Dr. James Newell Chemical Engineering.ppt

* Dr. James Newell Chemical Engineering Rowan University Freshman Engineering Clinic II February 2, 2004 A Case Study in Reverse Engineering and Industrial Competitive Assessment In 1902, Willis Carrier invented the air conditioner to control the heat and humidity for a printing process in Brooklyn, NY printing company. After designing similar systems for a series of manufacturers, Carrier raised $32,600 to form Carrier Engineering Company in 1915. In 1924, Carrier built the first “comfort cooling” system for J.L. Hudson Department Store in Detroit, MI. By 1930, comfort cooling systems were installed in 300 movie theaters nation wide. In 1928, Carrier developed the first residential air conditioning system, but the Great Depression and WW II put home air conditioning on hold for about 20 years. Sociologists credit the dramatic growth of America’s “Sun Belt” to air conditioning. In 1955, William Levitt predicted that air conditioning would be a basic feature in all new homes. In 1985, 70% of all new homes had air conditioning. The majority of refrigeration and air conditioning systems in place today employ the simple vapor compression refrigeration cycle. These systems include a compressor, a condenser, an expansion valve and an evaporator. Like the engine of an automobile, the compressor is the heart of he refrigeration system. It is the most complicated and costly component and is responsible for over %90 of the power consumption. In the 1980s, the old standard reciprocating (piston) compressors were being phased out by efficient, quiet, and reliable new compressors such as the rotary, scroll and screw compressor. Although these new compressors were required for the bulk of their residential products, Carrier somehow found themselves without the ability to manufacture these compressors …this is like a GM or Ford without the ability to manufacture engines. In the mid 1980s, Carrier embarked on a program to gain back their ability to manufacture their o