US1575819A - Refrigerating system - Google Patents

Description

w'..||. CARRIER' RE'FRIGERATING SYSTEM Filed April s, 1921 *Mmm ,1926. 1,575,819 Y Y -w. H. CARRIER -4 REFRIGERATING SYSTEMl Filed April 5, 1921 s sheetsfsheet 2 ,4 rra/@V575 March 9 192.6.

W. H. CARRIER REFRIGERATING SYSTEM 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 5, 1921 //v VIA/70A? A fr0/WYE K5.

Fao

l Patented Mar. .9, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,575,819 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIE E. cA'RRIERoE NEW YORK, N..Y., AssIeNoR To CARRIER ENGINEERING OOR- EORATION, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

REFRIGERATING SYSTEM.

Application led April 5, 1921. Serial No. l5-8,680.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIS H. CARRIER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and use eth lchloride, is employed as the refrigerant an the vaporized refrigerant is withdrawn' from the evaporator or cooler in' which the refrigerant is vaporized and delivered at a higher temperature to a vapor condenser by a centrifugal compressorl which acts .by centrifugal force to `maintain a difference in pressure inthe evaporator and condenser.

One ofthe objects of this invention is to produce a practical and efficient refrigerating system of this sort in Which the reduction in temperature is produced by the direct expansion or vaporizationofthe refrigerant, and the cooled refrigerant is circulated through a coil or pi e circulating system which can be utilized or refrigerating water or brine, as bunker coils for cooling rooms,

' or in anyother way by which the cooled refrigeratl-ng medium circulating through the coils or pipes can be utilized for cooling purposes. Such a system has the great advantage that the evaporator yor chamber -in which the refrigerant liquid-is vaporized for lowering its temperature can be of compar- `atively small size and simple construction,

avoiding the necessity for the tubes or other heat-transmltting surfaces and connectlons 'such as are required in systems in which the refrigerant is vaporized by heat abstracted from brine or other liquid which is being cooled and is circulated through the evaporator. In the `present system, refrigerant liquid is discharged under pressure against a turbine, Pelton wheel or rotary device which finely atomizes the refrigerant and insures a complete, rapidl vaporization and cooling of the saine. The power developed by the impact of the jet or jets of refrigerant discharged against the turbine or Pelton wheel is utilized to supplement the driving motor for the pump that circulates the refrigerant through the refrigerating coil or piping so that only a small motor for the pump is necessary.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical'seotional elevation of a refrigerating apparatus embodying theinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevatio of the upper end of the liquid seal for the pump shaft.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3,

- Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation thereof on vline 4 4, Fig. 1.-

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale, of the evaporator.

A represents the evaporator or chamber in which the refrigerant is vaporized, B a condenser and C a centrifugal fan, compressor lor exhauster which exhausts the vaporized refrigerant fromlthe evaporator and delivers it at a higher pressure to the condenser. 'lhe vaporized refrigerant is liquiiied in the condenser and the liquied refrigerant returned to the evaporator or expansion chamber. A pump E circulates the liquid refrigerant collecting in the evaporator or expansion chamber, and which has been cooled by the vaporization orexpansion, through one or more refrigerating coils F or a closed pipe circuit and again discharges the liquid into the evaporator.

The condenser' B and the compressor C for exhausting the vaporized refrigerant from the evaporator and delivering it to the condenser may be constructed and arranged in any suitable manner. .Preferably the arrangement is substantially as disclosed lin my application for patent above mentioned. The condenser is arranged horizontally and serves as a supporting base for the centrifugal compressor and its driving motor. The fan or compressor (l is arranged with its axis of rotation horizontally, and the casing thereof is mounted on the condenser. A multiple stage contrifugal fan or compressor is shown, and is constructed and operates in a `wel-l known manner, described in said application, the vapor passing through the several rotors and the compartments formf ing the successive stages of the compressor and being delivered from the last stage to vent leakage into or out of the compressor there is no 'possibility of leakage through.

the opening around the compressor shaft at this end of the compressor. Leakage of vapor from or air into. the compressor casing at its opposite end, where it is necessary for the shaft to be exposed for connection with thedriving motor, is prevented by a suitable stuffing box H. This stuiing box should -be of some suitable construction adapted to prewithout causing substantial friction when the compressor is in operation, and also to eifect a tight closure of the shaft opening when the compressor is not running. Preferably a stuffing box of the construction described in said applicationis employed.

The -condenser shown is of known con struction, consisting vof opposite heads 5 and 6 connected by horizontal flow tubes for the condensing water or medium, which tubes are enclosed within a casing 7 connecting the two heads. The water or condensing medium is admitted'to the head5 through a supply connection 8 and flows through the tubes below a transverse partition 9 Iin the head 5, and thence passes through the other head 6 and remaining tubes back to the head 5, from which it discharges through a discharge pipe or connection 10., The refrigerant vapor is condensed in the condenser by contact with the tubes and the liquefied refrigerant ,which collects in the bottom of the condenser is returned by the di'erence in pressure in the eva orator and condenser through a pipe 11 to t e evaporator, in the bottom of which it collects. The liquefied refrigerant expands in discharging from the pipe 11 into the evaporator, thus causing a reduction in the temperature. The,

discharge from the pipe 11 into the evaporator is preferably controlled by a float-actuated valve 12 for maintaining Ya redetermined, desired level of the liquid in the evaporator. This float-operated 'valve may be of any suitableknown construction. .Ars

shown, the float 13 is of segmental, annular form and arranged in the evaporator chamber between the cylindrical wall of the latter and a pump and turbine supporting l frame suspended centrally in the chamber.-

The evaporator or vaporizing chamberfis preferably formed by an upright, `stationary, cylindrical casing 14. The refrigerant circulating pump E and a turbine or atomizpin v4wheel I are mounted in this chamber pre erably on 4a skeleton frame or cage 15 which is suspended in the casing 14 from suitable supports at the upper part of the casing or is otherwise removably secured in I the casing so that the frame withthe pump and other parts mounted thereon can be readily secured in and detached andnlifted vertically out of the stationary 'casing 14. As shown, the pump E is arranged horizontally in thebot'tom of the evaporator casing with its rotor secured to the lower end of a shaft 16 which extends vertically centrally through the evaporator casing and' out through a shaft opening in the top or cover of the casing. As'shown, this shaft is journalled at its lower Aend in a suitable bearing 17 on the lower end of the frame 15 and at its upper end in a `bearing 18 suitably mounted on to of the stationary casing. The pump sha 16 is suitably coupled to -the shaft of a small driving motor 19 which is preferably suitably mounted on top of the stationary casing in such a way as not to interfere with the releasing and removal of` the pump supporting frame 15 out of the upper end of the evaporator casing.v

It is necessary to prevent`leakage of air vinto the evaporator` casing or -the loss of vacuum through the opening through whichl the pump shaft extends'out through the top of the casing. In order to accomplish this without the use of a stuffing b'ox or gland, which in order to be gas tight would create undue friction on the revolving shaft, the

pump and turbine or refrigerant atomizer are mounted in the evaporator chamber and a liquid seal -fprovided for the shaft opening in the top o the casing, preferably -by the following construction:

The turbine wheel I is fixed lon the lower portion of the shaft 16 above the pum with a driving fit or otherwise so'as to orm al gas tight joint with the shaft.v Surrounding the shaft above the turbine wheel is a sleeve 4 or tube 25 provided at its lower end with a between the contacting faces of the disk 27 and turbine wheel'is made gas ti' htin any preferred manner, as for instance y suitable packing gaskets 30 seated in grooves beg tween the contacting faces and between the disk 27 andthe shoulder 28 on the shaft.v

The sleeve or tube .25 is of larger internal diameter than the portion of the shaft which Y it surrounds thus leaving an annular space in the sleeve around the shaft. Extendin lengthwise in this space is a stationary sea ing tube 32 which'divides the space into nar- 'row inner and outer annularsealing cells 33 and 34.` This sealing tube 32 is secured at its upper end to the lower end of a tube 35 which is brazed-or otherwise secured by a gas tight joint the opening 36 in the top of the The sealing cel1sl33 and 34 are of s y al mercury column preferably adapted to extend around the' lower end of the sealing tube 32 and toa height of at least 32 Ainches in the outer sealing cell 34. A mercury seal is thus formedadapted to maintain a substantially perfect vacuum within the evaporator casing. The lower end of the sealing tube 32 is preferably flared or provided with a flange 37 which extends outwardly into an annular enlargement 37 in the -bore of the sleeve 25. 'An expansion chamber 38 or enlargement lof' the upper end of the outer sealing cell 34 isl formed preferably-by a removable cap 38 screwed on the upper end of the sleeve 25. Secured on the lower end ofthe tube 35 is a stationarycollar provided -with blades 39 which project outwardly into the expansiony chamber 38. The joint between the cap 38L and the upper end of-the outer sleeve y25 is made tight by a packing gasket of any suitable rt ,'When the pump sha is in rotation the centrifugal action of the body of mercury in the rotating chamber formed by the sleeve 25, and the difference in pressure in the viner and outer sealing cells causes themercu y columnto inthe outer chamber 34 to a height depending upon the vacuum' or di'erence in pressure within and outside of the evaporator casing.` The ve chamber 38 at the top of the seahng celll provides, an enlarged lspace in which the mercury can collect incase it rises above the top of the -outer cell, andthe stationary blades 39 in this chamber impede the rotation of the mercury in the'. chamber and prevent the mercury from being 'thrown out of the chamber by centrifugal force. F

lThe sleeve 25, which rotates with the pump shaft 16 .and turbine wheel, is preferably" journaled in suitable upper and vlower antifriction bearin s 40 and 41 which are supportedby sp1 ers' or snpports 42 andj43 respectively, projecting inwardly from the skeleton supporting frame 15 in the evaporator casing. Since the sealing -sleeve 25 is rigid with the ump shaft 15, the latter is in part supporte and steadied in its rotation by said bearings 40 land 41. The bearinvs 40 and 41 are preferably combined'radialand thrust ball bearings,- eachv constructed and mounted as follows:v The outerl race ring of the bearing is seated in a recess in-a cup or shell 46 and the inner race ring is secured on a' supporting collar 47 which is secured to the rotary sealing sleeve 25v and extends down into the shell 46. The inner race 'rin'v is seat its lower end and a nut 48 screwed on the collar,v and the collar is 'securedat 'its upper end on the sleeve 25 b'etween a shoulder 49 thereon anda nut 50`screwed on a threaded portion of the sleeve. The supporting collar 47 for the lower bearing 41 and its securing-nut are oflarge enough diameter to be slipped into place on the shaft and removed over the securing shoulder for the.v

supporting collar 47 for the upperbearing.

The vshells 46 of thepper and Alower* bearings are bolted or otherwise removably secured on their supports 42 and 43'and the l shell of the lower bearing is of an external diameter, small enough to be inserted andremoved through the opening inJ the support 42 for the upper bearing', thus enabling tne readyassembling and disassembling ofthe The skeleton frame or cage 15 can be of any suitable construction -adaptedto afford the necessary support and rigidity for the bearings for tli'e pump shaft.v vThe frame is, however, as before mentioned, preferablyk constructed so that it, with the pump, turses bine and other parts supported thereby can be y)inserted into and lifted out-of the evaporator casing 14 through the open upper end thereof and be removably secured withinthe casing, while at the same time the necessary gas tight closure for'the upper end ofwthe casing is providedl As shown, the supporting framepl is provided at it'supper end with an outwardly projecting annular flange 55 which rests upon and isremovably bolted to an internal flange or shoulder 56 on the stationary casing 14. The joint between the flanges` '55 and 56 is sealed. or madepgas `tight in any suitable manner, as for example, by means of packing gaskets 57, compressed infgrooves between the contacting .y faces of the flanges 55 and 56. The upper end 458 of`the frame 15,. which is annular and forms in part the top of the evaporator casing, is provided with a removable cover `or sealing head 59 in which the hole 36 through which the pump shaft passes is formed. This'head is bolted or otherwise removably secured on the top^58 of the frame 15 and the joint between the head and frame sealed by suitable packing gaskets or other suitable sealing-means. The cover is provided on the top thereofwith an upwarcb ly projecting lflange 60 urrounding the pump shaft opening 36 and forming a well within the flange around the shaft. This flange or well is provided for the purpose of enabling the evaporator casing to be submerged in a sealing liquid contained in an' outer jacket or casing 61 with the sealing liquid at a level below the top of the flange. or Well 60 so as to prevent the sealing liquid fflrlornt entering the mercury seal for the pump s a cured on 4the collar 47 between a s oulder' The pump E, which draws the refrigerant 130 f liquid from the bottom o f the evaporator casing 14, delivers the liquid through a discharge pipe 62 to the refrigerating or bunker coil or coils F, and after circulating through the coil or other circulating system, the liquid is returned through a pipeG and discharges under pressure through one or.

more suitable nozzles 64 against the turbine or atonuzmg wheel I which thoroiqghlyv atomizes the refrigerant and causes a rapid power thus developed is utilized to supple-' ment the motor 19 in driving the pump E,

so that only a comparatively small driving motor 19 for the pump is necessary. 65 represents arr automatic relief valveV ot any suitable construction for thereturn pipe 63.' This valve is 'adapted to be opened by pres-v sure in-the refrigerant circulating system, when a predetermined maximum pressure is reached so as thereby vto prevent back pressure in thecirculating system. this relief valve is placed in a branch GG of the return pipe, and this branch pipeis rovided with a nozzle arranged to discharge against the turbine wheel l'. Any vapor or liquid discharging through the relief valve is thus utilized in driving the turbine wheel. The boiling point ofthe refrigerant liquid .used at atmospheric pressure is always above any. natural atmos#4 pherie temperatures. .'lherefore, no vapor is formed in tlie refrigerating coil or circulating system. The cooling coil is operated at low pressure, preferably not above one or two pounds pressure.

Then the r'efrigerating coil F is used in a cooler for cooling a. liqui-d such as water, as illustrated in the drawings, an automatic control is preferably employed for preventing possible freezing of the water. For this purpose a vapor pressure thermostat 37 is shown in the water discharge pipe (3dv of the' cooler, said thermostat being operatively connected to a thermostati'c valve G9 in the refrigerant return pipe 63. If the temperature of the `water drops below the degree for which the thermostat is set, the valve (39 will be actuated to stop or reduce the circulation of the refrigerant through the coil F and thus prevent further reduction in the tmnperature ofv the water I claim as my invention: r

l. In a refrigerating system employing a volatile liquid refrigerant, the combination of a vaporizing chamber, a condenser for the vaporized refrigerant, a, centrifugal compressor which delivers the refrigerant vaP Preferably..

chamber whereby it rapidly expands and lowers the temperature in said chamber' by direct expansion.v

2. In a refrigerating system inN which a volatile liquid refrigerant is employed, the

combination of a vaporizing chamber, .a ro

tary wheel in said vaporizing chamber against which ajet of the refrigerant liquid is projected in a direction to rotate said `wheel and which atomizes the refrigerant liquid, a condenser including means forl condensing the refrigerant vapor, a compressor which withdraws the refrigerant vapor from the vaporizing chamber and delivers it to the condenser, a refrigerating coil, 'means for delivering the liquid refrigerant from the condenser to said'vaporizing chamber, and a pump which circulates the liquefied refrigerant through said coil .and discharges the same against said wheel, said pump being located in the va poiizing chamber and connected to saidwheel so that the power produced by the rotation of saidl wheel is utilized in driving said pump.'

3. In a refrigerating system in which a volatile liquid refrigerant is'employed, the combination ofa vaporizing chamber, a refrigerating coil, a pump which draws refrigerant liquid from said vaporizing chamber, circulates it through said coil and discharges it into the vaporizing chamber, a 'wheel in the vaporizing chamber which is rotated by said discharging refrigerant liquid and atomizes the refrigerant, said wheel having a driving connection with said. pump, a condenser including means for Vcondensing the vaporized refrigerant, means for delivering vaporized refrigerant from the vaporizing chamber t'o thecondenser, and means for returning liquefiedA refrigerant from the condenser to the vaporizing chamber.

4. In a refrigerating system in which a vvolatile liquid refrigerant is employed, the combination of a vaporizing chamber, a lrefrigerating coil, a pump which draws refrigerant liquid from said vaporizing chamber, circulates it through said coil and discharges it into the vaporizing chamber, a motor for driving said pump, a Wheel in the 4'aporizing chamber which is rotated by and means for 'returning liquefied refrig erant from the condenser to the vaporizing v l y chamber.

5. In a refrigerating system in which a 'volatileliquid refrigerant is employed, the combination of a vaporizing chamber, a refrigerating. coil, a pump which draws refrigerant liquid from said vaporizing chamber, circulates it through said coil and discharges it into the vaporizing chamber, a Wheel in the vaporizing chamber which is rotated by said discharging refrigerant liquid and atomizes the refrigerant, a branch discharge pipe connected to said refrigerating coil and arranged to discharge the revaporizing chamber through said coil and frlgerant against said wheel, and a relief valve in said `branch pipe which is opened by a predetermined pressure of the refrigerant and permits vdischarge vfrom said branch pipe, a condenser including vmeans for condensing the vaporized "refrigerant, means for delivering vaporized refrigerant from the vaporizing chamber to the condenser, and means for returning liquefied refrigerant from the condenser to the vaporizing chamber.

6. .In a refrigerating system employing a volatile liquid vrefrigerant having a low vapor pressure and a high specific density, the combination of a vaporizing chamber, a condenser for the vaporized refrigerant, a centrifugal compressor which delivers the refrigerant vapor from the vaporizing chamber to the condenser and maintains a relatively low difference of pressures in the vaporizing chamber and in the condenser, means for returning the liquefied refrigerant from the -condenser to the vaporizing chamber, a refrigerating coil, means for circulating the liquid .refrigerant from the discharging it in the vaporizing chamber in a :linely divided condition whereby itl rapidly expands and lowers the temperature in said chamber by direct expansion, and a'regulator which automatically regulates the .quantity of the circulated liquid refrigerant discharged into the vaporizing chamber independently of changes 1n speed of the liquid circulating means to control the refrigeration.

l?. In a refrigerating system employing a volatile liquid refrigerant havinga low vapor pressure and a high specific density,

the combination of a vaporizing chamber,

a condenser for the vaporized refrigerant,

a centrifugal compressor which delivers the refrigerant vapor from the vaporizing l Ychamber to the condenser and maintains a relatively low difference of pressures in the vaporizing chamber and in the condenser,

means for returning the liquefied refrigerant l from the condenser to the vaporizing chamber, a refrigeratin coil, means for circulating the liquid re rigerant from the vaporizing chamber through saidcoil and discharging it in the vaporizing chamber in a finely divided' condition whereby it rapidly expands and lowers the temperature in said chamber by direct expansiomg.

and means operating automatically under the control of the temperature produced` by the circulating refrigerant for regulating the quantity of the liquid refrigerant discharged into the vaporizing chamber to control the rcfri eration. A

8. In a re rigerating system in which a volatile liquid refrigerant is employed, the combination of a vaporizing chamber, means for causing the refrigerant to vaporize in said chamber and lower the temperature in said chamber by direct expansion of the refrigerant, a condenser including means for condensing the refrigerant vapor, means for delivering vaporized refrigerant from the vaporizing chamber to' the condenser and maintaining a pressure below atmospheric pressure in the vaporizing chamber, a refrigerating coil, and a pump which circulates the liquid refrigerant through said coil and returns it to the vaporizing chamber, said pump being located in the vaporizing cham-'- ber and having a drive shaft extending out of said chamber through a shaft opening, a liquidv seal for said shaft opening, and a support on which said pump," shaft and liquid seal are mounted in the vaporizing chamber and which is removable from said chamber with said parts thereon. WILLIS H. CARRIER.

Images