

9. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 8 comprising means for returning to the low pressure compartment of the housing lubricant that migrates into the refrigerant system and collects in the evaporator tubes.

10. Cooling and heating apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 7 comprising a fluid inlet duct connected to the inlet to the condenser fluid chamber, a housing defining a plenum chamber enclosing the condenser for receiving heated fluid discharged outwardly through the condenser fins, an exhaust duct connected to the condenser plenum chamber to receive heated fluid therefrom, a fluid distribution duct connected to said exhaust duct for conducting heated fluid therefrom to a remote zone, a return duct from said zone terminating in a first branch duct connected to said air inlet duct to the condenser chamber and a second branch duct connected to the fluid inlet chamber of the evaporator and to said air distri-bution duct, a housing defining a plenum chamber enclosing the evaporator for receiving therefrom cool fluid discharged outwardly through the evaporator fins, a cool fluid duct connected to said evaporator plenum chamber for receiving cool fluid therefrom, said cool fluid duct also being connected to said first return branch duct and to said distribution duct, valve means selectively operable for controlling the flow of fluid respectively from said exhaust duct and said cool fluid duct to the distribution duct, and valve means selectively operable for controlling fluid flow from said return duct to the said first and second branch ducts and between the latter and said cool fluid duct and fluid distribution duct.