US2127991A

US2127991A - Refrigerating apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2127991A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1938-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1955-08-23

Description

Aug. 23, 1938. n. R. cANDoR REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 30, 1934 Aug. 23, 1938. R. R. cANDoR REFRIGEHATING APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRJGERATING APrAaATUs Robert R. Candor, Dayton, Ohio, assigner to General Motors Corporation, Dayton,` Ollio, a corporation of Delaware- Application April 30,1934, serial 110,123,113

1v claims. t (ol. s2-115) v 10 invention will be apparent from the following description reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: l

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an apparatus embodying features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view somewhat similar to a portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, showing a slightly modified form; f

` 20 Fig. 3 is a view, partly in cross section, and

partly diagrammatic of the application o f my invention to a railway car or the like; l

Fig. .4 is a diagrammatic plan view of a carto which my invention may be applied: g i Fig. 5 is a plan view of the top of the air conditioner shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional A view of the top of the air conditioner shown in Fig 3.v

vai) 4`i'i'ccording to this invention, the efficiency of the usual multiple vcylinder compressor used for .air conditioning is greatly enhanced by a slight and inexpensive change in the valves, and without the necessity of changing the bore or volumetric v capacity of the various cylinders: By this invention, air may be conditioned by evaporators which gradually decrease in temperatureand the varions cylinders may be coordinated -into the air conditioning scheme without the necessityof changing the main parts of the compressor. Usually a mere change in the valving structure of the compressor is sufficient to'accomplish this end. f

As shown in Fig. 1, air to be conditioned which may come 4from the outside atmosphere, or from an enclosure or both may be caused to flow in the form of a stream through a casing Ill by any suitable means as the motor driven fan Il and the conditioned air is discharged. into the en-y closure. The stream of air first encounters the relatively warm evaporator l2 and then the relatively cold evaporator I2. Thus a certain portion of the heat from the air is removed therefrom at a relativelyhigh refrigerant pressure or temperature in evaporator I2 and the last traces of heat g5 are removed by a relativelyY low refrigerant pressure or temperature in evaporator Il. The evaporated refrigerant from these evaporators is introduced into the compressing'and condensing means at the proper stages of compression to obtain full advantage of my invention. Thus a compressor i4 is provided having a plurality of compressing chambers Il and ,i6 which may be of substantially the same volumetric displacement. These chambers are provided with pistons I1 and Il of substantially the same diameter and which are reciprocated by eccentrics on the shaft I9- having substantially the same throw. The check valves 20 and 2I are constructed to cause the flow of refrigerant vapor into the crankcase 22 and the valves 2l and 24 are constructed to cause'a flow of refrigerant vapor from the crankcase' 22. The suction outlet of the relatively cold evaporator i2 is connected by means of the line '25 with the intake 28 of the compressing chamber Iii from which the partially compressed refrigerant vapors are discharged into crankcase 22. The suction outlet of thev evaporator I2 is connected by the line 21 with the crankcase 22. Here the vapors from evaporator I2 are commingled with the partially compressed vapors from evaporator I2 and enters the compression chamber I5. The discharge from the compressing chamber i5 is connected by the line 2l with the condenser 2l which is provided with the liquid receiver It. From this receiver. liquefied refrigerant flows through the line 2l through branches 32 and 33I to the evaporators I2 and I2 respectively for reevaporation.

.The evaporator i2 is provided'withan automatic expansion valve .2l which tends to feed liquid refrigerant into the evaporator when the pressure is reduced below a predetermined limit.l

However, this action is modified by a thermostatic bulb 25 placed near the refrigerant outlet of i evaporator I2. This thermostatic bulb throttles the valve 24 when the liquid refrigerant .tends to flow past the-evaporator outlet into the line 21.. A valve 2B, similarto the valve 24, is placed at the inlet of the evaporator I2. A thermostatic bulb 31, similar to the bulb 2i, is placed near the outlet of the evaporator i3 and throttles the valve 26 in the same manner.

As shown in Fig. 1. evaporated refrigerant from the evaporator I3 flows into the intake 22` of the compressing chamber. it. It then flows past the valve 2U and is forced on the upward stroke of the piston Il into` the crankcase 22. From thence it flows through the valved intake 22 of the compressingI chamber Il lon the ,downward stroke of the piston i1, and is forced through the valve 2l into the outletl 38 on the up stroke of the piston I1. The refrigerant then ows to the condenser 29 where it is liquefied and is re-intrbduced into the evaporators through the

expansion valves

34 and 36. Evaporated refrigerant from the warm evaporator I2 flows through the line 21 to th'e crankcase 22 where it is mingled with the partly compressed refrigerant from the evaporator I3 and enters therewith into the compression chamber I5', under the compressing action of the piston I1, and ows to the condenser 29 for reuse in the evaporator.

Automatic controls are provided. Thus a thermostat 39 may be placed inthe enclosure which is supplied with air from the casing I9. This thermostat may operate a snap switch 40 which starts and stops the motor 4I which drives the compressor I4. The thermostat 39 may be calibrated to start the motor at a predetermined higher temperature limit and to stop the motor at a predetermined lower temperature limit. The flow of refrigerant through one of the evaporators Y may be controlled in accordance with slightly difship` through the compression chambers.

ferent air conditions. Thus the line 21 may be provided with throttling valve 42 which is actuated by a thermostat 43 also placed in the enclosure with the thermostat 39. The thermostat 43 may be calibrated at slightly higher temperature limits. Thus when the temperature in the enclosure drops to a predetermined higher limit,

the valve 42 is throttled and thus a fiow of refrigerant through the evaporator I2 is stopped. If the temperature in the enclosure drops to a still lower predetermined limit, the thermostat 39 stops the compressor I4. Thereafter, if the temperature risesto a predetermined limit, the thermostat -39 starts the compressor I4, and if the temperature rises to a still higher limit, the thermostat 43 opens the valve 42. 'I'he

thermostats

39 and 43 may both be dry bulb thermostats or they maybe both wet bulb thermostats or psychometers, or one may be a dry bulb and the other a wet bulb thermostat or a psychometer. At the present, it is preferable to have them both dry bulb thermostats.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the valve structure is slightly-modified. Thus the relatively cold evaporator I3 may be connected by theline with the compressing chamber 5I. 'I'he refrigerant may enter past the check valve 52 on the down stroke of the piston 53. Refrlgerant may be discharged past the check valve 54 on the -up stroke of the piston 53 and may flow through the passage 55 into the crankcase 55 of the compressor. The relatively warm evaporator I2 may be connected by the line 51 with the crankcase 56. The commingled evaporated refrigerant from both evaporators may pass through the check valve 58 into the compression chamber 59 on the down stroke of the piston 60. These vapors'may be discharged through the check valve 6I and 'the yup stroke of the piston 60 and may flow through the line 62 of a condenser corresponding `to the condenser 29. The volumetric displacement of the compressing chambers 5I and 59 may be substantially equal, andthe remainder of the system may be as shown in Fig. 1.

In constructing compressors as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the usual single stage multiple cylinder compressors may be used, which are generally provided with check valves in the pistons and at the cylinder heads in such a manner as to cause the flow of refrigerant in parallel relation- By changing the valve structures as shown in Figs.

1 and 2, stage compression may be obtained' which may be coordinated with an air conditioning systemto great advantage as described. fWhile .I have described certain features of my invention as particularly advantageous with compression chambers of substantially equal volumetric displacement these and other features may also be used where the compression chambers are not thus equal.

The air condi ioning system shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be ofgeneral application and may be used to condition a r or similar gas wherever desired. One place where it is particularly advantageous and where electrical energy is at a premium is on railway cars, such as indicated in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive. Thus the car may have a passenger enclosure 10. This enclosure may have one or more rows ofl seats 1I and 12, one on each side of the aisle 13. Between the seats on each row air conditioners 14 may be placed in parallel.v relationship with the long dimension of the seats.I The air conditioners 'I4 may each take the form of a vertically disposed casing 15 which is relatively long in horizontal cross section and is adapted to fill the spacebetween two seats, which may be placed back to back as shown in Fig. 8. A motor driven fan 16 may' be placed in the casing together with a. relatively warm evaporator 11 and a relatively cold evaporator 18. These members correspond to the fan II and evaporators I2 and I3 respectively in Fig. 1. Air from the enclosure 10 flows through inlet 19 past the relatively warm evaporator 11 under the impulse of fan 16 and then iiows through a relatively cold evaporator`18 from which it isdiffused into enf closure 10 in an upward direction through louvers 80 placed in the upper part of. the casing 15. These louvers 80 may conveniently be made parallel with several of them slanting in one direction 'and several of them slanting in the other direction thus to spread the air upwardly and outwardly over the seats but above the head room of persons occupying the seats. A refrigerant compression system substantially as shown in Fig. 1 may be placed anywhere in the car. A thermostat 8| may control the suction line 82 of evaporator 11 in a manner similar to valve 42 and thermostat 43 in Fig. 1, while a thermostat 83 may control the starting and stopping of the motor, not shown, in a manner similar to the operation of thermostat 39 in Fig. 1. The motor may be driven from the usual electric storage battery system provided in railway cars or by any other electric system especially provided therefor, as desired. v

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination a relatively warm evaporator, a relatively cold evaporator, compressing means and condensing means connected to withdraw evaporated refrigerant from said evaporators, compress and condense the same and return condensed refrigerant to said evaporators, said compressing means including compressing chambers of substantially the ysame volumetric displacement, the suction line from said cold evaporator being connected to the intake of one of said compressing chambers, the discharge from said last named compressing chamber and the suction line from said warm evaporator being connected to the intake of another of said compressing chambers.

draw evaporated refrigerant from said evaporators, compress and condense the same and return condensed refrigerant to said evaporators, said compressing means forming a plurality of com" pressing chambers and a crankcase, the suction line from said cold evaporator being connected to theintake of one of said compressing chambers, the discharge from said last named compressing chamber and the suction from said warm evaporator being connected to said crankcase, the intake of another of said compressing chambers being connected to said crankcase, and the discharge from said last named compressing chamber being connected to said condensing means.

3. An air conditioning apparatus vcomprising means creating a stream of air to be conditioned, a relatively warm evaporator and a relatively cold evaporator in thermal exchange relationship with said stream of air, compressing means and condensing means connected to withdraw evaporated refrigerant from said evaporators, compress and condense the same and return condensed refrigerant to said evaporators, said compressing means including a plurality of compressing chambers,the suction vline from said cold evaporator being connected to the intake of one ofsaid compressing chambers, the discharge from said last named compressing chamber and the suction line from said warm evaporator being connected to the intake of another of said compressing chambers.

`4. An air conditioning apparatus comprising means creating a stream of air to be conditioned,

a relatively warm evaporator and a relatively cold evaporator in thermal exchange relationship with said stream of air, compressing means and con-,f`

densing means-connected to withdraw evaporated refrigerant from said evaporators, compress and condense the same and return condensed refrigerant to said evaporators, said compressing means forming a plurality of compressing chambers and a crankcase, the suction line from said cold evaporator being connected to the intake of one of said compressing chambers, the discharge from said last named compressing chamber and the suction from said warm evaporator being connected to said crankcase, theintake of another of said compressingchambers being connected to said crankcaseand the discharge from said last named compressing chamber being connecte'd to said condensing means.

5. An air conditioning` apparatus vcomprising means creating a stream of air to be conditioned,

a relatively warm evaporator and a relatively cold evaporator in thermal exchange relationship with said stream ofair; compressing means and condensing means connected towithdraw evaporated refrigerant from said evaporators, compress and condense the same and return condensedv refrigerant to said evaporators, means controlling the operation' of said compressing means in accordance with airconditions and means throttling the flow of refrigerant in one of said evaporators 'in accordance with other air conditions.

[6. An air conditioning apparatus comprising means creatinga stream of air to be conditioned. a relatively warmevaporator and a relatively cold evaporator in thermal exchange relationship with said stream of air, said evaporators being in series relationship in said stream of air, compressing means and condensing means connected to withdraw evaporated refrigerant from said' evaporators, compress and condense the same and return condensed ref erant to said evaporators, said vcompressing means including a plurality of compressing chambers, the suction line from said cold evaporator being connected to the intake of one of said compressing chambers, the discharge from said` last named compressing chambers and the suction line from said warm evaporator being connected to the intake of another of said compressing chambers.

'7. An air conditioning apparatus comprising means creating a stream of airto be conditioned, a relatively warm evaporator and a relatively cold evaporator in thermal exchange relationship with v said stream of air, said evaporators being in series relationship in said stream of air, compressing means and condensing means connected to withdraw evaporated refrigerant from -said evaporators, compress and condense the same and return condensed refrigerant to said evaporators, said compressing mans including ai plurality of compressing chambers, the suction line from said cold evaporator being connected to the intake of one of said compressing chambers, the discharge from said last -named compressing chamber and the suction line from said warm evaporator being connected to the intake of another of said compressing chambers means controlling the operation of said compressing meansin accordance with air conditions, and means throttling the flowof refrigerant in one of said evaporators in accordance with air conditions.

8. An air conditioning apparatus comprising 4an enclosure, means creating a stream of' air to be conditioned for said enclosure, a relatively -Warm evaporator and a relatively cold evaporator in thermal exchange relationship with said stream of air, compressing means and condensing means connected to Withdraw evaporated refrigerant from said evaporators, compress and condense the same and return condensed refrigerant to said evaporators, means controlling the operation of said compressing' means in accordance with air conditions in said enclosure and means throttling the flow of .refrigerant in one of said evaporators in accordance with other air conditions .in said enclosure.

9. A car having a passenger enclosure having a row of seats, an air conditioning apparatus for said enclosure comprising means creating a streamof air to be conditioned between two of said seats,v a relatively warm evaporator and a relatively cold evaporator in thermal exchange said seats evaporating means in thermal exchange Arelationship with said stream of air, compressing and condensing means connected to withdraw e'vaporated refrigerant from saidI evaporating means, compress 'and condense. the same and return condensed refrigerant to. said evaporati'ng means, and means controlling vthe operation of relationship with said lstreamof air, compressing said compressing means in accordance with cony ditions in said car.

1l. A car having a passenger enclosure having said enclosure disposed between two seats commeans in thermal exchange relationship with said stream of air. A

12. A car having two rows of seats, one on each side of an aisle, an air cooler on one side of said' aisle between two seats and an air cooler on the other side of said aisle arranged to cooperate with the first named cooler to create a circulation of conditioned air within the car.

13. A car having two rows of seats, one on each side of an aisle, an air cooler on one side of said aisle between two seats and an air-cooler on the other side of said aisle said coolers discharging cooled air upwardly and cooperating .to create a current of conditioned air within the car.

414. The method of conditioning air which Acomprises ilowing air in a stream. thermally contacting said stream with a volatile refrigerant in a rst zone maintained at a relatively warm evaporating temperature, thermally contacting said stream with a volatile refrigerant in a second zone maintained at a relatively cold evaporating temperature, compressing refrigerant vaporsl from said second zone in a first compressing stage, mixing the vapors thus compressed with refrigerant vapor from said first zone and compressing the commingled vapors, condensing the vapors thus compressed and re-evaporating them in said zones.

15. The method of conditioning air which comprises flowing air in a stream, thermally contacting* said stream with a volatile refrigerant in' a Afirst zone maintained at a relatively warm evaporating temperature, thermally contacting 4said stream with a volatile refrigerant in a second zone maintained at a relatively cold evaporating temperature, compressing refrigerant vapors fron a row of seats, an air conditioning apparatus for u commingled vapors, condensing the vapors thus compressed, reevaporating them in said zones, controlling the evaporation in one of said zones independently of the other zone in accordance with air conditions and starting and stopping the compressionof refrigerant vapors in accordance with air conditions.

16. In combination, a relatively warm evaporator. a relatively cold evaporator, compressing 'means and condensing means connected to withdraw evaporated refrigerant from said evaporators, compress and condense the same and return condensed refrigerant to said evaporators, said compressing means having substantially the same volumetric displacement for each evaporator, the suction line from said cold evaporator being connected to the intake of Aone of said compressing means, the discharge from said last named compressing means and the suction line from said warm evaporator being connected to the intake of another of said compre ing means.

17. In-a combination, relatively warm evaporator, a relatively cold evaporator, compressing means and condensing means connected to withdraw evaporated refrigerant from said evaporators, compress and condense the same and return condensed refrigerant to said evaporators, said compressing means having only two compressing chambers both of which have substantially the same volumetric displacement, and a crankcase, the suction line from said cold evaporatorqbeing connected to the intake of one of said compressing chambers, the discharge from said last named compressing chamber and the suction from said warm evaporator being connected to said crankcase, the intake of another of said compressing chambers being connected to said crankcase, and the discharge from said last named compressing chamber being connected to said condensing means.

,ROBERT R. CANDOR.