US2098558A - Air conditioning system utilizing refrigeration - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 9, 1937. SQM. ANDERSON ET AL AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM UTILIZING REFRIGERATION Filed Nov. 23, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 9, 1937. s. M. ANDERSON ET AL 2,098,558

AIR'COfiDITIONING SYSTEM UTILIZING REFRIGERATION Filed Nov. 23',

1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 WM? 2a 1% Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM UTILIZING REFRIGERATION Samuel M. Anderson and Robert T. Palmer, Sharon, Mass, assignors to B. F. Sturtevant Company, Inc., Boston, Mass.

Application November 23, 1935, Serial No. 51,296

4 Claims. (Cl. 62-417) This invention relates to the conditioning of air and relates more particularly to methods and apparatus for cooling the air within railway passenger cars.

One of the major problems in the cooling of air for railway passenger cars resides in the difficulty of supplying the necessary cooling effect during low train speeds and during stops. Motor driven compressors energized from axle driven generators are preferred by the railroads. characteristics of the axle driven generators The are

such that their output is insuflicient to energize the refrigeration apparatus at train speeds low about 20 miles per hour.

In some installations, excess storage battery capacity has been provided for providing the necessary electrical energy during low speeds and during stops but this has not proved satisfactory due to the great excess of battery-capacity required with resulting weight, depreciation,

etc.

In, other installations, refrigeration storage systems have been provided such as indirect refrigeration systems where large quantities of water were chilled and stored during high train speeds and then drawn upon during low train speeds and during stops to supply the necessary cooling effect. Such systems have not proved desirable because direct expansion systems due to their simplicity are preferred and further it is not desired to carry the large amount of water or other liquid required in such storage systems.

According to this invention, a storage system for storing energy during high train speeds is utilized but the energy is stored in the form of compressed air. An axle driven compressor compresses air during high train speeds, which compressed air is stored under pressure and released under uniform pressure to operate an air m otor which in turn drives a refrigerant compressor.

According to a feature of this invention,

the

air discharged from the air motor which is chilled due to expansion is passed over the compressor and condenser coils to cool same and to thus provide an .efficient refrigeration system.

An object of the invention is to operate the refrigeration apparatus of an air conditioning system with compressed air.

Another object of the invention is to provide a compressed air storage system for' operating the air conditioning apparatus of a railway passenger car.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent ther The invention will now be explained with reference to the drawings of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a railway passenger car equipped with an air conditioning system according to this invention; 5

Fig. 2 is an end view of the mechanism for driving the air compressor of Fig. 1 from one of the car axles; and

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the complete apparatus of Figs. 1 and 2 together with controls. 10

The car axle 5 drives through the V-belt 6,

the shaft I to which is attached one member of the friction clutch 8. The other friction member of the clutch 8 is attached to the shaft 9 to which is attached the piston rod ID of the piston 15 of the air compressor ll. 1

The compressor H discharges through the one way valve I2 into the compressed air storage tank I3. When the pressure within the tank l3 reaches a predetermined maximum, the pres- 20 sure switch ll closes a circuit through the battery 44 and solenoid l5, causing the plunger of the solenoid to admit air from the tank l3 passing through the pipe Hi to pass through the pipe l1 into the cylinder l8 to move the piston of the piston rod l9 which in turn moves the free end of the clutch lever 20 causing it to disengage the clutch 8 and to so disconnect the compressor H from the car axle. The pressure reliefvalve 2| may be provided as a safety measure.

The air from the storage tank l3 passes through the thermostatically controlled valve 22 into the compressed air motor 23 to rotate same. The refrigerant compressor 24 is driven by the motor 23 to compress any suitable refrigerant which is then condensed in the coils 25, expanded through the valve 26 and evaporated in the coils 21 in the air cooling compartment 28.

The thermostat 29 exposed to air conditions within the passenger space, closes a circuit when 4 the desired low temperature is reached, including the battery 30 and the solenoid 3| to operate the valve 22 to shut off the air to the motor 23 when no refrigeration is required.

The air compressor II and storage tank I3 45 are exposed to the heat of the outdoor air and from the road-bed since more efficient operation is obtained if the compressed air is heated. Where additional heat is desired for more eificient operation, the coils 32 within the tank l3 may be supplied with steam.

The compressed air motor 23, the refrigerant compressor 24 and the condenser coils are preferably placed within the well insulated compartment 33. The air discharged from the motor 23 due to expansion is chilled and is drawn by the fan 34 over the surface of the compressor 23 and coils 25 prior to being discharged from the opening 35 in the compartment 33. When the air discharged from the motor 23 is insufllcientinvolume, additional air may be drawn in by the fan 34 through the opening 36 communicating with the outside air.

The air cooling compartment 28 may be mounted in one end and in the roof zone of the car, as illustrated by Fig. 1, and the air may be discharged into the passenger space through, one or more longitudinal ducts or in any other suitable manner. The requisite quantities of recirculated and outside air are drawn in by the fan 31 driven by the motor 38. The motor 38 may be an air motor or due to its slight energy requirements may be an electric motor energized from the usual car lighting circuit.

With the system described. due to the compressibility of air and the relatively high efficiency of a well designed compressed air system, sufficient energy may be stored with minimum equipment and expense to supply the refrigerating requirements during ordinary low train speeds and during scheduled stops as well as for precooling purposes.

While one embodiment of the invention has been described for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that the invention is-not to be limited to the exact arrangement described as many departures will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art after having had access to this disclosure.

What is claimed is:

1. Air conditioning apparatus for a railway passenger car comprising air cooling means, a refrigerant compressor, a condenser, an air motor driving said compressor, a compressed air storage tank, means for heating the air in said tank, an axle driven air compressor feeding into said tank, and means for cooling said condenser with the air discharged by said motor.

2. Air conditioning apparatus for a railway passenger car comprising air cooling means, a refrigerant compressor, a condenser, an air motor driving said compressor, a compressed air storage tank, means for heating the air in said tank, an axle driven air compressor feeding into said tank, means for cooling said condenser and said refrigerant compressor with the air discharged by said motor, and means for supplying other air for cooling said condenser and said refrigerant compressor when the air discharged by said motor is insufficient. v r

3. Air conditioning apparatus for a railway passenger car comprising air cooling means, a refrigerant compressor, an axle driven air compressor, a compressed air storage tank receiving air under .pressure from said air compressor, means for heating the air in said tank, a compressed air motor connected' to said refrigerant compressor and energized from said tank, and means for controlling the supply of air to said motor.

4. Air conditioning apparatus for a railway passenger car comprising air cooling means, a refrigerant compressor, a condenser, an air motor driving said compressor, a compressed air storage tank, an axle driven air compressor feeding into said tank, an insulated compartment enclosing said motor, said refrigerant compressor and said condenser, means for discharging the air from said motor into said compartment, and means for passing outside air through said compartment.

SAMUEL M. ANDERSON. ROBERT T. PALMER.

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