VOLUMETRIC ENERGY RECOVERY DEVICE WITH VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE

• Main Author: EYBERGEN WILLIAM NICHOLAS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.09.2014
• Subjects: BLASTING; COMBUSTION ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL; HEATING; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS; INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; LIGHTING; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; WEAPONS

A volumetric expander configured to transfer a working fluid and generate useful work via a variable drive system is disclosed. The expander includes an inlet port configured to admit relatively high-pressure working fluid and an outlet port configured to discharge to a relatively low-pressure working fluid. The expander also includes first and second twisted meshed rotors rotatably disposed in the housing and configured to expand the relatively high-pressure working fluid into the relatively low-pressure working fluid. Each rotor has a plurality of lobes, and when one lobe of the first rotor is leading with respect to the inlet port, one lobe of the second rotor is trailing with respect to the inlet port. The expander additionally includes an output shaft coupled to the variable speed drive that can deliver power from the output shaft to the engine and/or to a load storage device.