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Heat-actuated space conditioning unit with bottoming cycle

  • US 4,347,711 A
  • Filed: 07/25/1980
  • Issued: 09/07/1982
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1980
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. Space conditioning apparatus comprising:

  • a Brayton cycle circuit including a combustor and a turbo-compressor comprising a turbine coupled to the output of the combustor for expanding combustor exhaust to sub-atmospheric levels and driving an associated compressor mounted together with the turbine on a single shaft;

    a recuperator connected to the outlet of the turbine for preheating combustion air supplied to the combustor, the exhaust gas flow outlet of the recuperator being connected to the inlet of the compressor;

    a Rankine cycle heat pump circuit comprising indoor and outdoor heat exchanger coils, a centrifugal compressor coupled to a compressor drive shaft for directing refrigeration fluid through the coils, and a transfer valve for selecting operation of the system in the heating or cooling mode;

    means for deriving power to drive the Rankine cycle compressor from the Brayton cycle circuit including a bidirectional coupling for driving one shaft from the other shaft;

    means for developing useful power from waste heat in the Brayton cycle circuit including a boiler interconnecting the Brayton cycle circuit and the Rankine cycle circuit to vaporize the refrigeration fluid from waste heat in the Brayton cycle circuit, and a second turbine coupled to the compressor shaft and connected to the boiler to be driven by the pressurized refrigeration fluid; and

    means for starting the apparatus prior to firing off the combustor by pumping refrigerant fluid to the second turbine to initiate rotation of the turbo-compressor through the coupling.

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