Air Conditioning with Thermal Storage

Abstract

A method of cooling includes cooling and compressing a first refrigerant into a liquid state then flowing the first refrigerant in the liquid state through a first set of heat transfer tubes that are situated within a thermal storage. The thermal storage is at least partially filled with a material. The first refrigerant extracts heat from the material as the first refrigerant changes state from the liquid into a gas and then returns to the compressor. A second refrigerant flows from a second set of heat transfer tubes also situated within the thermal storage and into an inside air handler where the refrigerant in liquid form extracts heat from air flowing through the inside air handler as the second refrigerant changes into a gaseous state. The gaseous second refrigerant then flows back to the second set of heat transfer tubes where temperatures within the thermal storage condense the refrigerant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioning system comprising:
 a compressor;   an outside air handler in fluid communications with the compressor;   a thermal storage having a first set of heat transfer tubes and a second set of heat transfer tubes, a first end of the first set of heat transfer tubes in fluid communications with the outside air handler and a second end of the first set of heat transfer tubes in fluid communications with the compressor;   an inside air handler having an input and an output;   a fluid pump having an input and an output, the input of the pump in fluid communications with a second end of the second set of heat transfer tubes and the output of the pump in fluid communications with the input of the inside air handler, and the output of the inside air handler in fluid communications with a first end of the second set of heat transfer tubes;   whereas when the compressor runs, a first refrigerant is compressed into a liquid, cooled by the outside air handler and flows into the first set of heat transfer tubes where the first refrigerant evaporates, extracting heat from a material within the thermal storage and the evaporated refrigerant returns to the compressor; and   whereas when cooling is needed, the pump operates and circulates a second refrigerant in liquid form from the second end of the second set of heat transfer tubes into the inside air handler where the refrigerant extracts heat as it evaporates into a gas and the refrigerant in gaseous form returns to the thermal storage where the refrigerant condenses back into a cold liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant are the same. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the material is a mixture of antifreeze and water. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the material is a fluid that is derived from the vegetable beetroot. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first set of thermal fins and a second set of thermal fins, each of the first set of heat transfer tubes are thermally and physically coupled to a respective one of the first set of thermal fins, and each of the second set of heat transfer tubes are thermally and physically coupled to a respective one of the second set of thermal fins. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein there are an equal number of heat transfer tubes in the first set of heat transfer tubes as are in the second set of heat transfer tubes. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , further comprising a first set of thermal fins and a second set of thermal fins, each thermal fin comprising a first side and a second side, each of the first set of heat transfer tubes are sandwiched between the first side and second side of a respective one of the first set of thermal fins, and each of the second set of heat transfer tubes are sandwiched between the first side and second side of a respective one of the second set of thermal fins. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioning system of  claim 7 , wherein a cross-sectional shape of each of the heat transfer tubes is an oval shape. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , further comprising a storage tank, the storage tank inserted between the thermal storage and the pump such that, as the second coolant condenses within the second set of heat transfer tubes, the second coolant, in liquid form, flows into the storage tank to be pumped out of the storage tank by the pump when needed. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal storage is enclosed in a container that provides a seal for preventing loss of the material and provides thermal insulation. 
     
     
         11 . A method of cooling comprising:
 cooling and compressing a first refrigerant into a liquid state using a compressor and outside air handler;   flowing the first refrigerant in the liquid state through a first set of heat transfer tubes that are situated within a thermal storage, the thermal storage at least partially filled with a material, the first refrigerant extracting heat from the material as the first refrigerant changes state from the liquid into a gas and the first refrigerant in gaseous form returning to the compressor; and   flowing a second refrigerant from a second set of heat transfer tubes, the second set of heat transfer tubes also situated within the thermal storage, and into an inside air handler where the refrigerant in liquid form extracts heat from air flowing through the inside air handler as the second refrigerant changes into a gaseous state, which then flows back to the second set of heat transfer tubes where temperatures within the thermal storage condense the refrigerant into the liquid state.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of flowing a second refrigerant is performed by a liquid pump. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first refrigerant is the same as the second refrigerant. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the steps of cooling and flowing the first refrigerant are performed at a different time than the step of flowing the second refrigerant. 
     
     
         15 . An air conditioning system comprising:
 a compressor having an input and an output;   an outside air handler, an input of the outside air handler in fluid communications with the output of the compressor;   a thermal storage enclosed in a thermally insulated housing and having a first set of heat transfer tubes and a second set of heat transfer tubes at least partially within a material, a first end of the first set of heat transfer tubes in fluid communications with the output of the outside air handler and a second end of the first set of heat transfer tubes in fluid communications with the compressor;   an inside air handler having an input and an output;   a fluid pump having an input and an output, the input of the pump in fluid communications with a second end of the second set of heat transfer tubes and the output of the pump in fluid communications with the input of the inside air handler, and the output of the inside air handler in fluid communications with a first end of the second set of heat transfer tubes;   whereas when the compressor runs, a first refrigerant is compressed into a liquid, cooled by the outside air handler and flows into the first set of heat transfer tubes where the first refrigerant evaporates, extracting heat from the material within the thermal storage and the evaporated refrigerant returns to the compressor; and   whereas when cooling is needed, the pump operates and circulates a second refrigerant in liquid form from the second end of the second set of heat transfer tubes into the inside air handler where the refrigerant extracts heat as it evaporates into a gas and the refrigerant in gaseous form returns to the thermal storage where the refrigerant condenses back into a cold liquid within the second set of heat transfer tubes.   
     
     
         16 . The air conditioning system of  claim 15 , wherein the first refrigerant and the second refrigerant are the same. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioning system of  claim 15 , wherein the material is a mixture of antifreeze and water. 
     
     
         18 . The air conditioning system of  claim 15 , further comprising a first set of thermal fins and a second set of thermal fins, each of the first set of heat transfer tubes are thermally and physically coupled to a respective one of the first set of thermal fins, and each of the second set of heat transfer tubes are thermally and physically coupled to a respective one of the second set of thermal fins. 
     
     
         19 . The air conditioning system of  claim 15 , wherein there are an equal number of heat transfer tubes in the first set of heat transfer tubes as are in the second set of heat transfer tubes. 
     
     
         20 . The air conditioning system of  claim 15 , further comprising a storage tank, the storage tank inserted between the thermal storage and the pump such that, as the second coolant condenses within the second set of heat transfer tubes, the second coolant, in liquid form, flows into the storage tank to be pumped out of the storage tank by the pump when needed.