Refrigeration – Processes – Circulating external gas
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-05
2002-04-16
Esquivel, Denise L. (Department: 3744)
Refrigeration
Processes
Circulating external gas
C062S272000, C096S008000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06370887
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a modified system that modifies the dehumidification devices included in compressed air source devices employed in such things as railway cars, etc. and the dehumidifiers included in these dehumidification devices, as well as the dehumidification device and the dehumidifier for these modifications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Previously, the item shown in
FIG. 8
was, for example, known as a compressed air source device which supplied compressed air to the dehumidification devices included in compressed air source devices employed in such things as railway cars, and the dehumidifiers included in these dehumidification devices. This compressed air source device is equipped with a dehumidifier (
2
) whereby compressed air is supplied from an air compressor (
1
) through the medium of an aftercooler (not shown in FIG.
8
), a regenerated air tank (
3
) connected to the secondary side of the dehumidifier, and an original air tank (
5
) connected to the secondary side of the regenerated air tank (
3
) through the medium of a check valve (
4
), and a pressure regulator (
6
) has been connected to the secondary of the original air tank.
The dehumidifier (
2
) is equipped with (a) an absorption/regeneration style dehumidification cartridge (
7
) that contains inside it an adsorbent required for drying and periodic regeneration treatment; and (b) a check valve (
8
) and a restrictor (
9
) connected parallel to one another on the secondary side of the dehumidification cartridge (
7
); and the secondary side with the check valve (
8
) and the restrictor (
9
) has been connected to a regenerated air tank (
3
).
In addition, a discharge valve (
10
) is connected to the primary side of the dehumidification cartridge (
7
), and this discharge valve (
10
) is configured such that its opening and closing is controlled by a solenoid-controlled valve (
11
), and compressed air is discharged through the medium of a muffler (
12
) when the dehumidifier (
2
) is regeneration, as described below.
In other words, ordinarily as shown in the figure while the second valve body (
19
) of the solenoid-controlled valve (
11
) is in a closed state, the first valve body (
18
) changes to an open state, compressed air is supplied to the pilot pressure chamber (
10
c
) of the discharge valve (
10
) through the medium of the second chamber (
11
b
) and the first chamber (
11
a
) of the solenoid controlled valve (
11
), and the valve body (
13
), that is, the discharge valve (
10
) changes to a closed state due to the force applied by a spring (
17
) since the internal pressures of the second chamber (
10
b
) and the pilot pressure chamber (
10
c
) have become equal.
Owing to this, the compressed air from the air compressor (
1
) is supplied to the regenerated air tank (
3
) and the original air tank (
5
) through the medium of the check valve (
8
), and the pressures inside the regenerated air tank (
3
) and the original air tank (
5
) gradually rise. Then, when the pressure inside the original air tank (
5
) attains the prescribed upper limit value, the pressure regulator (
6
) begins to operate, and the air compressor (
1
) is stopped, and at the same time as this the drive solenoid (
21
) of the solenoid-controlled valve (
11
) is turned off and the valve rod (
22
) is driven upwards in the figure, and owing to this said first valve body (
18
) changes to a closed state and said second valve body changes to an open state (not shown in the figure).
Consequently, the compressed air inside the pilot pressure chamber (
10
c
) is emitted into the atmosphere through the medium of the first chamber (
11
a
) and the third chamber (
11
c
) of the solenoid-controlled valve (
11
), and the internal pressure of the second chamber (
11
b
) becomes high than the internal pressure of the first chamber (
11
a
), the result of which is that the diaphragm (
15
) shifts upwards in the diagram in opposition to the force applied by the spring (
17
), and the valve body (
13
), that is, the discharge valve (
10
) changes to a open state (not shown in the figure).
When the discharge valve (
10
) opens, the compressed air inside the regenerated air tank (
3
) is emitted to the atmosphere through the medium of the restrictor (
9
) and by way of the check valve (
8
), the discharge valve (
10
) and the muffler (
12
), and in this process the adsorbent inside the dehumidification cartridge (
7
) is dried and regenerated. After that, the compressed air inside the original air tank (
5
) is consumed by said air compressor, and owing to this the pressure inside the original air tank (
5
) falls to the prescribed lower limit value. When this occurs, the solenoid-controlled valve (
11
) begins to operate in linkage with the operation of the pressure regulator (
6
), and the discharge valve (
10
) is closed, and at the same time said air compressor (
1
) is set in operation and compressed air is supplied again to the regenerated air tank (
3
) and the original air tank (
5
) through the medium of the check valve (
8
), etc., by steps identical with those noted above. Subsequently, the pressure inside the original air tank (
5
) is controlled such that it ordinarily falls within a range between the prescribed upper limit value and the lower limit value by repeating the same operation.
Next, an explanation will be provided of the concrete composition of the compressed air source device. As shown in
FIG. 9
, a dehumidification case (
26
) with a dehumidification cartridge (
7
) built into it has been provided as an adjunct on the tube seat surface (
25
a
) of the tube seat (
25
) on one side of the fastening unit (
24
) composed of brackets (
23
) used for fastening to railway cars on the outer circumferential surface of said regenerated air tank (
3
). On the other hand, as shown in
FIG. 10
, a discharge valve (
10
), a solenoid-controlled valve (
11
), a muffler (
12
) and a check valve (
4
) have been fastened to the tube seat surface (
27
a
) of the tube seat (
27
) on the other side of the fastening unit (
24
). The fastening unit (
24
) equipped with these valves (
10
,
11
) and the dehumidifier (
2
) together comprise the adsorption/regeneration type dehumidification device (J
1
).
A compressed air entrance connected to said air compressor (
1
) and a compressed air exit connected to said original air tank (
5
) have been provided on the outer circumferential surface of the regenerated air tank (
3
), and the compressed air entrance (
3
a
) has been connected to the entrance hole (
30
c
) (refer to
FIG. 11
) through the medium of the connection opening (
25
b
) of the tube seat (
25
) by means of a coupling tube (
28
) provided inside the regenerated air tank (
3
).
In
FIG. 11
, the right portion in the figure of the dehumidification case (
26
) of the dehumidifier (
2
) has a double structure, and in addition to an outer chamber (
32
) possessing several passageways (
32
a
,
32
b
) between the outer wall (
30
) and the inner wall (
31
) whereon said entrance hole (
30
a
) has been created, an inner chamber (
33
) has been formed inside the inner wall (
31
) and said adsorption/regeneration type dehumidification cartridge (
7
) has been built into the inside of the inner chamber (
33
). A bottom cover (
34
) has been fastened on the bottom part of the dehumidification case (
26
).
As shown by arrow A, the compressed air introduced from the entrance hole (
30
a
) to the inside of the outer chamber (
32
) is supplied to the inside of the inner chamber (
33
) through the medium of the linkage opening (
31
a
) provided on the inner wall (
31
), and is sent inside the dehumidification cartridge (
7
) from the lower end side in the figure. The compressed air that passes through the dehumidification cartridge (
7
) is supplied to the passageway (
32
a
) inside the outer chamber (
32
) as shown by arrow B through the medium of said check valve (
8
) that is provided on the upper end side of the dehumidification case (
26
) and that allows only circulation from the dehumidification
Esquivel Denise L.
James Ray & Associates
Jiang Chen-Wen
NABCO LTD
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