Vehicle air conditioning systems and methods employing rotary engine driven compressor

Abstract

An air conditioning system comprises a compressor, a rotary engine, and a condenser. The rotary engine comprises at least one drive shaft. The at least one drive shaft is operatively connected to the compressor and to the fuel tank. The condenser is operatively connected to the compressor. The evaporator is operatively connected to the condenser and to the compressor. The rotary engine combusts fuel to rotate the at least one drive shaft. Rotation of the at least one drive shaft operates the compressor to cause working fluid to flow such that the evaporator air conditions the passenger compartment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A compressor sub-system for an air conditioning system for a vehicle comprising a fuel tank containing diesel fuel and a vehicle main engine operatively connected to the fuel tank, where the air conditioning system comprises a condenser and an evaporator, the vehicle defines a passenger compartment, and the vehicle main engine operates using the diesel fuel, the compressor sub-system comprising:
 a compressor;   a rotary engine configured to operate on diesel fuel, where the rotary engine
 comprises at least one drive shaft directly connected to the compressor, and 
 is operatively connected to the fuel tank; wherein 
   the condenser is operatively connected to the compressor; and   the evaporator is operatively connected to the condenser and to the compressor;   the rotary engine combusts diesel fuel from the fuel tank to rotate the at least one drive shaft; and   rotation of the at least one drive shaft operates the compressor to cause working fluid to flow such that the evaporator air conditions the passenger compartment.   
     
     
         2 . A compressor sub-system as recited in  claim 1 , in which the vehicle further comprises an alternator, wherein the at least one drive shaft is operatively connected to the alternator. 
     
     
         3 . A method of compressing fluids of an air conditioning system of a vehicle, where the air conditioning system comprises a condenser and an evaporator, the vehicle comprises a fuel tank containing diesel fuel, and a vehicle main engine operatively is connected to the fuel tank, where the vehicle defines a passenger compartment and the vehicle main engine operates using the diesel fuel, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a rotary engine comprising at least one drive shaft, where the rotary engine is configured to operate on diesel fuel;   providing a compressor;   forming a compressor sub-system by directly connecting the at least one drive shaft of the rotary engine to the compressor;   operatively connecting the condenser to the compressor;   operatively connecting the evaporator to the condenser and to the compressor;   operatively connecting the rotary engine to the fuel tank to combust diesel fuel from the fuel tank to rotate the at least one drive shaft;   operating the rotary engine such that rotation of the at least one drive shaft operates the compressor to cause working fluid to flow such that the evaporator air conditions the passenger compartment.   
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising the steps of operatively connecting the at least one drive shaft of the rotary engine to an alternator. 
     
     
         5 . A compressor sub-system for an air conditioning system for a vehicle comprising a fuel tank containing diesel fuel and a vehicle main engine operatively connected to the fuel tank, where the air conditioning system comprises a condenser and an evaporator, the vehicle defines a passenger compartment, and the vehicle main engine operates using the diesel fuel, the compressor sub-system comprising:
 a compressor;   a rotary engine configured to operate on diesel fuel, where the rotary engine
 comprises at least one drive shaft, where
 the at least one drive shaft is operatively and directly connected to the compressor, 
 the at least one drive shaft is operatively connected to the alternator; and 
 
 is operatively connected to the fuel tank; wherein 
   the condenser operatively connected to the compressor;   the evaporator arranged to air condition the passenger compartment of the vehicle, where the evaporator is operatively connected to the condenser and to the compressor;   the rotary engine combusts diesel fuel from the fuel tank to rotate the first and second drive shafts;   rotation of the at least one drive shaft operates the compressor to cause working fluid to flow such that the evaporator air conditions the passenger compartment; and   rotation of the at least one drive shaft of the rotary engine operates the alternator.