Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02G—HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS; USE OF WASTE HEAT OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F02G1/00—Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants
  • F02G1/04—Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants of closed-cycle type
  • F02G1/043—Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants of closed-cycle type the engine being operated by expansion and contraction of a mass of working gas which is heated and cooled in one of a plurality of constantly communicating expansible chambers, e.g. Stirling cycle type engines
  • F02G1/053—Component parts or details
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
  • F02G—HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS; USE OF WASTE HEAT OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F02G2270/00—Constructional features
  • F02G2270/55—Cylinders

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a dual-effect expansion cylinder with adaptive support, said cylinder being able to operate at high temperature and to be subjected to thermal expansions different from those of the transmission casing to which it is attached.
• volumetric regenerative engines inspired by turbocharged Brayton cycle engines, power turbine, burner and regenerator. These latter engines are the main source of power for certain gas-fired power plants or certain vessels such as those powered by the "Rolls-Royce WR-21" engine. It should be noted that the applicant holds two French patent applications relating to a heat transfer-expansion and regeneration engine. The first of these requests was registered on January 30, 2015 under No. 1550762, and the second is dated February 25, 2015 and bears No. 1551593. This engine is distinguished from conventional regenerative Brayton cycle engines in that that the power turbine usually used is replaced by a cylinder expander whose energy performance is maximized by intake and exhaust metering valves operating in a special mode described in the "operation" section of said applications.
• the phasing of the intake metering valve maximizes the output of the expansion of the gases by extending the latter to the exhaust pressure.
• the phasing of the exhaust metering valve is provided to re-compress the residual exhaust gas trapped in the dead volume found at the top dead center of the piston so that before the metering valve opens admission, the pressure and the temperature of said gases become equivalent to those of the gases leaving the burner. This last phasage avoids any irreversibility due to the discharge of gas under high pressure in a dead volume remained under low pressure.
• the replacement of said power turbine by said expansion cylinder is in particular made possible by sealing means of innovative piston that prevents pressurized gases from leaking between said cylinder and the piston expander with which it cooperates.
• sealing means of innovative piston that prevents pressurized gases from leaking between said cylinder and the piston expander with which it cooperates.
• the said requests propose a layout and novel technical solutions that solve a technical problem hitherto unresolved, thus answering the identified and unmet need to make possible the production of regenerative engines of a much higher efficiency. to that of Brayton cycle engines with turbine regeneration, and far superior to that of Otto or Diesel internal combustion internal combustion engines of any type. It is noted that in the applications No. 1550762 and No. 1551593, the sealing means are in secondary claim not to exclude the possibility of other sealing means that would provide the same benefits.
• the hot organs in order to preserve the maximum efficiency of the thermal machine, the hot organs must communicate as little heat as possible to the cold organs. This is decisive in the case, for example, of the transfer-expansion and regeneration thermal engine which is the subject of patent applications Nos. 1550762 and 1551593 belonging to the applicant. Indeed, any heat transferred by the hot organs to the cold organs of said engine is irretrievably lost and can no longer be converted into motive power.
• the fixing of hot parts carried at high temperature and subjected to high forces is preferably carried out by means of cold steel parts with high mechanical strength. This configuration should not result in excessive heat transfer from hot rooms to cold rooms.
• the double-acting pressure-reducing cylinder with adaptive support according to the invention is in particular intended for high-temperature cylindrical piston-and-piston positive volumetric thermal machines, and to meet the triple need to take up high forces, to allow to different mechanically interconnected members and brought to different operating temperatures to expand and deform without compromising their operation, and limit heat transfer from hot rooms to cold rooms.
• the double-acting pressure-reducing cylinder with adaptive support is intended to facilitate the production of alternative machines whose cylinder (s) and piston (s) are for example brought to temperatures of the order of nine hundred to one thousand degrees Celsius. Such temperature results from the fact that the cylinder (s) and piston (s) compress and / or relax gas whose temperature may be of the order of one thousand one hundred to one thousand three hundred degrees Celsius, such temperatures being necessary to claim high thermodynamic yields.
• the result of the invention is a double-acting expansion cylinder with adaptive support:
• Whose isotropic or anisotropic expansion may be different from that of the transmission casing to which it is attached, without compromising either the operation of said cylinder or that of the piston which evolves in said cylinder, and without significantly altering the volumetric ratio of any engine or any thermal machine of which it is one of the constituents; ⁇ Which always remains centered on the piston with which it cooperates, despite the fact that the latter can also be heated to high temperature and be connected to transmission means operating at low temperature, just like the gearbox in which they are housed and on which is fixed said cylinder; ⁇ Which may be securely fastened - and its cylinder head (s) - to the transmission housing by means of high strength steel connections, despite the low temperature required for the said steel to maintain its strength, and despite the high temperature to which said cylinder and its cylinder head (s) are subjected; • Which exports little of its heat to the cold parts with which it cooperates, which preserves the efficiency of any engine or thermal machine of which it is one of the constituents; ⁇ Whose material
• the double-acting regulator cylinder with adaptive support is adaptable to any machine or apparatus equipped with (e) at least one cylinder operating or not at high temperature, said cylinder being connected to a housing or possibly a frame kept at a low temperature.
• the heat transfer-expansion and regeneration engine which is the subject of French patent applications Nos. 1550762 and 1551593, the said applications belonging to the applicant.
• the double-acting, adaptive-support expansion cylinder comprises a cylinder barrel cooperating with a double-acting expansion piston which is connected by a lower piston rod to transmission means housed in a transmission casing on which the cylinder barrel is fixed. , while the end of said barrel which opens on the side of said means is closed by a lower yoke which passes through the lower piston rod via a lower rod orifice to define with the double-acting pressure reducing piston a lower hot gas chamber while the other end of said barrel is closed by an upper yoke to define with said piston a higher hot gas chamber, and comprises according to the invention:
• At least one hollow pillar traversed from one side to the other by its length by a rod tunnel, a first pillar end of said pillar resting directly or indirectly on the transmission casing while a second pillar end of said pillar supports directly or indirectly the cylinder barrel, the lower yoke and the upper yoke, while said first end can pivot about a ball joint and / or bend by report to said housing while said second end is pivotable about a ball joint and / or flex relative to said cylinder barrel;
• At least one pull rod housed in the rod tunnel a first rod end of said pull rod being directly or indirectly secured to the transmission housing while a second rod end of said pull rod is secured to the shaft; cylinder and / or bottom yoke and / or upper yoke, said first end being pivotable about a ball joint and / or bent with respect to said housing while said second end is pivotable about a ball joint and / or flex with respect to said cylinder;
• Lower cylinder centering means positioned in the vicinity of the lower yoke, said means being supported on the cylinder drum or the lower cylinder first part, and directly or indirectly on the second transmission casing, and said means leaving the barrel of free cylinder to move parallel to its longitudinal axis relative to the transmission housing, but prohibiting said drum to move in the plane perpendicular to said axis, always with respect to said housing;
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder comprises at least one rod cooling tube which sealingly envelopes the pull rod over all or part of the length of said rod, a cooling fluid originating from a source of fluid cooling device which can circulate in a space left between the inner wall of said tube and the outer surface of said rod while the largest possible part of the surface external of said tube does not touch the inner wall of the rod tunnel so as to define with the latter wall empty space.
• the double acting expansion cylinder of the present invention comprises at least a first tube supply port which communicates with the interior of the shaft cooling tube adjacent the first rod end, and / or at least a second port tubular supply which communicates with the inside of the rod cooling tube in the vicinity of the second rod end, the cooling fluid being able to circulate between said two orifices.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder comprises a rod cooling tube which comprises a tube flange held directly or indirectly clamped by the pulling rod or against an attachment lug which has the cylinder barrel or the upper yoke, against the transmission case.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder comprises a tube flange which is held tight by the pull rod against the fastening lug via a Banjo fitting which has at least one radial connection duct connected to the cooling fluid source on the one hand, and communicating with the inside of the stem cooling tube on the other hand.
• the double-acting pressure-reducing cylinder comprises a heat-insulating riser which is interposed between the tube flange and the attachment lug, said riser being traversed right through its length along a tunnel of a riser in which is housed the traction rod and the rod cooling tube which surrounds it in a sealed manner while the greatest possible part of the outer surface of said tube does not touch the inner wall of the raising tunnel so as to define with this last wall an empty space.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder according to the present invention comprises a rod cooling tube which comprises at least one tube bulge consisting of an axial portion of said tube whose diameter is substantially equivalent or even slightly greater than that of the rod tunnel in which he is lodged.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder according to the present invention comprises a rod cooling tube which comprises at least one tube diameter restriction consisting of an axial portion of said tube whose diameter is substantially equivalent to or even slightly less than that of the body of the tube. pull rod.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder according to the present invention comprises a shaft cooling tube which has at least one radial communication hole which allows the cooling fluid to enter or escape from said tube.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder comprises a traction rod which is hollow to form an internal rod cooling channel arranged in the length of said rod, said channel emerging axially or radially from said rod while a fluid of cooling from a source of cooling fluid can flow in said channel.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder comprises a pressure chamber which is connected to a source of pressurized air and which is fixed to the centering gantry or arranged on or in the latter while an upper piston rod which extends the double-acting expander piston on the side of the upper hot gas chamber passes through the upper yoke via an upper stem orifice formed in said cylinder head and via an access port to the chamber passing through the centering gantry to open into the pressure chamber so that the end of said rod which is furthest from said piston is still immersed in said chamber regardless of the position of said piston.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder comprises a transmission casing which is capped with a centering and sealing plate pierced with an access orifice to the transmission means through which the lower piston rod passes to be connected to the transmission means, said plate being rigidly fixed on said housing.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder according to the present invention comprises a chamber access port which cooperates with or has rod sealing means which provide a seal between said port and the upper piston rod.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder according to the present invention comprises an access port to the transmission means which cooperates with or has rod sealing means which provide a seal between said port and the lower piston rod.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder comprises rod sealing means which comprise an upper stem seal and a lower stem seal sufficiently far apart to form between said two seals, an oil-circulating chamber into which a cooling-lubricating oil supply duct opens and from which a cooling-lubricating oil outlet duct is released.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder of the present invention comprises rod sealing means which cooperate with a rod guide ring housed inside or outside the oil circulation chamber.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder comprises lower cylinder centering means and / or upper cylinder centering means which consist of a centering elastic disk which can be drilled in the center of a disk hole. through which the lower piston rod or an upper piston rod passes respectively, while its periphery constitutes a disk fixing flange sealingly fixed respectively to the transmission casing and / or the centering gantry.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder comprises a centering and sealing plate which carries the lower centering means of the cylinder, which consist of a resilient centering disc whose periphery forms a fixed disc fixing collar. sealingly on said platen, said disk being pierced at its center with a disk hole through which the lower piston rod passes without touching said disk, the edge of the disk hole having a circular contact pad which is kept in contact sealing with a centering and sealing cone that has the lower yoke, said cone being male or female, and the contact between said pad and said cone having the effect of axially deforming and from its center the elastic centering disk.
• the double-acting pressure-reducing cylinder comprises upper centering means of the cylinder which consist of an elastic centering disk whose periphery forms a disk-fixing flange sealingly fixed to the centering gantry, said disk being pierced at its center with a disk hole whose edge has a circular contact pad which is kept in sealing contact with a centering and sealing cone which has the upper yoke, said cone being male or female, and the contact between said pad and said cone having the effect of axially deforming and from its center the elastic centering disk.
• FIG. 1 is a three-quarter view of the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder according to the invention, and the transmission housing on which it is fixed.
• FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional front and cutaway view of the double-acting pressure-reducing cylinder according to the invention, said view also showing the transmission casing to which the cylinder barrel is attached, as well as the double-acting pressure-reducing piston and the means for transmission housed in said housing, said means being according to this embodiment consisting of a rod articulated on a crank connected to a crankshaft, and a butt.
• Figure 3 is a schematic longitudinal section of the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder according to the invention according to an alternative embodiment identical to that shown in Figure 2.
• FIGS. 4 is an exploded three-dimensional view of the double-acting pressure-reducing cylinder according to the invention, and according to an alternative embodiment identical to that shown in FIG. 2.
• FIG. 5 is a side view of the double-acting pressure-reducing cylinder according to the invention, in which evidence by means of a section the particular configuration of the hollow pillar, the pulling rod and the various links with which cooperate these two bodies, said section being enlarged and sectioned in the right part of said figure to facilitate understanding.
• FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the centering and sealing plate of the double-acting pressure-reducing cylinder according to the invention, of the elastic centering disc, and rod sealing means, the latter cooperating with the lower stem of FIG. piston.
• Figure 7 is a schematic sectional view of a portion of the centering gantry of the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder according to the invention, the elastic centering disc fixed on said gantry, and rod sealing means which cooperate with the rod upper piston which opens - according to this particular embodiment - in a pressure chamber.
• FIGS. 1 to 7 show the double-acting regulator cylinder 1 with adaptive support, various details of its components, its variants, and its accessories.
• the double-acting expander cylinder 1 comprises a cylinder barrel 71 cooperating with a double-acting expander piston 2 which is connected by a lower piston rod 46 to transmission means 3 which can for example consist of a connecting rod 4 articulated around a crank 5 which is arranged on a crankshaft 6, said connecting rod 4 being connected to the double-acting expander piston 2 directly by a piston pin or indirectly via a stick 7.
• said means 3 could also consist of a cam, a hydraulic transmitting pump, an electricity generator or any other transmission means known to those skilled in the art.
• the transmission means 3 are housed in a transmission casing 8 maintained at low temperature on which is fixed the cylinder barrel 71, the latter and the piston expander double effect 2 can operate at high temperatures.
• the end of the cylinder barrel 71 which opens on the side of said means 3 is closed by a lower yoke 9 through which the lower piston rod 46 passes via a lower stem orifice 51 to define with the double acting expansion piston 2 a lower hot gas chamber 11 while the other end of said barrel 71 is closed by an upper yoke 10 to define with said piston 2 an upper hot gas chamber 12,
• the lower cylinder head 9 and the upper yoke 10 may comprise at least one valve 50 controlled by a valve actuator 70.
• FIGS. 1 to 5 also show that the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder 1 with an adaptive support according to the invention comprises at least one hollow pillar 13 traversed by share in the direction of its length by a rod tunnel 14 which can be either completely closed or openwork. It can be seen that a first pillar end 15 of the hollow pillar 13 rests directly or indirectly on the transmission casing 8 while a second pillar end 16 of the pillar 13 directly or indirectly supports the cylinder drum 71, the lower cylinder head 9 and the upper yoke 10.
• the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder 1 with an adaptive support provides that the first end of the pillar 15 can pivot about a ball joint 42 and / or bend relative to said casing 8 while the second end of the pillar 16 can pivot about a ball joint 42 and / or bend with respect to said cylinder barrel 71, the pivoting of said ends 15, 16 can take place either by means of a mechanical connection of pivot or cardan type or a ball joint 42, either by flexing all or part of the hollow pillar 13, or by both.
• the hollow abutment 13 may be made of zirconium dioxide called “zirconia", this ceramic offering good mechanical strength at high temperature, low thermal conductivity, and a coefficient of expansion close to that of steel.
• the latter can rest on the second end of pillar 16 approximately to the height of the double-acting piston expander 2 when the latter is positioned at half of its stroke.
• the lower yoke 9 and the upper yoke 10 move away approximately the same distance from the center position of the double-acting expander piston 2 .
• FIGS. 1 to 5 also illustrate that the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder 1 with an adaptive support according to the invention comprises at least one traction rod 17 housed in the rod tunnel 14, a first rod end 18 of said pull rod 17 being directly or indirectly secured to the transmission casing 8 while a second rod end 19 of said pull rod 17 is secured to the cylinder drum 71 and / or to the lower yoke 9 and / or to the upper yoke 10, first end 18 pivotable about a ball joint 42 and / or bend relative to said casing 8 while said second end 19 can pivot about a ball joint 42 and / or bend relative to said cylinder 1.
• the pivoting of said ends 18, 19 may take place either by means of a mechanical connection of the pivot or cardan type or of a ball joint 42, or by the flexion of all or part of the pull rod 1 7, or both.
• the second rod end 19 can pass through an ear hole 24 that includes a lug 25 that has said barrel 71 and / or said yokes 9, 10, while either a rod head 28 or a stem nut 26 screwed onto a rod thread 29 provided on the pull rod 17 bears on said lug 25 so as to grip the latter between said head 28 or said nut 26, and the hollow pillar 13.
• first rod end 18 can be secured to the transmission casing 8 also by means of a rod head 28 or a stem nut 26 screwed onto a rod thread 29.
• said stem thread 29 can be screwed into a thread 27 directly or indirectly in the transmission housing 8.
• a compression spring can be inserted either between the rod head 28 or the stem nut 26 and the attachment lug 25, or between said head 28 or any other threaded part in which is screwed the rod thread 29, and any other support piece.
• Said compression spring may consist for example of one or more washer (s) "Belleville".
• Such a compression spring can in particular limit the tension to which the pull rod 17 is subjected when the various members that it keeps tightly together expand under the effect of their rise in temperature.
• the cylinder drum 71, the lower yoke 9 and the upper yoke 10 must preferably be covered with at least one heat shield which limits the heat emissions of said members 71, 9 and 10 into the environment.
• said screen may for example consist of several layers of thin metal sheets having pins that leave between each said sheet a blade of air, or be made of any other arrangement specific to heat shields and known to the man of art.
• the pull rod 17 can be juxtaposed with the hollow pillar 13 which in this case may not be traversed from one side in the direction of its length by a rod tunnel 14 while the function of said rod 17 and said pillar 13 remains unchanged and that the ball joints 42 with which cooperates said rod 17 and said pillar 13 produce the same effects.
• FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6 clearly show that the double-acting expander cylinder 1 according to the invention comprises lower centering means of the cylinder 20 positioned in the vicinity of the lower yoke 9, said means 20 being supported on the cylinder barrel 71 or the lower cylinder 9 firstly, and directly or indirectly on the second transmission casing 8, and said means 20 leaving the cylinder barrel 71 free to move parallel to its longitudinal axis relative to the housing transmission 8, but prohibiting said drum 71 to move in the plane perpendicular to said axis, always with respect to said housing 8.
• FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 7 illustrate that the double-acting regulator cylinder 1 according to the invention also comprises upper means for centering the cylinder 21 positioned in the vicinity of the upper yoke 10, said means 21 bearing on the cylinder drum 71 or the upper yoke 10 first part, and on a centering gantry 22 rigidly fixed to the transmission housing 8 and maintained at a height close to that of the upper yoke 10 by at least one rigid portal pillar 23 of the second part, said means 21 leaving the cylinder barrel 71 free to move parallel to its longitudinal axis relative to the transmission casing 8, but prohibiting said barrel 71 to move in the plane perpendicular to said axis, always with respect to said housing 8.
• Figures 4 and 5 show at least one rod cooling tube 30 that may comprise the double-acting expander cylinder 1 according to the invention, said tube 30 sealingly enveloping the traction rod 17 over all or part of the length of said rod 17, a cooling fluid 31 coming from a source of cooling fluid oid ordinance 40 can circulate in a space left between the inner wall of said tube 30 and the outer surface of said rod 17 while the largest possible part of the outer surface of said tube 30 does not touch the inner wall of the rod tunnel 14 so to define with this last wall an empty space.
• FIGS. 4 and 5 specify that the double-acting expander cylinder 1 according to the invention may comprise at least a first tube supply port 32 communicating with the inside of the stem cooling tube 30 in the vicinity of the first end of the tube.
• a fluid pump not shown can be provided to force the cooling fluid 31 to circulate in the rod cooling tube 30, said pump can continue to operate for some time after stopping the heat engine at which applies the double-acting expander cylinder 1 according to the invention.
• the rod cooling tube 30 may comprise a tube flange 34 held directly or indirectly clamped by the pull rod 17 is against a lug 25 that has the cylinder drum 71 or the upper yoke 10, or against the transmission case s.
• the tube flange 34 can be held tight by the traction rod 17 against the attachment lug 25 via a Banjo coupling 38 which comprises at least one radial connection duct 39 connected to the source of cooling fluid 40 on the one hand, and communicating with the inside of the rod cooling tube 30 on the other hand.
• radial connecting duct 39 may be connected to the source of cooling fluid 40 or to other radial connecting ducts 39 which Banjo 38 comprises of other stem cooling tubes 30 by means of a flexible or deformable conduit that can accommodate variations in distance induced by the thermal expansion of the various members that constitute the double-acting regulator cylinder 1 according to the invention.
• a thermal insulation riser 68 may be interposed between the tube flange 34 and the attachment lug 25, said extension 68 being traversed right through its length along its length.
• a raising tunnel 69 in which is housed the traction rod 17 and the rod cooling tube 30 which tightly surrounds it while the largest possible part of the outer surface of said tube 30 does not touch the inner wall of the tunnel raises 69 so as to define with the latter wall an empty space.
• the thermal insulation riser 68 can advantageously be made of a material resistant to high temperatures and having a low thermal conductivity such as zirconium dioxide.
• the rod cooling tube 30 may comprise at least one tube bulge 35 consisting of an axial portion of said tube 30 whose diameter is substantially equivalent or even slightly greater than that of the rod tunnel 14 in which it is housed this guaranteeing that said tube 30 remains locally centered in said tunnel 14, and realizing if necessary a seal between said tube 30 and said tunnel 14.
• the rod cooling tube 30 may further include at least one tube diameter restriction 36 consisting of an axial portion of said tube 30 whose diameter is substantially equivalent to or even slightly less than that of the body of the pull rod 17 in order to locally realize a seal between said tube 30 and said rod 17. It will also be noted that as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the rod cooling tube 30 may also include at least one radial communication hole 37 which allows the cooling fluid 31 to penetrate into said tube 30, or to escape. As a variant not shown, it will be noted that the pull rod 17 may be hollow to form an internal rod cooling channel arranged in the length of said rod 17, said channel opening axially or radially from said rod 17 while a cooling fluid 31 from a source of cooling fluid 40 can flow in said channel.
• FIGS. 2, 3 and 7 clearly show that the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder 1 according to the invention may comprise a pressure chamber 44 connected to a source of pressurized air 45 and which is fixed on the centering gantry 22 or arranged on or in the latter while an upper piston rod 47 which extends the double-acting expander piston 2 on the side of the upper hot gas chamber 12 passes through the upper yoke 10 via an upper stem orifice 43 provided in said yoke 10 and via an access port to the chamber 52 passing through the centering gantry 22 to open into the pressure chamber 44 so that the end of said rod 47 which is furthest from said piston 2 remains always immersed in said chamber 44 regardless of the position of said piston 2.
• This particular configuration of the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder 1 according to the invention makes it possible, for example, to supply compressed air - in particular via the pressure chamber 44 and an internal channel that comprises the upper piston rod 47 - sealing means 48.
• a perforated continuous air-cushion ring 49 housed in a segment groove arranged at the periphery of the double-acting expander piston 2, said means 48 possibly being similar or identical to those described in the French patent applications No. 1550762 and No. 1551593 belonging to the applicant and allowing the realization of a heat transfer engine-relaxation and regeneration.
• the transmission casing 8 may be capped with a centering and sealing plate 53 pierced with an access orifice to the transmission means 54 through which passes the lower piston rod 46 to be connected to the transmission means 3, said plate 53 being rigidly fixed on said housing 8 by screws or by any other means known to those skilled in the art.
• said plate 53 may form an integral part of said casing 8.
• the access orifice to the chamber 52 can cooperate with or comprise rod sealing means 55 which seal between said orifice 52 and the upper piston rod. 47.
• FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 illustrate that the access orifice to the transmission means 54 can cooperate with or comprise rod sealing means 55 which seal between said orifice 54 and the rod. lower piston 46.
• the rod seal means 55 may include a top seam seal 56 and a lower stem seal 57 sufficiently remote from each other. another for forming - between the said two seals 56, 57 - an oil-circulation chamber 58 into which a cooling-lubrication oil supply pipe 59 opens and from which a discharge pipe of oil of oil Cooling-Lubrication 60. It is noted in said figures that the oil circulation chamber 58 serves the dual function of lubricating and cooling the lower piston rod 46 and / or the upper piston rod 47.
• upper stem seal 56 and / or the lower rod seal 57 may consist in particular of a section segment or two superimposed section segments and whose sections are angularly offset while the outer surface of the lower piston rod 46 and / or the upper piston rod 47 may be provided with shallow double-helix stripes which form a succession of oil tanks and hydrodynamic lift surfaces.
• segment (s) constituting the upper rod seal 56 can be kept at a distance from those constituting the lower rod seal 57 by a segment spacer spring 61 also designed - in particular because it includes orifices or passages - to pass the flow of cooling and lubricating oil between the cooling oil-lubricating supply line 59 and the cooling-lubricating oil outlet duct 60.
• the rod sealing means 55 can cooperate with a rod guide ring 62 housed inside or outside the oil circulation chamber 58, said ring 62 being made of bronze or in any other material usually used to manufacture bearings or antifriction and / or hydrodynamic rings, while said ring 62 provides radial guidance of the lower piston rod 46 in the access port to the transmission means 54 and / or of the upper piston rod 47 in the access orifice to the chamber 52.
• the rod sealing means 55 are preferably provided with a rod guide ring 62 when they apply to the upper piston rod 47 while the radial guide of the lower piston rod 46 is provided by said butt 7 alone.
• the lower centering means of the cylinder 20 and / or the upper centering means of the cylinder 21 may consist of a resilient centering disc 63 pierceable at its center with a disk hole 64 through which the lower piston rod 46 or an upper piston rod 47 passes respectively while its periphery constitutes a collar of disc fixing 65 set of sealing manner respectively on the transmission casing 8 and / or on the centering gantry 22.
• FIGS. 2 to 4 and FIG. 6 show that the centering and sealing plate 53 may carry the lower centering means of the cylinder 20, which consist of an elastic centering disc 63 whose periphery forms a collar for fixing the disk 65 sealingly attached to said plate 53, said disk 63 being pierced at its center with a disk hole 64 through which the lower piston rod 46 passes without touching said disk 63, the edge of the disk hole 64 having a circular contact pad 67 which is kept in sealing contact with a centering and sealing cone 66 that has the lower yoke 9, said cone 66 being male or female, and the contact between said pad 67 and said cone 66 having the effect of axially deforming and from its center the centering elastic disk 63.
• the centering and sealing plate 53 may carry the lower centering means of the cylinder 20, which consist of an elastic centering disc 63 whose periphery forms a collar for fixing the disk 65 sealingly attached to said plate 53, said disk 63 being pierced at its center with a disk hole 64 through which
• the disc fixing flange 65 can be fixed to the centering and sealing plate 53 by means of at least one screw, a clip, or any other fastening means known to the person skilled in the art. art. It is noted that advantageously, the centering elastic disk 63 may be made of a material resistant to high temperatures and having a low thermal conductivity such as zirconium dioxide.
• centering elastic disk 63 can be fixed on the lower cylinder 9 while the centering and sealing cone 66 is arranged on or in the centering and sealing plate 53.
• the upper centering means of the cylinder 21 may consist of a resilient centering disc 63 whose periphery forms a disk-fixing flange 65 sealingly attached. on the centering gantry 22, said disk 63 being pierced at its center with a disk hole 64 whose edge has a circular contact pad 67 which is kept in sealing contact with a centering and sealing cone 66 that is present the upper yoke 10, said cone 66 being male or female, and the contact between said slider 67 and said cone 66 having the effect of deforming axially and from its center the elastic centering disk 63.
• the disc fixing flange 65 can be fixed to the centering gantry 22 by means of at least one screw, a clip, or any other fastening means known to those skilled in the art. Note also that if the double-acting expander piston 2 is extended - on the side of the upper hot gas chamber 12 - by an upper piston rod 47, the latter passes through the disc hole 64 without touching the elastic centering disk 63 It will further be appreciated that, advantageously, the resilient centering disc 63 may be made of a high temperature resistant material having a low thermal conductivity such as zirconium dioxide.
• the resilient centering disk 63 may be attached to the upper yoke 10 while the centering and sealing cone 66 is provided on or in the centering gantry 22.
• a contact pad similar to that which is present the disk hole 64 can be arranged respectively on the lower yoke 9 or on the upper yoke 10 while a centering and sealing cone similar to that presented by said yokes 9, 10 is arranged on and / or in the centering elastic disk 63.
• the resilient centering disc 63 may consist, for example, of a split or non-slotted torus of steel or of a superalloy, of an expandable washer which may or may not consist of multiple folds stacked radially. and made of the same piece of metal or ceramic, at least three spring-biased needles, distributed every one hundred and twenty degrees and cooperating with a sealing segment, and generally, of any technical solution capable of ensure centering and sealing in the desired functional conditions while limiting heat leakage from any warm room to any cold room.
• the double-acting expander cylinder 1 applies to the transfer-expansion and regeneration heat engine of which the French patent applications Nos. 1550762 and 1551593 belong to the applicant.
• This application has an exemplary value and does not exclude any other use of the double-acting regulator cylinder 1 according to the invention.
• the cylinder barrel 71 of the double-acting expander cylinder 1 according to the invention rises rapidly in temperature with respect to the transmission casing 8 on which it is fixed, said casing 8 accommodating the transmission means 3.
• the double-acting expansion piston 2 which cooperates with said barrel 71, as well as for the lower yoke 9 which closes the end of the barrel 71 on the side of the transmission means 3, and for the upper yoke 10 which closes the barrel. other end of the barrel 71.
• the transmission means 3 are designed to transform the back and forth movements that performs in the cylinder drum 71 the double-acting expander piston 2, in continuous rotational movement of a crankshaft 6.
• said means 3 consist of a connecting rod 4 connected to the piston double effect expander 2 through a butt 7, said rod 4 being articulated around a crank 5 arranged on the crankshaft 6.
• the high temperature of said barrel 71, said piston 2, and said cylinder heads 9, 10 is necessary to give the heat transfer-expansion and regeneration engine the best possible efficiency, while the relatively low temperature maintenance of the transmission casing 8 and the means of transmission 3 is necessary for the latter to maintain a high mechanical strength and for the lubrication of the various components that constitute them is possible without risk of coking of any lubricating oil.
• the cylinder barrel 71, the double-acting expander piston 2, the lower yoke 9 and the upper yoke 10 are for example mainly made of silicon carbide which has a high mechanical strength at high temperature, whereas the crankcase transmission 8 can be made of aluminum and the transmission means 3 can be made of cast iron or steel.
• silicon carbide Although the coefficient of thermal expansion of silicon carbide is lower than that of aluminum or steel, components at nine hundred degrees Celsius expand more than those worn at only one hundred degrees Celsius. It is therefore necessary to let the silicon carbide components expand freely compared to those made of aluminum, cast iron or steel without inducing excessive mechanical stress in silicon carbide or other materials. .
• each hollow pillar 13 has two ball joints 42 around which it articulates. It is noted in zone “D" of said FIG. 5 that between the first pillar end 5 of said pillar 13 and the transmission casing 8 is intercalated a first ball joint 42 while the "C” zone of the same FIG. that between the second pillar end 16 of said pillar 13 and the lower yoke 9 is intercalated a second ball joint 42.
• FIG. 5 also shows that each hollow pillar 3 is traversed right through its length by a rod tunnel 14 in which a traction rod 17 is housed.
• the first rod end 18 of the traction rod 17 is secured to the transmission casing 8 via a first ball joint 42.
• the second rod end 19 of the pull rod 17 comprises a rod head 28 which holds the cylinder drum 71, the lower yoke 9 and the upper yoke 10 compressed together between said head 28 and the hollow pillar 13.
• the "B" and “C” zones of Figure 5 illustrate this arrangement in a particularly obvious manner.
• first rod end 18 of the traction rod 17 terminates - according to this non-limiting embodiment - by a thread of rod 29 screwed into a tapping 27 formed in a ball joint 42 which takes support in the transmission case 8 and around which articulates said first end 8.
• the various ball joints 42 around which the four recessed pillars 13 and the traction rod 17 with which they cooperate allow the cylinder barrel 71, the lower yoke 9 and the upper yoke 10 to expand freely. This is done, however, that the recessed pillars 13 can transmit the tensile and compressive forces between the cylinder drum 71, the lower yoke 9 and the upper yoke 10 first, and the second transmission case 8.
• the centering and sealing plate 53 and the centering gantry 22 which are rigidly secured to the casing each of 8 and 8 respectively carries the lower centering means of the cylinder 20 and the upper centering means of the cylinder 21, said lower and upper means 20 each consisting of an elastic centering disc 63.
• the elastic centering disk 63 which constitutes the lower centering means of the cylinder 20 is particularly visible in FIG. 6 while that constituting the upper centering means of the cylinder 21 is particularly visible in FIG.
• the purpose of the elastic centering disks 63 is to ensure centering and orientation relative to the transmission casing 8 of the rigid assembly formed by the cylinder drum 71, the lower yoke 9 and the upper yoke 10.
• said disk 63 is pierced at its center with a disk hole 64 through which the lower piston rod 46 passes without touching said disk 63, the edge of the disk hole 64 having a circular male contact pad 67 which is maintained in sealing contact with the centering and sealing cone 66 female that has the lower yoke 9.
• the latter exerts a force on said pad 67 which deforms axially and from its center the centering elastic disk 63 relative to its rest position.
• the contact between the male conical shape of the contact pad 67 and the female conical shape of the centering and sealing cone 66 tends to center the bottom yoke 9 on the centering and sealing plate 53.
• said contact provides a seal which prevents the pressurized gases contained in the lower hot gas chamber 11 from escaping from said chamber.
• the axial deformation of the centering elastic disk 63 does not compromise the integrity of the latter, which deforms in its elastic range.
• the conical shape of the centering and sealing cone 66 and the contact pad 67 accommodates differential expansions between these two parts 66, 67 regardless of the direction of said expansions.
• FIG. 6 shows the shaft sealing means 55 which seal between the lower hot gas chamber 11 and the lower piston rod 46 while ensuring the lubrication of the upper shaft seal 56 and the lower sealing rod 57 which are constituted by said means 55.
• said means 55 also provide cooling of the lower piston rod 46 by means of an oil flow chamber 58 in which opens a supply duct d cooling-lubricating oil 59 and from which a cooling-lubricating oil outlet conduit 60 starts. It is easy to notice that the flow of oil circulating between said conduits 59, 60 being in permanent contact with the lower piston rod 46, said flow rate keeps said rod 46 at a temperature for example slightly greater than one hundred degrees Celsius, but not higher.
• the upper shaft seal 56 consists of two superimposed section segments whose sections are angularly offset while the lower shaft seal 57 consists of a single segment with a section said two seals 56, 57 being kept at a distance from each other by a segment spacer spring 61 which includes orifices allowing the flow of coolant and lubricating oil to pass between the supply conduit of cooling-lubricating oil 59 and the cooling-lubricating oil outlet duct 60, via the oil circulation chamber 58.
• FIG. 7 illustrates the same arrangement, with the main difference that the segment spacer spring 61 gives way to a rod guide ring 62 which provides radial guidance of the upper piston rod 47 which, according to the non-limiting example,
• a limiting example taken here to illustrate the operation of the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder 1 according to the invention opens into the pressure chamber 44 arranged in the centering gantry 22 and which we have seen in description that it can supply compressed air via a internal channel that comprises the upper piston rod 47 sealing means 48 such as a continuous ring perforated air cushion 49 housed in a segment groove arranged at the periphery of the double acting expansion piston piston 2.
• the oil pump that supplies the oil circulation chambers 58 continues to supply the latter with oil to cool the lower piston rod 46 and the upper piston rod 47 and this, as long as the lower yoke 9 and the upper yoke 10 continue to transmit heat to said chambers 58 and may carry the oil contained in said chambers 58 at temperature of coking.
• the particular configuration of the double-acting pressure reducing cylinder 1 according to the invention strongly limits the heat transfer from the Bottom yoke 9 to the transmission housing 8. Recall that said transfer adversely affects the efficiency of the heat transfer-expansion and regeneration engine.
• the recessed pillars 13 are not only of great length as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, but they are also preferably made of a low thermal conductivity material such as zirconium oxide.
• each pillar comprises a rod cooling tube 30 which tightly envelops said pull rod 17 with which it cooperates, over most of the length of said rod 17.
• a cooling fluid 31 from a source of cooling fluid 40 flows in the space left between the inner wall of said tube 30 and the outer surface of said rod 17 while the largest possible part of the outer surface of said tube 30 does not touch the inner wall of the rod tunnel 14 so as to define with the latter wall a void space which constitutes a thermal insulation.
• the shaft cooling tube 30 comprises a tube bulge 35 which ensures that said tube 30 remains locally centered in the rod tunnel 14.
• two further tube bulges 35 each constitute both a centering and a seal between said tube 30 and said tunnel 14. Said two other bulges 35 cooperate with a tube diameter restriction 36 which locally provides a seal between the rod cooling tube 30 and the pull rod 17.
• the cooling tube of rod 30 includes a first tube supply port 32 located between said two further bulges 35, said first port 32 communicating with the interior of the rod cooling tube 30 adjacent the first rod end 18 on the one hand , and being connected to the forward circuit of the cooling fluid source 40 via channels formed in the transmission case 8 on the other hand.
• the stem cooling tube 30 terminates - at the second rod end 19 - by a tube flange 34 held tight by the rod head 28 against a heat insulating riser 68 interposed between said flange 34 and the attachment lug 25 of the upper yoke 10.
• a Banjo connector 38 is interposed between the rod head 28 and said flange 34, said coupling 38 having a radial connecting duct 39 connected to the return circuit of the coolant source 40 on the one hand, and communicating with the inside of the rod cooling tube 30 on the other hand via the end of the cooling tube rod 30 which receives the tube collar 34.
• thermal insulation riser 68 - preferably made of zirconium oxide - constitutes an additional obstacle to the transfer of heat from the upper yoke 10 carried to about nine hundred degrees Celsius towards the rod head 28 maintained at only one hundred degrees Celsius .
• this particular configuration which makes it possible to cool the traction rod 17 is useless if it is made of a high temperature resistant material such as "zirconia", silicon carbide, alumina or any superalloy specifically developed for this type of use.
• the relatively large radial length left on the elastic centering disc 63 between its disc fixing flange 65 and its contact pad 67 will be noted. If this length is necessary for said disc 63 to be deformable axially from its center, it is also useful for limiting as much as possible the heat transfer from the centering and sealing cone 66 towards said flange 65.
• the body of the elastic centering disc 63 is preferably thin and made of zirconium oxide, known for its low thermal conductivity. It will also be noted that the low-width linear contact made between the centering and sealing cone 66 and the contact pad 67 also constitutes in itself an advantageous thermal barrier.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Pistons, Piston Rings, And Cylinders (AREA)
• Compressors, Vaccum Pumps And Other Relevant Systems (AREA)
• Pressure Vessels And Lids Thereof (AREA)
• Actuator (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=55135292

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (9)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (5)

Citations (3)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2015
  • 2015-09-14 FR FR1558585A patent/FR3041040B1/fr active Active
• 2016
  • 2016-09-07 JP JP2018513286A patent/JP6876035B2/ja active Active
  • 2016-09-07 AU AU2016321973A patent/AU2016321973B2/en active Active
  • 2016-09-07 CN CN201680056803.6A patent/CN108138694B/zh active Active
  • 2016-09-07 KR KR1020187009338A patent/KR102675206B1/ko active IP Right Grant
  • 2016-09-07 WO PCT/FR2016/052232 patent/WO2017046479A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2016-09-07 ES ES16775804T patent/ES2751760T3/es active Active
  • 2016-09-07 EP EP16775804.4A patent/EP3350433B1/fr active Active
  • 2016-09-07 CA CA2998581A patent/CA2998581C/fr active Active

Patent Citations (3)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events