System and Method for Improved Performance of Gerotor Compressors and Expanders
AssigneeStarRotor Corporation
InventorsMark T. Holtzapple, Jeffrey J. Breedlove, Daniel J. Micka
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method are presented for improved performance of gerotor compressors and expanders. Certain aspects of the disclosure reduce porting losses in a gerotor system. Other aspects of the disclosure provide for reduced deflection in lobes of an outer rotor of a gerotor system. Still other aspects of the disclosure provide for reduced leakage through tight gaps between components of a gerotor system.
Claims44
A gerotor system comprising an inner rotor, an outer rotor having a plurality of ports, and a housing, the plurality of ports comprising an inlet subset of ports and an outlet subset of ports, wherein fluid flows into the gerotor system through the inlet subset of ports and out of the gerotor system through the outlet subset of ports,
- the housing further comprising an inlet duct fluidly coupled with the inlet subset of ports and an outlet duct fluidly coupled with the outlet subset of ports, the inlet duct comprising an input pipe and the outlet duct comprising an outlet pipe, and
- wherein the inlet pipe is located on the inlet duct based upon a location of an inlet port in the inlet subset of ports having a highest inlet fluid velocity through the inlet port and the outlet pipe is located on the outlet duct based upon a location of an outlet port in the outlet subset of ports having a highest outlet fluid velocity through the outlet port.
A housing, configured to enclose a gerotor system, the gerotor system comprising an inner rotor and an outer rotor having a plurality of ports, the plurality of ports comprising an inlet subset of ports and an outlet subset of ports, wherein fluid flows into the gerotor system through the inlet subset of ports and out of the gerotor system through the outlet subset of ports, the housing comprising:
- an inlet duct fluidly coupled with the inlet subset of ports, the inlet duct comprising an input pipe;
- and
- an outlet duct fluidly coupled with the outlet subset of ports, the outlet duct comprising an outlet pipe,
- wherein the inlet pipe is located on the inlet duct based upon a location of an inlet port in the inlet subset of ports having a highest inlet fluid velocity through the inlet port and the outlet pipe is located on the outlet duct based upon a location of an outlet port in the outlet subset of ports having a highest outlet fluid velocity through the outlet port.
A gerotor system comprising an inner rotor, an outer rotor having a plurality of ports, and a housing, the plurality of ports comprising an inlet subset of ports and an outlet subset of ports, wherein fluid flows into the gerotor system through the inlet subset of ports and out of the gerotor system through the outlet subset of ports, the housing further comprising an inlet duct fluidly coupled with the inlet subset of ports and an outlet duct fluidly coupled with the outlet subset of ports,
- the inlet duct comprising a plurality of inlet channel vanes extending from an entrance end of the inlet duct to a rotor end of the inlet duct and forming a corresponding plurality of inlet channels, each inlet channel configured to alter substantially identical velocities of fluid entering the inlet channels to a velocity of fluid at the rotor end of the inlet channel that substantially matches a velocity of fluid through one or more corresponding inlet ports, and
- the outlet duct comprising a plurality of outlet channel vanes extending from a rotor end of the outlet duct to an exit end of the outlet duct and forming a corresponding plurality of outlet channels, each outlet channel configured to alter a velocity of fluid at the rotor end of the outlet channel determined by a velocity of fluid through one or more corresponding outlet ports to substantially identical velocities of fluid exiting the outlet channels.
A gerotor system comprising an inner rotor, an outer rotor having a plurality of ports, and a housing, the plurality of ports comprising an inlet subset of ports and an outlet subset of ports, wherein fluid flows into the gerotor system through the inlet subset of ports and out of the gerotor system through the outlet subset of ports,
- the housing further comprising an inlet duct fluidly coupled with the inlet subset of ports and an outlet duct fluidly coupled with the outlet subset of ports, the inlet duct comprising an input pipe located at a first end of the inlet duct and the outlet duct comprising an outlet pipe located at a first end of the outlet duct,
- wherein a profile of a circumferential portion of the inlet duct varies from the first end of the inlet duct to a second end of the inlet duct to alter fluid velocity vectors in one or more regions of the inlet duct to more closely match fluid velocity vectors passing through one or more corresponding inlet ports, and
- wherein a profile of a circumferential portion of the outlet duct varies from the first end of the outlet duct to a second end of the outlet duct to alter fluid velocity vectors passing through one or more outlet ports by corresponding amounts to substantially the same velocity in the outlet pipe.
A gerotor system comprising an inner rotor, an outer rotor, and a housing, wherein the outer rotor comprises a plurality of lobe portions and at least one disk portion,
- the outer rotor further comprising a feature on an inner surface of the outer rotor, the feature configured to reduce stress concentration in the bases of the lobe portions.
A gerotor system comprising an inner rotor, an outer rotor, and a housing, the outer rotor comprising a plurality of lobe components and a plurality of disk components, wherein each lobe component is mounted to the disk components by at least one pin passing through at least one disk component into the lobe component.
A gerotor system comprising an inner rotor, an outer rotor, and a housing, the outer rotor comprising a plurality of lobe components and a plurality of disk components, wherein the lobe components are hollow.
A gerotor system comprising an inner rotor, an outer rotor, and a housing, the outer rotor comprising a plurality of lobe components and a plurality of disk components, wherein an outer portion of each lobe component comprises a first material and an inner portion of each lobe component comprises a second material, wherein the second material is a lighter material than the first material.
A gerotor system comprising an inner rotor, and outer rotor, and a housing, the outer rotor including an outer surface having a region in proximity to a corresponding region of an inner surface of the housing, one of the outer rotor region and the housing region comprising a labyrinth seal configured to reduce fluid leakage through a gap between the outer rotor region and the housing region.
A gerotor system comprising an inner rotor, and outer rotor, and a housing, the inner rotor including an outer face in proximity to a corresponding inner face of the housing, one of the inner rotor face and the housing face comprising a labyrinth seal configured to reduce fluid leakage through a gap between the inner rotor face and the housing face.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.