Air conditioning system and transportation system including same
An air conditioning system is provided. The air conditioning system includes a turboexpander. The turboexpander includes a drive shaft, a compressor wheel coupled to the drive shaft and configured to rotate together with the drive shaft, and an expander wheel fluidly coupled to the compressor wheel in order to allow air to flow from the compressor wheel into the expander wheel. The expander wheel is coupled to the drive shaft and configured to rotate together with the compressor wheel. The compressor wheel is configured to compress the air, and the expander wheel is configured to expand the air.
1 . An air conditioning system, comprising:
a turboexpander, comprising:
a drive shaft,
a compressor wheel coupled to the drive shaft and configured to rotate together with the drive shaft, and
an expander wheel fluidly coupled to the compressor wheel in order to allow air to flow from the compressor wheel into the expander wheel, the expander wheel being coupled to the drive shaft and configured to rotate together with the compressor wheel; and
a blower fluidly coupled to the expander wheel and configured to receive the air from the expander wheel and deliver the air to an environment for air conditioning purposes,
wherein the compressor wheel is configured to compress the air, and the expander wheel is configured to expand the air, wherein the turboexpander does not rotate due to a combustion reaction involving burning of fuel by an apparatus indirectly connected to the turboexpander via intermediate components, and wherein the turboexpander does not rotate due to a combustion reaction involving burning of fuel by an apparatus directly connected to the turboexpander.
2 . The air conditioning system according to claim 1 , further comprising a rotation driving device coupled to the drive shaft and configured to provide a source of kinetic energy to cause the compressor wheel to compress the air.
3 . The air conditioning system according to claim 2 , further comprising an energy storage device for powering the rotation driving 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 and energy in the air flowing into the expander wheel, 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 rotation driving device.
4 . The air conditioning system according to claim 3 , wherein the air conditioning system is a coolant-free air conditioning system.
5 . The air conditioning system according to claim 3 , wherein the rotation driving device comprises an electric motor.
6 . The air conditioning system according to claim 1 , wherein the air conditioning system is a coolant-free air conditioning system.
7 . 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;
air conditioning system coupled to the at least one element, comprising:
a turboexpander, comprising:
a drive shaft,
a compressor wheel coupled to the drive shaft and configured to rotate together with the drive shaft, and
an expander wheel fluidly coupled to the compressor wheel in order to allow air to flow from the compressor wheel into the expander wheel, the expander wheel being coupled to the drive shaft and configured to rotate together with the compressor wheel; and
a blower fluidly coupled to the expander wheel and configured to receive the air from the expander wheel and deliver the air to an environment for air conditioning purposes,
wherein the compressor wheel is configured to compress the air, and the expander wheel is configured to expand the air, wherein the turboexpander does not rotate due to a combustion reaction involving burning of fuel by an apparatus indirectly connected to the turboexpander via intermediate components, and wherein the turboexpander does not rotate due to a combustion reaction involving burning of fuel by an apparatus directly connected to the turboexpander.
8 . The transportation system according to claim 7 , further comprising an electric motor configured to drive the at least one element.
9 . The transportation system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one element comprises a first axle and a second axle, wherein the transportation system further comprises a first pair of wheels coupled to the first axle, and a second pair of wheels coupled to the second axle, and wherein the electric motor is coupled to and configured to drive the first and second axles, thereby allowing the first and second pairs of wheels to roll when the transportation system is in the OPERATING state.
10 . The transportation system according to claim 9 , wherein the air conditioning system is a coolant-free air conditioning system.
11 . The transportation system according to claim 7 , wherein the air conditioning system further comprises a rotation driving device coupled to the drive shaft and configured to provide a source of kinetic energy to cause the compressor wheel to compress the air.
12 . The transportation system according to claim 11 , wherein the air conditioning system further comprises an energy storage device for powering the rotation driving 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 and energy in the air flowing into the expander wheel, 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 rotation driving device.
13 . The air conditioning system according to claim 12 , wherein the rotation driving device comprises an electric motor.
14 . An air conditioning system, comprising:
a rotation driving device; and
a turboexpander, comprising:
a drive shaft coupled to and configured to be rotated by the rotation driving device,
a compressor wheel coupled to the drive shaft and configured to rotate together with the drive shaft, the compressor wheel being configured to compress air, and
an expander wheel coupled to the drive shaft and configured to rotate together with the compressor wheel, the expander wheel being configured to expand the air; and
a blower fluidly coupled to the expander wheel and configured to receive the air from the expander wheel and deliver the air to an environment for air conditioning purposes,
wherein the turboexpander does not rotate due to a combustion reaction involving burning of fuel by an apparatus indirectly connected to the turboexpander via intermediate components, and wherein the turboexpander does not rotate due to a combustion reaction involving burning of fuel by an apparatus directly connected to the turboexpander.
15 . The air conditioning system according to claim 14 , wherein the air conditioning system is a coolant-free air conditioning system.
16 . The air conditioning system according to claim 15 , further comprising an energy storage device for powering the rotation driving 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 a source of kinetic energy provided by the rotation driving device and energy in the air flowing into the expander wheel, 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 rotation driving device.
17 . The air conditioning system according to claim 15 , wherein the rotation driving device comprises an electric motor.
18 . The air conditioning system according to claim 17 , wherein the electric motor is configured to apply a source of kinetic energy to the drive shaft to directly the expander wheel to rotate together with the compressor wheel.