Energy transfer machine with inner rotor

An energy transfer machine, comprising:

• an outer housing having inward projections;
• a carrier secured for rotation at least partly within the outer housing;
• at least one inner rotor secured for rotation about a rotor axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having outward projections;
• the inward projections projecting inward and the outward projections projecting outward to mesh with each other and define variable volume chambers between the inward projections and the outward projections as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier;
• the outward projections of the inner rotor being circumferentially expandable under radially inward pressure;
• fluid transfer passages on at least one of the outer housing and carrier to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers;
• and
• a primary foot and secondary foot are separated by a slot defined by walls of the primary foot and secondary foot on which inward radial pressure bears during operation.

An energy transfer machine, comprising:

• a carrier secured within an annular housing, the annular housing having inward projections, the annular housing and carrier rotating in relation to each other;
• at least one inner rotor secured for rotation about a rotor axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having outward projections;
• the inward projections projecting inward and the outward projections projecting outward to mesh with each other and define variable volume chambers between the inward projections and the outward projections as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier;
• the outward projections of the inner rotor being circumferentially expandable under radially inward pressure,
• each of the outward projections comprising a primary foot and a secondary foot arranged to slide circumferentially relative to each other under inward radial pressure;
• and
• fluid transfer passages on at least one of the outer housing and carrier to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers.

An energy transfer machine, comprising:

• a carrier secured within an annular housing, the annular housing having inward projections, the annular housing and carrier rotating in relation to each other;
• the annular housing is fixed and the carrier rotates within the annular housing;
• at least one inner rotor secured for rotation about a rotor axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having outward projections;
• the inward projections projecting inward and the outward projections projecting outward to mesh with each other and define variable volume chambers between the inward projections and the outward projections as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier;
• the outward projections of the inner rotor being circumferentially expandable under radially inward pressure;
• equalization passages extending through the outward projections;
• and
• fluid transfer passages on at least one of the outer housing and carrier to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers.

An energy transfer machine, comprising:

• a carrier secured within an annular housing, the annular housing having inward projections, the annular housing and carrier rotating in relation to each other;
• the annular housing is fixed and the carrier rotates within the annular housing;
• at least one inner rotor secured for rotation about a rotor axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having outward projections;
• the inward projections projecting inward and the outward projections projecting outward to mesh with each other and define variable volume chambers between the inward projections and the outward projections as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier;
• the primary foot and secondary foot are separated by a slot defined by walls of the primary foot and secondary foot on which inward radial pressure bears during operation;
• the outward projections of the inner rotor being circumferentially expandable under radially inward pressure;
• and
• fluid transfer passages on at least one of the outer housing and carrier to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers.

An energy transfer machine, comprising:

• an outer housing;
• a rotor mounted for rotation within the outer housing and having inward projections;
• a carrier secured at least partly within the outer housing;
• at least one inner rotor secured for rotation about a rotor axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having outward projections;
• the inward projections projecting inward and the outward projections projecting outward to mesh with each other and define variable volume chambers between the inward projections and the outward projections as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier;
• the outward projections of the inner rotor being circumferentially expandable under radially inward pressure;
• fluid transfer passages on at least one of the rotor, carrier and outer housing to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers;
• and
• pressure equalization passages extending through the outward projections.

An energy transfer machine, comprising:

• an outer housing;
• a rotor mounted for rotation within the outer housing and having inward projections;
• a carrier secured at least partly within the outer housing;
• at least one inner rotor secured for rotation about a rotor axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having outward projections;
• the inward projections projecting inward and the outward projections projecting outward to mesh with each other and define variable volume chambers between the inward projections and the outward projections as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier;
• the outward projections of the inner rotor being circumferentially expandable under radially inward pressure;
• fluid transfer passages on at least one of the rotor, carrier and outer housing to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers;
• and
• a primary foot and secondary foot are separated by a slot defined by walls of the primary foot and secondary foot on which inward radial pressure bears during operation.

An energy transfer machine, comprising:

• an outer housing having inward projections;
• a carrier secured for rotation at least partly within the outer housing;
• at least one inner rotor secured for rotation about a rotor axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having outward projections;
• the inward projections projecting inward and the outward projections projecting outward to mesh with each other and define variable volume chambers between the inward projections and the outward projections as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier;
• each of the outward projections comprising a primary foot and a secondary foot arranged to slide circumferentially relative to each other under inward radial pressure;
• the outward projections of the inner rotor being circumferentially expandable under radially inward pressure;
• and
• fluid transfer passages on at least one of the outer housing and carrier to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers.

An energy transfer machine, comprising:

• an outer housing;
• a rotor mounted for rotation within the outer housing and having inward projections;
• a carrier secured at least partly within the outer housing;
• at least one inner rotor secured for rotation about a rotor axis within the carrier, the inner rotor having outward projections;
• the inward projections projecting inward and the outward projections projecting outward to mesh with each other and define variable volume chambers between the inward projections and the outward projections as the inner rotor rotates within the carrier;
• the outward projections of the inner rotor being circumferentially expandable under radially inward pressure;
• each of the outward projections comprising a primary foot and a secondary foot arranged to slide circumferentially relative to each other under inward radial pressure;
• and
• fluid transfer passages on at least one of the rotor, carrier and outer housing to permit flow of fluid into and out of the variable volume chambers.