Sliding vane rotary expander for waste heat recovery system
First Claim
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1. An engine waste heat recovery system comprising:
- an engine configured to reject heat to a working fluid;
a heat exchanger configured to receive the working fluid;
first and second stages respectively including first and second vane assemblies each having a hub supporting vanes radially movable relative to its hub, the first stage including a high pressure chamber and a first intermediate pressure chamber, and the second stage including a second intermediate pressure chamber and a low pressure chamber, the high pressure chamber configured to receive the working fluid from the heat exchanger, the first and second intermediate pressure chambers fluidly coupled to one another, the first vane assembly configured to rotate from the high pressure chamber to the first intermediate pressure chamber with the second vane assembly configured to rotate from the second intermediate pressure chamber to the low pressure chamber; and
a balance valve operable to balance flow through the first stage and the second stage by selectively increasing or decreasing flow of the working fluid to the second intermediate pressure chamber.
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Abstract
A sliding vane rotary expander is used in a waste heat recovery system for a power plant. One example rotary expander has multiple stages with the vane assemblies disposed in bearing supported rings. Another example rotary expander has multiple stages with the vane assemblies disposed in an elliptical cavity. A balance valve equalizes the flow within the stages. Single stage rotary expanders may also be used.
59 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An engine waste heat recovery system comprising:
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an engine configured to reject heat to a working fluid; a heat exchanger configured to receive the working fluid; first and second stages respectively including first and second vane assemblies each having a hub supporting vanes radially movable relative to its hub, the first stage including a high pressure chamber and a first intermediate pressure chamber, and the second stage including a second intermediate pressure chamber and a low pressure chamber, the high pressure chamber configured to receive the working fluid from the heat exchanger, the first and second intermediate pressure chambers fluidly coupled to one another, the first vane assembly configured to rotate from the high pressure chamber to the first intermediate pressure chamber with the second vane assembly configured to rotate from the second intermediate pressure chamber to the low pressure chamber; and a balance valve operable to balance flow through the first stage and the second stage by selectively increasing or decreasing flow of the working fluid to the second intermediate pressure chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A rotary expander for a power plant having an engine and a heat exchanger that receives rejected heat from the engine, the rotary expander comprising:
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a housing having a cavity; a first vane assembly having a first hub supporting vanes radially movable relative to the first hub and engaging the cavity, the vane assembly disposed within the cavity and providing the cavity with a first side having a first chamber and a second chamber and a second side having a third chamber and a fourth chamber, the first chamber and the third chamber receiving high pressure working fluid from the heat exchanger and being fluidly coupled to one another, the second chamber and the fourth chamber expelling the working fluid respectively received from the first chamber and the third chamber from the cavity; and a second vane assembly disposed within a second cavity in the housing, the second vane assembly having a second hub supporting second vanes radially movable relative to the second hub and engaging the second cavity, the second vane assembly providing the second cavity with a first side having a fifth chamber and a sixth chamber and a second side having a seventh chamber and an eighth chamber, the fifth chamber and the seventh chamber receiving the working fluid from the second chamber and the fourth chamber and being fluidly coupled to one another, the sixth chamber and the eighth chamber expelling the working fluid respectively received from the fifth chamber and the seventh chamber from the second cavity. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification