Rotary compressor-expander systems and associated methods of use and manufacture, including integral heat exchanger systems

A rotary displacement system comprising:

• a chamber housing having a pressure-modifying chamber with a first port and a second port;
• a first passageway in fluid communication with the chamber via the first port;
• a second passageway in fluid communication with the chamber via the second port;
• a shaft positioned within the chamber housing and rotatable relative to the chamber housing about a rotational axis;
• a rotor positioned within the pressure-modifying chamber, wherein the rotor is alternately operable in a first mode in which flow is provided from the second passageway to the first passageway via the chamber and in a second mode in which flow is provided from the first passageway to the second passageway via the chamber;
• a heat exchanger positioned external to the pressure-modifying chamber and in fluid communication with at least one of the first passageway or the second passageway;
• and
• a pressure vessel having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the pressure vessel at least partially surrounds the chamber housing, the first passageway, the second passageway, and the heat exchanger, and further wherein the inner surface of the pressure vessel is positioned to contact working fluid flowing through the system.

A rotary displacement system comprising:

• a chamber housing having a pressure-modifying chamber with a first port and a second port;
• a first passageway in fluid communication with the chamber via the first port;
• a second passageway in fluid communication with the chamber via the second port;
• a shaft positioned within the chamber housing and rotatable relative to the chamber housing about a rotational axis;
• a rotor positioned within the pressure-modifying chamber, wherein the rotor is alternately operable in a first mode in which flow is provided from the second passageway to the first passageway via the chamber and in a second mode in which flow is provided from the first passageway to the second passageway via the chamber;
• a heat exchanger positioned external to the pressure-modifying chamber in fluid communication with at least one of the first passageway and the second passageway;
• a pressure vessel having an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the pressure vessel at least partially surrounds the chamber housing, the first passageway, the second passageway, and the heat exchanger, and further wherein the inner surface of the pressure vessel is positioned to contact fluid flowing through the system;
• a controller coupled to at least one of the first and second passageways, wherein the controller is operable to redirect the rotor between operation in the first mode and the second mode by reversing a rotation direction of the shaft;
• and
• a fluid storage reservoir in fluid communication with the first and second passageways, and wherein the rotation direction of the shaft controls fluid flow between the reservoir and the first and second passageways.

A method of operating a rotary displacement device, the method comprising:

• introducing a first volume of working fluid from a first passageway to a pressure-modifying chamber via a first port;
• rotating a rotor within the chamber in a first rotation direction about a shaft to compress the first volume of working fluid;
• discharging the first volume of working fluid from the chamber to a second passageway via a second port;
• introducing a second volume of working fluid from the second passageway to the pressure-modifying chamber via the second port;
• rotating the rotor within the chamber in a second rotation direction opposite the first to expand the second volume of working fluid;
• discharging the second volume of working fluid from the chamber to the first passageway via the first port;
• directing at least one of the first volume of working fluid and the second volume of working fluid into a pressure vessel at least partially surrounding a heat exchanger and the pressure-modifying chamber;
• and
• transferring heat between a heat exchanger fluid within the heat exchanger and at least one of the first volume of working fluid and the second volume of working fluid at the heat exchanger positioned outside the pressure-modifying chamber and within the pressure vessel.