US9249998: AIR-CYCLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS
Automotive air conditioning systems are in the process of undergoing some major changes due to environmental concerns. The new changes are to prevent global warming, in addition to ozone depletion. These changes tend to have negative impacts on air conditioning performance due to a shift in refrigerant selection criteria, from maximum coefficient of performance (COP) to lifecycle environmental impact of the system. The new criteria considers designs that may have lower COP but may still have less overall negative impact on the environment throughout the lifecycle of the system. Some of the other considerations in selecting a refrigerant are the system weight, manufacturing costs, refrigerant toxicity, and flammability effects of potential leaks. Looking into the future, additional changes to automotive air conditioning systems are likely, and use of a refrigerant that is naturally available and does not need to be retrofitted is convenient.
In this patent, an air-cycle air conditioning system and method, using an automotive turbocharger as the core of the system, was designed and tested. Effects on engine performance were minimized while maximizing the possible cooling possible and also minimizing weight and space requirements. An unmodified automotive turbocharger was tested initially as a baseline in a Reversed-Brayton Cycle air cooling system. A second air-cycle machine, assembled from commercial turbocharger components chosen individually to optimize their performance for cooling purposes, was tested to improve the overall cycle efficiency. An optimized air-cycle air conditioning system was tested on an internal combustion engine to simulate more realistic operating conditions and performance.
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US11499477: SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING GAS TURBINE PERFORMANCE WITH COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE (CAES)
Gas turbines are commonly used to produce electrical power. The efficiency demands on all forms of electrical power are constantly raising. One approach to improving gas turbine efficiency includes adding a steam injection system. It is in this context that this patent resides, and it presents an alternative to steam by using CAES. This patent presents: A system and method of increasing efficiency and power output of a gas turbine system using a compressed air storage system including delivering a compressed air charge from the compressed air storage system, the compressed air charge having a pressure greater than ambient pressure and a temperature less than ambient temperature, the compressed air charge being delivered to the gas turbine and the compressed air charge operable to cool at least a portion of the gas turbine.
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US2011/0308231: SYSTEM, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COOLING ROCKET MOTOR COMPONENTS USING A SATURATED LIQUI D VAPOR COOLANT MIXTURE
This patent presents a system and method of cooling a rocket motor component that includes injecting a high pressure liquid coolant through an injector nozzle into a cooling chamber. The cooling chamber having a pressure lower than the high pressure liquid coolant. The liquid coolant flashes into a saturated liquid-vapor coolant mixture in the cooling chamber. The saturated liquidvapor coolant mixture is at equilibrium at the lower pressure of the cooling chamber. Heat from the rocket motor component to be cooled is absorbed by the coolant. A portion of the liquid portion of the saturated liquid-vapor coolant mixture is converted into gas phase, the converted portion being less than 100% of the coolant. A portion of the coolant is released from the cooling chamber and the coolant in the cooling chamber is dynamically maintained at less than 100% gas phase of the coolant as the thrust and heat generated by the rocket motor varies.
