US2152243A - Fluid circulation in absorption refrigerators - Google Patents

Description

March 28,1939. (5. P. DAIGER FLUID CIRCULATION IN ABS ORPTION REFRIGERATORS Original Filed May 17, 1955 INVENTOR l'er-oe finger Geo/ye $4 5 3.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 28, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCULATION IN ABSORPTIO REFRIGERATORS .George Pierce Daiger, North Canton, Ohio, as-

signor to The Hoover Company, North Canton,

Ohio, a corporation 0! Ohio Application May 17, 1935, Serial No. 21,920

' Renewed August 16, 1938 12 Claims.

- This invention relatesto absorption refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to that type in which an inert gas is employed and to means for circulating the inert gas therein. 7

Absorption refrigerating systems which use an" inert gas as a pressure equalizing medium are well known. In accordance with prior practice two or more vessels are connected by gas conduits and inert gas is circulated between these vessels.

The inert gas has been circulated in various W ays.

A fan may be employed for this purpose,

gases are apt to leak through the stuffing box around the shaft.

In accordance with more modern practice the inert gas has been circulated by gravity action.

This has the advantage that the apparatus may be hermetically sealed but since the circulation is dependent upon variable factors the quantity circulated in a. unit controlled.-

of time cannot be very accurately It is anobject oi the present invention to pro vide a gas circulating system which has the advantages, but not the disadvantages,

rangements mentioned.

In accordance with the present invention it is,

of both arproposed to circulate the gas in a hermetically sealed system-while providing accurate regulation of the flow.

vIt is a furtherobject to provide a simple, com pact gas pump in which a vibrating member imparts movement to the-gas.

vide, a rugged gas fan construction which will have long life, whichwill be silent, or nearly 7 silent, in operation, and which will require no,

lubrication.

Various other features reside in the novel arrangement and construction of parts as will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which therein Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of one form of gas pump embodying the features of present invention;

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the the same pump taken on the line 33 of Figure *2, and

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the pump taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2. Referring to the drawing in detail, and first to the arrangement of Figure 1, it will be seen that, a somewhat conventional diagram of a continuous absorption refrigerating system using inert gas is there shown and consisting of a boiler B, a gas separation chamber S, a condenser C, an evaporator E and an absorber A, these vessels being connected by various conduits. This type of apparatus is very well known and need not be described here in detail.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 1 the boiler B and the absorber A- are connected with the separation chamber S bymeans of conduits H, I! and I3 for providing a circuit for the flow of absorption liquid such as water. The conduit l I acts as a gas lift pump to promote this circulation, and as indicated. the conduits l2.and l3 may be-in heat exchange relation. In this figure, (and also in Figure 2) the solution flow is indicated by full line arrows. Refrigerant, as ammonia, may be expelled in the boiler B and the gas separation chamber S and pass upwardly through the conduit l4, part of which may act as a rectifier, condense in the condenser C and be fed into the evaporator E as a liquid through the conduit IS. The evaporator E is connected to the absorber A by means of gas conduits l6 and I1. These may be in heat exchange relation but this is not shown in Figure 1 for the purpose of clarity. Inert gas, such as hydrogen, may be circulated through conduits l6 and I! to convey f the refrigerant to the absorber, where it may be absorbed bythe absorption liquid and returned to the boiler. On'e difficulty encountered where in- Yert gas is circulated by the action of gravity is that the'absorber must be located in a definite position with respect to the evaporator and the circulation of inert gas must take place in a the evaporator and the'absorber from operating at maximum efliciency. In accordance with the present invention, the absorber may be located. 6 above or below the evaporator, or any convenient distance therefrom, without interferring with the gas circulation. Thus, while Figure 1 illustrates the absorber A alongside of the evaporator E, it is to be understood that this position is not critical- The gas pump for promoting the circulation Jo'f inert gas between the evaporator E and the absorber A is shown in Figures 1 and 2 as-mounted on the top of the absorber- A and fed bygas coming through the" conduit IS, The pump may be located anywhere in the gas circuit,however, and

may be disposed in either a vertical or horizonsorber', as illustrated in Figure 2, or formed in any, other suitable way. As shown in Figure 4, it is preferably rectangular in cross-section. A vibrating blade or fln 22 is mounted for oscillatory movement in the diverging chamber 2i and is caused to vibrate back and forth by means of an electro-magnet 23. As illustrated in detail in Figures 2 and 3, the vibrating blade assembly may include 2. bob weight 24 mounted on the lower end thereof, and re-enforcing spring ,members 25 and'an armature 26 riveted. or otherwise secured, near its upper'end.

For mounting the blade and for hermetically sealing it from the atmosphere as well as for providing a connection for the flow of gas from the conduit l6 into the diverging chamber 2i, :3; casing consisting of two parts 21 and 28 is provided. Each of theseparts is provided with a flange which may be bolted or otherwise rigidly, and tightly secured to the flange29 welded to the top of the diverging chamber 2!.

The blade assembly may be secured to a supporting block 30 (-Fig. 2) which may be bolted to the part 21 as illustrated. -The conduit 16 may be welded to this part 21 also. The other portion 28 of the casing may support the electromagnet 23 and also a housing 3| for the electro magnet.

- In order to provide a practical magnetic circuit between the field-of the electro-magnet 23 and the armature 26 two pole pieces 32 are inserted/in and peened or welded to the portion 28 of the casing, these pole pieces thus constituting a part of the wall ofthe casing. Theremainder of the casing should preferably be non-magnetic or nearly so. Certain forms of stainless steel have been found suitable for this purpose. As illustrated in Figure 3 the armature 26 extends laterally across the casing and its ends are positioned very close to the pole pieces 32.

With this arrangement the armature moves but slightly and there is but slight flexing of the upper end of the blade 22 and the reenforcing spring 25. Due to the flexibility of the member 22,

however, the lower end of the blade 22 has a wide oscillatory movement, the quick movement of the armature producing a whipping action on the lower portion of the blade.

In the arrangement illustrated the electromagnet 23 may be connected to any suitablesource of alternating current seas to cause movement of the armature 26. In accordance with -known practice in the electrical art various devices such as interrupters, equivalent to the magnet shown, may be employed for efie'cting movement of the armature.

Movement of the blade through this chamber as indicated by the arrows shown-with dashed lines. be partly due to the shape of the diverging chamber, but-it is believed to be due primarily to the vibration of the blade and to the fact that the lower portion of the blade 22 moves a greater. distance'than the upper portion thereof. While the theoretical reasons for the gas movement are not fully understood by applicant at the present time, it has been found by practical experiment :2 m the chamber 2| as described above causes gas to flow downwardly This movement may that oscillation of the blade 22 causes a definite movement of the gas in the direction indicated.

In the arrangement of Figure 1 ii ammonia is used as the-refrigerant and hydrogen as the inert gas; the natural tendency for the flow of the gases through the evaporator, the absorber and the connecting conduits would be in the opposite direction to that indicated by the dashed arrows.

tion arrangement may be employed with'any inert gas, whether condensible or non-condensible.

Also the vibrating fin or blade may take a wide variety of shapes or forms and be mounted in various ways, either pivotally or fixed.

Various other arrangements may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim: a v v 1. In a hermetically sealed absorption refrigerating system, a pump for circulating a fluid within the system, said pump including a diverging chamber, a fin mounted for vibratory movement in said chamber and means for vibrating said fln.

2. In a hermetically sealed absorption refrigerating system, a pump for circulating a fluid within the system, said pump including a conduit for the fluid, a blade mounted for oscillatory movement in said conduit and means for oscillating said blade.

3, In a hermetically sealed absorption refrigerating system, a pump for circulating a fluid therein, said pump including a conduit for the fluid, a flexible blade having one end fixed in said conduit and the other end freely suspended for oscillatory movement in said conduit and means for causing the free end of said blade to oscillate. K

4. In a hermetically sealed absorption refrigerating system, a pump for circulating a fluid therein, said pump including a conduit for the fluid, a flexible blade having one endflxed in said conduit and the other end freely suspended for oscillatory movement in said conduit and an electromagnet for causing the free end of said blade to oscillate, said blade having an armature and reenforcing means secured thereto near its fixed end whereby small movement is imparted to said blade near its fixed end by said electromagnet and large movement imparted to the free end of said blade with a whipping action.

5. In an absorption refrigerating system,apump for circulating a fluid therein, said pump including a conduit for the fluid, an elongated member having one endsecured to said conduit and the other end free for oscillatory movement and means for oscillating said free end.

6. In a hermeticallysealed continuous absorp tion refrigerating system using an inert gas, the combination of an evaporator, an absorber, a first conduit connecting the corresponding ends of the evaporator and absorber, and a second conduit connecting the opposite ends of the evaporator and absorber and including as a part thereof an inert gas circulating means, said absorber cooperating with said meansto provide a chamber having divergent walls, a fin mounted in said chamber having a free end near the larger end of said chamber, and means externally of said chamber to vibrate said fin to cause movement of the inert gas through thesystem as a result of the impingement of the fln thereon.

'7. In a hermetically sealed continuous absorption refrigerating system using an inert gas. the combination of an evaporator chamber, an absorber chamber, a first means providing a passage between the corresponding ends of the evaporator and absorber, a second means providing a passage between the opposite end portions of the evaporator and absorber, said second means cooperating with one of said chambers to provide a chamber a portion of which has divergent walls, a tin mounted for vibratory movement in said last named chamber, and means operable to vibrate said fin whereby circulation of the inert gas in the system takes place.

8. In a hermetically sealed continuous absorption refrigerating system using an inert gas, the combination of an evaporator chamber, an absorber chamber, a first means providing a passage between the corresponding ends of the evaporator. and absorber, a second means providing a passage between the opposite end portions of the evaporatorand absorber, said second means cooperating with one of said chambers to provide a chamber a portion of which is enlarged, a member mounted in said last named chamber having a portion free for to-and-fro movement near said enlargement, and electro-magnetic means external to said chamber operable to actuate said member whereby circulation of the. inert gas in the system takes place.

9. A device for causing flow of fluid in a unia directional path along a conductor, comprising a movable flexible strip in said conductor and spaced fl'omthe wall thereof to provide free passage of the fluid along the opposite sides of said movable flexiblestrip, and electromagnetic means for vibrating said movable member to impel the fluid in said conductor in a substantially unidirectional path along the opposite sides of said movable member.

- 10. A device for causing fluid to flow in a unidirectional path along a conductor, comprising a movable member in said conductor and having a wide surface exposed substantially parallel to the desired direction of fluid flow in said conductor, and electromagnetic means for vibrating said movable member in a plane other than the plane of said member to impel the fluid in said conductor along said exposed surface and in a substantially unidirectional path.

11. A device for causing fluid to flow in a conductor, comprising a member in said conductor and having. a movable portion adapted to be vibrated, said movable portion having a wide surface fully exposed to provide unrestricted contact with the fluid in said conductor, and electromagnetic means for vibrating said movable portion in a plane other than the plane of said member to impel movement of said fluid in a substantially unidirectional path along said con ductor.

12. A device for causing fluid flow along a con ductor comprisinga flnmember supported within the conductor and having a flat surface substantially parallel with the axis of the conduit a portion thereof being free for to-and-fro movement in the path of the fluid to impel the fluid in said conductor in a unidirectional path, and electro-magnetie means external to said conductor and operable when energized to impart said to and fro movement to said free portion.

GEORGE PIERCE DAIGER.

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