Honeywell International Inc.

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

The Garrett Corporation

Thomas L Iles

Michael S Koerner

Robert C Kinsell

Joseph M Ruder

Kwang-Chou Hwang

A plurality of vessels contains pressurized gas. Each vessel fluidly communicates with an adjacent vessel through a line. A heat exchanger is positioned in a heat conducting relationship with each line. The system includes an exhaust valve communicating with lower pressure. In one embodiment, the vessels communicate in series and only one of the vessels communicates with the exhaust valve. Alternatively, the vessels are arranged in a loop configuration with two of the vessels communicating with the exhaust valve through respective lines each containing a shutoff valve. The two shutoff valves are opened and closed in concert to cause the flow in the system to alternate directions as it is being exhausted. In a third configuration, two vessels communicate through a singular line in accordance with the most basic embodiment, but the vessel communicating with the exhaust valve encloses the other vessel. Heat transfer fins are located in the enclosed vessel, and extend into the enclosing vessel. A heat exchanger is located in a heat conducting relationship with the communicating line to heat the gas flowing from the enclosed vessel, and the fins conduct part of this heat to the gas still inside the enclosed vessel.

System for warming pressurized gas

A gas generator which separates a gas such as oxygen from a gas mixture such as air using a sorbent process. A sorbent contained in a fixed cooled bed absorbs the gas from the mixture; simultaneously a second bed of sorbent which previously absorbed the gas is heated and the gas is thereby desorbed from the sorbent. After a given time, the functions of the beds are exchanged. Heating and cooling of the two sorbent beds is accomplished by means of coolant which passes through each bed. Immediately after the functions of the beds are switched, the cool coolant first flows through and cools the absorbing bed, then is valved to a pump and to the heater for heating and then is valved to heat the second sorbent bed before being valved to a cooler for cooling. A set time thereafter, but before the functions of the beds are again switched, coolant from the absorbing bed is valved directly to coolant return, and coolant from the heater is valved to the desorbing bed and therefrom back to the pump and heater in a closed loop to conserve heat transferred to the coolant by the heater. Such heat would otherwise be lost when the coolant is cooled upon being valved to the cooler. The set time is selected so that when the temperature of the coolant exiting from the absorbing bed equals the temperature of the coolant exiting from the desorbing bed, the closed heating loop is instituted.

Gas separating system

Inlet air for an internal combustion engine in an airplane is expanded through a turbine to lower its pressure and temperature and is passed through a water chiller wherein heat exchange and evaporative cooling substantially lower the temperature of the water. The air is then fed to a compressor driven by the turbine and its pressure is raised to a level suitable for input to the engine manifold. The chilled water is circulated through a heat exchanger to provide cooling for the cabin of the airplane.

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Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, United States of America

Thomas L Iles