Piston Type Expander

Abstract

The invention relates to a piston type expander (4) comprising: an intake cylinder head for a working fluid in the gaseous state under pressure comprising an intake opening (40) for said working fluid, an expansion zone connected to the intake cylinder head and comprising a plurality of cylinders, wherein a piston sliding in each respective cylinder is connected to a shaft (42) by a mechanical connection, each cylinder comprising at least one exhaust port (12) through which the expanded working fluid in the gaseous state can be discharged from the expansion zone, a crankcase (17) designed to contain a lubricant in the liquid state, wherein is positioned said mechanical connection, a cavity provided in the expander (4), connected to said exhaust ports, leading to an exhaust opening (41) of the expander for the expanded working fluid in the gaseous state, said cavity being designed to guide a flow of the expanded working fluid bearing a fraction of lubricant in the liquid state, said cavity (43) having a common wall with the crankcase (17) and being designed to favor the separation of the liquid lubricant fraction from the expanded working fluid in the gaseous state.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.