Air Conditioner for Refuge Shelter, System and Method

Abstract

An air conditioning system for a mine that operates in a mine environment. A condenser. A refuge system for protecting users from a toxic environment. The system comprises a refuge shelter. An evaporator. A method for cooling a refuge shelter. An inflatable chamber having an airlock, the airlock includes a tube that extends from the chamber's outer surface into the chamber's interior.

1 . An air conditioning system for a mine that operates in a mine environment comprising:
 a rigid shell having a door, which when open defines an opening;   a passive condenser disposed in the shell alongside the door so when the door is open, the condenser is exposed to the mine environment;   an explosion proof permissible enclosure disposed in the shell that is isolated from the mine;   a first fluid pump which pumps fluid disposed in the enclosure;   a portable evaporator disposed in the shell;   a compressor which pumps refrigerant;   a controller in communication with the evaporator which controls the evaporator operation; and   a battery array disposed in the shell and electrically connected to the first fluid pump.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the condenser is mounted to the door so an opening at the bottom of the condenser is disposed at least 1 inch above the ground to allow air to flow through the opening and to a bottom portion of the condenser. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the condenser has a chimney portion having upper fins that guide air flow through them out of the chimney portion and prevents turbulent flow of the air through the condenser. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the condenser is rectangular shaped. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the chimney portion has upper fins that are removable. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the bottom portion of the condenser has 4-8 bottom fins per inch. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  including a purge system to isolate the enclosure from the mine. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the purge system includes a pressurized nitrogen bottle disposed in the container in fluid communication with the enclosure which provides nitrogen gas to the enclosure and maintains positive pressure in the enclosure. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  including a flame arrestor disposed in a wall of the enclosure, and tubing connected to the nitrogen bottle and the arrestor through which the nitrogen gas flows from the nitrogen bottle through the arrestor into the enclosure. 
     
     
         10 . A condenser comprising:
 a housing;   a bottom portion having a refrigerant coils through which refrigerant flows and bottom fins which contact the refrigerant coils and which cool the refrigerant passing through the coils; and   a chimney portion disposed above the bottom portion that draws air into the bottom portion and channels the air up through the chimney portion.   
     
     
         11 . A refuge system for protecting users from a toxic environment comprising:
 a refuge shelter; and   an air conditioning system in communication with the shelter, the air conditioning system having an evaporator disposed in the shelter and a shell disposed outside and apart from the shelter, the shell having a condenser and a compressor, the compressor pumping refrigerant to the condenser and the evaporator through hoses that connect the compressor and the condenser and the evaporator together in a fluidic loop.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the shelter has a container and an inflatable tent that when inflated defines a protected environment for the users and in which the evaporator is disposed, the container having pressurized gas tanks that release breathable air or oxygen into the environment and maintains positive pressure in the inflated tent relative to an atmosphere outside the tent. 
     
     
         13 . An evaporator comprising:
 a housing having fins and refrigerant coils in fluidic communication with the fins through which refrigerant flows, there being 4-8 fins per inch;   a fan disposed in the housing; and   a gas powered motor disposed in the housing to operate the fans.   
     
     
         14 . A method for cooling a refuge shelter comprising the steps of:
 connecting refrigerant hoses attached to a compressor and a condenser in a shell to an evaporator in the shelter, the shell disposes outside and apart from the shelter; and   activating from the shelter the compressor in the shell which pumps refrigerant to the evaporator and the condenser.   
     
     
         15 . An inflatable chamber having an airlock, the airlock includes a tube that extends from the chamber's outer surface into the chamber's interior, the tube having an outer end attached to the outer surface and an inner end, an outer closure that closes the outer end and an inner closure that closes the inner end. 
     
     
         16 . The chamber of  claim 15  wherein the outer closure includes an outer drawstring that when pulled closes the outer end and the inner closure includes a zipper at the inner end to open and close the inner end, and an inner drawstring that when pulled closes the inner end. 
     
     
         17 . A container in an environment comprising:
 an explosion proof enclosure isolated from the environment; and   a purge system in communication with the enclosure.   
     
     
         18 . An electricity source comprising:
 a battery having a plate and a case; and   a terminal formed of a cable which extends out of the case and is welded to the plate.