Closed cycle heat engine
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsBugra Han Ertas, Douglas Carl Hofer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Heat engines employing fluid bearing assemblies hermetically sealed with a closed flowpath for a working fluid are generally disclosed. For example, the heat engine includes a rotating drivetrain and a fluid bearing assembly. The rotating drivetrain includes a compressor section, an expander section, and a heat exchanger. The compressor section and expander section together define at least in part a closed flowpath for the flow of a working fluid. The heat exchanger is thermally coupled to the closed flowpath for adding heat to the working fluid. The fluid bearing assembly is configured to utilize the working fluid to support the rotating drivetrain. Further, the fluid bearing assembly is hermetically sealed with the closed flowpath.
Claims19
A hermetically sealed heat engine, the heat engine comprising:
- a rotating drivetrain comprising:
- a compressor section and an expander section, the compressor section and expander section together defining at least in part a closed flowpath for the flow of a working fluid;
- and
- a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the closed flowpath for adding heat to the working fluid;
- and
- a fluid bearing assembly configured to utilize the working fluid to support the rotating drivetrain, the fluid bearing assembly being hermetically sealed with the closed flowpath, the fluid bearing assembly comprising:
- a plurality of fluid bearings;
- and
- a sealing system hermetically sealed with the closed flowpath, the sealing system comprising:
- a plurality of containment structures, wherein each containment structure of the plurality of containment structures surrounds a respective fluid bearing of the plurality of fluid bearings and includes a plurality of seals, and wherein the plurality of containment structures defines a hermetically sealed portion of the fluid bearing assembly;
- and
- a lubrication flowpath configured to supply the plurality of containment structures and the plurality of fluid bearings with the working fluid and collect the working fluid after the working fluid lubricates the plurality of fluid bearings.
A hermetically sealed heat engine for power generation, the heat engine comprising:
- a rotating drivetrain comprising:
- a compressor section and an expander section, the compressor section and expander section together defining at least in part a closed flowpath for the flow of a working fluid;
- a shaft coupled to the compressor section and the expander section;
- a heat exchanger thermally coupled to the closed flowpath for adding heat to the working fluid;
- an output shaft;
- and
- an electric machine drivingly coupled to the output shaft;
- and
- a fluid bearing assembly configured to support the rotating drivetrain, the fluid bearing assembly comprising:
- a plurality of fluid bearings;
- and
- a sealing system, the sealing system being hermetically sealed with the closed flowpath, the sealing system comprising:
- a plurality of containment structures, wherein each containment structure of the plurality of containment structures surrounds a respective fluid bearing of the plurality of fluid bearings and includes a forward seal and an aft seal configured to form a seal with the shaft, and wherein the plurality of containment structures defines a hermetically sealed portion of the fluid bearing assembly;
- and
- a lubrication flowpath configured to supply the plurality of containment structures and the plurality of fluid bearings with the working fluid and collect the working fluid after the working fluid lubricates the plurality of fluid bearings, wherein the plurality of containment structures are configured to collect the working fluid and return the working fluid to the lubrication flowpath.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.