Air conditioning system

Abstract

An HVAC system includes: an outer tube; an inner tube coaxially disposed in the outer tube; and a rotor coaxially disposed in the inner tube. The inner tube forms an outer airflow passage between the outer tube and the inner tube. The rotor forms an inner airflow passage between the inner tube and the rotor. The HVAC system further includes a compression stage disposed at a first position in a central axis direction of the outer tube, an expansion stage disposed at a second position, different from the first position, in the central axis direction, and a heat exchanger disposed between the compression stage and the expansion stage in the central axis direction. The compression stage includes a first rotary blade that is connected to the rotor. The expansion stage includes a second rotary blade that is connected to the rotor. The heat exchanger includes a plurality of partition walls that separate a first channel and a second channel from one another. The first channel and the second channel are inserted in the inner airflow passage and the outer airflow passage, respectively.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system ( 1 ) comprising:
 an outer tube ( 3 );   an inner tube ( 5 ) coaxially disposed in the outer tube, an outer airflow passage ( 7 ) being formed between the outer tube and the inner tube;   a rotor ( 9 ) coaxially disposed in the inner tube, an inner airflow passage ( 11 ) being formed between the inner tube and the rotor;   a compression stage ( 15 ) disposed at a first position in a central axis direction of the outer tube, the compression stage including a first rotary blade ( 19 ) that is connected to the rotor;   an expansion stage ( 23 ) disposed at a second position, different from the first position, in the central axis direction, the expansion stage including a second rotary blade ( 27 ) that is connected to the rotor; and   a heat exchanger ( 31 ) disposed between the compression stage and the expansion stage in the central axis direction, the heat exchanger including a plurality of partition walls ( 61 ) that separate a first channel ( 63 ) and a second channel ( 65 ) from one another, the first channel and the second channel being inserted in the inner airflow passage and the outer airflow passage, respectively.   
     
     
         2 . The HVAC system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first channel ( 63 ) includes a plurality of first sub-channels ( 63   a ,  63   b ),   the second channel ( 65 ) includes a plurality of second sub-channels ( 65   a ,  65   b ,  65   c ), and   the plurality of first sub-channels and the plurality of second sub-channels are alternatingly arranged in a circumferential direction of the outer tube.   
     
     
         3 . The HVAC system according to  claim 2  further comprising:
 a first inner blocker ( 33 ) disposed in the inner airflow passage and disposed between the compression stage and the heat exchanger, the first inner blocker including a plurality of first inner lids ( 33   a ,  33   b ,  33   c ) each of which closes off a corresponding one of the plurality of second sub-channels ( 65   a ,  65   b ,  65   c ); 
 a first outer blocker ( 35 ) disposed in the outer airflow passage and disposed between the compression stage and the heat exchanger, the first outer blocker including a plurality of first outer lids ( 35   a ,  35   b ) each of which closes off a corresponding one of the plurality of first sub-channels ( 63   a ,  63   b ); 
 a second inner blocker ( 37 ) disposed in the inner airflow passage and disposed between the expansion stage and the heat exchanger, the second inner blocker including a plurality of second inner lids each of which closes off a corresponding one of the plurality of second sub-channels; and 
 a second outer blocker ( 39 ) disposed in the outer airflow passage and disposed between the expansion stage and the heat exchanger, the second outer blocker including a plurality of second outer lids each of which closes off a corresponding one of the plurality of first sub-channels. 
 
     
     
         4 . The HVAC system according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein each of the plurality of first inner lids ( 33   b ) includes a vertical surface ( 67 ) facing the compression stage and a sloped surface ( 69 ) facing an interior of the corresponding one of the plurality of second sub-channels, and   each of the plurality of second outer lids ( 39   b ) includes a vertical surface ( 79 ) facing the expansion stage and a sloped surface ( 81 ) facing an interior of the corresponding one of the plurality of first sub-channels.   
     
     
         5 . The HVAC system according to  claim 4 ,
 each of the plurality of first outer lids ( 35   b ) includes a vertical surface ( 75 ) facing the compression stage and a sloped surface ( 77 ) facing an interior of the corresponding one of the plurality of first sub-channels, and   each of the plurality of second inner lids ( 37   b ) includes a vertical surface ( 71 ) facing the expansion stage and a sloped surface ( 73 ) facing an interior of the corresponding one of the plurality of second sub-channels.   
     
     
         6 . The HVAC system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first rotary blade ( 19 ) includes:
 a first inner ring ( 83 ); 
 a first outer ring ( 85 ); 
 a first intermediate ring ( 87 ) between the first inner ring and the first outer ring; 
 a plurality of first inner vanes ( 89 ) connecting the first inner ring and the first intermediate ring; and 
 a plurality of first outer vanes ( 91 ) connecting the first outer ring and the first intermediate ring, 
   the plurality of first inner vanes are each disposed at a first angle with respect to the central axis direction, and   the plurality of first outer vanes are each disposed at a second angle, different from the first angle, with respect to the central axis direction.   
     
     
         7 . The HVAC system according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the second rotary blade ( 27 ) includes:
 a second inner ring ( 93 ); 
 a second outer ring ( 95 ); 
 a second intermediate ring ( 97 ) between the second inner ring and the second outer ring; 
 a plurality of second inner vanes ( 99 ) connecting the second inner ring and the second intermediate ring; and 
 a plurality of second outer vanes ( 101 ) connecting the second outer ring and the second intermediate ring, 
   the plurality of second inner vanes are each disposed at a third angle with respect to the central axis direction, and   the plurality of second outer vanes are each disposed at a fourth angle, different from the third angle, with respect to the central axis direction.   
     
     
         8 . The HVAC system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the inner airflow passage ( 11 ) has an inner intake port ( 41 ) and an inner discharge port ( 43 ), the inner intake port and the inner discharge port being open along the central axis direction, and   the outer airflow passage ( 7 ) has an outer intake port ( 45 ) and an outer discharge port ( 47 ), the outer intake port and the outer discharge port being open along a radial direction of the outer tube.   
     
     
         9 . The HVAC system according to  claim 1  further comprising
 a motor ( 13 ) coupled to the rotor.