Sliding-blade refrigeration apparatus and method

A sliding-blade refrigeration apparatus and method which utilizes ambient air mixed with water as the refrigerant medium. A mixture of fine droplets of cool water in ambient air is isothermally compressed in a sliding-blade air-water compressor. Compressed air is separated from the water and adiabatically expanded in a sliding-blade air-motor to perform useful work and produce refrigerated air. Separated water is evaporated in a boiler and during the vapor cycle performs useful work in a sliding-blade steam motor. The spent steam is condensed in a condenser and cool water from the condenser is injected back into the air-water compressor completing the cycle. The rotors of the air-motor and steam motor are connected with the rotor of the air-water compressor and cause simultaneous rotation of the air-water compressor rotor as they rotate. In another embodiment, the rotor of the air-water compressor is rotated by an external power source connected to the shaft of the rotor rather than by the working steam.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates generally to refrigeration apparatus and methods, 
and more particularly to a sliding-blade refrigeration apparatus and 
method using an air-water mixture as the refrigerant medium. 
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
There are known different methods and devices employing two-component and 
two-phase working mediums in power and refrigerating cycles in order to 
increase thermal efficiency wherein a mixture of fine droplets of a 
saturated liquid is compressed and expanded in a saturated vapor. For 
example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,602 to Glen et al discloses a heat engine 
apparatus having refrigeration and heat pump cycles approximating the 
Carnot cycle. 
This method has the following limitations. If the mixture is used in the 
refrigerating cycle as a refrigerant, then in contrast to isothermal 
compression, isothermal expansion in the apparatus is not 
thermodynamically advantageous. To increase the coefficient of performance 
of the refrigerating cycle it is necessary after compressing the mixture 
to separate the liquid phase-heat transfer medium, and expansion work for 
cooling purposes must be executed by only the vapor phase. 
The present sliding-blade refrigeration apparatus and method using an 
air-water mixture as the refrigerant medium overcomes these shortcomings 
by producing a more effective refrigeration cycle wherein the air-water 
compressor operates on a two-phased working medium, and in the process, 
isothermally compressed air is then separated and adiabatically (not 
isothermally) expanded in the air-motor, executing useful work and in so 
doing, cools. The present air-water compressor is capable of operating 
with a large content of liquid phase and provides high coefficient of 
filling the operating chamber, with minimal hydrodynamic losses. 
There sliding-vane pumps known in the art which are designed for performing 
a plurality of functions in which vane radial travel is accomplished by 
the interaction between vane tips with the internal body bore. Ruzic, U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,144,802 discloses such a rotary fluid apparatus having pairs of 
connected vanes. 
The principle disadvantage of such apparatus is that their design does not 
allow inlet and outlet channels at the full width of operating chambers 
which lowers its filling coefficient and leads to elevated hydrodynamic 
losses and also causes vane intensive wear. Moreover, lubricant is present 
in the operating chamber which excludes it's application as an air-water 
compressor. 
Hiroshi et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,910 discloses a vane pump with rotatable 
drive means for vanes wherein the vane tips are prevented from contacting 
the internal body bore. However, in this type of pump, the vane movement 
control means are positioned in the operating chambers and are not 
protected from interaction with the working medium. Moreover, the short 
vanes extend maximally in rotor slots and are subjected to large bending 
loads that subject the slot area to distortion and results in increased 
resistance as they slide in the slots. 
Vane-type rotary pumps are also known in the art wherein the vanes are 
prevented from contacting the internal bore of the body. Chu, U.S. Pat. 
No. 5,385,458 discloses a vane-type rotary compressor. Eckharolt, U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,316,456 discloses a slide vane machine. Clerc, U.S. Pat. No. 
2,562,698 discloses a rotary compressor having short vanes resting on 
rollers. Because of the large bending moment, such short vanes do not give 
full value positive effect. 
One of the main disadvantages of the aforementioned apparatus is their 
intolerance of small amounts of liquids, because the critical surfaces of 
the structures requiring lubrication are not isolated from the working 
medium. For example, vane tips sliding over the fixed wall, vane movement 
control means and the like. 
An oscillating vane engine known as the KROV (Keller Rotor Oscillating 
Vane) which operates on geothermal fluids of all qualities is described in 
a book written by A. L. Austin titled "Prospect For Advances In Energy 
Conversion Technologies For Geothermal Energy Development", 1975, also a 
book written by H. Christopher and H. Armstead titled "Geothermal Energy", 
2nd ed., pp. 200-210, 1983. 
Although the Keller Rotor Oscillating Vane engine (KROV) should be capable 
of handling a wide range of fluid conditions over high expansion ratios, 
it is mechanically very complex and its efficiency is unlikely to be high. 
Also, the sealing between inlet and exhaust, which is dependent upon 
contact between the roller-pistons and vanes, is likely to be unsound. 
Cryogenic refrigeration systems using a gas are also known in the art. 
Harper, U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,428 discloses a gas expansion refrigeration 
system. Kiczek et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,449, discloses a method and 
system for cryogenic refrigeration using air. 
A disadvantage of these types of systems is that it necessitates previously 
compressed air or gas being at ambient temperature that requires 
extraneous means for compressing and cooling the air or gas to the ambient 
temperature. 
The present invention overcomes these problems and limitations of the prior 
art by using only ambient air mixed with water as the refrigerant medium. 
A mixture of fine droplets of cool water in ambient air is isothermally 
pressed together thereby minimizing adiabatic heating of the air, but 
further the water is detached from the air and the compressed air is 
utilized in a sliding-blade air-motor which enables the air to expand and 
perform useful work in extracting heat and results in attaining a 
cryogenic temperature. Heating water is further utilized during the vapor 
cycle for performing useful work and also to drive the air-water 
compressor rotor. The air-water mixture with a larger amount of cool water 
in the mixture (sufficient for isothermal compression of the air) is 
cmpressed during refrigeration cycles through a sliding-blade air-water 
compressor as described in detail hereinafter. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and 
sliding-blade refrigeration apparatus using an air-water mixture as the 
refrigerant medium which is small and light and can generate a large 
amount of chill. 
It is another object of this invention to provide a method and 
sliding-blade refrigeration apparatus using an air-water mixture as the 
refrigerant medium which will substantially reduce environmentally 
damaging emissions. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a method and sliding-blade 
refrigeration apparatus using an air-water mixture as the refrigerant 
medium which has improved thermal efficiency. 
A further object of this invention is to provide a method and sliding-blade 
refrigeration apparatus using an air-water mixture as the refrigerant 
medium which may employ a variety of types of thermal sources, including 
solar or waste heat products. 
A still further object of this invention is to provide a method and 
sliding-blade refrigeration apparatus using an air-water mixture as the 
refrigerant medium which is inexpensive to manufacture in mass production 
and is inexpensive to operate, service, and repair. 
Other objects of the invention will become apparent from time to time 
throughout the specification and claims as hereinafter related. 
The above noted objects and other objects of the invention are accomplished 
by a sliding-blade refrigeration apparatus having sliding-blade air-water 
compressor, sliding-blade steam and air motors, a vortex separator, a 
vortex boiler, and a condenser. The compressor and motors have oval-shaped 
operating chambers with cylindrical rotors rotatably mounted eccentrically 
therein. Each rotor has at least two rectangular blades slidably mounted 
in slots extending through the cylindrical rotor in mutually perpendicular 
relation and each blade is independently movable relative to the other in 
a radial direction. Each blade has a guide element extending from opposed 
sides and through the opposed end walls of the respective rotor which are 
slidably received in guide grooves in the respective chamber end walls. 
The rotors are connected together by shafts in concentric relation whereby 
rotation of the steam and air motor rotors causes simultaneous rotation of 
the air-water compressor rotor and the guide elements traveling in the 
cylindrical-shaped guide grooves cause the blades to extend and retract 
radially with their outer ends following the inner periphery of the 
respective chamber side wall with a constant minimum clearance. The 
movement control members of the sliding-blades are lubricated and reliably 
isolated from the working medium. 
In operation, rotation of the air-water compressor rotor draws ambient air 
into the air-water compressor operating chamber, compresses it where the 
fine dispersed water is simultaneously injected at a quantity sufficient 
for isothermal compression of the air. This air-water mixture is 
compressed and discharged into the vortex separator where the water is 
separated, passes to the vortex boiler, evaporized using a heat source and 
then enters the steam motor operating chamber to turn the air-water 
compressor rotor. The waste steam-water mixture is discharged from the 
steam motor and condensed by a condenser, where the water is cooled down 
and injected into the air-water compressor and mixed again with the air. 
Compressed air without water is drained off and enters the air-motor to 
expand and to perform useful work for driving the air-water compressor 
rotor and also for extracting heat and results in attaining a cryogenic 
temperature. The air-water compressor rotor may be turned by extraneous 
means without a steam motor. In this case the separated water enters the 
radiator where it is cooled and then injected into the air-water 
compressor operating chamber and mixed again with the air.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in FIG. 
1, a preferred sliding-blade refrigeration apparatus using air-water 
mixture as the refrigerant medium in accordance with the present invention 
is shown in vertical cross section in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The refrigeration 
system 10 has an oval shaped sliding-blade air-motor operation chamber 11, 
an adjacent sliding-blade air-water compressor operating chamber 12, 
sliding-blade steam motor operating chamber 62, a vortex separator 63, a 
vortex boiler 64, a condenser 65, and pump 66. 
The air-motor operating chamber 11 and steam motor operating chamber 62 
(FIG. 2), and the air-water compressor operating chamber 12 (FIG. 3) are 
each defined by oval shaped cavities having contoured oval-shaped side 
walls 13, 67, and 14 and opposed facing flat end walls 15, 68, and 16 
respectively. 
Continuous cylindrical-shaped guide grooves 17, 69, and 18 are formed in 
the opposed interior surfaces of the flat end walls 15, 68, and 16 of the 
air motor operating chamber 11, steam motor operating chamber 62, and 
air-water compressor operating chamber 12, respectively. The interior and 
exterior peripheral surfaces of the guide grooves 17, 69, and 18 are 
raised above the flat surface, 
The center "A" of each cylindrical-shaped guide groove 17, 69, and 18 is 
concentric with the center of the respective oval-shaped air motor chamber 
11, steam motor chamber 62, and air-water compressor chamber 12. 
As best seen in FIG. 2, the air and steam motor chambers 11 and 62 each 
have an inlet port 19 and 70, respectively, through their side walls 13 
and 67 positioned at an angle to allow entry of the working medium into 
the chamber tangential to the plane of rotation and a relatively large 
outlet port 20 and 71 which extends circumferentially along approximately 
one-half of their respective side walls to allow the working medium to 
exit tangential to the plane of rotation. The width of the inlet ports 19, 
70 and outlet ports 20, 71 are approximately the same width as the air and 
steam motor chambers 11 and 62, respectively, to provide maximum filling 
of the volume of the chambers and minimize hydrodynamic loss. 
As best seen in FIG. 3 the air-water compressor chamber 12 has a series of 
air intake ports 21 circumferentially spaced along approximately one-half 
of its side wall 14 each positioned at an angle to allow entry of air into 
the chamber tangential to the plane of rotation and an angular exhaust 
port 22 through its side wall which allows the air-water mixture to exit 
tangential to the plane of rotation. The width of the air intake ports 21 
and exhaust port 22 are approximately the same width as the air-water 
compressor chamber 12 to provide maximum filling of the volume of the 
chamber and minimize hydrodynamic loss. 
Each of the air intake ports 21 is provided with a one-way valve 23 which 
allows air to flow only into the compressor chamber 12, and the exhaust 
port 22 is provided with a one-way valve 24 which allows the air-water 
mixture to flow only out of the compressor chamber. An arcuate hollow 
water channel 72 is spaced a distance from the outside of the side wall 14 
of the air-water compressor chamber 12. A series of circumferentially 
spaced water atomizers 73 extend radially between the water channel and 
the side wall 14 and join the interior of the water channel 72 with the 
interior cavity of the air-water compressor operating chamber 12 in fluid 
communication. 
As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 6, the air-water compressor exhaust port 22 is 
connected with the tangential inlet port 74 of the vortex separator 63 
which allows a high pressure air-water mixture through inlet port 74 to 
enter tangential to the annular peripheral channel 117 of the separator 
63. In this peripheral channel 117, the air and water are divided or 
stratified by centrifugal force. Water enters the annular channel 76 and 
air enters the central air channel 75 that is connected with inlet port 19 
of the air motor chamber 11. 
As best seen in FIGS. 1, 6, and 9, the water channel 76 of separator 63 is 
connected with the inlet port 77 of the boiler 64. The water channel 76 
has a throttle 78. As best seen in FIG. 1, the outlet channel 79 of the 
boiler 64 is connected with inlet port 70 of the steam motor chamber 62, 
and the outlet port 71 of the steam motor chamber 62 is connected with the 
condenser 65. Water from the condenser 65 is delivered by the pump 66 into 
the water channel 72 and injected through the water atomizers 73 into the 
air-water compressor operating chamber 12, completing the cycle. 
An air motor rotor 25, a steam motor rotor 27 and an air-water compressor 
rotor 26 are rotatably disposed in the respective air and steam motor 
operating chambers 11, 62 and air-water compressor operating chamber 12. 
As best seek in FIGS. 4 and 5, the air and steam motor rotors 25 and 27 and 
air-water compressor rotor 26 are each formed by a pair of opposed hollow 
cylindrical members 25A-25B and 27A-27B and 26A-26B, respectively, each 
having a circular side wall 29, 28 and 30 and an end wall 31, 80 and 32. A 
pair of perpendicular elongate rectangular slots 33, 81 and 34 are formed 
in the interior surface of the end walls 31, 80 and 32 of the cylindrical 
members 25A-25B and 27A-27B and 26A-26B and extend through the center of 
rotation of the cylindrical members. A portion of the slots 33, 81 and 34 
on one side of the center of rotation extend all the way through the flat 
end walls 31, 80 and 32 of the cylindrical members 25A-25B and 27A-27B and 
26A-26B to form a pair of rectangular perpendicular slots 35, 82 and 36 
through the outer surface of the flat end walls 31, 80 and 32, as best 
seen in FIG. 5. 
A series of circumferentially spaced rectangular slots 37, 83 and 38 extend 
through the circular side walls 29, 28 and 30 of the circular members 
25A-25B and 27A-27B and 26A-26B from their open end and terminate at the 
flat end walls 31, 80 and 32 in axial alignment with the slots 33, 81 and 
34 in the flat end walls. 
Rollers 39, 84 and 40 are mounted in recesses 41, 85 and 42 in the side 
walls 29, 28 and 30 of the cylindrical members 25A-25B and 27A-27B and 
26A-26B closely adjacent each slot 37, 83 and 38 with their curved 
exterior surface protruding a short distance into the slot opening (FIGS. 
2, 3, and 4). 
A pair of perpendicular elongate rectangular rigid blades 43, 45, 86, 87, 
44 and 46 are slidably received in the elongate slots 33, 81 and 34, 
respectively. One blade 43, 86 and 44 of each pair is provided with a 
central rectangular opening 47 and the other blade 45, 87 and 46 of each 
pair is provided with a central narrow rectangular portion 48 which is 
received through the opening 47 such that the perpendicular blades 43, 86, 
44, and 45, 87, 46, can slide independently relative to one another. A 
foot lug 49 extends outwardly a short distance from the opposed side edges 
of each blade 43, 86, 44, and 45, 87, 46 in opposed relation, and a roller 
50 is rotatably mounted at the outer end of each lug. 
As shown in FIG. 5, the circular members 25A, 25B and 27A, 27B and 26A, 26B 
are secured together in opposed relation over the blades 43, 86, 44 and 
45, 87, 46 to form a circular drum configuration. The outer ends of the 
blades 43, 86, 44 and 45, 87, 46 extend slidably through the slots 37, 83 
and 38 in the circular side walls 29, 28 and 30 and are supported on 
opposed sides by the rollers 39, 84, 40 as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the 
assembled condition of rotors 25, 27, 26, as shown in FIG. 5, the lugs 49 
and rollers 50 extend through the slots 35, 82 and 36 in the flat end 
walls 31, 80 and 32 and the rollers 50 are received and travel in the 
continuous guide grooves 17 and 69 in the opposed interior surfaces of the 
flat end walls 15 and 68 of the air and steam motor operating chambers 11, 
62 and 18 in the opposed interior surface of the air-water compressor 
operating chamber 12, respectively, as seen in FIG. 1. 
A lubricant is supplied to the rollers 39, 84, 40 and 50 through channels 
89 and lubricators 88. An elastomeric seal collar 51 is installed on the 
raised interior and exterior peripheral surfaces of the guide grooves 17, 
69 and 18 and forms a fluid sealing relation against the exterior surfaces 
of the end walls 31, 80 and 32 of the cylindrical members 25A-25B, 27A-27B 
and 26A-26B. 
As best seen in FIG. 1, a shaft 52 secured to the exterior of the flat end 
wall 80 of one the steam motor rotor cylindrical members 27A extends 
outwardly from its center through a hole in the flat end wall 68 of the 
steam motor chamber 62 and a coaxial opposed shaft 53 secured to the 
exterior of the opposed flat end wall 80 of the opposed cylindrical member 
27B extends outwardly from its center through a hole in the opposed flat 
end wall 68 of the steam motor chamber 62. A shaft 54 secured to the 
exterior of the flat end wall 31 of one the air motor rotor cylindrical 
members 25A extends outwardly from its center through a hole in the flat 
and wall 15 of the air motor chamber 11 and a coaxial opposed shaft 55 
secured to the exterior of the opposed flat end wall 31 of the opposed 
cylindrical member 25B extends outwardly from its center through a hole in 
the opposed flat end wall 15 of the air-motor chamber 11. Similarly, a 
shaft 56 secured to the exterior of the flat end wall 32 of one of the 
air-water compressor rotor cylindrical members 26A extends outwardly from 
its center through a hole in the flat end wall 16 of the air-water 
compressor chamber 12 and a coaxial opposed shaft 57 secured to the 
exterior of the opposed flat end wall 32 of the opposed cylindrical member 
26B extends outwardly from its center through a hole in the opposed flat 
end wall 16 of the air-water compressor chamber 12 and drive the make-up 
fan 115 of the condenser 65 that is secured to its outer end. The shafts 
52, 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57 are journalled in the engine housing by bearings 
60 and pack by glands 61. The shafts 53 and 54 of the steam motor rotor 27 
and air motor rotor 25 are joined together by splines or other suitable 
means such that the rotors rotate together. The shafts 55 and 56 of the 
air-motor rotor 25 are joined together by splines or other suitable means 
such that the rotors rotate together. 
As shown in FIGS. 2, 2A, and 3, the centerline "B" of the shafts 52-57 and 
rotors 25, 27 and 26 is eccentrically offset a distance "L" from the 
center of the oval-shaped air-motor, steam motor and air-water compressor 
chambers 11, 62 and 12 respectively. 
When the air motor, steam motor, air-water compressor rotors 25, 27 and 26 
turn, the blades 43, 45, and 86, 87, and 44, 46 reciprocate radially 
resting on the rollers 39, 84 and 40 mounted in the walls 29, 28 and 30 of 
the cylindrical members 25A, 25B, and 27A, 27B, and 26A, 26B to form four 
vane blades of variable length in the respective operating chamber and 
function as pistons during the compression and expansion of the working 
medium. The radial travel of the blades 43, 86, 44 and 45, 87, 46 is 
regulated by the guide grooves 17, 69 and 18 in which the rollers 50 at 
the ends of the lugs 49 of each blade travel. 
Referring now to FIG. 2, and 3, the centerline "B" of the shafts 52-57 and 
rotors 25, 27 and 26 is eccentrically offset from the center of the 
oval-shaped air motor, steam motor and air-water compressor chambers 11, 
62 and 12 and the guide grooves 17, 69 and 18 by a distance L. The 
sliding-blades 43, 86, 44, and 45, 87, 46 of the air-motor rotor 25, steam 
motor rotor 27 and air-water compressor rotor 26 are of a predetermined 
length to provide a constant minimum clearance gap "G" between the outer 
tip ends of the blades and the interior surface of the oval side walls 13, 
67 and 14 of the air-motor chamber 11, steam motor chamber 62 and 
air-water compressor chamber 12, respectively. 
In a preferred embodiment, the centerline "C" of the guide grooves 17, 69 
and 18 in the rotation plane of the air-motor, steam motor, and air-water 
compressor rotors 25, 27 and 26 is the circuit with the radius "r". This 
radius "r" must be greater than the eccentricity "L". The centerline "C" 
of the cylindrical guide grooves is defined by the equation: x.sup.2 
+y.sup.2 =r.sup.2 ; where x and y=the vertical and horizontal coordinates, 
r=the circuit radius, and L=eccentricity of the center of rotor rotation 
relative to the central axis of the chamber and guide grooves. 
The inner surface of the oval side walls of the air-motor chamber 13, steam 
motor chamber 67 and air-water compressor 14 in the rotation plane of the 
rotors are calculated and configured according to the equation: 
##EQU1## 
Where x and y=coordinates, 
h=half of vane length=half of large oval axis, 
and 
L=eccentricity. 
Referring again to FIG. 1 and additionally to FIGS. 7-9, the vortex boiler 
64 will be described. The vortex boiler 64 has a hollow cylindrical outer 
housing 90 enclosed at one end by an end plate 91. A first generally 
disk-shaped nozzle 93 is secured to the interior of the outer housing 90 a 
distance from one end and a second generally disk-shaped nozzle 98 is 
secured to the interior of the outer housing at the opposite end in 
longitudinally spaced relation. Each nozzle 93 and 98 has a circular 
peripheral side wall, a central conical extension, and a central bore 94 
and 99, respectively, with a concave curved surface 105 and 108, 
respectively, extending between the peripheral side wall and the base of 
the conical extension. The conical extensions and concave curved surfaces 
105 and 108 of the nozzles 93 and 98 are disposed in opposed inward facing 
relation. The nozzles 93 and 98 are provided with a series of 
circumferentially spaced apertures through which a series of heat tubes 
113 (described below) extend. 
An elongate hollow toroid 95 having an outer wall 100 and inner wall 114 
and an elongate hooped interior cavity 96 is disposed in the interior of 
the outer housing 90 between the nozzles 93 and 98. The outer periphery 
100 of the toroid 95 is smaller in diameter than the interior diameter 101 
of the outer housing 90 to define an annular ring channel 102 
therebetween. The rounded ends 105 and 107 of the toroid 95 are spaced a 
distance from the concave curved surfaces 106 and 108 of the nozzles 93 
and 98 to define curvilinear channels 103 and 104 which are in 
communication with the annular ring channel 102 and the central bores of 
the nozzles. The annular ring channel 102 and the curvilinear channels 103 
and 104 between the concave curved surfaces 106 and 108 defines an oblong 
looped recirculation channel. The looped recirculation channel in 
cooperation with the nozzles 93 and 98 form an ejector feedback loop. 
Although a single toroid and a pair of nozzles are shown defining the 
ejector feedback loop, it should be understood, that the vortex boiler 64 
may contain several axially aligned sets of nozzles and toroids positioned 
back to back to form a series of ejector feedback loops. 
The elongate hooped interior cavity 96 of the toroid 95 is connected in 
communication with a series of circumferentially spaced heat tubes 113 
which extend outwardly from the toroid 95 and through each end of the 
outer housing 90. One end of the outer housing 90 is enclosed by an end 
plate 91 having circumferentially spaced apertures through which one end 
of the heat tubes 113 extend. The heat tubes 113 are connected at one end 
to a heat source and heat is conducted through the tubes 113 into the 
interior cavity 96 of the toroid 95 and is exhausted at the other end of 
the heat tubes. Heat may also be simultaneously delivered to the outer 
surface of the outer housing 90. The interior cavity 96 of the toroid 95 
and heat tubes 113 serve as a heating jacket. 
The interior of the vortex boiler outer housing 90 in cooperation with the 
nozzles 93 and 98 forms an upper vortex chamber 97. An inlet port 77 
extends through the side wall of the outer housing 90 and is positioned to 
pass fluid tangentially into the outer housing. 
As best seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, a generally disk-shaped radial guide vane 
assembly 111 is secured in the outer housing 90 between the end plate 91 
and the nozzle 93 and has a central bore 112 and circumferentially spaced 
apertures through which one end of the heat tubes 113 extend. The radial 
guide vane assembly 111 has a series of channels 110 which extend 
tangentially outward from the central bore 112 to the periphery of the 
guide vane assembly. The space between the outer periphery of the guide 
vane assembly 111 and the interior 101 of the outer housing 90 defines an 
annular ring distribution channel 109, and the central bore 112 serves as 
a lower vortex chamber 92. 
As best seen in FIG. 1 water from the vortex separator 63 is conducted 
through conduit 76 and enters the inlet port 77 of the vortex boiler 64. 
As best seen in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9, water passing through the inlet port 77 
enters ringed distribution channel 109 of the boiler 64 passes through the 
tangential channels 110 of the guide vane assembly 111 tangentially into 
the central bore 112 of the guide vane assembly (the lower vortex chamber 
92), generating vortex flow of the water. The swirling vortex passes 
through the central bore of the nozzle 93 and enters the upper vortex 
chamber 97. 
The swirling vortex entering the upper vortex chamber 97 is conducted along 
the inner wall 114 of the toroid 95 through the curvilinear channel 104 
between the concave curved surface of nozzle 98 and the rounded end 107 of 
the toroid 95 and through the annular ring channel 102 between the outer 
periphery 100 of the toroid 95 and the interior 101 of the outer housing 
90, generating a longitudinal vortex recirculating flow path (ejector 
feedback loop) around the toroid in channels 104, 102, and 103 and picks 
up heat from the toroid and heat tubes 113. 
As a result of the Pito effect, "longitudinal" vortex circulation of the 
water is generated in the vortex chamber 97 around the toroid 95 such that 
feedback of the streams is achieved in forward and reverse directions. As 
a result, "transverse" vortex is added with the "longitudinal" vortex, 
which initiates intensive vortical structure of the streams. Due to the 
significant centrifugal force developed in the process, separation and 
stratification of the water takes place inside of this vortical stream. 
Unvaporized water is brought into contact with the inner wall 114 of the 
toroid 95 and the interior surface 101 of the outer housing 90 (which may 
also be heated) by centrifugal force and passes through the annular ring 
channel 102 and returns to the lower end of the vortex chamber 97 to 
provide a high level of heat transfer. 
Waste heat can be used as a heat source for the present refrigeration 
apparatus, for example, exhaust heat from an engine may be conducted 
through the heat tubes and toroid. Solar energy may also be used to 
provide heat for the vortex boiler 64. FIG. 10 shows schematically a 
refrigeration system 10 in accordance with the present invention for home 
use wherein the vortex boiler 64 is mounted in the focus point of a solar 
concentrator 116. 
Referring now to FIG. 11 of the drawings, there is shown a modification of 
the sliding-blade refrigeration apparatus 10A without the boiler and the 
steam-motor which operates by external drive. 
In the following description, only the components which are modified are 
described in detail. The rotors, operating chambers and other components 
of the air motor and air-water compressor which are not modified are the 
same as previously described are given the same reference numerals. 
However, the detailed description of the unmodified components will not be 
repeated to avoid repetition. The refrigeration system 10A has an 
oval-shaped air motor operating chamber 11A and an adjacent air-water 
compressor chamber 12A, and the steam motor 62 and boiler 64 are 
eliminated. In this modification of the refrigeration system, water enters 
directly into the condenser 65 from the separator 63, and one of the 
shafts 54A extends outwardly from its center through a hole in the flat 
end wall 15A of the chamber 11A and a drive pulley 117 is secured to its 
outer end. The drive pulley 117 is rotated by a power source, such as a 
electrical motor and belt drive (not shown) exterior of the chamber 11A 
which rotates the rotors 25 and 26. 
OPERATION 
To start the external drive embodiment of FIG. 11 (without the boiler and 
the steam motor) an appropriate amount of water is introduced into the 
system and the rotors are rotated by the external drive. 
In the embodiment without the external drive one should shut off channel 76 
using throttle 78, introduce an appropriate amount of water into the 
vortex boiler 64 and input heat to the vortex boiler. 
The air-compression refrigeration cycles are shown on a T-s 
(temperature-entropy) diagram in FIG. 12. In the diagram, lines 3 and 4 
represent adiabatic compression of air in the compressor and lines 1 and 2 
represent adiabatic expansion of air in the expander, the lines extending 
between points 3 and 1 illustrate the process of isothermal compression of 
the air-water mixture in the air-water compressor 12 and the line 
extending between points 1 and 2 represent adiabatic expansion of 
separated air performing useful work in the air-motor 11. It follows that 
the work spent in the air-compression cycle of a conventional 
refrigeration system is depicted by the generally rectangular area 
1-2-3-4-1. The work spent by the present apparatus and method is depicted 
by the generally triangular area 1-2-3-1 and, as can be seen, is 
considerably less than the area 1-2-3-4-1. 
Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3 and the thermodynamic diagram of FIG. 12, 
as the air-water compressor rotor 26 turns, a large volume of ambient air 
is drawn in through the plurality of air intake ports 21 of the air-water 
compressor chamber 12 (point 3 in FIG. 12). Simultaneously fine dispersed 
cold water is injected through the plurality of water atomizers 73 into 
the air-water compressor chamber during the continuous compressing process 
and mixed with air. As the air-water mixture travels around the 
diminishing volume of the oval-shaped air-water compressor chamber 12, the 
air-water mixture is compressed isothermally (line 3 to 1 in FIG. 12) and 
discharged through the exhaust port 22 and valve 24 into the vortex 
separator 63 (point 1 in FIG. 12). The quantity of injected cold water and 
its temperature is sufficient for extracting heat, thereby minimizing 
adiabatic heating of the air and providing the isothermal compressing of 
the air-water mixture. 
In the vortex separator 63, air and water are divided or stratified by 
centrifugal force. Separated water enters the vortex chamber 92 of the 
vortex boiler 64. A swirled inlet stream of water from nozzle 93 enters 
into the near-axis upper vortex chamber 97 surrounded by toroid 95 in the 
form of a "transverse" vortex flow, which on flowing past the toroid in 
the recirculating channel 104, 102, 103, is supplemented with a 
recirculating "longitudinal" vortex flow and initiates an intensive 
vortical structure of the streams. Due to the action of centrifugal force, 
water in the process of its vaporization separates from the saturated 
steam and makes immediate contact with the heat transferring surfaces 101 
and 114 of the boiler 64. In the process of superheating the steam, 
saturated steam being more cool and heavy relative to superheated steam, 
is also in immediate contact with the heat transferring surfaces. This 
process secures a higher level of heat transfer and augments the Nusselt 
number many-fold. This leads to considerable decrease in heat exchanger 
overall size for a given heat output. 
Superheated steam from the boiler 64 enters the steam motor operating 
chamber 62 and expands to perform useful work which causes rotation of the 
air-water compressor rotor 26. Spent steam enters the condenser 65 and is 
condensed and cooled. Cooled water is delivered by the pump 66 into the 
channel 72, and dispersed through the water atomizers 73 in fine-dispersed 
form and becomes added to the air being compressed in the air-water 
compressor 12. 
The separated isothermally compressed air (point 1 in FIG. 12) from the 
vortex separator 63 enters the air-motor operating chamber 11 via central 
channel 75, expands to perform useful work and also rotates the rotor of 
the air-water compressor 26, and in the cooled condition is available to 
the user (point 2 in FIG. 12). The throttle 78 located in the water 
channel 76 allows additional control of water and air distribution in the 
respective channels (FIG. 1). 
FIG. 13 is a graph showing the dependence of the theoretical coefficient of 
performance .beta. and temperature of the cooled air T.sub.2 (point 2 in 
FIG. 12) on the pressure ratio P.sub.1 /P.sub.2. The uppermost line 
T.sub.1,3 represents the constant of isothermal compression of the 
air-water mixture. Line S.sub.3,4 represents the constant of adiabatic 
compression of air. The dependence of the theoretical coefficient of 
performance .beta. on the pressure ratio P.sub.1 /P.sub.2 is calculated 
according to the following equation: 
##EQU2## 
While this invention has been described fully and completely with special 
emphasis upon preferred embodiments, it should be understood that within 
the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise 
than as specifically described herein.