US1469729A

US1469729A - myers

Info

Publication number: US1469729A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1923-10-02
Anticipated expiration: 1940-10-02

Description

Oct. 2, 1923.

D. D. MYERS METHOD AND MACHINE FOR REFRIGERATION Filed June 28 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 N V EN TOR. J, D012 D. @9119 BY A TTORNFY,

Oct. 2 1923. 1,469,729

D. D. MYERS METHOD AND MACHINE FOR REFRIGERATION Filed June 29 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVENTOR. Bar: B fllyers 'ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 2, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DON D. MYERS, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH CORPORATION,

OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR REFRIGERATION.

Application filed June 28, 1920. Serial No. 392,171.

To all WIN/NE, 1'1 may concern.

Be it known that I. DON I). MYERS. a citizen of the l'nitcd States. residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Machines for Refrigeration, of which I. declare the following to be a full. clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a method and means for refrigerating liquids. such as brines; or for cooling gases, such as air.

one object of the inventionis to obtain the advantages possessed by the ordinary forms of refrigerating systems without the use of pumps. valves. or circulating pipes required in the ordinary system em .loying the compression and expansion gases.

Another object is to maintain the refrigcrating gas hermetically sealed in containers which have no con'ununica-tion with each other. thus avoiding leakage of gas such as frequently occurs in refrigerating systems of the prior art. Leakage of this gas may result not only in the loss of the gas, but also in injury to life and property through the poisonous. obnoxious. or corrosive properties of the gas. In my invention, the container for the gas is free from any internal mechanism thus making it unnecessary to open the container for any purpose whereby gases could be lost or cause injury.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine so simple in its operation and free from liability to get out of order that it may conveniently be used in private homes and establishments where skilled mechanics and repair men are not available.

other objects. and objects relating to details of construction and economies of manufacture. will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention, which For the purposes of the pres any application, I have .ompanying drawings.

1g. I is a vertical sectional View one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. II is a vertical sectional view along the line II-II of Fig. I. looking in the direction indicated by arrows.

Fig. III is a vertical sectional view of an other modification incorporating my inventron.

Fig. IV is a vertical sectional view along through 'fixd in the casing.

illustrated in the acchambers 9 to the line I\'IV of Fig. III. looking in the direction of the arrows.

In Figs. I and II, the casing 1 supports the rotary shaft 2. carrying the open ended drum 3. fixed thereto. A shaft 4. rigidly supports the wheel 5, upon the inclined portion 6. Radiating outward from the periphery of the wheel 5 are the arms 7 which cooperate with the arms 8, radiating from the closed end of the drum, to pivotally support collapsible chambers 9. which are filled with a fixed mass of ammonia. sulphur dioxid. or other suitable gas. The material of the chambers is chosen in view of its resiliency. and its resistance to the corrosive action of the gas used. At the outer end of the drum 3 are provided rectangular slots 10 through which the arms 7 of the wheel 5 project. Upon the shaft 2 is mounted the gear wheel 11. or other suitable power transmitting means which may be driven by a motor 12. Supported at the top of the casing is a blower 13 which supplies a current of cooling air. directed by a hood 14 upon each chamber as it passes through the upper part of the casing.

Adjacent to and parallel with drum 3, are supported the rotary drums 15. and 16. havinp ribs 17, projecting outwardly and fitting between adiacent chambers 9. as the drum 3 is rotated, thereby forming an effective sealing means to prevent an appreciable transfer of heat hv gaseous flow in either direction between the upper and lower portions of the casing. In the base of the casin 1 is provided a reservoir 18 having suita le connections. such as that shown at 19. through which may be circulated the medium to be cooled, such as brine. air, or other fluid 20.

The operation of my invention shown in Figs. I and II. is as follows;

The motor 12. on rotating. turns the shaft 2 and the drum 3 thereby rotating the chem: hers 9 about the axis of the shaft 2. The inclined portion of the shaft 6 causes the be compressed at the' upper portion of the casing 1 and expanded at the lower portion of the casing. The slots 10 permit the arms to reciprocate back and forth therein during each rotation, while the drum 3 drives the wheel 5, and maintains the arms 7 in line with the arms 8.

In compressing a chamber, as it travels from the bottom toward the top of the casing 1, the temperature of the chamber'is elevated by the adiabatic compression 0! the gas therein, and as the chamber approaches the uppermost part of the casing, the heat arising from this increase of temperature is carried oil' by the cooling air directed by the hood 14 upon the chamber. As the drum 3 continues to rotate, the chamber passes out of the coolin current of air and the volume of the chem er is sinusoidally increased, thereby cousin an adiabatic expansion of the as in the c amber and a consequent dc crease in the temperature of the chamber. As the chamber approaches the lower portion of the casing 1, it immerses in the brine 20, and the decreased temperature of the chamber causes it to absorb heat from the brine 20, thereby reducing the temperature of the brine. The chamber is then removed from the brine, as the drum 3 rotates, and is sinusoidally compressed so that upon reaching the upper portion of the casin 1, it is again in a heated condition as escribed above in connection with the initial step in the cycle of operations. This cycle is followe by a continuous series of similar cycles.

It is thus seen that the chamber is subjccted to a sinusoidal change in volume, and at the point of minimum volume in the cycle, the chamber is cooled by the cooling air; while at the point of maximum volume in the cycle, the chamber is heated by the brine, or in other words, reduces the temperature of the brine. The portion of the cycle, corresponding to the interval of cooling of a single chamber 9, has a duration of less than one half a cycle of the drum; and similarly, the ,ortion of the cycle, corresponding to the interval of refrigerating of the brine 20 by a single chamber 9, is of less duration than one half a cycle of the drum 3. The point of minimum volume in the cycle occurs in the middle of the interval of coding of the chamber 9, while the point ohmammum volume in the cycle occurs in the middle of the interval of cooling of the brine 20. By providing a plurality of chambers 9, uniformly distributed around the drum 3, each passing over the same path and through the same cycle of volume change, it is pos sible to continuously withdraw heat from the brine, and thereby maintain the brine at a low temperature.

Referring to Fi s. III and IV, a modification is shown in wiich the drum 21 is closed at both ends and provided with slots 22 through which the arms 23 of

wheels

24 and 25 project to supportchambers 9. Between adjacent chambers 9 are provided separatin ribs 26 which perform the function provi Pd by the ribs 17 in the modification shown in Fig. II, The nozzles 32', 28 and 29 are so laced with relation to the recesses 31'), formed between the ribs 28, as to furnish an eflicient supply of cooling air to the chainbers while in the compressed condition.

Aprons

31 and 32 cooperate with the ribs 26 to form a sealing means preventing tranc fer of heat by gaseous flow in either direction between the upper and lower portions of the casing.

The operation of the modification, shown in Figs. III and IV, is similar to that de scribed in connection with Figs 1 and II, the cycle of volume change of chambers .9 being sinusoidal, and the cooling oi the chambers and of the brine occurring in the same relation as described above. I am aware that the particular embodiment of my invention above described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is susceptible of considerable variation Without departing from the spirit thereof, and therefore, I desire to claim my invention broadly as well as specifically as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The method of refrigerating, which consists in cyclically varying the volume of a fixed mass of gas, immersing said gas in a cooling medium during the half cycle nearest the minimum volume point in the cycle, and immersing said gas in a medium to be cooled during the other half cycle, whereby heat from said medium to be cooled is absorbed by the gas during said other half cycle.

2. The method of refrigerating, which consists in sinusoidally varying the volume of a fixed mass of gas, immersing said gas in a cooling medium during the half cycle nearest the minimum volume point in the cycle, and immersing said gas in a medium to be cooled during the other half cycle whereby heat from said medium to be cooled is absorbed by the gas during said other half c cle.

3. The method of refrigerating, which consists in cyclically varying the volume of a fixed mass of gas immersing said gas in a'cooling medium during the half cycle nearest the minimum volume point 'in the cycle for a portion only of said half cycle nearest to said minimum volume point, and immersing said gas in a medium to be cooled during the other half cycle for a portion only of said half cycle nearest the maximum volume point, whereby heat from said 1nc dium to be cooled is absorbed by the gas during said other half c ole.

4. The method of re rigerating, which consists in sinusoidally varying the volume of a fixed mass of gas immersing said gas in a cooling medium during the half cycle nearest the minimum volume point in the cycle for a portion only of said half cycle nearest to said minimum volume point. and immersing said gas in a medium to be cooled during the other half cycle for a portion ill? only of said half cycle nearest the maximum volume point whereby heat from said medium to be cooled is absorbed by the gas durin said other half cycle.

5. he method of refrigerating, which consists in varying the volume of a fixed mass of gas periodically in accordance with a fixed cycle, immersing said gas in a cooling medium during the half cycle nearest the minimum volume point in the cycle, and immersing said gas in a medium to be cooled during the other half cycle. whereby heat from said medium to be cooled is ab sorbed by the gas during said other half cycle.

6. The method of refrigerating, which consists in periodically carrying out the following cycle of operations upon a fixed mass of gas in the sequence named: first, adiabatically compressing the gas; second, immersing said gas while compressed in a cooling medium; third, adiabatically expanding said gas: fourth, immersing said while expanded in the medium to be cooled.

7. The method of refrigerating by a series of scaled collapsible chambers filled with gas, which consists in serially compressing said chambers, passing them while compressed through a cooling medium, expanding them, and finally passing them while expanded through a medium to be cooled.

8. The method of refrigerating by an endless series of scaled collapsible chambers filled with gas, which consists in translating the entire series in seriatim along a fixed path, compressing each chamber as it passes over a first portion of the path; cooling each chamber, while compressed, as it passes over a secondportion of the path; expanding each chamber as it passes over a third por t'ion of the path; and immersing each chamber, While expanded, in the medium to be cooled, as it passes over a fourth portion of the path.

9. The method. of refrigerating by a plurality f scaled gas filled chambers, which consists in periodically repeating a cycle composed of the following operations performed in the order named: compressing the chambers progressively while translating them through a thermally neutral mediam;- thcn translating the chambers progressively, while compressed. through a cooling medium to reduce the temperature of the chambers: expanding the chambers progressively while translating them through a thermally neutral medium: and translating the chambers progressively .while ex panded through the medium to be cooled.

10. In a refri erat-ing machine, a rotary carrier. a cham ier containing a constant mass of gas, supported at the periphery of said carrier, means for varying the volume of said chamber as it moves will the cat rier, said chamber transferring heat between angularly displaced points adjacent the periphery of said carrier.

11. In a refrigerating machine, a casing, a reservoir therein containing a medium to be cooled, and a space in said casing containing a cooling medium, and rotary means supported in said casing for transferring heat from said medium to be cooled to said cooling medium, said means including a plurality of collapsible non-communicating gas filled chambers.

12. In a refrigerating machine, a casing, a reservoir therein containing a medium to be cooled, and, a space in said casing containing a cooling medium, and rotary means supported in said casing for transferring heat from said medium to be cooled to said cooling medium, said means including a plurality of non-commonicatinn gas filled chambers, and shielding means cooperating with said rotary means to prevent flow of gas between said reservoir and said space.

13. In a refrigerating machine. a cooling medium and a medium to be cooled, a plurality of scaled collapsible gas fillethchambers. and means for cyclically varying the volume of said chambers and simultaneously rotating said members to immerse said chambers in a cooling medium while said chambers are compressed, and to inimerse'said chambcrs in a medium to be cooled while said chambers are expanded.

14. in a refrigerating machine, an approximately cylindrical casing. a cup shaped drum, pivoted on its axis of revolution coaxial with said casing, having a plurality of rectangular slots at the rim of the cup, and a plurality of radial projections at the base of the cup, said projections having sockets in their ends. a. fixed shaft inclined to, but intersecting the axis of said casing, a wheel pivoted upon said shaft, having radial projections at its periphery extending through and free to move in said slots. said projections having srx'kets in their ends and gas filled chambers having terminals at each and journaled in said sockets, whereby said chambers are supported substantially parallel to the axis of said casing, means for rotating said drum whereby said chambers are rotated and alternately compressed and expanded, a fluid medium in. the lower portion of said casing to be cooled bv said chambers coming in contact therewith, and a fluid medium in the upper portion of said casing for cooling said chambers.

15. In a refrigerating machine. a cylindrical casing. a cup shaped drum. pivoted on its axis of revolution coaxial with said casing. having a plurality of rectangular slots at the rim of the cup, and a plurality of radial projections at the base of the cup, said projections having sockets in their ends,

ioo

a fixed shaft inclined to, but intersecting the axis of said casing, a wheel pivoted upon said shaft, havin radial projections at its periphery cxten mg through and free to move in said slots, said projections having sockets in their ends, and gas filled chambers having terminals at each end journaled in said sockets, whereby said chambers are supported substantially parallel to the axis of said casing, means for rotating said drum whereby said chambers are rotated and alternately com ressed and expanded. a fluid medium in the ower portion of said casing to be cooled by said chambers coming incontact therewith, and a fluid medium inthe upper ortion of said casing for cooling said chem rs, a rotary drum on each side of the upper portion of said casing parallel to said casing and having projecting ribs closely meshing with the chambers on said drum for preventing a flow of gas between the upper and lower portions of said casing.

16. In a refrigerating machine, a rotary drum having a plurality of-recesses uni' 'formly distributed around its periphery parallel to the axis of the drum, slots in said recesses, two wheels mounted at an inclination to each other in said drum, having arms extending through said slots, gas filled chambers supported in said recesses upon said arms, a casing surrounding the lower portion of said drum and pivotally sup porting said drum, a reservoir in the base of said casing for containing a medium to be cooled, air cooling means supported above said drum, including nozzles directed upon said chambers, means to rotate said nwheel whereby said containers are compressed and expanded, said chambers being cooled by the curnents of air from said. nozzles while said chambers are compressed and heated by said medium to be cooled while said chambers are expanded.

17. In a refrigerating machine, a rotary drum having a plurality .of recesses uniformly distributed around its periphery parallel to the axis of the drum, slots in said recesses, two wheels mounted at an inclination to each other in said drum, havarms extending through said slots, gas

fill ed chambers supported in said recesses upon said arms, a casing surrounding the lower portion of said drum and pivotally supporting said drum, a reservoir in the base of said casing for containing a medium to be cooled, air 'coolin means supported above said drum, inclu ing nozzles directed u in said dhambers, means to rotate said w eels whereby said containers are con!- pressed and expanded", said chambers being cooled by the currents of air from said nozzles whlilasaid dhambers are compressed, and heated 1b ,saidfl medium to be cooled while saidjc a-Inhers are ex ended, and shielding means. at'the top 0 said casing for preventing ag-flow of gas to or from said reservoir.

In testimon'y wliereof, I affix my signature.

non D. Mrnns.