Centrifugal Air Cycle Air Conditioner

1. An air cooling system using an air cycle, comprising a centrifuge having a rim, a first end and a second end, said air cooling system comprising:

a) an inlet axially located with respect to said centrifuge, said inlet receiving air to be cooled;

b) a compressor mounted in said first end of, and rotating with, said centrifuge, said inlet configured to guide said air into said compressor, said compressor comprising a first set of impeller blades that rotate in unison with said centrifuge and that direct said air against the inside of said rim of said centrifuge, thereby compressing and adiabatically heating said air;

c) a heat exchanger mounted on said rim of, and rotating in unison with, said centrifuge, said compressor configured to guide said compressed air to said heat exchanger, said heat exchanger cooling said compressed air;

d) an expander mounted in said second end of, and rotating with, said centrifuge, said heat exchanger configured to guide said cooled compressed air into said expander, said expander comprising a second set of impeller blades that guide said cooled compressed air toward the center of said centrifuge, and that decompress and further adiabatically cool said cooled compressed air, said second set of impeller blades rotating in unison with said centrifuge;

e) an outlet axially located with respect to said centrifuge, said expander configured to guide said cooled decompressed air to said outlet, said outlet discharging said decompressed cooled air;

f) said centrifuge being driven by at least one motor. [motor; and

g) wherein said centrifuge has a predetermined angular speed, and wherein said rim deviates from the cylindrical form, said rim having an inlet end and an outlet end, and, furthermore said rim having a maximum radius at said inlet end and tapers down toward said outlet end thereby accelerating said air to an angular speed greater than said predetermined angular speed of said centrifuge, and countering the effect of friction.]

2. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said external wall comprises on its outside surface a set of corrugations configured in a helicoidal shape, said set of corrugations operating as heat fins to dissipate heat to the outside of said rim.

3. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said external wall comprises on its outside surface a set of essentially tangential corrugations, said set of corrugations operating as heat fins to dissipate heat to the outside of said rim.

4. The air cooling system of claim 3 wherein at least one comb structure is positioned such that the teeth of said comb are inserted inside said corrugations without making contact with said external wall, thereby reducing the thickness of the boundary layer of the air outside said heat exchanger.

5. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said air to be cooled originates from a refrigerator cabinet, the combination of said air cooling system and said refrigerator cabinet forming a refrigerator.

6. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said decompressed cooled air is discharged inside a building, said air cooling system thereby operating as an air conditioner.

7. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said centrifuge is supported by mechanical bearings.

8. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said centrifuge is supported by magnetic bearings.

9. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said centrifuge is supported by air foil bearings.

10. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said centrifuge is driven by at least one hub motor.

11. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said centrifuge is driven by at least one outrunner motor.

12. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said inlet is located at said first end of said centrifuge and said outlet is located at said second end of said centrifuge.

13. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said inlet and said outlet are coaxially located, both at said first end or both at said second end of said centrifuge.

14. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said centrifuge is partially or completely enclosed in a wire mesh.

15. The air cooling system of claim 1 wherein said centrifuge has a predetermined angular speed, and wherein said rim deviates from the cylindrical form, said rim having an inlet end and an outlet end, and, furthermore said rim having a maximum radius at said inlet end and tapers down toward said outlet end thereby accelerating said air to an angular speed greater than said predetermined angular speed of said centrifuge, and countering the effect of friction.

16. A method of cooling air with air cooling system of claim 1 comprising:

a) compressing said air in said centrifuge thereby heating air adiabatically against the rim of said centrifuge and generating hot air;

b) reducing the temperature of said hot air by passing said hot air through said heat exchanger located in said rim of, and rotating in unison with, said centrifuge, thereby producing cooled air;

c) accelerating said air with respect the centrifuge by varying the radius of the centrifuge along the axial direction; and

d) expanding said cooled air in said expander configured within said centrifuge, thereby further cooling said cooled air, thereby producing cold air.

17. An air cooling system using an air cycle, comprising a centrifuge having a rim, a first end and a second end, said air cooling system comprising:

a) an inlet axially located with respect to said centrifuge, said inlet receiving air to be cooled;

b) a compressor mounted in said first end of, and rotating with, said centrifuge, said inlet configured to guide said air into said compressor, said compressor comprising a first set of impeller blades that rotate in unison with said centrifuge and that direct said air against the inside of said rim of said centrifuge, thereby compressing and adiabatically heating said air;

c) a heat exchanger mounted on said rim of, and rotating in unison with, said centrifuge, said compressor configured to guide said compressed air to said heat exchanger, said heat exchanger cooling said compressed air;

d) an expander mounted in said second end of, and rotating with, said centrifuge, said heat exchanger configured to guide said cooled compressed air into said expander, said expander comprising a second set of impeller blades that guide said cooled compressed air toward the center of said centrifuge, and that decompress and further adiabatically cool said cooled compressed air, said second set of impeller blades rotating in unison with said centrifuge;

e) an outlet axially located with respect to said centrifuge, said expander configured to guide said cooled decompressed air to said outlet, said outlet discharging said decompressed cooled air;

f) said centrifuge being driven by at least one motor; and

g) wherein said heat exchanger of said centrifuge comprise

i. an external generally cylindrical wall made of highly heat-conductive material, said external wall comprising, on its inside surface, a first set of essentially tangentially oriented corrugations;

ii. an internal generally cylindrical core concentric with said external cylindrical wall and comprising on its outside surface, a set of essentially tangentially oriented protuberances, said first set of corrugations and said set of protuberances conforming to each other, essentially forming matching parallel serpentine surfaces and defining between themselves said serpentine path;

iii. said first set of corrugations operating as heat fins, capturing heat from said compressed air and discharging said heat outside of said rim;

iv. each said corrugation being an independent annulus having a predetermined radius and each said protuberance also being an independent annulus having a radius smaller than said corrugation's radius, each said corrugations annulus being alternatively stacked with each said protuberance annulus in a sandwich, thereby forming said serpentine path between said corrugations and said protuberances.