IP Library Granted Patent US 12,460,840
Granted Patent B2
US 12,460,840 · App. 18/306,587 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Gas refrigerating machine, method for operating a gas refrigerating machine and method for manufacturing a gas refrigerating machine having a housing

Inventor: Holger Sedlak (Lochhofen / Sauerlach, DE)
Assignee: JUSTAIRTECH GMBH
F25B9/004F25B9/06F25B9/14F25B2309/004F25B2309/005
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,460,840
App. No.
18/306,587
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A gas refrigerating machine having: an input for gas to be cooled; a recuperator; a compressor having a compressor input coupled to a first recuperator output; a heat exchanger; a turbine; and a gas output, wherein the gas refrigerating ma-chine has a housing in the wall of which the input for gas to be cooled is located and in the wall of which the gas output is located, the recuperator, the compressor, the turbine and the heat exchanger arranged in the housing, and the gas refrigerating machine formed as an open system, wherein the input for gas is located in a region to be cooled and the gas output is located in the region to be cooled to suck warm gas from the region to be cooled via the input for gas and to discharge cold gas into the region to be cooled via the gas output.

Claims (69)

1 . A gas refrigerating machine comprising:

an input for gas to be cooled;

a recuperator;

a compressor comprising a compressor input, the compressor input being coupled to a first recuperator output;

a heat exchanger;

a turbine; and

a gas output,

wherein the gas refrigerating machine comprises a housing in the wall of which the input for the gas to be cooled is located and in the wall of which the gas output is located, wherein the recuperator, the compressor, the turbine and the heat exchanger are arranged in the housing,

wherein the gas refrigerating machine is formed as an open system, wherein the input for the gas to be cooled is located in a region to be cooled and the gas output is located in the region to be cooled to suck warm gas from the region to be cooled via the input for the gas to be cooled and to discharge cold gas into the region to be cooled via the gas output, and

wherein the housing comprises an elongated shape, the input for the gas to be cooled comprises a plurality of perforations in an upper portion with respect to an operating direction of the gas refrigerating machine of the housing or a wall of the recuperator, and the gas output comprises an opening in a lower region of the housing with an opening area which is at least 50% of a cross-sectional area of the housing in the upper region, or

wherein the recuperator comprises interconnected first gas channels from a first recuperator input to the first recuperator output and comprises second interconnected gas channels between a second recuperator input and a second recuperator output, and wherein the first gas channels and the second gas channels are arranged in thermal interaction, the recuperator comprising, at the second recuperator input, a first collection region connecting the second gas channels on one side and extending along the inner region and forming the second recuperator input, and a second collection region connecting the second gas channels on another side and extending along an edge portion of the outer region and forming the second recuperator output, wherein an intake wall delimits the first collection region and separates the first collection region from a suction region, or

wherein the turbine input is connected to a second recuperator output via a connection region, the connection region extending around the heat exchanger, or

wherein the recuperator comprises a volume which completely encloses a suction region, the suction region and the volume extending by a distance greater than 10 cm away from the compressor input, and wherein the input for the gas to be cooled is formed by first ends of first gas channels, wherein second ends of the first gas channels open into the suction region, and wherein the first gas channels are distributed throughout the volume to direct gas into the suction region from multiple sides.

2 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the recuperator comprises a first recuperator input, the first recuperator output, a second recuperator input and a second recuperator output,

wherein the compressor comprises the compressor input and a compressor output,

wherein the heat exchanger comprises a first heat exchanger input and a first heat exchanger output on a primary side, a second heat exchanger input and a second heat exchanger output on a secondary side, wherein the first heat exchanger input is coupled to the compressor output, and wherein the first heat exchanger output is coupled to the second recuperator input, and

wherein the turbine comprises a turbine input and a turbine output, wherein the turbine input is connected to the second recuperator output, and wherein the gas output is coupled to the turbine output.

3 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the compressor input is connected to a suction region delimited by an intake wall and extending away from the compressor, and wherein the recuperator extends at least partially around the suction region and is delimited by the intake wall.

4 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 ,

wherein the compressor is arranged above the turbine in the operating direction.

5 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the compressor comprises a compressor wheel and the turbine comprises a turbine wheel, wherein the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel are arranged on a common axis, wherein a rotor of a drive motor is arranged on the common axis, which interacts with a stator of the drive motor, or

wherein a compressor wheel comprises a larger diameter than a rotor of a drive motor or a larger diameter than a turbine wheel of the turbine.

6 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 5 , wherein the rotor is arranged between the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel, or

wherein the compressor wheel, a first axis portion, a rotor, a second axis portion, and the turbine wheel are formed integrally, or

wherein a first bearing portion is formed on the compressor wheel and a second bearing portion is formed on the turbine wheel, or

wherein the rotor is formed of a non-ferromagnetic material, such as aluminum, and a ferromagnetic back element is disposed around the rotor and magnets are disposed on the back element.

7 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the recuperator is arranged in an outer region of a volume of the gas refrigerating machine and the compressor input is arranged in an inner region of the volume of the gas refrigerating machine.

8 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the recuperator comprises a volumetric shape comprising a central opening located in a central region, forming a suction region, wherein an intake wall extends from a first end of the central opening forming the compressor input to a second end closed by a cover.

9 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein a suction region comprises a continuously increasing opening area from a first end to a second end, and an intake wall is formed to be continuous or stepless.

10 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the recuperator is rotationally symmetrical, wherein an axis of symmetry of the recuperator coincides with an axis of the compressor or an axis of the turbine or an axis of the gas output or the gas input for the gas to be cooled or with an axis of a suction region.

11 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the recuperator comprises a counter-flow heat exchanger.

12 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 11 , wherein through the input for the gas to be cooled, the gas moves from the outside to the inside and gas discharged from the counter-flow heat exchanger moves from the inside to the outside.

13 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a side wall and a bottom wall or a top wall, wherein the input for the gas to be cooled is arranged in the side wall and the gas outlet is arranged in the bottom wall or the top wall, or

wherein the gas output is formed in a bottom of the gas refrigerating machine in an operating direction and is shaped such that the gas output can be placed on a refrigerant gas inlet in a bottom of a room in which the gas refrigerating machine can be installed, or

wherein the gas output is formed in a bottom of the gas refrigerating machine in an operating direction, and further a moisture collecting device is provided to collect a condensate formed in the gas output.

14 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is rotationally symmetrical or cylindrical or comprises a diameter between 0.5 m and 1.5 m or a height between 1.0 m and 2.5 m.

15 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 ,

wherein the turbine output comprises a smaller opening area than the gas output, an opening area continuously widening from a turbine output to the gas output.

16 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 ,

wherein the compressor is arranged to move gas via a suction region into the compressor input from top to bottom, and to feed compressed gas from the bottom into the heat exchanger with an output-side guide chamber.

17 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a wedge-shaped or disc-shaped volume and a heat exchanger input is arranged on the outside of the wedge-shaped or disc-shaped volume and a heat exchanger output is arranged on the inside of the wedge-shaped or disc-shaped volume, or wherein the heat exchanger input is arranged at the bottom of the wedge-shaped or disc-shaped volume and the heat exchanger output is arranged at the top of the wedge-shaped or disc-shaped volume.

18 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the volume of the recuperator comprises a counter-flow heat exchanger structure in an outer region and follows a suction region in an inner region, wherein a first recuperator input is arranged on the outside of the outer region, wherein the first recuperator output is arranged at the inner region to direct gas into the suction region, wherein a second recuperator input is also arranged at the inner region and a second recuperator output is also arranged at the outer region,

wherein the first recuperator input and the second recuperator output are fluidically separated in the recuperator and the first recuperator output and the second recuperator input are fluidically separated in the recuperator.

19 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is arranged between the recuperator and the compressor.

20 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a gas-liquid heat exchanger and comprises a conduit structure in a volume through which gas flows, through which liquid can flow, the liquid structure being coupled to a secondary input and a secondary output of the heat exchanger.

21 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 20 , wherein the housing comprises a liquid outlet from the heat exchanger and a liquid inlet to the heat exchanger.

22 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 21 , wherein the liquid inlet and liquid outlet are connected to a heat sink, wherein a pump is disposed in a circuit with the heat sink.

23 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 1 ,

wherein an electronics module for supplying power to a drive motor for the compressor or for providing control data to an element of the gas refrigerating machine or for acquiring sensor data from an element of the gas refrigerating machine is disposed in a region within the housing of the gas refrigerating machine configured to cool the electronics module.

24 . The gas refrigerating machine according to claim 23 ,

wherein the turbine comprises a turbine input and a turbine output, and wherein the electronics module is arranged in an area between the turbine output and the gas output and a housing wall of the housing outside the gas output, or

wherein the electronics module is disposed in a region between a base of a compressor wheel of the compressor and a base of a turbine wheel of the turbine, or

wherein the turbine comprises a turbine input and a turbine output, wherein the electronics module is disposed on a boundary member of the turbine input, the electronics module being further disposed outside the turbine input of the turbine, or

wherein the electronics module comprises an opening in the center and is disk-shaped and extends around a stator of a drive motor for the compressor or is formed integrally with the stator, and is disposed in a region between a base of a compressor wheel of the compressor and a base of a turbine wheel of the turbine.

25 . A method for operating a gas refrigerating machine comprising: an input for gas to be cooled; a recuperator; a compressor comprising a compressor input, the compressor input coupled to a first recuperator output; a heat exchanger; a turbine; a housing and a gas output in a wall of the housing, comprising:

sucking gas to be cooled through the input in the wall of the housing; and

outputting cooled gas through the gas output in the wall of the housing, wherein the recuperator, the compressor, the turbine and the heat exchanger are located in the housing,

wherein the gas refrigerating machine is formed as an open system, wherein the input for the gas to be cooled is located in a region to be cooled and the gas output is located in the region to be cooled to suck warm gas from the region to be cooled via the input for the gas to be cooled and to discharge cold gas into the region to be cooled via the gas output, and

wherein the housing comprises an elongated shape, the input for the gas to be cooled comprises a plurality of perforations in an upper portion with respect to an operating direction of the gas refrigerating machine of the housing or a wall of the recuperator, and the gas output comprises an opening in a lower region of the housing with an opening area which is at least 50% of a cross-sectional area of the housing in the upper region, or

wherein the recuperator comprises interconnected first gas channels from a first recuperator input to the first recuperator output and comprises second interconnected gas channels between a second recuperator input and a second recuperator output, and wherein the first gas channels and the second gas channels are arranged in thermal interaction, the recuperator comprising, at the second recuperator input, a first collection region connecting the second gas channels on one side and extending along the inner region and forming the second recuperator input, and a second collection region connecting the second gas channels on another side and extending along an edge portion of the outer region and forming the second recuperator output, wherein an intake wall delimits the first collection region and separates the first collection region from a suction region, or

wherein the turbine input is connected to a second recuperator output via a connection region, the connection region extending around the heat exchanger, or

wherein the recuperator comprises a volume which completely encloses a suction region, the suction region and the volume extending by a distance greater than 10 cm away from the compressor input, and wherein the input for the gas to be cooled is formed by first ends of first gas channels, wherein second ends of the first gas channels open into the suction region, and wherein the first gas channels are distributed throughout the volume to direct gas into the suction region from multiple sides.

26 . A method for manufacturing a gas refrigerating machine comprising: an input for gas to be cooled; a recuperator; a compressor comprising a compressor input, the compressor input coupled to a first recuperator output; a heat exchanger coupled; a turbine; a housing and a gas output in a wall of the housing, comprising:

arranging the recuperator, the compressor, the turbine and the heat exchanger in the housing in the wall of which the input for the gas to be cooled is located and in the wall of which the gas output is located,

wherein the gas refrigerating machine is formed as an open system, wherein the input for the gas to be cooled is located in a region to be cooled and the gas output is located in the region to be cooled to suck warm gas from the region to be cooled via the input for the gas to be cooled and to discharge cold gas into the region to be cooled via the gas output, and

wherein the housing comprises an elongated shape, the input for the gas to be cooled comprises a plurality of perforations in an upper portion with respect to an operating direction of the gas refrigerating machine of the housing or a wall of the recuperator, and the gas output comprises an opening in a lower region of the housing with an opening area which is at least 50% of a cross-sectional area of the housing in the upper region, or

wherein the recuperator comprises interconnected first gas channels from a first recuperator input to the first recuperator output and comprises second interconnected gas channels between a second recuperator input and a second recuperator output, and wherein the first gas channels and the second gas channels are arranged in thermal interaction, the recuperator comprising, at the second recuperator input, a first collection region connecting the second gas channels on one side and extending along the inner region and forming the second recuperator input, and a second collection region connecting the second gas channels on another side and extending along an edge portion of the outer region and forming the second recuperator output, wherein an intake wall delimits the first collection region and separates the first collection region from a suction region, or

wherein the turbine input is connected to a second recuperator output via a connection region, the connection region extending around the heat exchanger, or

wherein the recuperator comprises a volume which completely encloses a suction region, the suction region and the volume of the recuperator extending by a distance greater than 10 cm away from the compressor input, and wherein the input for the gas to be cooled is formed by first ends of first gas channels, wherein second ends of the first gas channels open into the suction region, and wherein the first gas channels are distributed throughout the volume to direct gas into the suction region from multiple sides.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 2, 2023
From: SEDLAK, HOLGER
To: JUSTAIRTECH GMBH
Reel/Frame 064464/0584 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2020 213 547.9 · Oct 28, 2020 · national
DE 10 2020 213 821.4 · Nov 3, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2021079702 · Oct 26, 2021
Related Publication 20230258371A1 · Aug 17, 2023
References Cited (52)
US 4730464A · Lotz · 1988 [cited by applicant]
US 5483806A · Miller et al. · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 6938429B2 · Katogi · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7533539B2 · Otake · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 8347648B2 · Nakazeki · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 10288357B2 · Laughlin · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 11162387B1 · McCormick · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20010035026A1 · Bonaquist et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 20020073688A1 · Bosley · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 20030131608A1 · Rouse et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20060005558A1 · Otake · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060059936A1 · Radke et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060277932A1 · Otake · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20080163644A1 · Kadle et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20110014028A1 · Wood · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20120024007A1 · Ota · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130000328A1 · Levy · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130294890A1 · Cepeda-Rizo et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20160160864A1 · Becquin · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170045272A1 · Bandhauer et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170275190A1 · Eziyi · 2017 [cited by applicant]
CN 204535480U · 2015 [cited by examiner]
CN 108981160A · 2018 [cited by examiner]
DE 3544445A1 · 1987 [cited by applicant]
DE 69510728T2 · 1999 [cited by applicant]
DE 60016627T2 · 2005 [cited by applicant]
EP 2492472A1 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
EP 2602572A1 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
JP H11023083A · 1999 [cited by applicant]
JP AH11159898A · 1999 [cited by applicant]
JP A2007057109A · 2007 [cited by applicant]
JP 3928230B2 · 2007 [cited by examiner]
JP 2008014532A · 2008 [cited by examiner]
JP A2008014532A · 2008 [cited by applicant]
JP A2010014301A · 2010 [cited by applicant]
JP 2016186983A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 9519495A1 · 1995 [cited by applicant]
WO 0144047A1 · 2001 [cited by applicant]
WO 69527283T2 · 2003 [cited by applicant]
Asakura et al. (JP3928230B2) English Translation (Year: 2007). [cited by examiner]
Du et al. (CN108981160A) English Translation (Year: 2018). [cited by examiner]
Hakamada et al. (JP2008014532A) English Translation (Year: 2008). [cited by examiner]
Shen et al. (CN204535480U) English Translation (Year: 2015). [cited by examiner]
Japanese language office action dated Mar. 28, 2024, issued in application No. JP 2023-527328. [cited by applicant]
English language translation of office action dated Mar. 28, 2024 (pp. 1-23 of attachment). [cited by applicant]
Japanese language office action dated Nov. 28, 2024, issued in application No. JP 2023-527328. [cited by applicant]
English language translation of office action dated Nov. 28, 2024 (pp. 8-17 of attachment). [cited by applicant]
International Search Report issued in application No. PCT/EP2021/079702. [cited by applicant]
Spence, S.W.T., et al.; “Design, construction and testing of an air-cycle refrigeration system for road transport;” International Journal of Refrigeration; 2004; pp. 503-510. [cited by applicant]
Zagarola, M.V., et al.; “High-capacity turbo-Brayton cryocoolers for space applications;” Cryogenics 46; 2006; pp. 169-175. [cited by applicant]
Vortrag, Luft als Kältemittel—Geschichte der Kaltluftkältemaschine von I. Ebinger, gehalten auf der Historikertagung 2013 in Friedrichshafen am Jun. 21, 2013; pp. 1-29. [cited by applicant]
English language abstract of “Das Kältemittel Luft;” (p. 1 of attachment). [cited by applicant]