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US 12,146,492 B2Granted
Helical trochoidal rotary machines with improved solids handling
AssigneeRotoliptic Technologies Incorporated
InventorsGreg John Montie, Peter Thomas Christopher Suke, Rogan David Milatz, Robert John Charles Pearson, Braden Adam Murphy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Improved solids handling in rotary positive displacement machines, where the machines are based on trochoidal geometry, can be achieved through the use of solids-handling features on the surface of the rotor and/or stator and/or by the use of modified seals mounted on the rotor or stator. In at least some embodiments the rotary machines comprise a helical rotor that undergoes planetary motion relative to a helical stator.
Claims22
A rotary machine comprising an outer-member and a rotor disposed within said outer-member,
- said rotor having a rotor helical profile, and a rotor axis, and having a hypotrochoidal rotor shape at any cross-section transverse to said rotor axis along at least a portion of a length of said rotor that is hypotrochoidal, said rotor configured to undergo planetary motion relative to said outer-member, said rotor configured to spin about said rotor axis;
- and
- said outer-member having an outer-member helical profile, an outer-member axis, and an outer-member shape at any cross-section transverse to said outer-member axis along at least a portion of a length of said outer-member that is an outer envelope formed when said hypotrochoidal rotor shape undergoes planetary motion, said outer-member configured to spin about said outer-member axis;
- wherein said rotary machine is a multi-stage machine having a plurality of chambers between a fluid-facing surface of said rotor and a fluid-facing surface of said outer-member;
- and
- wherein said rotor and said outer-member are held at a fixed eccentricity with said rotor axis offset relative to said outer-member axis so that, during operation of said rotary machine, said rotor undergoes planetary motion relative to said outer-member without orbiting;
- and
- wherein said rotor comprises an at least one rotor solids-handling feature formed in said fluid-facing surface of said rotor and extending along a first helical path on said fluid-facing surface of said rotor, and/or said outer-member comprises an at least one outer-member solids-handling feature formed in said fluid-facing surface of said outer-member and extending along a second helical path on said fluid-facing surface of said outer-member.
5 more elements
A rotary machine comprising an outer-member and a rotor disposed within said outer-member,
- said rotor having a rotor axis and a rotor helical profile, wherein said rotor has a rotor shape at any cross-section transverse to said rotor axis along at least a portion of a length of said rotor that is inwardly offset from a hypotrochoidal shape, said rotor configured to undergo planetary motion relative to said outer-member;
- and
- said outer-member having an outer-member axis and an outer-member helical profile, and an outer-member shape at any cross-section transverse to said outer-member axis along at least a portion of a length of said outer-member that is an outer envelope formed when said rotor shape undergoes planetary motion;
- wherein said rotary machine is a multi-stage machine having a plurality of chambers between a fluid-facing surface of said rotor and a fluid-facing surface of said outer-member;
- and
- wherein said fluid-facing surface of said rotor comprises an at least one rotor solids-handling feature, and/or said fluid-facing surface of said outer-member comprises an at least one outer-member solids-handling feature.
3 more elements
A rotary machine comprising:
- an outer-member;
- and
- a rotor disposed within said outer-member,
- said rotor having a rotor helical profile, and a rotor axis, and having a hypotrochoidal rotor shape at any cross-section transverse to said rotor axis along at least a portion of a length of said rotor that is hypotrochoidal, said rotor configured to undergo planetary motion relative to said outer-member;
- and
- said outer-member having an outer-member helical profile, an outer-member axis, and an outer-member shape at any cross-section transverse to said outer-member axis along at least a portion of a length of said outer-member that is an outer envelope formed when said hypotrochoidal rotor shape undergoes planetary motion;
- wherein said hypotrochoidal rotor shape is an ellipse having 2 lobes, said outer-member shape has 1 lobe, the pitch of said rotor is the same as the pitch of said outer-member, and the ratio of the lead of said rotor to the lead of said outer-member is 2:1;
- wherein said outer-member comprises an inverse apex which, during operation of said rotary machine, contacts a fluid-facing surface of said rotor along a contact path;
- wherein said rotary machine is a multi-stage machine having a plurality of chambers between said fluid-facing surface of said rotor and a fluid-facing surface of said outer-member;
- and
- wherein said rotor comprises an at least one rotor solids-handling feature, said at least one rotor solids-handling feature comprising a plurality of grooves formed in said fluid-facing surface of said rotor and extending along a first helical path on said fluid-facing surface of said rotor;
- and
- wherein said first helical path is aligned with said contact path.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.