Air conditioning system and transportation system including same

Abstract

An air conditioning system is provided. The air conditioning system includes an air compressor configured to pull in ambient air and pressurize the ambient air in order to generate pressurized air, and a coolant-free expansion apparatus fluidly coupled to the air compressor and configured to receive the pressurized air and convert the pressurized air into expanded and cooled air for delivery to an environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An air conditioning system, comprising:
 an air compressor configured to pull in ambient air and pressurize the ambient air in order to generate pressurized air; and   a coolant-free expansion apparatus fluidly coupled to the air compressor and configured to receive the pressurized air and convert the pressurized air into expanded and cooled air for delivery to an environment.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the expansion apparatus comprises a drive shaft and an expander wheel coupled to the drive shaft, and wherein the expander wheel is fluidly coupled to the air compressor such that the pressurized air from the air compressor functions as a source of kinetic energy to cause the expander wheel to rotate and convert the pressurized air into the expanded and cooled air, responsive to energy being removed from the pressurized air. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 2 , further comprising a conduit comprising an outlet associated with the air compressor and an inlet associated with the expander wheel, such that the conduit extends from the air compressor to the expander wheel, thus allowing the pressurized air to flow directly from the air compressor into the expander wheel. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 3 , wherein the conduit comprises a pipe having a first open end at the air compressor and a second open end at the expander wheel such that the pipe has a single lumen extending between the first and second open ends. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 2 , wherein the air compressor comprises an air compressor motor, wherein the air conditioning system further comprises an energy storage device for powering the air compressor motor, and a generator electrically connected to the energy storage device, wherein the drive shaft is coupled to the generator, and wherein the expander wheel and the generator are configured to convert the source of kinetic energy into mechanical energy of the drive shaft, and then convert the mechanical energy of the drive shaft into electrical energy in the generator for charging the energy storage device, and thereby powering the air compressor motor. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 2 , further comprising a non-motor driving apparatus coupled to the air compressor and configured to power the air compressor for generating the pressurized air. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 6 , further comprising an energy storage device and a generator electrically connected to the energy storage device, wherein the drive shaft is coupled to the generator, and wherein the expander wheel and the generator are configured to convert the source of kinetic energy into mechanical energy of the drive shaft, and then convert the mechanical energy of the drive shaft into electrical energy in the generator for charging the energy storage device. 
     
     
         8 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 6 , wherein the non-motor driving apparatus is an engine. 
     
     
         9 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 2 , wherein the expander wheel does not rotate due to a combustion reaction involving burning of fuel by an apparatus indirectly connected to the expander wheel via intermediate components, and wherein the expander wheel does not rotate due to a combustion reaction involving burning of fuel by an apparatus directly connected to the expander wheel. 
     
     
         10 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 2 , wherein the pressurized air is configured to exit the air compressor at a first temperature and enter the expander wheel at a second temperature substantially the same as the first temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 2 , wherein a pressure of the pressurized air exiting the air compressor is independent of a rotational speed of the drive shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 2 , wherein the expanded and cooled air is configured to exit the expander wheel at a temperature above a freezing temperature of water. 
     
     
         13 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 1 , wherein the expansion apparatus is a non-expander wheel Joule-Thomson valve. 
     
     
         14 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 13 , wherein the air conditioning system is a coolant-free air conditioning system. 
     
     
         15 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 13 , wherein the pressurized air has a first pressure before entering the Joule-Thomson valve and the expanded and cooled air has a second pressure exiting the Joule-Thomson valve, and wherein the second pressure is 10 percent or less of the first pressure. 
     
     
         16 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 13 , wherein the air conditioning system has an open-loop operating mode corresponding to the expanded and cooled air being delivered to a location in the environment without the air conditioning system pulling air from the location back into the air compressor. 
     
     
         17 . The air conditioning system according to  claim 13 , wherein the expanded and cooled air is configured to exit the non-expander wheel Joule-Thomson valve at a temperature above a freezing temperature of water. 
     
     
         18 . A transportation system, comprising:
 at least one element configured to move the transportation system between an IDLING state corresponding to the transportation system being turned on and not moving, and an OPERATING state corresponding to the transportation system being turned on and moving; and   an air conditioning system coupled to the at least one element, the air conditioning system comprising:
 an air compressor configured to pull in ambient air and pressurize the ambient air in order to generate pressurized air, and 
 a coolant-free expansion apparatus fluidly coupled to the air compressor and configured to receive the pressurized air and convert the pressurized air into expanded and cooled air for delivery to an environment. 
   
     
     
         19 . The transportation system according to  claim 18 , wherein the expansion apparatus comprises a drive shaft and an expander wheel coupled to the drive shaft, and wherein the expander wheel is fluidly coupled to the air compressor such that the pressurized air from the air compressor functions as a source of kinetic energy to cause the expander wheel to rotate and convert the pressurized air into the expanded and cooled air, responsive to energy being removed from the pressurized air. 
     
     
         20 . The transportation system according to  claim 18 , wherein the expansion apparatus is a non-expander wheel Joule-Thomson valve.