WO2020159382A1

WO2020159382A1 - Rotation machine

Info

Publication number: WO2020159382A1
Application number: PCT/NO2020/050021
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kjell Vading
Original assignee: Tocircle Industries As
Priority date: 2019-01-31
Filing date: 2020-01-31
Publication date: 2020-08-06
Also published as: NO20190130A1

Abstract

A rotation machine comprising a housing 2 with a generally circular-cylindrical internal chamber 3 and a rotor arranged rotatable within said chamber 6. The rotor comprises a driven or driving vane unit 6 having a hub 7 with a number of stiff vanes 8 fixedly attached to or integrated with said hub 7. A passive follower 10 is arranged around the hub 7. The follower 10 has a smaller outer diameter than the diameter of the internal chamber 3, thus creating a working chamber 11 between the outer surface of the follower 10 and the internal surface of the housing 2. The follower 10 has openings 12 for the vanes 8. The vane unit 6 has a rotation axis A coinciding with a central axis of the housing 2. The follower 10 has a rotation axis B arranged at a distance from the rotation axis A.

Description

ROTATION MACHINE

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a rotation machine according to the preamble of the appended claim 1. This type of rotation machine has many uses. It can be used for a variety of purposes, such as a combustion engine, heat exchanger, pressure pump, vacuum pump or compressor.

Background Art

[0002] The predecessor of the present applicant developed in 1998 such a machine. This is shown in WO1999043926. Figure 1 on the present application shows the principle of this known machine. The rotary-piston machine comprises a housing 5 having a cavity 9. A rotor 2 is received in the housing 5. The rotor 2 has a rotor axis A and a peripheral surface 21. Inlet and outlet passages I, U are in communication with the cavity 9. One or more vanes 1 are radially slideable received in slots 11 in the rotor 2. Each vane 1 extends radially from the internal surface 20 of the housing 5 to the rotor axis (A). At least one working chamber 9a is a part of the cavity 9 and is defined by the internal surface 20 of the housing 5, the peripheral surface 21 of the rotor 2 and the side surface of at least one vane 1. Each vane 1 is articulated connected about an axis C to one end of a control arm 7 and is at the other end pivotably journaled about a fixed axle shaft 8 having a central axis B. The central axis B is coincident with the axis extending centrally through the cavity 9 of the housing 5. The axis B extends in parallel with and is spaced from the rotor axis A. The rotor 2 proper constitute the unit for power take out or power input.

[0003] Although this machine has proven to be very suitable for many

applications, there is still room for improvements. The articulated vanes have proved to be a challenge. This resulted in the development of a particular rotor with end flanges to provide proper sealing against the vanes. This solution is shown in WO2013095156.

[0004] Other rotary machines are known, such as:

[0005] DE 3011399, which shows a combustion engine comprising an engine housing having a working chamber, which receives a continuously rotatable rotor, and inlet and outlet for combustion gasses. The rotor is substantially cylindrical and rotates in an elliptically designed cavity, which comprises diametrically opposing combustion chambers defined by the surface of the rotor and the internal surface of the cavity. The rotor is designed with radially extending sliding slots, which receive and guide vane pistons that are able to slide radially outwardly and inwardly in the sliding slots. The vanes are articulated connected with a crank pin, which is further pivotally journaled in a fixed shaft. When the rotor is rotating, the piston vanes are moving radially outwardly and inwardly in the sliding slots due to the fixed support to said crank pin. Thus the one set of vanes will act in the one part of the cavity, i.e. the one combustion chamber, while the other set of vanes will act in the diametrically opposite chamber.

[0006] US 4451219 reveals a rotary steam engine having two chambers and no valves. Also this engine has two sets of rotor blades with three blades in each set. Each set of rotor blades is turning around its own eccentric point on a stationary common crankshaft within an elliptical engine housing. A rotor of drum type is centrally mounted in the engine housing and defines two diametrically opposing radially working chambers. The two sets of rotor blades are moving substantially radially outwardly and inwardly in sliding slots in the rotor in accordance with the above described engine. The vanes are also here in their central end supported in an eccentric located shaft stub that is fixed. However, the vanes are not articulated, but are in the opposite end pivotably journaled in a bearing provided peripheral in the rotor.

[0007] US 4385873 shows a rotary engine of the vane type that can be used as motor, compressor or pump. This one also has an eccentric mounted rotor that has two pairs of rigid vanes passing radially therethrough. Diametrically opposed vanes are attached to one-another, but each pair may move relative to one- another.

[0008] US 4767295 shows a rotary machine with a rotor in which a number of vanes are mounted. Each vane is engaged with a corresponding radial slot and move independently of each other in the slot.

[0009] US 5135375 shows a rotary machine with a ring having a plurality of slots for slidable vanes. A rotor with lobes acts to push the vanes radially within the slots. [0010] US 1661593 shows a rotary machine with a ring-shaped rotor having slits through which a number of vanes are mounted. The vanes a pushed radially by a hub mounted within the ring-shaped rotor.

[0011] US 4451218 shows a rotary machine having a rotor with slits for vanes. The vanes are individually mounted about a journal.

[0012] US 1342496 shows a rotating machine with stiff vanes, that however are able to articulate individually about the hub. The hub constitutes a part of the housing, and consequently the vane rotator is driven by the rotation of the drum that in turn is driven through a shaft.

[0013] US 2011223046 shows a rotation machine with only one vane. The vane is fixedly attached to a ring and to a central shaft. There is no solution in this reference showing multiple vanes.

[0014] US 3356292 shows a rotating machine with three vanes that are individually journaled on a fixed shaft. The vanes are driven by a cylinder.

[0015] US 3976403 shows a rotating machine with five vanes that are individually journaled on a fixed shaft. The vanes are driven by a cylinder.

[0016] US 3457872, US 2071799 and GB 194695 also shows rotating machines where the vanes are individually journaled to the shaft.

[0017] US 3537432, US 3747573 and US 4061450 show rotary machines with articulated vanes.

Summary of invention

[0018] The main objective of the present invention is to provide for the vanes to be the driving or driven element instead of the ring-shaped rotor, and for the vanes and its shaft to be one rigid element. This will provide for substantially greater torques to be transferred through the rotary machine than if the ring- shaped rotor is driven or driving.

[0019] This objects of the invention is achieved by a rotation machine comprising a housing with a generally circular-cylindrical internal chamber and a rotor arranged rotatable within said chamber, wherein said rotor comprising a driven or driving vane unit having a hub with a number of stiff vanes fixedly attached to or integrated with said hub, a passive follower being arranged around said hub, said follower having a smaller outer diameter than the diameter of the internal chamber, thus creating a working chamber between the outer surface of said passive follower and the internal surface of said housing, said follower having openings through which said vanes extend, said vane unit having a rotation axis coinciding with a central axis of said housing, said passive follower having a rotation axis arranged at a distance from said rotation axis of said vane unit.

[0020] To prevent leakage within the machine, a seal is arranged within said openings in said passive follower to seal between the follower and the vanes.

[0021] In one embodiment, the seal comprises a small circular cylinder arranged in a seat at the opening, said cylinder being allowed to rock back and forth in response to the movement of the vane relative to said opening.

[0022] In a further embodiment, said seal comprises a compressible material, such as rubber, silicone or similar.

[0023] In an even further embodiment, said compressible material fills an opening extending radially through said cylinder.

[0024] In an alternative embodiment, a vane ring is fixedly attached to or integrated with and interconnecting said vanes at their ends distal of said hub, said vane ring having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the internal chamber.

[0025] In the alternative embodiment it an advantage if torque is transmitted through said vane ring, as this allows for a greater torque.

[0026] Preferably, said passive follower has an internal diameter slightly larger than the diameter of said hub plus the distances between the rotational axes of said vane unit and said follower, to reduce the volume within the follower and thereby potential leakage from this volume.

[0027] In one application, said rotary machine is a pump or compressor.

[0028] In another application, said rotary machine is an expander.

Brief description of drawings

[0029] Figure 1 shows a prior art rotary machine, as explained above.

Figure 2 shows the present invention in a first embodiment.

Figure 3 shows the present invention in a second embodiment. Figure 4 shows the second embodiment in isometric view.

Figure 5 shows a small cylinder to be used in connection with the passage of the vanes through the passive follower.

Detailed description of the invention

[0030] A first embodiment of the present invention is shown in figure 2. The rotary machine 1 is shown in cross-section through the working chambers of the machine. It comprises a housing 2. It will be understood by a person of skill that the housing is generally circular cylindrical in the direction transverse to the cross-section plane, and that the housing has closed ends (not shown).

Consequently, the housing encloses a generally circular internal chamber 3. An inlet port 4 and an outlet port 5 are formed into the internal chamber 3. These ports are conveniently coupled to a fluid supplying arrangement and a fluid receiving arrangement (not shown), which will be chosen according to the specific application of the machine, and which is within the scope of common knowledge in the art.

[0031] Within the internal chamber 3 of the housing 2 is arranged a vane unit 6. The vane unit 6 comprises a hub 7, which may be a rotatable shaft supported at one or both ends of the housing. The hub may also be a stationary shaft with a hollow rotary shaft arranged around the stationary shaft. In any case the vane unit 6 is rotatable about an axis A.

[0032] A number of vanes 8 (in the drawings are shown three vanes) are fixedly attached to the hub 7. The vanes extend as unitary elements along the length of the internal chamber 3. They may have a minor clearance against the inner end surfaces of the internal chamber 3 or be equipped with end flanges close to the inner end surfaces of the internal chamber 3.

[0033] In this first embodiment, the vanes 8 are at their outer ends attached to a vane ring 9. The vane ring lies with a minor clearance against the inner cylindrical surface of the internal chamber 3. The vane ring 9 may be a generally cylindrical part, extending between the inner end surfaces of the internal chamber 3, with openings in the area of the inlet and outlet ports 4, 5. Alternatively, the vane ring 9 may consist of two or more individual rings that extend along the inner cylindrical surface of the internal chamber 3. [0034] Between the hub 7 and the vane ring 9 is arranged a generally circular cylindrical passive follower 10. The passive follower 10 has an outer diameter which is notably smaller than the internal diameter of the housing 2 internal chamber 3. In addition, the passive follower is supported about an axis B which is displaced a distance d from the axis A if the vane unit 6. This results in the creation of a crescent-shaped working chamber 11 between the inner surface of the housing 2 and the outer surface of the passive follower 10.

[0035] The vanes 8 of the vane unit 6 extend through slits 12 in the cylindrical wall of the passive follower 10. The slits 12 are somewhat wider than the thickness of the vanes 8, and they may extend as continuous slits along the passive follower 10. The passive follower 10 will be rotatably supported at one or both ends. As the slits 12 divide the passive follower 10 into segments 10a, 10b, 10c, the segments must be joined at the ends of the passive follower for the passive follower 10 to keep its integrity and rotate as one unitary member.

[0036] In the slits there are sealings 13 that act to seal from leakage between the working chamber 11 and the interior of the passive follower. The seals may comprise small cylinders 14 that are rotatably mounted in the slits 12. One such small cylinder is shown in figure 5. It comprises an elongate opening 15 through which a vane 8 extends. The elongate opening 15 has a width only slightly wider than the thickness of the vane 8 at its outboard side (i.e. the side facing radially outward from the passive follower 10) and the opening widens towards the inboard side (i.e. the side facing radially towards the hub 7), as shown in figure 2.

[0037] When the vane unit 6 and the passive follower 10 rotate, the vanes 8 will move from side to side within the slits 12 due to the two rotation axes A and B being non-coinciding. Hence, the small cylinders 14 will rock back and forth a few degrees within their seats in the passive follower 10.

[0038] To control the rocking of the small cylinders 14, one of the cylinders can be fixedly attached to the passive follower 10, keeping one of the vanes from moving sideways within the slit 12, and the remaining be allowed to rock freely as a response to the movement of the vanes 8 relative to the passive follower 10.

[0039] Close to the outboard side of the elongate openings 15, sealing strips (not shown) may be arranged to seal against leakage of fluid. Alternatively, the elongate openings 15 may be filled with a compressible material, such as rubber, silicone or similar, that will allow the cylinders 14 to rock back and forth.

[0040] In a further alternative embodiment, the slits 12 may be filled with a compressible material, such as rubber or silicone, that allows sufficient

movement of the vanes.

[0041] The passive follower 10 has an internal space 16. This space 16 be smaller than shown in the figures. The space 16 need to give room for the relative movement between the hub and the passive follower due to the non-coincident of axes A and B.

[0042] The vane unit 6 is the driving or driven member. The torque can either be transmitted through the shaft at the hub 7 or through the vane ring 9,

alternatively through both.

[0043] Figures 3 and 4 shows a second embodiment of the rotary machine of the invention. Figure 3 shows it in cross-section whereas figure 4 shows it in isometric view with an open end to the internal chamber 3. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of figure 2, except that the vane ring has been omitted. Instead the vanes 8 extend to the inner cylindrical surface of the internal chamber 3 with a minor clearance. In this embodiment the torque has to be transmitted through the shaft at the hub 7, i.e. the shaft acting as an input or output shaft. In all other respects the second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment.

[0044] The function of the invention will now be described, first with the rotary machine working as a compressor. Reference will be made to figure 3, but the function will be the same also for the first embodiment.

[0045] The working fluid enters the intake port 4 to a first part 11a of the working chamber 11. The first part 11a extends between two vanes 8a and 8b. As the vane unit 6 rotates clockwise from the position in figure 3, the first working chamber part 11a will move into the widest part of the working chamber 11. The first part 11a will be open to the inlet port until the trailing vane 8a reaches the downstream edge 4a of the inlet port. In this position, the trailing vane 8a will close the first part 11a of the working chamber 11.

[0046] As the vane unit 6 continues to rotate, the first part 11a will enter into a narrower part of the working chamber 11 and start to compress the fluid. The compression continues until the leading vane 8b reaches the upstream edge 5b of the outlet port 5. Then the working fluid will be expelled through the outlet port until the trailing vane 8a reaches the downstream end 5a of the outlet port. In this position the first part 11a will be at its narrowest, ensuring that substantially all of the working fluid will be expelled.

[0047] As soon as the working fluid has been expelled, the leading vane 8b reaches the upstream edge 4b of the inlet port 4 and working fluid from the inlet port is again allowed tonto the first part 11a.

[0048] Naturally, the same process takes place with the other three parts of the working chamber 11 as the vane unit 6 rotates.

[0049] The passive follower 10 will just follow the vane unit 6 as it rotates, but as it has a different rotational axis from the vane unit 6, it will wobble relative to the vane unit 6 but appear stationary relative to the housing 2, thus maintaining the shape of the working chamber 11.

[0050] As a pump the rotary machine of the invention will work in the same way, except that the inlet and outlet port will be arranged so that the fluid is not compressed, or only marginally compressed.

[0051] The functioning as a hydraulic engine will be substantially as described above, except that inlet and outlet ports will be reversed, so that a high-pressure fluid will enter through the inlet port 5.

[0052] As the leading vane 8a has a larger area exposed to the high-pressure fluid than the trailing vane 8b, the vane unit 6 will be pushed in a counter clockwise direction. Gradually, the exposed areas of the vanes will equalize, but before the ratio reverses, the leading vane 8a reaches the outlet port 4, and the high-pressure fluid is released to the outlet.

[0053] Several modifications of the above described solutions are conceivable within the ambit of the common knowledge of the person of skill in the field. For example, the number of vanes can be varied from the simplest embodiment with only one vane to any number of vanes, only limited by how many vanes are possible to arrange with an adequate sealing between the vanes and the passive follower. The internal space in the passive follower may be pressurized to prevent leakage through the seals. The seals may be made fully of an elastic material instead of a small cylinder or they may be merely sealing strips at outer end of the slits.

[0054] The distance between the axes A and B may be varied depending on the desired compression or expansion rate of the machine. The same also applies for the outer diameter of the passive follower.

Claims

1. A rotation machine comprising a housing (2) with a generally circular- cylindrical internal chamber (3) and a rotor arranged rotatable within said chamber (6), characterised in that said rotor comprising a driven or driving vane unit (6) having a hub (7) with a plurality of stiff vanes (8) fixedly attached to or integrated with said hub (7), a passive follower (10) being arranged around said hub (7), said follower (10) having a smaller outer diameter than the diameter of the internal chamber (3), thus creating a working chamber (1 1 ) between the outer surface of said passive follower (10) and the internal surface of said housing (2), said follower (10) having openings (12) through which said vanes (8) extend, said vane unit (6) having a rotation axis (A) coinciding with a central axis of said housing (2), said passive follower (10) having a rotation axis (B) arranged at a distance from said rotation axis (A) of said vane unit (6).

2. The rotation machine of claim 1 , characterised in that a seal is arranged within said openings in said passive follower to seal between the follower and the vanes.

3. The rotation machine of claim 2, characterised in that said seal comprises a small circular cylinder arranged in a seat at the opening, said cylinder being allowed to rock back and forth in response to the movement of the vane relative to said opening.

4. The rotation machine of claim 2 or 3, characterised in that said seal comprises a compressible material, such as rubber, silicone or similar.

5. The rotation machine of claim 3 and 4, characterised in that said

compressible material fills an opening extending radially through said cylinder.

6. The rotation machine of any of the preceding claims, characterised in that a vane ring is fixedly attached to or integrated with and interconnecting said vanes at their ends distal of said hub, said vane ring having an outer diameter slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the internal chamber.

7. The rotation machine of claim 6, characterised in that torque is transmitted through said vane ring.

8. The rotation machine of any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said passive follower has an internal diameter slightly larger than the diameter of said hub plus the distances between the rotational axes of said vane unit and said follower.

9. The rotation machine of any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said rotary machine is a pump or compressor.

10. The rotation machine of any of the preceding claims, characterised in that said rotary machine is an expander.