US1996538A - Refrigerant - Google Patents

Description

April 1935- I J. B. CHURCHILL 1,996,538

I REFRIGERANT Filed Oct. 2, 195a EI/HPORHTOR EXPHNS/ON I v CONDENSER l3 COMPRESSOR RECEIVER INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 2, 1935 REFRIGERANT Jesse B. Churchill, Plympton, Mara, assignor of one-third to Harry D. Edwards, Larchmont, Y N. Y., and one-third to Edward T. Williams,

Pelham Manor, N. Y.

Application ottom- 2, 1933, Sam No. scams 7 Claims. (on. 62-178) This invention relates to a substance and a process for using the same for refrigerating purposes, such as air conditioning, cooling water, cold storage and all other classes of refrigeration where excessively low temperatures are not required. It is an object of the present invention to provide a refrigerant of low cost which will produce dependable and uniform performance under any given set of conditions with entire safety and high efficiency. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical and eflicie'nt process of refrigeration in which the refrigerant may be compressed by the action of a rotary or centrifugal compressor and is both evaporated and condensed at pressures below atmospheric pressure.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a practical and eflicient process of refrigeration in which the refrigerant is evaporated by reducing the pressure thereon below atmospheric pressure, the resulting vapor raised to a pressure below atmospheric pressure and cooled to liquefy the vapor and this liquefied vapor returned to be vaporized again.

To satisfactorily obtain these objects the refrigerant should have the following properties and characteristics:

1.. It should be non-corrosive to any material used in the construction of the refrigerating system with which it comes in contact.

2. The volume of vaporized refrigerant, per unit of refrigeration produced should be such as to permit a reasonable construction of the compressor or prime mover, both as to size and with due consideration for the minimizing of friction losses.

3. Its condensing pressure at high atmospheric temperatures should not be appreciably above atmosphere pressure.

4. Its relation between the latent heat of vaporization and the specific heat of the liquid should be such that the heat taken up in the evaporator shall be a maximum per unit of compressor displacement.

5. Its pressure temperature relations should be such that the required temperatures can be produced at high efliciency and at pressures that will not require excessively heavy construction of the compressor and other parts of the system to insure against its escape therefrom.

6. It must be stable and incapable of decomposition at any temperature existing in the system under the most adverse conditions of operation.

7. It should not decompose or hydrolyze into corrosive or injurious substances in coming in 5 contact with water or moisture which might accidently be introduced into the system.

8. The toxicity, flammability, and explosive range when mixed with air should below and its boiling point should be above normal atmospheric temperatures so it will not readily change to the vapor phase when exposed to the air.

9. It should not decompose on coming in contact with an open flame into highly toxic or irritating substances. 15

10. It should have no chemical action on oil used in the system for lubrication.

1 1. Its vapor density should be high for centrifugal compression.

12. Its freezing point should be low. 20

13. Its critical temperature and critical pressure should both be high.

14. The process of its production should be simple and inexpensive.

15. The materials for its production should be plentiful and of low cast.

16. Its properties should be such as to minimize shipping hazard.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein,

The figure is a diagrammatic view illustrating a refrigerating system of -usual construction. This system includes a compressor iii driven by a motor ii. The compressor discharges compressed refrigerant vapor into a condenser l2 in which the gas is cooled and liquefied and flows by gravity into a receiver i3. Liquid refrigerant flows from the receiver 13 through'liquid line it to an expansion valve l5 and expands into evaporator coil 95. The vapor is returned through suction line it to the compressor.

After much investigation and research, I have discovered that isopropyl-chloride (2-chloro-- propane) possesses properties, in generous measure, to meet the foregoing enumerated requirements. Iwpropyl chloride is a water-white colorless liquid. It has an odor somewhat similar to ethyl chloride. It is non-corrosive and very stable.- It will not hydrolyze in contact with water at any temperature existing during the operation of the refrigerating system.

Isopropyl chloride has the following physical properties:

Formula: CaH'I or Molecular weight-78.512. Boiling point-365 C.9'7.'l E. Freezing point-117 C.178.6 F. Viscosity--15 C.-335 centipoise. Viscosity-30 C.286 centipoise. Density of liquid- 365 C.-97.7 F..83260 Cu. ft. per #1 atmos.-70 F.--4.924. Weight of 1 cu. ft. atmos.'70 F.0.2030 #s. Ratio of specific heats Solubility in water- 32" lit-0.438% by weight F.--0.361% by weight 68 F.0.304% by weight 86 F.0.303% by weight Specific heat of liquid Critical temperature 450-500 F.

Critical pressure 600-680 #s/sq. in.

In my process of refrigeration using isopropyl chloride the refrigerant liquid is evaporated by heat extracted from the substance cooled and the refrigerant vapor is compressed and then condensed as in the usual compression system. The liquefied and cooled refrigerant being returned to be again evaporated and such cycle of operations is continuous. The refrigerant may also be employed in the so-called absorption system which involves evaporating the refrigerant by reducing the pressure thereon below atmospheric pressure, raising the resulting vapor to a pressure below atmospheric pressure and cooling the same to liquefy the vapor and returning the liquefied refrigerant to be vaporized again.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in my invention without departure from the spirit of the same and therefore,the invention is not limited to what is described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed isi. A refrigerating process which comprises evaporating isopropyl chloride by reducing the pressure thereon below atmospheric pressure compressing the resulting vapor to a pressure below atmospheric pressure and cooling the same to liquefy the vapor and returning the liquefied isopropyl chloride to be again vaporized.

2. A process of refrigeration which comprises evaporating, compressing and condensing isopropyl chloride under a pressure at all times not materially greater than one atmosphere.

3. A process of refrigeration which comprises evaporating compressing and condensing isopropyl chloride in a partial vacuum.

4. A process of refrigeration which comprises evaporating, compressing by centrifugal action, and condensing isopropyl chloride all in a partial vacuum.

5. A process of refrigeration which comprises evaporating, compressing by centrifugal action, and condensing isopropyl chloride all in a partial vacuum.

6. The process of refrigeration which comprises evaporating isopropyl chloride at a pressure below atmospheric pressure, compressing the evaporated isopropyl chloride at a pressure not materially greater than approximately atmospheric pressure. I

7. The process of refrigeration which consists in evaporating liquid isopropyl chloride by heat drawn from a substance being cooled, removing the vapor of said isopropyl chloride at such a rate that the pressure ofv vapor does not materially exceed that of the atmosphere, changing said vapor to liquid, and returning said liquidfor re-evaporation.

JESSE B. CHURCHILL.

Images