Device for improved heat transfer within a compression and/or expansion system

Abstract

A compression and expansion system includes a pressure vessel having a variable volume working chamber therein. The pressure vessel has a conduit through which at least one fluid can be introduced into and discharged from the working chamber. The system further includes a heat transfer element disposed within the working chamber and including a layer and at least one of a fin and a spacing element. The pressure vessel is operable to compress fluid introduced into the working chamber such that heat energy is transferred from the compressed fluid to the heat transfer element, and is further operable to expand fluid introduced into the working chamber such that heat energy is transferred from the heat transfer element to the expanded fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compression and expansion system comprising:
 a pressure vessel having a variable volume working chamber therein and having a conduit through which at least one fluid can be introduced into and discharged from the working chamber; and   a heat transfer element disposed within the working chamber, the heat transfer element comprising a layer and at least one of a fin and a spacing element,   the pressure vessel operable to compress fluid introduced into the working chamber such that heat energy is transferred from the compressed fluid to the heat transfer element and to expand fluid introduced into the working chamber such that heat energy is transferred from the heat transfer element to the expanded fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of liquid, gas, vapor, suspension, aerosol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer element is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the heat transfer element is substantially similar to a diameter of the working chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a vertical axis of the heat transfer element is parallel to a vertical axis of the working chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer element comprises a plurality of layers. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the layers comprises a wire mesh. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer element comprises a plurality of spacing elements disposed to maintain a spacing between adjacent layers of the heat transfer element. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the spacing elements are configured to absorb heat energy from at least one of the fluid and the layers of the heat transfer element. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the layers comprise a spiral from an inner diameter to an outer diameter. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fin defining a path between the inner diameter and the outer diameter. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fin defines a serpentine path. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fin comprises sheet metal. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the spiral comprises sheet metal. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer element further comprises at least one of an inner ring and an outer ring. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a density of the heat transfer element varies spatially therein. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the density of the heat transfer element varies along a vertical axis thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer element is operable to transfer heat energy received from the compressed fluid to an exterior of the working chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure vessel is further operable to cause heat energy transferred from the compressed fluid to the heat transfer element to be transferred from the heat transfer element to a second fluid in the working chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure vessel is further operable to cause heat energy transferred from the second fluid in the working chamber to the heat transfer element to be transferred from the heat transfer element to the expanded fluid. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure vessel is further operable to cause at least a portion of a second fluid in the working chamber to be discharged to remove at least a portion of the heat energy transferred from the heat transfer element to the second fluid. 
     
     
         22 . A method of optimizing heat transfer in a compression and expansion system comprising a pressure vessel having a variable volume working chamber therein and having a conduit through which at least one fluid can be introduced into and discharged from the working chamber, the pressure vessel having a heat transfer element disposed within the working chamber and comprising a layer and at least one of a fin and a spacing element, the method comprising:
 introducing a first quantity of fluid into the working chamber;   compressing the first quantity of fluid;   transferring heat energy from the compressed fluid to the layer and fin or spacing element of the heat transfer element;   introducing a second quantity of fluid into the working chamber;   expanding the second quantity of fluid; and   transferring heat energy from the layer and the fin or spacing element of the heat transfer element to the expanded fluid.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second quantities of fluid are selected from the group consisting of liquid, gas, vapor, suspension, aerosol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer element is substantially cylindrical. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sizing an outer diameter of the heat transfer element to be substantially similar to a diameter of the working chamber. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising orienting a vertical axis of the heat transfer element substantially parallel to a vertical axis of the working chamber. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer element comprises a plurality of layers. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the layers comprises a wire mesh. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising maintaining a spacing between adjacent layers of the heat transfer element by disposing a plurality of spacing elements therebetween. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising absorbing heat energy with the spacing elements from at least one of the first quantity of fluid and the layers of the heat transfer element. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the layers comprise a spiral from an inner diameter to an outer diameter. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a fin defining a path between the inner diameter and the outer diameter. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fin defines a serpentine path. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fin comprises sheet metal. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the spiral comprises sheet metal. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the heat transfer element further comprises at least one of an inner ring and an outer ring. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a density of the heat transfer element varies spatially therein 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the density of the heat transfer element varies along a vertical axis thereof. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring heat energy received from the compressed fluid to an exterior of the working chamber. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring heat energy from the heat transfer element to a third quantity of fluid in the working chamber. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring heat energy from a third quantity of fluid in the working chamber to the heat transfer element. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising discharging at least a portion of a third quantity of fluid in the working chamber to remove at least a portion of the heat energy from the working chamber.