Engine powered energy providing assemblies

• US 5,584,185 A
• Filed: 11/15/1994
• Issued: 12/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mishport Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Mishport Pty Limited
• Inventors: Smith, Kenneth B., Rumble, Ronald H., Grigg, Frank W., Archibald, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tapolcai, William E.
• Application Number:
  US08/341,563
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 62/295, 62/240, 62/323.1, 62/115
• US Class Current: 62/115
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2063/045 Frames for generator-engine sets
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/048 Portable engine-generator combinations
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/13 Acoustic insulation
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/24 specially adapted for suppression or reduction of noise or vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1815 structurally associated with reciprocating piston engines general aspects of generating sets, e.g. housing, F02B63/04
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/04 having means for generating a flow of cooling medium

Abstract

An energy providing assembly is powered by a water cooled internal combustion engine suspended within an enclosure by compliant springs and restrained by resilient snubbing means which limits movement of the suspended engine. Generating apparatus for generating mains specification electrical power and/or refrigeration apparatus, including a compressor, for refrigerating a coolant are fixed to and driven by the engine and are accessed by accessible coupling means which include a power outlet and plug-in coolant circuit connections. The refrigeration apparatus is arranged in heat exchange relationship with a coolant circuit associated with the coolant circuit connections whereby a remote fan coil unit may be installed by running conventional hoses to the apparatus and connecting to the coolant circuit connections.

Claims

1. An internal combustion engine powered energy providing assembly comprising:

a supporting assembly having an external enclosure;

an internal combustion engine;

a generating apparatus, said apparatus including a generator mounted on and driven by said engine, for generating mains specification electricity supply accessible by a connection on said supporting assembly;

a refrigeration apparatus that includes a compressor mounted on and driven by said engine and forming a closed refrigerant circuit within said external enclosure and arranged in heat exchange relationship with an open coolant circuit having at least one accessible connection on said supporting assembly externally of said external enclosure,

said internal combustion engine, said generator and said compressor forming a rigid unit;

a compliant suspension means on said supporting assembly for operatively suspending said rigid unit, said compliant suspension means including a plurality of compliant suspension springs which suspend said rigid unit within said external enclosure and a snubbing means which limits longitudinal, transverse and rotational movement of said suspended rigid unit; and

adjustment means for operatively centralizing said suspended rigid unit relative to said snubbing means.

2. An energy providing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said suspension springs include at least three compliant tension springs extending downwardly in a convergent manner from said supporting assembly to said rigid unit to provide lateral and longitudinal location of said rigid unit.

3. An energy providing assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said suspension springs have length adjustable mountings which constitute said adjustment means.

4. An internal combustion engine powered energy providing assembly comprising:

a supporting assembly having an external enclosure;

an internal combustion engine;

a generating apparatus, said generating apparatus including a generator mounted on and driven by said engine, for generating mains specification electricity supply accessible by a connection on said supporting assembly;

a refrigeration apparatus, that includes a compressor mounted on and driven by said engine and forming a closed refrigerant circuit within said external enclosure and arranged in heat exchange relationship with an open coolant circuit having at least one accessible connection on said supporting assembly externally of said external enclosure,

said internal combustion engine, said generator and said compressor forming a rigid unit,

wherein said refrigerant circuit includes a chiller assembly that provides said heat exchange relationship with said open coolant circuit, said chiller assembly comprised of an elongate casing, end plates for sealably closing the casing, and a tube bank retained within the casing which is formed from a plurality of hairpin shaped tubes passing through a plurality of baffle plates arranged within said casing,

wherein each of said hairpin shaped tubes are closely spaced together and have adjacent open tube ends, said tube ends interconnected together by a return bend, thereby providing a continuous coolant flow path through said tubes, wherein said hairpin tubes are arranged to cause the coolant flow through said tubes to be substantially transverse to said baffles, said tubes arranged within each of said baffles such that said baffles form a series of slotted walls, said flow transversing through each of said slotted walls; and

electronic control means for controlling operation of one of said engine and said refrigeration apparatus, wherein said electronic control means provides an appropriate engine starting sequence so that the engine can be started one of manually and automatically as required, and which senses when electrical power is required and when coolant is required,

said means also determining when a coolant temperature rises above a datum level so as to initiate the engine start sequence, and capable of sensing when no load exists to automatically shut down the engine and maintain the engine on standby until a next power demand.

5. An energy providing assembly as claimed in claim 4 and including an inner enclosure enclosing said rigid unit and spaced from said external enclosure and wherein defined air flow passages provide communication between the inner enclosure and the exterior of said external enclosure, said inner enclosure and/or said external enclosure being a sound insulated enclosure.

6. An energy providing assembly as claimed in claim 5 and including an engine muffler within said inner enclosure and exhausting through said external enclosure.

7. An energy providing assembly as claimed in claim 4 and including a coolant pump within said external enclosure powered by said energy providing assembly and controllable with the refrigeration apparatus for circulating coolant through said open coolant circuit.

8. An energy providing assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said refrigerant circuit includes flexible refrigerant hoses to and from said compressor.

9. An energy providing assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein said externally accessible coolant connections are snap-on hose connections.

10. A chiller assembly constructed in accordance with claim 4.

11. A method of providing one of refrigeration and air conditioning to a site, the method comprising the steps of;

providing an internal combustion engine powered energy providing assembly, said assembly comprised of

a supporting assembly having an external enclosure;

an internal combustion engine;

a generating apparatus, said generating apparatus including a generator mounted on and driven by said engine, for generating mains specification electricity supply accessible by a connection on said supporting assembly;

a refrigeration apparatus, that includes a compressor mounted on and driven by said engine and forming a closed refrigerant circuit within said external enclosure and arranged in heat exchange relationship with an open coolant circuit having at least one accessible connection on said supporting assembly externally of said external enclosure,

said internal combustion engine, said generator and said compressor forming a rigid unit,

wherein said refrigerant circuit includes a chiller assembly that provides said heat exchange relationship with said open coolant circuit, said chiller assembly comprised of an elongate casing having end plates for sealably closing the casing,

a tube bank retained within the casing and comprised of a plurality of hairpin shaped tubes passing through a plurality of baffle plates arranged within said casing, thereby forming a circuitous path for the coolant,

wherein each of said hairpin shaped tubes are closely spaced together and have adjacent open tube ends, said tube ends interconnected together by a return bend, thereby providing continuous flow paths through a plurality of said hairpin shaped tubes, wherein said hairpin tubes are arranged to cause the flow through said tubes to be substantially transverse to said baffles, said tubes arranged within each of said baffles such that they form a series of slotted walls, said flow transversing through each of said slotted walls; and

electronic control means for controlling operation of one of said engine and said refrigeration apparatus, wherein said electronic control means provides an appropriate engine starting sequence so that the engine can be started manually and automatically as required and which senses when electrical power is required, and when coolant is required,

said means also determining when a coolant temperature rises above a datum level so as to initiate the start sequence, and capable of sensing when no load exists to automatically shut down the engine and maintain the engine on standby until a next power demand;

installing a refrigeration/air conditioning means at the site, said means being of a fan/coil type which is adapted to receive a supply of coolant;

operatively connecting a supply and a return line between the accessible coupling means of the refrigeration apparatus provided in said internal combustion engine powered energy providing assembly and said refrigeration/air conditioning means, and

operating said internal combustion engine powered energy providing assembly.