# US 12,000,312 B2 · Device for expanding a fluid > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,312 B2 - Document ID: US12000312B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/785,209 - Filed: 2020-11-16 - Published: 2022-12-15 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2019-12-17 - Assignees: Atlas Copco Airpower, Naamloze Vennootschap - Applicants: Atlas Copco Airpower, Naamloze Vennootschap - Inventors: Peter Heirman; Erik Fabry; Anton Goethals; Henrik Öhman; Rasmus Rubycz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000312B2 ## CPC - F01K 27/02: Plants modified to use their waste heat, other than that of exhaust, e.g. engine-friction heat - F01D 15/10: Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators - F02C 1/10: Closed cycles - F02C 6/18: using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants (using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10) - F04B 9/02: the means being mechanical - F04B 23/02: having reservoirs - F05D 2220/60: making use of surplus or waste energy - F05D 2220/76: an electrical generator - F01K: STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract Device for expanding a fluid, wherein the device (1) is provided with an expander element (2) for expanding the fluid, a generator (3) and a transmission (4) between the two, characterized in that the generator (3) is a liquid-cooled generator and the expander element (2) is heated using liquid, wherein the device (1) is further provided with a common liquid circuit (8) for the generator (3) and the expander element (2), wherein the liquid circuit (8) comprises a liquid pump (10) which can pump up liquid from a liquid reservoir (11), wherein the liquid circuit (8) also comprises a liquid line (9) which runs from the liquid reservoir (11) and which incorporates the liquid pump (10), the generator (3) and the expander element (2). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for expanding a fluid, wherein the device (1) is provided with an expander element (2) configured to expand the fluid, a generator (3) and a transmission (4) between the generator (3) and the expander element (2), wherein the generator (3) is a liquid-cooled generator and the expander element (2) is heated using a liquid with lubricating properties, the device (1) further being provided with a common liquid circuit (8) that provides the liquid to one of the generator (3) and the expander element (2) and then to another of the generator (3) and the expander element (2), wherein the generator (3), the transmission (4), and the expander element (2) are arranged in series along the common liquid circuit (8), wherein the liquid circuit (8) includes a liquid pump (10) which can pump up the liquid from a liquid reservoir (11), wherein the liquid circuit (8) also comprises a liquid line (9) which runs from the liquid reservoir (11) and which incorporates the liquid pump (10), the generator (3), the transmission, and the expander element (2). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid line (9) runs from the liquid reservoir (11) first to the liquid pump (10) and subsequently to the generator (3) and then to the expander element (2) or that the liquid line (9) runs from the liquid reservoir (11) first to the liquid pump (10) and subsequently to the expander element (2) and then to the generator (3) or that the liquid line (9) runs from the liquid reservoir (11) first to the generator (3) and subsequently to the liquid pump (10) and then to the expander element (2). ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device according to claim 2, wherein a heat exchanger (13) is installed downstream of the generator (3) and upstream of the expander element (2). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein a heat exchanger (13) is installed in the liquid line (9). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid line (9) continues from the expander element (2) to the transmission (4) and subsequently further to the liquid reservoir (11), the liquid pump (10) or the generator (3). ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid in the liquid circuit is oil. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device according to claim 6, wherein the liquid circuit (8) includes a branch line (15) for branching off oil, wherein the branch line (15) runs from the liquid line (9) to a bearing of the expander element (2) and/or a bearing of the generator (3). ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device according to claim 7, wherein an oil filter (14) is provided in the liquid circuit (8). ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device according to claim 8, wherein the branch line (15) is located downstream of the expander element (2) and the oil filter (14) is installed in the liquid line (9) between the expander element (2) and the branch line (15). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid reservoir (11) is integrated in, or is part of, the transmission (4). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid pump (10) is driven by a shaft of the generator (3). ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid pump (10) is integrated in, or is part of, the transmission (4). ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid pump (10) is integrated in, or is part of, the generator (3) or of the expander element (2). ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission (4) is a gear transmission. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the device (1) is provided with multiple expander elements (2), which are incorporated in series and/or in parallel in the liquid circuit (8). ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein the generator (3) and/or the expander element (2) are provided with a cooling jacket (6, 7) for the liquid, wherein the liquid line (9) is connected to the cooling jacket (6, 7). ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The device according to claim 1, wherein, along the liquid line (9): a first output of the liquid line (9) and from the generator (3) leads to the expander element (2) before returning to the generator (3) from the expander element (2), and a second output of the liquid line (9) and from the expander element (2) leads to the generator (3) before returning to the expander element (2) from the generator (3).