Rotational multi vane positive displacement valve for use with a solar air conditioning system

Abstract

Rotational multi-vane positive displacement valves, preferably for use with a solar air-conditioning system. Each valve has an outer cylindrical valve body housing having an inlet port and an outlet port and an inner rotational cylinder disposed within the outer cylindrical valve body housing. The inner rotational cylinder can be supported by a longitudinal shaft offset from a center position of the outer housing. The inner rotational cylinder has a plurality of spring loaded vanes along a substantial portion of its longitudinal axis equally spaced around a circumference of the inner rotational cylinder. The outlet port is preferably located at least 100 degrees in direction of rotation from the inlet port, when the inner cylinder has four vanes. The shaft can extend beyond the outer valve housing and is adapted for attachment to external appliances.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotational multi vane positive displacement valve, comprising:
 a first outer consistently cylindrical valve body housing having an inlet port and an outlet port, said first outer cylindrical valve body incorporated within a closed-system refrigerant circuit;   a first inner rotational cylinder disposed within said first outer cylindrical valve body housing and supported by a longitudinal shaft offset from a center position of said first outer housing, said first inner rotational cylinder having a plurality of spring loaded vanes along a portion of its longitudinal axis equally spaced around a circumference of said first inner rotational cylinder, said plurality of spring loaded vanes defining isolated chambers within said first outer cylindrical valve body housing, said first inner rotational cylinder co-incident with said first outer cylindrical valve body at one point;   wherein refrigerant from said closed-system refrigerant circuit entering into said valve body housing through said inlet port is directed in one direction by said first inner rotational cylinder through said outlet port to continue the refrigerant's travel through the closed-system refrigerant circuit.   
     
     
         2 . The valve of  claim 1  wherein said outlet port is located at 100 degrees in direction of rotation from said inlet port in where said inner cylinder has four vanes to define four isolated chambers within said first outer cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         3 . The valve of  claim 1  wherein said plurality is four spring loaded vanes defining four isolated chambers. 
     
     
         4 . The valve of  claim 1  wherein vanes are longitudinally placed and equally spaced from each other. 
     
     
         5 . A solar air-conditioning and/or heating system incorporating at least one one-way rotary valve, comprising
 (i) a closed-system refrigerant circuit comprising:
 one or more solar heat concentrators; 
 one or more heat dissipaters in communication with said one or more solar heat concentrators; 
 a first one-way rotary valve in communication with said one or more heat dissipaters; said first one-way rotary valve comprising an outer cylindrical valve body housing having an inlet port and an outlet port, an inner rotational cylinder disposed within said outer cylindrical valve body housing and supported by a longitudinal shaft offset from a center position of said outer housing, said inner rotational cylinder having a plurality of spring loaded vanes along a substantial portion of its longitudinal axis equally spaced around a circumference of said inner rotational cylinder and defining. isolated chambers within said outer cylindrical valve body housing, said inner rotational cylinder co-incident with said outer cylindrical valve body at one point; 
 an evaporator having an evaporator coil in communication with the first one-way valve; and 
   (ii) a refrigerant disposed within and circulating through said refrigerant circuit;   (iii) an insulated tank storing at least approximately 1000 gallons of a liquid, said evaporator located within the tank;   (iv) a motor for driving the compressor; and   (v) a chilled water system comprising:
 a pickup radiator having a radiator coil located within the tank; 
 a fluid pump in communication with said radiator; 
 one or more radiators dispersed throughout a dwelling, each radiator having an inlet in communication with said liquid pump and each radiator having an outlet in communication with said pickup radiator; and 
 a liquid, having an anti-freeze component disposed within said chilled water system. 
   
     
     
         6 . The solar air-conditioning and/or heating system of  claim 5  further comprising a compressor having an inlet in communication with the evaporator outlet and having a compressor outlet in communication with said one or more solar heat concentrators. 
     
     
         7 . The solar air-conditioning and/or heating system of  claim 5  wherein said one or more beat dissipaters secured to an external wall of a dwelling. 
     
     
         8 . A solar air-conditioning and/or heating system incorporating at least one one-way rotary valve, comprising
 (i) a closed-system refrigerant circuit comprising:
 one or more solar heat concentrators; 
 one or more heat dissipaters m communication said one or more solar heat concentrators; 
 a first one-way rotary valve in communication with said one or more heat dissipaters; said first one-way rotary valve comprising an outer cylindrical valve body housing, having, an inlet port and an outlet port, an inner rotational cylinder disposed within said outer cylindrical valve body housing and supported by a longitudinal shaft offset from a center position of said outer housing, said inner rotational cylinder having a plurality of spring loaded vanes along a portion of its longitudinal axis equally spaced around a circumference of said inner rotational cylinder and defining isolated chambers within said outer cylindrical valve body housing, said inner rotational cylinder co-incident with said outer cylindrical valve body at one point; 
 an evaporator having an evaporator coil in communication with the first one-way valve; and 
 a second one-way rotary valve m communication at an inlet with said evaporator; said second one-way valve having an outlet in communication with said one or more solar heat concentrators, said second one-way rotary valve comprising a second outer cylindrical, valve body housing having an inlet port and an outlet port, a second inner rotational cylinder disposed within said second outer cylindrical valve body housing and supported by the longitudinal shaft offset from a center position of said second outer housing, said second inner rotational cylinder having a plurality of spring loaded vanes along a portion of its longitudinal axis equally spaced around a circumference of said second inner rotational cylinder and defining isolated chambers within said second outer cylindrical valve body housing, said second inner rotational cylinder co-incident with said second outer cylindrical valve body at one point, said inner rotational cylinder and said second inner rotational cylinder both supported by the longitudinal shaft, wherein the first outer cylindrical valve body mated with said second outer cylindrical valve body; 
   (ii) a refrigerant disposed within and circulating through said refrigerant circuit;   (iii) an insulated, tank storing, at least approximately 1000 gallons of a liquid, said evaporator located within the tank;   (iv) a motor for driving a compressor; and   (v) a chilled water system comprising:
 a pickup radiator having a radiator coil located within the tank; 
 a fluid pump in communication with said radiator; 
 one or more radiators dispersed throughout a dwelling, each radiator having an inlet in communication with said liquid pump and each radiator having an outlet in communication with said pickup radiator; and 
   a liquid, having an anti-freeze component, disposed within said chilled water system;   wherein said expansion valve is controllable and provides unrestricted refrigerant flow in a solar heat mode;   wherein said first one-way rotary valve and said second one-way rotary valve are mechanically coupled to each other such that they both rotate as one and that a pressurized circuit is maintained for said closed-system refrigerant circuit.   
     
     
         9 . The solar air-conditioning and/or heating system of  claim 8  further comprising a compressor having an inlet in communication with the evaporator outlet and having a compressor outlet in communication with said one or more solar heat concentrators. 
     
     
         10 . The solar air-conditioning and/or heating system of  claim 8  further comprising a motor or generator in mechanical communication with and disposed between said first outer cylindrical housing and said second cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         11 . The solar air-conditioning and/or heating system of claim further comprising a motor to promote circulation of the refrigerant. 
     
     
         12 . The solar air-conditioning and/or heating system of  claim 10  wherein said first valve and said second valve when mated rotate as one creating eight isolated chambers and together promoting circulation of the refrigerant through the circuit and forming a single closed pressurized circuits within the closed-system refrigerant circuit where a high pressure side is isolated from a low pressure side. 
     
     
         13 . A rotational multi vane positive displacement valve configuration incorporating a plurality of rotational mufti vane positive displacement valves, said configuration comprising:
 a first rotational multi vane positive displacement valve comprising:
 a first outer cylindrical valve body housing having, an inlet port and an outlet port, 
 a first inner rotational cylinder disposed within said first outer cylindrical valve body housing, and supported by a longitudinal shaft offset from a center position of said first outer housing, said first inner rotational cylinder having a plurality of spring loaded vanes along a portion of its a longitudinal axis equally spaced around a circumference of said first inner rotational cylinder, said first inner rotational cylinder co-incident with said first outer cylindrical valve body at one point; 
 a second rotational multi vane positive displacement valve comprising: 
 a second outer cylindrical valve body housing having an inlet port and an outlet port, 
 a second inner rotational cylinder disposed within said second outer cylindrical valve body housing and supported by the longitudinal shaft offset from a center position of said second outer housing, said second inner rotational cylinder having a plurality of spring loaded vanes along a portion of a longitudinal axis equally spaced around a circumference of said second inner rotational cylinder and defining isolated chambers within said second outer cylindrical valve body housing, said second inner rotational cylinder co-incident with said second outer cylindrical valve, body at one point, said first inner rotational cylinder and said second inner rotational cylinder both supported by the longitudinal shaft such that said first valve and said second valve are mechanically coupled to each other, said first outer cylindrical valve body mated with said second outer cylindrical valve body. 
   
     
     
         14 . The valve configuration of  claim 13  wherein said first inner cylinder has four vanes to define four isolated chambers within said first outer cylindrical housing and said second inner cylinder has four vanes to define four isolated chambers within said second outer cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         15 . The valve configuration of  claim 13  further comprising a motor or generator in mechanical communication with and disposed between said first outer cylindrical housing and said second cylindrical housing. 
     
     
         16 . The valve configuration of  claim 4  wherein said first valve and said second valve when mated rotate as one creating eight isolated chambers within a closed-system refrigerant circuit with said first valve promoting circulation of refrigerant in a high pressure side of the circuit and said second valve promoting circulation of refrigerant in a low pressure side of the circuit.