Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPECIFICATION
ROTARY TYPE FLUID MACHINE, VANE TYPE FLUID MACHINE, AND
WASTE HEAT RECOVERING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
This is a divisional of Canadian patent
application 2,365,353 filed March 2, 2000.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a rotary type fluid
machine and a vane type fluid machine which can also be used
as an expanding machine and/or a compressing machine, and a
waste heat recovering device for an internal combustion
engine for extracting mechanical energy utilizing waste heat
of the internal combustion engine.
BACKGROUND ART '
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 6-88523
describes a waste heat recovering device for an internal
combustion engine for generating high temperature and high
pressure vapor with heat energy of exhaust gas of the internal
combustion engine and supplying the high temperature and high
pressure vapor to a turbine type expanding machine to generate
mechanical energy.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 59-41602
desc;ibex a double multi-vane type rotary machine . This is
such that a circular vane support ring is disposed between
an oval outer cam ring and an oval inner cam ring, and that
outer ends and inner ends of a plurality of vanes supported
slidably in radial directions by the vane support ring are
placed in abutment against an inner peripheral surface of the
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' outer cam ring and an outer peripheral' surface of the inner
cam ring, respectively. Thus, when the vane support ring
exerts a relative rotation with respect to the outer cam ring
and inner cam ring, volume of a plurality of operation
chambers comparted by the vanes between the outer cam ring
and the vane support ring is expanded or compressed to
function as an expanding machine or a compressing machine,
and volume of a plurality of operation chambers comparted by
the vanes between the inner cam ring and the vane support ring
is expanded or compressed to function as an expanding machine
or a compressing machine.
In this double multi-vane type rotary machine , outer and
inner rotary machines can be used as respectively independent
expanding machines , the outer and inner rotary machines can
be used as respectively independent compressing machines, or
one and the other of the outer and inner rotary machines can
be respectively used as the expanding machine and compressing
machine.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open~No.. 60-206990
describes a vane type rotary machine which can be used as an
expanding machine or a compressing machine . This is such that
a circular intermediate cylinder is disposed in an offset
manner between a circular outer cam ring and a circular inner
cam ring, which are disposed concentrically, and that outer
ends and inner ends of a plurality of vanes supported slidably
in the radial directions by the intermediate cylinder are
placed in abutment against an inner peripheral surface of the
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outer cam ring and an outer peripheral surface of the inner
cam ring, respectively. Thus, when the intermediate
cylinder exerts a relative rotation with respect to the outer
cam ring and inner cam ring, volume of a plurality of operation
chambers compacted by the vanes between the outer cam ring
and the vane support ring is expanded or compressed to
function as an expanding machine or a compressing machine,
and volume of a plurality of operation chambers compacted bx
the vanes between the inner cam ring and the vane support ring
is expanded or compressed to function as an expanding machine
or a compressing machine.
In this vane type rotary machine, outer and inner rotary
machines can be used as respectively independent expanding
machines , the outer and inner rotary machines can be used as
respectively independent compressing machines, or a working
fluid having passed through one of the outer and inner rotary
machines can be made to pass through the other to connect the
outer and inner rotary machines in series for operation as
a two-stage exganding machine. or a two-stage compressing
machine.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 57-16293
describes a vane type rotary compressor. This is such that
a circular rotor is rotatably disposed in a non-circular cam
ring, and that a roller provided at an intermediate portion
of each vane is guided in engagement with a roller track
provided in a casing in such a manner that tips of a plurality
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of vanes radially supported by the rotor move along an inner
peripheral surface of the cam ring.'
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 64-29676
describes a radial plunger pump. This is such that a
plurality of cylinders are radially formed in a'rotor disposed
in an offset manner in a circular cam ring, and that tips of
plungers slidably fitted to the cylinders are placed in
abutment against an inner peripheral surface of the cam ring
to be reciprocated and thereby operated as a pump.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 58-48076
describes a Rankine cycle apparatus comprising a vane type
expanding machine. This is such that high temperature and
high pressure vapor energy generated by an evaporating
machine using a gas burner as a heat source is converted to
mechanical energy via a vane type expanding machine , and that
resultant reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor is
condensed by a condensing machine and then returned again to
the evaporating machine by a supply pump.
The applicant proposes a waste heat recovering device
for an internal combustion engine having an evaporating
machine for generating high. temperature and high pressure
vapor using waste heat as a heat source, an expanding machine
for generating an output by expansion of the high temperature
and high pressure vapor, and a condensing machine for
liquefying reduced temperature and: reduced pressure vapor
exhausted from the expanding machine, in order to recover
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waste heat of the internal combustion.~engine, in Japanese
Patent Application Nos. 11-57933 and 11-57934.
The expanding machine proposed in the Japanese Patent
Application No. 11-57933 or Japanese Patent Application No.
11-57934 is such that a piston is slidably fitted to a cylinder
radially formed in a rotor, and that high temperature and high
pressure vapor is successively supplied from a fixed shaft
disposed at the center of the rotor to each cylinder to drive
the piston and thereby rotate the rotor. A rotary valve for
supplying high temperature and, high pressure vapor from the
inside of the hollow fixed shaft to each cylinder with
predetermined timing is such that a seal block made of carbon
for guiding the high temperature and high pressure vapor is
resiliently in sliding contact with an inner peripheral
surface of the, hollow shaft formed with a through-hole
communicating with the cylinder, and that the spring force
is generated by a spring and a bellows operated by the high
temperature and high pressure vapor.
It should be noted here that the expanding machine
disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.
6-88523 is the turbine type expanding machine of the non-
displacement type, but known as a displacement type expanding
machine are a piston type expanding machine and a vane type
expanding machine.
Each of the machines disclosed in the Japanese Patent
Application Laid-open No. 59-41602 and the Japanese Patent
Application Laid-open No. 60-206990 comprises the plurality
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of vane type rotary machines disposed inside and outside in
the radial directions , and the vane type rotary machine has
a simple structure of a conversion mechanism between pressure
energy and mechanical energy and can deal with a large flow
amount of working fluid with a compact structure, while there
is a problem that a large leak amount of the working fluid
from a slide portion of the vane makes it difficult to increase
efficiency.
The radial plunger pump described in the Japanese Patent
Application Laid-open No. 64-29676 has high sealing
performance of a working fluid because the working fluid is
compressed by a piston slidably fitted to the cylinder, and
can minimize an efficiency reduction due to a leak even when
using a high pressure working fluid, while there is a problem
of requiring a crank mechanism or slanting mechanism for
converting reciprocating motion of the piston into rotary
motion, which makes the structure complex.
Therefore, it is desirable to make a rotary type fluid
machine, vane type fluid machine, or waste heat recovering
device for an internal combustion engine have both merits
belonging to the piston type and merits belonging to the vane
type. Further, in the vane type fluid machine or waste heat
recovering device for the internal combustion engine, it is
desirable to minimize a leak amount of a working fluid from
a slide portion of a vane.
In the expanding machine proposed in the Japanese Patent
Application No. 11-57933 and Japanese Patent Application No.
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11-57934, the high temperature and high pressure vapor in the
cylinder on the rotor is sometimes condensed to be liquefied
at the time of actuation when the temperature is not
sufficiently raised, and moreover, there is also a
' 5 possibility that water used as a lubricating medium may
permeate the cylinder. When the piston is moved in the
cylinder in a state where the water is thus trapped in the
cylinder, there is a possibility that normal operation of the
cylinder and piston may be inhibited , and hence, the water
trapped in the cylinder is required to be rapidly exhausted
outwards.
The expanding machine proposed in the Japanese Patent
Application No. 11-57933 or Japanese Patent Application No.
11-57934 requires not only the seal block made of carbon but
also the spring or bellows for pressing the same against the
inner peripheral surface of the hollow shaft, thus there is
a problem of complexity of a structure which increases the
number of components . Further, difference in coefficient of
thermal expansion between the seal block made of carbon and
the hollow shaft of SUS-based metal causes radial distortion
at the time of high temperature, and there is a possibility
of a leak of part of the high temperature and high pressure
vapor without contribution to driving of the rotor.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the present invention is to make a
rotary type fluid machine, a vane type fluid machine, or a
waste heat recovering device for an internal combustion
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engine have both merits belonging.to.~the piston type and
merits belonging to the vane type.
A second object of the present. invention is to greatly
increase sealing performance between a rotor chamber and a
vane in a vane type fluid machine or a waste heat recovering
device for an internal combustion engine.
A third ob j ect of the present invention is , in a rotary
type fluid machine, to prevent water condensed in a cylinder
at the time of actuation or the like when temperature is low
or water supplied as a lubricating medium from being trapped
in the cylinder.
A fourth object of the present invention is to reliably
prevent a leak of a high pressure fluid from a rotary valve
of a rotary type fluid machine with a simple structure
including a reduced number of components.
To achieve the first object, according to a first feature
of the present invention, there is proposed a rotary type
fluid machine having an expanding function and a compressing
function, including a casing having a rotor chamber, a rotor
accommodated in the rotor chamber, and a plurality of
vane-piston units which are radially disposed in the rotor
around a rotary axis thereof and freely,reciprocated in the
respective radial directions, each of the vane-piston units
having a vane sliding in the rotor chamber and a piston placed
in abutment against a non-slide side of the vane, wherein when
functioning as an expanding machine, expansion of a high
pressure fluid is used to operate:the.piston to rotate the
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rotor via a power conversion device and expansion of a low
pressure fluid caused by a pressure reduction in the high
pressure fluid is used to rotate the rotor via the vane, while
when functioning as a compressing machine, rotation of the
rotor is used to supply a low pressure fluid to the side of
the piston via the vane and the piston is operated.by the vane
to convert the low pressure fluid to a high pressure fluid.
With the above first feature, the rotary type fluid
machine having the expanding function and compressing
function can be provided, wherein the piston is allowed for
works on a high pressure side to achieve efficiency
improvement by restraining leak loss, while the vane is
allowed for works on a low pressure side to efficiently deal
with a large amount of flow.
To achieve the second object, according to a second
feature of the present invention, there is proposed a vane
type fluid machine, including a casing having a rotor chamber,
a rotor accommodated in the rotor chamber, and a plurality
of vanes which are radially disposed in the rotor around a
rotary axis thereof and freely reciprocated in the respective
radial directions, wherein a section of the rotor chamber in
a phantom plane including the rotary.ax~.s of the rotor is
formed of a pair of semi-circular sections with diameters
thereof opposed to each other and a rectangular section formed
by connecting opposed one ends of both the diameters to each
other and opposed other ends of the diameters to each other,
respectively, each of the vanes includes a vane body and a
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seal member mounted to the vane body and pressed against the
rotor chamber with a spring force, and the seal member has
a semi-circular arcuate portion sliding on the inner
peripheral surface defined by the semi-circular section of
the rotor chamber and a pair of parallel portions respectively
sliding on opposed inner end surfaces defined by the
rectangular section.
With the above second feature, the vane type fluid
machine which has greatly increased sealing performance
between the rotor chamber and the vane can be provided.
To achieve the first object , according to a third feature
of the gresent invention, there is provided a waste heat
recovering device for an internal combustion engine having
an evaporating machine using waste heat from the internal
combustion engine as a heat source to generate high pressure
vapor, an expanding machine for generating an output by
expansion of the high pressure vapor, and a condensing machine
for liquefying low pressure vapor exhausted from the
expanding machine, characterized in that the expanding
machine includes a casing having a rotor chamber, a rotor
accommodated in the rotor chamber, and a plurality of
vane-piston units which are radially disposed in the rotor
around a rotary axis thereof and freely reciprocated in the
respective radial directions, each of the vane-piston units
including a vane sliding in the rotor chamber and a piston
placed in abutment against a non-slide side of the vane,
expansion of the high pressure vapor being used to operate
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the piston to rotate the rotor via the~vane, and expansion
of a low pressure gas caused by a pressure reduction in the
high pressure gas being used to rotate the rotor via the vane .
With the above third feature, in the expanding machine,
when the piston is allowed for works on a high pressure side
as described above, efficiency can be increased by
restraining leak loss, while when the vane is allowed for
works on a low pressure side, a large amount of flow can be
efficiently dealt with. This permits extracting a high
output from the waste heat of the internal combustion engine .
To achieve the second object, according to a fourth
feature of the present invention, there is proposed a waste
heat recovering device for an internal combustion engine
having an evaporating machine using waste heat from the
internal combustion engine as a heat source to generate high
pressure vapor, an expanding machine for generating an output
by expansion of the high pressure vapor, and a condensing
machine for liquefying low pressure vapor exhausted from the
expanding machine, characterized in that the expanding
machine includes a casing having a rotor chamber, a rotor
accommodated in the rotor chamber, and a plurality of vanes
which are radially disposed in the rotor around a rotary axis
thereof and freely reciprocated in the respective radial
directions , a section of the rotor chamber in a phantom plane
including the rotary axis of the rotor being formed of a pair
of semi-circular sections with diameters thereof opposed to
each other and a rectangular section formed by connecting
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opposed one ends of both the diameters to each other and
opposed other ends of the diameters to each other,
respectively, each of the vanes including a vane body and a
seal member mounted to the vane body and pressed against the
rotor chamber with a spring force , and the seal member having
a semi-circular arcuate portion sliding on the inner
peripheral surface defined by the semi-circular section of
the rotor chamber and a pair of parallel portions respectively
sliding on opposed inner and surfaces defined by the
rectangular section.
With the above fourth feature, in the vane type expanding
machine, sealing performance between the rotor chamber a,nd
the vane can be sufficiently increased to greatly improve
efficiency under a high pressure.
To achieve the third object, according to a fifth feature
of the present invention, there is proposed a rotary type
fluid machine having an expanding function and a compressing
function including a casing having a rotor chamber, a rotor
accommodated in the rotor chamber, and a plurality of
vane-piston units which are radially disposed in the rotor
around a rotary axis thereof and freely reciprocated in the
respective radial directions, each of the vane-piston units
including a vane sliding in the rotor chamber and a piston
placed in abutment against a non-slide side of the vane, and
when functioning as an expanding machine, expansion of a high
pressure fluid being used to operate the piston to rotate the
rotor via a power conversion device and expansion of a low
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pressure fluid caused by a pressure reduction in the high
pressure fluid being used to rotate the rotor via the vane,
while when functioning as a compressing machine, rotation of
the rotor being used to supply a low pressure fluid to the
side of the piston via the vane and the piston being operated
by the vane to convert the low pressure fluid to a high pressure
fluid, characterized in that the rotary type fluid machine
includes fluid exhausting means for maintaining airtight
between the piston and cylinder during a stroke of the piston
sliding in the cylinder formed in the rotor, and for
exhausting a fluid stored in the cylinder at a stroke end of
the piston outside the cylinder.
With the above fifth feature, even when water used as
a lubricating medium permeates the cylinder or even when the
high temperature and high pressure vapor in the cylinder of
the rotor is condensed to be liquefied at the time of low
temperature actuation or the like of the rotary type fluid
machine which functions as the expanding machine, water
trapped in the cylinder can be rapidly exhausted outward at
the stroke end of the piston by the fluid exhausting means
and inhibition of normal operation of the piston in the
cylinder can reliably be prevented.
To achieve the fourth object, according to a sixth
feature of the present invention, there is proposed a rotary
type fluid machine having an expanding function and a
compressing function, including a casing having a rotor
chamber, a rotor accommodated in the rotor chamber, and a
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plurality of vane-pistoa units which are radially disposed
in the rotor around a rotary axis thereof and freely
reciprocated in the respective radial di=actions, each of the
vane-piston units including a vane sliding in the rotor
chamber and a piston placed in abutment against a non-slide
side of the vane , when functioning as an expanding machine ,
expansion of a high pressure fluid being used to operate the
piston to rotate the rotor via a power conversion device and
expansion of a low pressure fluid caused by a pressure
reduction in the high pressure fluid being used to rotate the
rotor via the vane, while When functioning as a compressing
machine, rotation of the rotor being used to supply a low
pressure fluid to the side of the piston via the vane and the
piston being operated by the vane to convert the low pressure
fluid to a high pressure fluid, characterized in that first
passages for supplying and exhausting a high pressure fluid
to a cylinder formed in the rotor and second passages for
supplying and exhausting a low pressure fluid from the
cylinder to the rotor chamber are formed in a fixed shaft, and
that a switchover mechanism which is rotated integrally with
the rotor to selectively connect the first passages or the
second passages to the cylinder is fitted rotatably and in
a sealing condition relative to the fixed shaft.
According to the sixth feature, a switchover mechanism
which is rotated integrally with the rotor to selectively
communicate the first passages or the second passages to the
cylinder is fitted rotatably and in a sealing condition
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relative to the fixed shaft. Thereforel, a leak of the high
pressure fluid can reliably be prevented with a simple
structure including a reduced number of components , requiring
no special urging means such as a spring or bellows, simply
by controlling clearance between the fixed shaft and
switchover mechanism.
To achieve the fourth object, according to a seventh
feature of the present invention, there is proposed a rotary
type fluid machine having an expanding function and a
compressing function, including a casing having a rotor
chamber, a rotor accommodated in the rotor chamber, and a
plurality of vane-piston units which are radially disposed
in the rotor around a rotary axis thereof and freely
reciprocated in the respective radial directions , each of the
vane-piston units including a vane sliding in the rotor
chamber and a piston placed in abutment against a non-slide
side of the vane, when functioning as an expanding machine,
expansion of a high pressure fluid being used to operate the
piston to rotate the rotor via a power conversion device and
expansion of a low pressure fluid caused by a pressure
reduction in the high pressure fluid being used to rotate the
rotor via the vane, while when functioning as a compressing
machine, rotation of the rotor being used to supply a low
pressure fluid to the side of the piston via the vane and the
piston being operated by the vane to convert the low pressure
fluid to a high pressure fluid, characterized in that first
passages for supplying and exhausting a high pressure fluid
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to a cylinder formed in the rotor and second passages for
supplying and exhausting a low pressure fluid from the
cylinder to the rotor chamber are formed in a fixed shaft, that
a switchover mechanism which is rotated integrally with the
rotor to selectively communicate the first passages or the
second passages to the cylinder is fitted rotatably and in
a sealing condition relative to the fixed shaft, and that port
grooves surrounding outer peripheries of the first passages
are formed on a slide surface between the fixed shaft and
switchover mechanism.
With the above seventh feature, a~ switchover mechanism
which is rotated integrally With the rotor to selectively
communicate the first passages or the second passages to the
cylinder is fitted rotatably and in a sealing condition
relative to the fixed shaft , and the port grooves surrounding
the outer peripheries of the first passages are formed on a
slide surface between the fixed shaft and the switchover
mechanism. Therefore, even when the high pressure fluid
supplied from the first passages is leaked without flowing
into the cylinder via the switchover mechanism, or even when
the high pressure fluid compressed by the piston is leaked
without being supplied to the first passages, the high
pressure fluid can be captured by the port grooves to minimize
an outward leak, thus when using the rotary type fluid machine
as the expanding machine , improvement in output performance
can be achieved, and when using the rotary type fluid machine
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as the compressing machine, improvement in compressing
performance can be achieved.
In another aspect the invention provides a rotary
type fluid machine including at least first and second
energy converting means, said fluid machine being capable of
functioning as an expanding machine (4) for integrating and
outputting mechanical energy generated by the first and
second energy converting means, respectively, by inputting
the working fluid having pressure energy into the first and
second energy converting means to thereby convert the
pressure energy to the mechanical energy, and said fluid
machine being further capable of functioning as a
compressing machine for integrating and outputting pressure
energy of the working fluid generated by the first and
second energy converting means, respectively, by inputting
the mechanical energy into the first and second energy
converting means to thereby convert the mechanical energy to
the pressure energy of the working fluid, characterized in
that the high pressure working fluid is disposed on the
central side of a rotor chamber (14) which rotatably
accommodates a rotor (31) including the first and second
energy converting means, and the low pressure working fluid
is disposed on an outer peripheral side of said rotor
chamber (14).
In another aspect the invention provides a rotary
type fluid machine including at least first and second
energy converting means, said fluid machine being capable of
functioning as an expanding machine (4) for integrating and
outputting mechanical energy generated by the first and
second energy converting means, respectively, by inputting
the working fluid having pressure energy into the first and
second energy converting means to thereby convert the
pressure energy to the mechanical energy, and said fluid
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machine being further capable of functioning as a
compressing machine for integrating and outputting pressure
energy of the working fluid generated by the first and
second energy converting means, respectively, by inputting
the mechanical energy into the first and second energy
converting means to thereby convert the mechanical energy to
the pressure energy of the working fluid, characterized in
that the high temperature working fluid is disposed on the
central side of a rotor chamber (14) which rotatably
accommodates a rotor (31) including the first and second
energy converting means, and the low temperature working
fluid is disposed on an outer peripheral side of said rotor
chamber (14).
In another aspect the invention provides a rotary
type fluid machine including at least first and second
energy converting means, said fluid machine being capable of
functioning as an expanding machine (4) for integrating and
outputting mechanical energy generated by the first and
second energy converting means, respectively, by inputting
the working fluid having pressure energy into the first and
second energy converting means to thereby convert the
pressure energy to the mechanical energy, and said fluid
machine being further capable of functioning as a
compressing machine for integrating and outputting pressure
energy of the working fluid generated by the first and
second energy converting means, respectively, by inputting
the mechanical energy into the first and second energy
converting means to thereby convert the mechanical energy to
the pressure energy of the working fluid, characterized in
that the high pressure and high temperature working fluid is
disposed on the central side of a rotor chamber (14) which
rotatably accommodates a rotor (31) including the first and
second energy converting means, and the low pressure and low
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temperature working fluid is disposed on an outer peripheral
side of said rotor chamber (14).
In another aspect the invention provides a rotary
type fluid machine including a displacement type expanding
machine (4) which is provided in a Rankine cycle apparatus
where pressure energy of high temperature and high pressure
vapor generated by heating water with waste heat from a
prime motor (1) is converted to the mechanical energy, and
the resultant reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor
is condensed to be again heated by the waste heat, the
expanding machine thus converting the pressure energy to the
mechanical energy, characterized in that said expanding
machine (4) includes at least first and second energy
converting means, and integrates and outputs mechanical
energy generated by the first and second energy converting
means, respectively, by inputting the pressure energy into
the first and second energy converting means to thereby
convert the pressure energy to the mechanical energy.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS.1 to 11 show a first embodiment of the
present invention, wherein: FIG.1 is a schematic view of a
waste heat recovering device for an internal combustion
engine; FIG.2 is a vertical sectional view of an expanding
machine (a sectional view taken along a line 2-2 in FIG. S);
FIG.3 is an enlarged sectional view of around a rotary axis
in FIG.2; FIG.4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 in
FIG.2; FIG.5 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential
part taken along a line 5-5 in FIG.2; FIG.6 is an
explanatory view of sectional configurations of a rotor
chamber and a rotor: FIG.7 is a front view of a vane body;
FIG.8 is a side view of the vane body; FIG.9 is a sectional
view taken along a line 9-9 in FIG.7~ FIG.10 is a front view
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of a seal members and FIG.11 is an enlarged view of around a
rotary axis in FIG.4. FIGS.12A and 12B are explanatory
views of water exhaust action of a cylinder according to a
second embodiment of the present invention. FIGS.13A to 14
show a third embodiment of the present invention, wherein:
FIGS.13A and 13B are explanatory views of water exhaust
action of a cylinder; and FIG.14 is a sectional view taken
along a line 14-14 of FIG.13B. FIGS.15A and 15B are
explanatory views of water exhaust action of a cylinder
according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
FIG.16 is an explanatory view of water exhaust timing of the
second to fourth embodiments. FIGS.17 to 21
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show a fifth embodiment of the present'invention, wherein:
FIG.17 is an enlarged sectional view of around a rotary axis
corresponding to FIG.3; FIG.18 is an enlarged view of around
a rotary axis corresponding to FIG.11; FIG.19 is an enlarged
view of a part 19 in FIG.17; FIG.20 is an enlarged sectional
- view taken along a line 20-20 in FIG.19; and FIG.21 is an
enlarged sectional view taken along a line 21-21 of FIG.19.
FIGS. 22 to 25 show a sixth embodiment of the present invention,
wherein: FIG.22 is an enlarged view of around a rotary axis
corresponding to FIG.11; FIG.23 is a view taken along a line
23-23 of FIG.22: FIG.24 is an enlarged view corresponding to
an essential part of FIG.3; and FIG.25 is a view of a state
where a fixed shaft in FIG.24 is not broken.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
First, a first embodiment of the present invention will
be described on the basis of FIGS. 1 to 11.
In FIG. 1, a waste heat recovering device 2 of an internal
combustion engine 1 comprises an evaporating machine 3 for
generating high pressure vapor, that is, high temperature and
high pressure vapor, generated by increasing temperature of
high pressure liquid, for example, water, using waste heat,
for example, ttfe exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine
as a heat source, an expanding machine 4 for generating an
output by expansion of the high temperature and high pressure
vapor, a condensing machine 5 for liquefying the vapor, which
is exhausted from the expanding machine 4, with reduced
temperature and pressure after the expansion, that is,
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reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor, and a supply
pump 6 for pressurizing and supplying liquid, for example,
water, from the condensing machine 5 to the evaporating
machine 3.
The expanding machine 4 has a specific structure and is
configured as follows.
In FIGS. 2 to 5, a casing 7 comprises first and second
half bodies 8,9 made of metal. Each of the half bodies 8,9
comprises a main body 11 having a substantially oval recess
10 and a circular flange 12 integral with the main body 11,
and the circular flanges 12 are superposed via a metal gasket
13 to form a substantially oval rotor chamber 14. An outer
surf ace of the main body 11 of the f first half body 8 is covered
with a main body 16, in the form of a deep bowl, of a
shell-shaped member 15, a circular flange 17 integral with
the main body 16 is superposed on the circular flange 12 of
the first half body 8 via a gasket 18, and three circular
flanges 12 , 12 , 17 are fastened by a bolt 19 at a plurality
of circumferential positions. A junction chamber 20 is
thereby . formed between the main bodies 11 and 16 of the
shell-shaped member 15 and the first half body 8.
The main bodies 11 of the half bodies 8, 9 have hollow
shaft receiving tubes 21 , 22 pro jecting outwardly at their
outer surfaces, and by the hollow shaft receiving tubes 21 ,
22, a large diameter portion 24 of a hollow output shaft 23
penetrating the rotor chamber 14 is turnably supported via
a bearing metal ( or bearing made of resin ) 25 . An axis L of
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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the output shaft 23 thereby passes an intersection point of
a long diameter and a short diameter in the substantially oval
rotor chamber 14. A small diameter portion 26 of the output
shaft 23 projects outwardly beyond a hole 27 at the hollow
shaft receiving tube 22 of the second half body 9 and is
connected to a transmission shaft 28 via spline coupling 29.
The small diameter portion 26 and the hole 27 are sealed by
two seal rings 30.
Accommodated in the rotor chamber 14 is a circular rotor
31, and a shaft mounting hole 32 at its center is in a fitted
relationship to the large diameter portion 24 of the output
shaft 23 to provide an engagement portion 33 between the two
31, 24. A rotary axis of the rotor 31 thereby matches the
axis L of the output shaft 23 , thus "L" 1s commonly used as
reference character of the rotary axis.
The rotor 31 is formed with a plurality of, in this
embodiment twelve, slot-shaped spaces 34 radially extending
from the shaft mounting hole 32 about the rotary axis L at
even intervals on the circumference. Each space 34 is
circumferentially narrow and in substantially U shape in a
phantom plane perpendicular to both end surfaces 35 so as to
sequentially open into the both end surfaces 35 and an outer
peripheral surface 36 of the rotor 31.
In the respective slot-shaped spaces 34, first to twelfth
vane-piston units U1-U12 with the same structure are mounted
so as to freely reciprocate in the respective radial
directions as follows . The space 34 of substantially U shape
L- _ CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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is formed with a stepped hole 38 at a portion 37 compacting
the inner peripheral side of the space 34, and a stepped
cylinder member 39 made of ceramic ( or carbon ) is fitted in
the stepped hole 38. An end surface of a small diameter
portion ~ of the cylinder member 39 abuts against an outer
peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 24 of the
output shaft 23, and a small diameter hole b thereof
communicates with a through-hole c opening into the outer
peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 24 . A guide
tube 40 is disposed outside the cylinder member 39 so as to
be positioned coaxially with the member 39. An outer end of
the guide tube 40 is locked by an opening of the space 34 on
the outer peripheral surface of the rotor 31, and an inner
end of the guide tube 40 is fitted in a large diameter hole
d of the stepped hole 38 to abut against the cylinder member
39. The guide tube 40 has a pair of slots a extending from
its outer end to around its inner end in an opposed manner,
and both slots a face the space 34 . A piston 41 made of ceramic
is slidably fitted in a large diameter cylinder hole f of the
cylinder member 39, and a tip side of the piston 41 is always
positioned in the guide tube 40.
As shown in FIGS . 2 and 6 , a section B of the rotor chamber
14 in a phantom plane A including the rotary axis L of the
rotor 31 is formed of a pair of semi-circular sections B1 with
their diameters g opposed to each other and a rectangular
section B2 formed by connecting opposed one ends of diameters
g of semi-circular sections B1 to each other and opposed other
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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ends of the.diameters g to each other, respectively, and is
substantially in the form of an athletic track. In FIG. 6,
a part illustrated by a solid line shows the largest section
including the long diameter, while a part partially
illustrated by a double-dotted chain line shows the smallest
section including the short diameter. The rotor 31 has a
section D slightly smaller than the smallest section
including the short diameter of the rotor chamber 14 , as shown
by a dotted line in FIG. 6.
As is clearly shown in FIGS . 2 , 7 to 10 , a vane 42
comprises a vane body 43 in the form of substantially U-shaped
plate (horseshoe shape), a seal member 44 in the form of
substantially U-shaped plate mounted to the vane body 43, and
a vane spring 58.
The vane body 43 has a semi-circular arcuate portion 46
corresponding to an inner peripheral surface 45 by the
semi-circular section B1 of the rotor chamber 14 , and a pair
of parallel portions 48 corresponding to opposed inner end
surfaces 47 by the rectangular section B2. Each parallel
portion 48 is provided, at its end side, with a rectangular
notch 49 , a rectangular blind hole 50 opening into the bottom
surface, and a short sfiaft 51 located at a side closer to the
end than the rectangular notch 49 and protruding outwards.
Outer peripheral portions of the semi-circular arcuate
portion 46 and both parallel portions 48 are sequentially
formed with U-shaped grooves 52 opening outwardly, and both
ends of the U-shaped grooves 52 respectively communicate with
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both rectangular notches 49. Further,~both plane parts of
the semi-circular arcuate portion 46 are respectively
provided with a pair of projecting strips 53 having broken
circular sections. Both projecting strips 53 are disposed
such that an axis L1 of a phantom cylinder thereby matches
a straight line which bisects a space between the parallel
portions 48 and circumferentially bisects the semi-circular
arcuate portion 46. Inner ands of the projecting strips 53
slightly pro ject into the space between the parallel portions
48.
The seal member 44 is made of PTFE, for example, and has
a semi-circular arcuate portion 55 sliding on the inner
peripheral surface 45 by the semi-circular section H1 of the
rotor chamber 14 and a pair of parallel portions 56 sliding
on the opposed inner end surfaces 47 by the rectangular
section H2. Further, a pair of elastic pawls 57 is provided
on an inner peripheral surface side of the semi-circular
arcuate portion 55 so as to be deflected inwardly.
The seal member 44 is mounted to the U-shaped groove 52
of the vane body 43, a vane spring 58 is fitted in each blind
hole 50 , and further a roller 59 with a ball bearing structure
is mounted to each short shaft 51. Each vane 42 is slidably
accommodated in each slot-shaped space 34 of the rotor 31,
where both projecting strips 53 of the vane body 43 are
positioned in the guide tube 40 and both side portions of the
projecting strips 53 are respectively positioned in both
slots a of the guide tube 40, thereby allowing the inner end
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surfaces of the pro jecting strips 53 to abut against the outer
end surface of the piston 41. Both rollers 59 are
respectively placed in rotatable engagement with a
substantially oval annular groove 60 formed on the opposed
inner end surfaces 47 of the first and second half bodies 8,
9. A distance between the annular groove 60 and the rotor
chamber 14 is constant throughout their circumferences.
Forward motion of the piston 41 is converted to rotary motion
of the rotor 31 via the vane 42 by engagement between the roller
59 and the annular groove 60.
By the roller 59 cooperating with the annular groove 60,
as clearly shown in FIG. 5, a semi-circular arcuate tip
surface 61 on the semi-circular arcuate portion 46 of the vane
body 43 is always spaced apart from the inner peripheral
surface 45 of the rotor chamber 14 , and the parallel portions
48 are always spaced apart from the opposed inner end surface
47 of the rotor chamber 14 , thereby reducing friction losses .
Since a track is regulated by the annular grooves 60 formed
of two strips in a pair, the vane 42 is axially rotated at
a minute displacement angle via the roller 59 by an error
between right and left tracks, and a contact pressure with
the inner peripheral surface 45 of the rotor chamber 14 is
increased. At this time, in the vane body 43 in the form of
substantially U-shaped plate (horseshoe shape), a radial
length of a contact portion with the casing 7 is shorter than
that in a square (rectangular) vane, so that the displacement
amount can be substantially reduced. As is clearly shown in
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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FIG. 2, in the seal member 44, the parhllel portions 56 are
brought into close contact with the opposed inner end surfaces
47 of the rotor chamber 14 by a spring force of each vane spring
58, and especially exert seal action on the annular groove
60 via ends of the parallel portions 56 and the vane 42. The
semi-circular arcuate portion 55 is brought into close
contact with the inner peripheral surface 45 by the elastic
pawls 57 pressed between the vane body 43 and the inner
peripheral surface 45 in the rotor chamber 14. That is, the
vane 42 in the form of substantially U-shaped plate (horseshoe
shape) has less inflection point than the square
(rectangular) vane, which allows good close contact. The
square vane has corners, which makes it difficult to maintain
the sealing performance. The sealing performance between
the vans 42 and the rotor chamber 14 thereby becomes good.
Further, the vane 42 and the rotor chamber 14 are deformed
concurrently with thermal expansion. At this time, the vane
42 of substantially U shape is deformed with evener similar
figures than the square vane, thereby reducing variation of
clearance between the vane 42 and rotor chamber 14 and
allowing good sealing performance to be maintained.
In FIGS . 2 , 3 , the large diameter portion 24 of the o~itput
shaft 23 has a thick portion 62 supported by the bearing metal
of the second half body 9 and a thin portion 63 extending
25 from the thick portion 62 and supported by the bearing metal
25 of the first half body 8. In the thin portion 63, a hollow
shaft 64 made of ceramic (or metal) is fitted so as to be
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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rotated integrally with the output shaft 23. Inside the
hollow shaft 64, a fixed shaft 65 is disposed, which comprises
a large diameter solid portion 66 fitted to the hollow shaft
64 so as to be fitted in an axial thickness of the rotor 31,
a small diameter solid portion 69 fitted to a hole 67 at the
thick portion 62 of the output shaft 23 via two seal rings
68, and a thin hollow portion 70 extending from the large
diameter solid portion 66 and fitted in the hollow shaft 64.
A seal ring 71 is interposed between an end outer peripheral
surface of the hollow portion 70 and the inner peripheral
surface of the hollow shaft receiving tube 21 of the first
half body 8.
The main body 16 of the shell-shaped member 15 is mounted,
at its inner surface of the central portion, with an end wall
73 of a hollow tube 72 coaxial with the output shaft 23 via
a seal ring 74. An inner end side of a short outer tube 75
extending inwardly from an outer peripheral portion of the
end wall 73 is coupled with the hollow shaft receiving tube
21 of the first half body 8 via a coupling tube 76. On the
end wall 73 , an inner pipe 77 which has a small diameter and
is long is provided so as to penetrate the same, and an inner
end side of the innef pipe 77 is fitted to a stepped hole h
at the large diameter solid portion 66 of the fixed shaft 65
together with a short hollow connection pipe 78 projecting
therefrom. An outer end portion of the inner pipe 77 pro jects
outwardly from a hole 79 of the shell-shaped member 15, and
an inner end side of a first introduction pipe 80 for high
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temperature and high pressure vapor inserted from the outer
end portion into the inner pipe 77 is fitted in the hollow
connection pipe 78. A cap member 81 is screwed on the outer
end portion of the inner pipe 77, and by the cap member 81,
a flange 83 of a holder tube 82 for holding the introduction
pipe 80 is fixed by pressure to the outer end surface of the
inner pipe 77 via a seal ring 84.
As is shown in FIGS . 2 to 4 , and 11, the large diameter
solid portion 66 of the fixed shaft 65 is provided with a rotary
valve V which supplies high temperature and high pressure
vapor to the cylinder member 39 of the first to twelfth
vane-piston units U1-U12 through a plurality of, in this
embodiment twelve,through-holes c successively formed on the
hollow shaft 64 and the output shaft 23, and exhausts first
reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor after
expansion from the cylinder member 39 through the
through-holes c, as follows.
FIG. 11 shows a structure of the rotary valve V which
supplies and exhausts the vapor to and from each cylinder
member 39 of the expanding machine 4 with predetermined timing.
In the large diameter solid portion 66, first and second holes
' 86, 87 extending in opposite directions to each other from
a space 85 which communicates with the hollow connection pipe
78 are formed, and the first and second holes 86, 87 open into
bottom surfaces of first and second recesses 88 , 89 opening
into the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter solid
portion 66 . First and second seal blocks 92 , 93 made of carbon
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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having supply ports 90, 91 are mounted with the first and
second recesses 88, 89, and their outer peripheral surfaces
are rubbed against the inner peripheral surface of the hollow
shaft 64. In the first and second holes 86, 87, first and
second supply pipes 94, 95 which are coaxial and short are '
inserted loosely, and taper outer peripheral surfaces i, j
of first and second seal tubas 96, 97 fitted to tip side outer
peripheral surfaces of the first and second supply pipes 94,
95 are fitted to inner peripheral surfaces of taper holes k,
rn inside the supply ports 90, 91 of the first and second seal
blocks 92, 93 and connected thereto. The large diameter solid
portion 66 is formed with first and second annular recesses
n, o surrounding the first and second supply pipes 94, 95 and
first and second blind-hole-shaped recesses p, q adjacent
thereto so as to face the first and second seal blocks 92,
93, and in the first and second annular recesses n, o, first
and second bellows-shaped elastic bodies 98 , 99 with one end
side fitted to the outer peripheral surfaces of the first and
second seal tubes 96, 97 are accommodated, in the first and
second blind-hole-shaped recesses p, q, first and second coil
springs 100, 101 are fitted, and the first and second seal
blocks 92. 93 are pressed against the inner peripheral surface
of the hollow shaft 64 by spring forces of the first and second
bellows-shaped elastic bodies 98 , 99 and the first and second
coil springs 100, 101.
In the large diameter solid portion 66, formed between
the first coil spring 100 and the second bellows-shaped
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elastic body 99 , and between the second coil spring 101 and
the first bellows-shaped elastic body 98 are first and second
recess-shaped exhaust portions 102, 103 always communicating
with two through-holes c and first and second exhaust holes
104, 105 extending from the exhaust portions I02, 103 in
parallel with the introduction pipe 80 and opening into a
hollow portion r of the fixed shaft 65.
The members such as the first seal block 92 and second
seal block 93 which are of the same kind and given a word
"first" and a word "second" are 1n 8 point symmetrical
relationship with respect to the axis of the fixed shaft 65.
There is a passage s of the first reduced temperature
and reduced pressure vapor in the hollow portion r of the fixed
shaft 65 and in the outer tube 75 of the hollow tube 72, and
the passage s communicates with the junction chamber 20 via
a plurality of through-holes t penetrating a peripheral wall
of the outer tube 75.
As described above, the rotary valve V is disposed at
the center of the expanding machine 4, and the high
temperature and high pressure vapor supplied through the
inside of the fixed shaft 65 disposed at the center of the
rotary valve V is distributed to each cylinder member 39
concurrently with rotation of the rotor 31, which eliminates
the need for intake and exhaust valves used in a general piston
mechanisms to simplify the structure. Since the fixed shaft
65 and the hollow shaft 64 mutually slide at a small diameter
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portion with low peripheral velocity, the rotary valve V can
have both sealing performance and wear resistance.
As shown in FIGS . 2 and 5 , in the outer peripheral portion
of the main body 11 of the first half body 8, formed around
both ends of the short diameter of the rotor chamber 14 are
first and second introduction hole groups 107, 108 formed of
a plurality of introduction holes 105 aligned in the radial
directions, and the first reduced temperature and reduced
pressure vapor in the junction chamber 20 is introduced into
the rotor chamber 14 via the introduction hole groups 107,
108. In the outer peripheral portion of the main body 11 of
the second half body 9, formed between an end of the long
diameter of the rotor chamber 14 and the second introduction
hole group 108 is a first leading hole group 110 formed of
a plurality of leading holes 109 aligned 1n the radial and
peripheral directions, and formed between the other end of
the long diameter and the first introduction hole group 107
is a second leading hole group 111 formed of a plurality of
leading holes 109 aligned in the radial and peripheral
directions. From the first and second leading hole groups
110, 111, second reduced temperature and reduced pressure
vapor with further reduced temperature and pressure is
exhausted outside by expansion between the adjacent vanes 42.
The output shaft 23 or the like is lubricated by water,
and the lubricating passage is configured as follows . That
is, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a water supply pipe 113 is
connected to a water supply hole 112 formed in the hollow shaft
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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receiving tube 22 of the second half body 9 . The water supply
hole 112 communicates with a housing 114 which the bearing
metal 25 of the second half body 9 side faces, the housing
114 communicates with a water passing hole a formed in the
thick portion 62 of the output shaft 23, the water passing
hole a communicates with a plurality of water passing grooves
v extending in a generatrix direction of the outer peripheral
surface of the hollow shaft 64 ( see also FIG. 11 ) , and further
each water passing groove v communicates with a housing 115
which the bearing metal 25 of the second half body 8 side faces .
An inner end surface of the thick portion 62 of the output
shaft 23 is provided with an annular recess w which
communicates the water passing hole a to a slide portion
between the hollow shaft 64 and the large diameter solid
portion 66 of the fixed shaft 65.
This causes lubrication between each bearing metal 25
and the output shaft 23, and between the hollow shaft 64 and
fixed shaft 65 by water, and lubrication among the casing 7
and the seal member 44 and each roller 59 by water having
permeated the rotor chamber 14 from the space between the
.bearing metals 25 and output shaft 23.
In FIG. 4, the first and seventh vane-piston units U1,
U7 in a point symmetrical relationship with respect to the
rotary axis I. of the rotor 31 operate in the same way. This
applies to the second and eighth vane-piston units U2, U8 and
the like in the point symmetrical relationship.
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For example, also referring to FIG. 'll, an axis of a first
supply pipe 94 is slightly shifted in a counterclockwise
direction with respect to a short diameter position E of the
rotor chamber 14 in FIG. 4, the first vane-piston unit U1 is
located in the short diameter position E and the high
temperature and high pressure vapor is not supplied to the
large diameter cylinder hole f , and therefore it is assumed
that the piston 41 and vane 42 are located in a backward
position.
From this condition, the rotor 31 is slightly rotated
in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4, the supply port
90 of the first seal block 92 communicates with the
through-hole c, and the high temperature and high pressure
vapor from the introduction pipe 80 is introduced in the large
diameter cylinder hole f through a small diameter hole b.
This causes forward motion of the piston 41, and since the
vane 42 slides toward the long diameter position F of the rotor
chamber 14 , the forward motion is converted to rotary motion
of the rotor 31 by engagement between the annular groove 60
and the roller 59 integral with the vane 42 via the vane 42.
When the through-hole c is shifted from the supply port 90,
the high temperature and high pressure vapor expands in the
large diameter cylinder hole f to further move forward the
piston 41, and thus the rotation of the rotor 31 is continued.
The expansion of the high temperature and high pressure vapor
ends when the first vane-piston unit Ul reaches the long
diameter position F of the rotor chamber 14. Then, by the
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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piston 41 moved backward by the vane 42, the first reduced
temperature and reduced pressure vapor in the large diameter
cylinder hole f is exhausted to the junction chamber 20
through a small diameter hole b, through-hole c, first
recess-shaped exhaust portion 102, first exhaust hole 104,
passage s (sea FIG. 3), and each through-hole t with the
rotation of the rotor 31, and is then introduced in the rotor
chamber 14 through the first introduction hole group 107, as
shown in FIGS.2 and 5, and further expands between the
adjacent vanes 42 to rotate the rotor 31, and then the second
reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor is exhausted
outwards from the first leading hole group 110.
In this way, by operating the piston 41 by the expansion
of the high temperature and high pressure vapor to rotate the
rotor 31 via the vane 42, and by rotating the rotor 31 via
the vane 42 by the expansion of the reduced temperature and
reduced pressure vapor caused by a pressure reduction in the
high temperature and high pressure vapor, an output can be
obtained by the output shaft 23.
As a configuration for converting the forward motion of
the piston 41 to the rotary motion of the rotor 31 other than
the embodiment, the forward motion of the piston 41 may be '
received directly by the roller 59 without the vane 42 , and
converted to the rotary motion by the engagement with the
annular groove 60. The vane 42 may be always spaced apart
at a substantially constant interval from the inner
peripheral surface 45 and the opposed inner end surfaces 47
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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of the rotor chamber 14 by the cooperation of the roller 59
and the annular groove 60, as described above, and the piston
41 and roller 59 , and the vane 42 and roller 59 , respectively
may especially cooperate with the annular groove 60.
When using the expanding~machine 4 as a compressing
machine, the rotor 31 is rotated in a clockwise direction in
FIG. 4 by the output shaft 23, outside air as fluid is sucked
from the first and second leading hole groups 110, 111 into
the rotor chamber 14 by the vane 42 , and low pressure air thus
obtained is supplied from the first and second introduction
hole groups 107, 108 to the large diameter cylinder hole f
through the junction chamber 20, each through-hole t, passage
s, first and second exhaust holes 104, 105, first and second
recess-shaped exhaust portions 102, 103, and through-hole c,
and the piston 41 is operated by the vane 42 to convert the
low pressure air to high pressure air, and the high pressure
air is introduced in the introduction pipe 80 through the
through-hole c, the supply ports 90, 91 and the first and
second supply pipes 94, 95.
Using the above-described various components, a vane
type fluid machine, for example, a vane pump, vane motor, fan,
vane compressing machine, or the like'can be formed as clearly
shown by FIG. 5. That is, the vane type fluid machine
comprises the casing 7 having the rotor chamber 14 , the rotor
31 accommodated in the rotor chamber 14 and a plurality of
vanes 42 which are radially disposed in the rotor 31 around
the rotary axis L thereof and is freely reciprocated in the
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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respective radial directions , and the section H of the rotor
chamber 14 in the phantom plane A including the rotary axis
L of the rotor 31 is formed of a pair of semi-circular sections
H1 with their diameters g opposed to each other, and a
rectangular section H2 formed by connecting opposed one ends
of both the diameters g to each other and opposed other ends
of the diameters to each other, respectively, and each vane
42 comprises the vane body 43 and the seal member 44 which
is mounted on the vane body 43 and pressed against the rotor
chamber 14 by a spring force, centrifugal force and vapor
force, and the seal member 44 has the semi-circular arcuate
portion 55 sliding on the inner peripheral surface 45 by the
semi-circular section 81 of the rotor chamber 14 and a pair
of parallel portions 56 sliding on the opposed inner end
surfaces 47 by the rectangular section B2. In this case, each
vane body 43 has a pair of parallel portions 48 corresponding
to both the parallel portions 56 of the seal member 44, and
the rollers 59 provided in the parallel portions 48 are
respectively placed in rotatable engagement with both the
annular grooves 60 formed on the opposite inner end surfaces
47 of the casing 7 in order that a tip end surface of each
vane 1?ody 43 is always spaced apart from the inner peripheral
surface 45 of the rotor chamber 14.
Therefore, a seal action between the vane body 43 and
the inner peripheral surface of the rotor chamber 14 is
generated by the spring force of the seal member 44 per se,
centrifugal force exerted on the seal member 44 per se and
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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vapor pressure which vapor permeating the U-shaped groove 52
of the vane body 43, from the rotor chamber 14 on high pressure
side pushes up the seal member 44. In this way, the seal
action is not influenced by excessive centrifugal force
exerted on the vane body-43 depending on the number of rotation
of the rotor 31, so that seal surface pressure can have both
good sealing performance and a low friction property
Independent of the centrifugal force exerted on the vane body
43.
It should be noted here that each machine disclosed in
the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 59-41602 and
the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 60-206990
comprises a plurality of vane type rotary machines disposed
inside and outside in the radial directions, and the vane type
rotary machine has a simple structure of a conversion
mechanism between pressure energy and mechanical energy and
can deal with a large flow amount of working fluid with a
compact structure, while there is a problem that a large leak
amount of the working fluid from a slide portion of the vane
makes it difficult to increase efficiency.
A radial plunger pump disclosed in the Japanese Patent
Application Laid-open No. 64-29676 has high sealing
performance of a working fluid because the working fluid is
compressed by a piston slidably fitted to the cylinder, and
can minimize an efficiency reduction due to a leak even when
using a high pressure working fluid, while there is a problem
that a crank mechanism or a slanting mechanism for converting
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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reciprocating motion of the piston to rotary motion is
required, which makes the structure complex.
Therefore, it is desirable to make a rotary type fluid
machine have merits belonging to the piston type and merits
belonging to the vane type.
For this reason, in the above-described expanding
machine 4, a first energy converting means including the
cylinder member 39 and piston 41 and a second energy
converting means including the vane 42 are provided in the
common rotor 31 and the high temperature and high pressure
vapor energy is extracted in the output shaft 23 as mechanical
energy by cooperation of the first and second energy
converting means connected in series. Thus, the mechanical
energy output by the first energy converting means and the
mechanical energy output by the second energy converting
means can be automatically integrated via the rotor 31, which
eliminates the need for special energy integrating means
having power transmitting means such as a gear.
The first energy converting means includes a combination
of the cylinder 39 piston 41 which can easily seal a working
fluid and rarely causes a leak, thereby increasing the sealing
performance of the high temperature and high pressure vapor
to permit minimizing an efficiency reduction due to a leak.
On the other hand, the second energy converting means includes
the vane 42 supported by the rotor 31 movably in a radial
direction, so that the vapor pressure exerted on the vane 42
is directly converted to rotary motion of the rotor 31, which
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
_ ,._,
eliminates the need for a special conversion mechanism for
converting the reciprocating motion to rotary motion to
simplify the structure. Further, the second energy
converting means which can effectively convert vapor with low
pressure and a la=ge amount of flow to mechanical energy is
disposed so as to surround an outer periphery of the first
energy converting means, which permits making the whole
expanding machine 4 compact.
The first energy converting means including the cylinder
39 and piston 41 has a feature of high converting efficiency
between the pressure energy and mechanical energy when the
high temperature and high pressure vapor is the working fluid,
and the second energy converting means including the vane 42
has a feature of high converting efficiency between the
i5 pressure energy and mechanical energy even When relatively
low temperature and low pressure vapor is the working fluid.
Thus, the first and second energy converting means are
connected in series, the high temperature and high pressure
vapor is first passed through the first energy converting
means to be converted to the mechanical energy, first reduced
temperature and reduced pressure vapor with the resultant
reduced pressure is passed through the second energy
converting means to be converted again to the mechanical
energy, thereby allowing the energy contained in the original
high temperature and high pressure vapor to be fully and
effectively converted to the mechanical energy.
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
Ty . ._ _
- 39 -
Meanwhile, even when the expanding machine 4 of this
embodiment is used as a compressing machine, air sucked into
the rotor chamber 14 by rotating the rotor 31 with external
mechanical energy is compressed by the second energy
converting means which effectively operates by a relatively
low temperature and low pressure working fluid to have
elevated temperature, and the compressed and temperature
elevated air is further compressed by the first energy
converting means which effectively operates by a relatively
high temperature and high pressure working fluid to have
elevated temperature, thereby permitting efficient
conversion of the mechanical energy to the pressure energy
(heat energy) of compressed air. Thus, by a combination of
the first energy converting means including the cylinder 39
and piston 41 with the second energy converting means
including the vane 42, a high performance rotary type fluid
machine having both features can be obtained.
The rotary axis L of the rotor 31 (that is, the rotary
axis L of the output shaft 23) matches the center of the rotor
chamber 14, and when the rotor 31 is divided into four by 90°
in every direction in FIGS.4 and 5, the pressure energy is
converted to the mechanical energy in an- upper right quarter
part and a lower left quarter part point-symmetrical with
respect to the rotary axis L, thereby preventing an offset
load from being exerted on the rotor 31 to restrain occurrence
of vibration. That is, a part where the pressure energy of
the working fluid is converted to the mechanical energy, or
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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- 40 -
a part where the mechanical energy is converted to the
pressure energy of the working fluid is disposed at two
positions which are shifted by 180° around the rotary axis
L of the rotor 31, so that the load applied to the rotor 31
becomes couple to permit smooth rotation and increased
efficiency of intake timing and exhaust timing.
That is, in the rotary type fluid machine which includes
at least first and second energy converting means, which can
function as an expanding machine for integrating and
outputting mechanical energy generated by the first and
second energy converting means, respectively, by inputting
the working fluid having pressure energy in the first and
second energy converting means to convert the pressure energy
to mechanical energy, and can function as a compressing
machine for integrating and outputting pressure energy of the
working fluid generated by the first and second energy
converting means, respectively, by inputting the mechanical
energy in the first and second energy converting means to
convert the mechanical energy to pressure energy of the
working fluid, the first energy converting means includes a
cylinder radially formed in a rotor rotatably accommodated
in a rotor chamber and a piston sliding in the cylinder, and
the second energy converting means includes a vane which
radially moves into and out of the rotor and has its outer
peripheral surface in slidable contact with an inner
peripheral surface of the rotor chamber.
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
... ~w,
- - 41 -
With the above-described first arrangement, the first
energy converting means includes the cylinder radially formed
in the rotor rotatably accommodated in the rotor chamber and
the piston sliding in the cylinder, which permits increasing
sealing performance of a high pressure working fluid to
minimize an efficiency reduction due to a leak. Further, the
second energy converting means includes the vane which is
supported movably in a radial direction by the rotor and makes
slidable contact with the inner peripheral surface of the
rotor chamber, and thereby has a simple structure of a
conversion mechanism between the pressure energy and
mechanical energy and can deal with a large flow amount of
working fluid with a compact structure. Thus, by the
combination of the first energy converting means including
the piston and cylinder with the second energy converting
means including the vane, a high performance rotary type fluid
machine having both features can be obtained.
In addition to the first arrangement, the first energy
converting means converts between reciprocating motion of the
piston and rotary motion of the rotary shaft and the second
energy converting means converts between circumferential
movement of the vane and the rotary motion of the rotary shaft . ~ '
With the above-describ~d second arrangement, the first
energy converting means converts between reciprocating
motion of the piston and rotary motion of the rotary shaft
and the second energy converting means converts between
circurnferential movement of the vane and the rotary motion
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
.. . .
- 42 -
of the rotary shaft, so that a fluid can' be compressed by the
first and second energy converting means by inputting an
external force from the rotary shaft, and the rotary shaft
can be driven by the first and second energy converting means
5- by supplying a high pressure fluid. This allows the
mechanical energy to be integrated and output by the first
and second energy converting means, or allows the pressure
energy of the working fluid to be integrated and output by
the first and second energy converting means.
In addition to the second arrangement, the rotary shaft
supports the rotor.
With the above-described third arrangement, the rotor
is supported by the rotary shaft, so that the mechanical
energy generated by the piston, cylinder or vane provided in
the rotor can be efficiently output in the rotary shaft and
that the working fluid can be efficiently compressed by the
piston, cylinder or vane provided in the rotor supported by
the rotary shaft, simply by inputting the mechanical energy
in the rotary shaft.
In addition to the first arrangement, when functioning
as the expanding machine, the whole amount of the working
fluid having passed through the fir~St energy converting means
passes through the second energy converting means, and when
functioning as the compressing machine, the whole amount of
the working fluid having passed through the second energy
converting means passes through the first energy converting
means.
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
.. . w
-
With the above-described fourth arrangement , the first
and second energy converting means are connected in series ,
and when functioning as the expanding machine, the high
pressure working fluid is first passed through the first
energy converting means to convert part of the pressure energy
to the mechanical energy, and the resultant reduced pressure
working fluid is further passed through the second energy
converting means to convert balance of the pressure energy
to the mechanical energy, thereby permitting efficient
conversion of the pressure energy of the working fluid to the
mechanical energy. On the other hand, when functioning as
the compressing machine, the rotary shaft is rotated by the
mechanical energy to compress the working fluid by the second
energy converting means, and the compressed working fluid is
further compressed by the first energy converting means,
thereby permitting efficient conversion of the mechanical
energy to the pressure energy of the working fluid.
In addition to the first arrangement, when functioning
as the expanding machine, the pressure energy of the working
fluid is converted to the mechanical energy at two positions
where the phases of the rotor are shifted by 180°, and when
functio~iing as the compressing machine, the mechanical energy
is converted to the pressure energy of the working fluid at
two positions where the phases of the rotor are shifted by
180°.
With the above-described fifth arrangement, the part
where the pressure energy of the working fluid is converted
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
- 44 -
to the mechanical energy, or the part where the mechanical
energy is converted to the pressure energy of the working
fluid are disposed at two positions where the phases of the
rotor are shifted by 180°, so that the load exerted on the
rotor becomes couple to permit smooth rotation of the rotor
and increased efficiency of intake timing and exhaust timing.
Disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open
No. 59-41602 and the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open
No. 60-206990 are machines wherein a vane is
circumferentially pressed by pressure of a high pressure
fluid to rotatably drive a rotor, or the rotor is rotatably
driven by an external force to compress the fluid by the vane,
but in a machine which includes a piston slidably fitted to
a cylinder radially provided in the rotor other than the vane,
and carries out conversion of mechanical energy to pressure
energy of a working fluid by the piston associating with the
vane and reciprocating in the cylinder, there is a problem
that a mechanism (for example, a crank mechanism or a slanting
mechanism) for converting the reciprocating motion of the
piston to the rotary motion of the rotor is required, which
makes the structure of the entire device complex and thereby
causes increased size and increased weight.
Disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open
No. 57-16293 is a machine wherein a roller provided in an
intermediate portion of each vane is guided in engagement with
a roller track provided in a casing, but the vane simply
generates a circumferential load and does not generate a
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
n _ C , ~_...
- 45 -
radial load, so that engagement between the roller and the
roller track does not contribute to conversion between the
mechanical energy and pressure energy of the working fluid.
Disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Laid-open
No. 64-29676 is a radial plunger pump, and a rotor is disposed
in an offset manner in a circular cam ring, so that there is
a problem that an offset load is applied to the rotary shaft
to cause vibration.
Thus, in the rotary type fluid machine including the
piston and vane which are provided in the rotor and move
integrally, it is desirable that conversion between the
mechanical energy and pressure energy of the working fluid
be smoothly carried out with a simple structure and that a
clearance between the outer peripheral surface of the vane
and the inner peripheral surface of the rotor chamber be
appropriately controlled.
For this reason, in the above-described expanding
machine 4, the first energy converting means including the
cylinder member 39 and the piston 41 and the second energy
converting means including the vane 42 are provided in the
common rotor 31 and the high temperature and high pressure
vapor energy is extracted in the output shaft 23 as the
mechanical energy by cooperation of the first and second
energy converting means. In the first energy converting
means including the cylinder member 39 and the piston 41, the
roller 59 provided in vane-piston units Ul-U12 radially
reciprocated by the piston 41 rotatably engage the
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
- 46 -
substantially oval annular groove 60 provided in the first
and second half bodies 8, 9. Therefore, the reciprocating
motion of the piston 41, that is, the recigrocating motion
of the vane-piston units U1-U12 is converted to the rotary
motion of the rotor 31 via the roller 59 and the annular groove
60 . Such use of the roller 59 and annular groove 60 eliminates
the need for the complex and large crank mechanism or slanting
mechanism for converting the reciprocating motion to the
rotary motion, which permits simplifying the structure of the
expanding machine 4 so as to be compact and minimizing energy
loss due to friction.
The second energy converting means formed of the vane
42 has an extremely simple structure which receives pressure
of first reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor whose
temperature and pressure are reduced by the first energy
converting means to rotate the rotor 31, but can efficiently
deal with a large flow amount of vapor . Hy integrating and
outputting the mechanical energy output by the first energy
converting means operated by the high temperature and high
pressure vapor, and the mechanical energy output by the second
energy converting means operated by the first reduced
temperature and reduced pressure vapor; the original energy
of the high temperature and high pressure vapor can be fully
utilized to permit increasing energy converting efficiency
of the expanding machine 4.
When the vane-piston units Ul-U12 reciprocate in a radial
direction with respect to the rotor 31, guiding the roller
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
- 47 -
59 provided. in the vane-piston units Ul-U12 by the annular
groove 60 permits ensuring a constant clearance between the
outer peripheral surface of the vane 42 and the inner
peripheral surface of the rotor chamber 14. Further, a seal
action between the vane body 43 and the inner peripheral
surface of the rotor chamber 14 is generated by the spring
force of the seal member 44 per se, centrifugal force applied
to the seal member 44 per se and vapor pressure with which
vapor permeating the U-shaped groove 52 of the vane body 43
from the rotor chamber 14 on high pressure side pushes up the
seal member 44. Therefore, the seal action is not influenced
by excessive centrifugal force applied to the vane body 43
dependlng~ on the number of rotation of the rotor 31, so that
good sealing performance can be compatible with a low friction
property, thereby preventing occurrence of abnormal friction
and occurrence of friction loss due to excessive surface
pressure by the centrifugal force by the vane body 43 between
the vane 42 and rotor chamber 14, and minimizing occurrence
of a leak of vapor from the clearance between the vane 42 and
rotor chamber 14.
The rotary axis L of the rotor 31 ( that is , the rotary
axis L of~ the output shaft 23 ) matches the center of the rotor
chamber 14, and when the rotor 31 is divided into four by 90°
in every direction in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pressure energy is
converted to the mechanical energy in an upper right quarter
part and a lower left quarter part point-symmetrical with
respect to the rotary axis L, thereby preventing an offset
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
,.. - - " .,
- 48 -
load from being applied to the rotor 31 to restrain occurrence
of vibration.
That is, in the rotary type fluid machine which includes
at least first and second energy converting means, and can
function as an expanding machine for integrating and
outputting mechanical energy generated by first and second
energy converting means, respectively, by inputting the
working fluid having pressure energy in the first and second
energy converting means to convert the pressure energy to
mechanical energy, and can function as a compressing machine
for integrating and outputting pressure energy of the working
fluid generated by first and second energy converting means,
respectively, by inputting the mechanical energy in the first
and second energy converting means to convert the mechanical
energy to pressure energy of the working fluid, the first
energy converting means including a cylinder radially formed
in a rotor rotatably accommodated in a rotor chamber and a
piston sliding in the cylinder, and the second energy
converting means including a vane which radially moves into
and out of the rotor and has its outer peripheral surface in
slidable contact with an inner peripheral surface of the rotor
chamber, a roller associating with at Least the piston is
provided, and by placing the roller in engagement with a
non-circular annular groove formed in a casing compacting the
rotor chamber, the reciprocating motion of the piston and
rotary motion of the rotor are mutuahy converted.
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
_.
- 49 -
With the above-described sixth arrangement, the roller
associating with the piston moving in the radial direction
with respect to at least the rotor rotating in the rotor
chamber is provided, and the roller is placed in engagement
with the non-circular annular groove formed in the casing
compacting the rotor chamber, so that when functioning as the
expanding machine, the reciprocating motion of the piston can
be converted to the rotary motion of the rotor, and when
functioning as the compressing machine, the rotary motion of
the rotor can be converted to the reciprocating motion of the
piston, with a simple structure including the roller and
annular groove.
In the rotary type fluid machine which includes at least
first and second energy converting means, and can function
as an expanding machine for integrating and outputting
mechanical energy generated by first and second energy
converting means, respectively, by inputting the working
fluid having pressure energy in the first and second energy
converting means to convert the pressure energy to mechanical
energy, and which can function as a compressing machine for
integrating and outputting pressure energy of the working
fluid generated by first and second energy converting means,
respectively, by inputting the mechanical energy in the first
and second energy converting means to convert the mechanical
energy to pressure energy of the working fluid, the first
energy converting means including a cylinder radially formed
in a rotor rotatably accommodated in a rotor chamber and a
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
a ' ~ ~,. ,
- 50 -
piston sliding in the cylinder, and the second energy
converting means including a vane which radially moves into
and out of the rotor and has its outer peripheral surface in
slidable contact with an inner peripheral surface of the rotor
chamber, a roller associating with at least the vane is
provided, and by placing the roller in engagement with a
non-circular annular groove formed in a casing comparting the
rotor chamber, a clearance between the outer peripheral
surface of the vane and the inner peripheral surface of the
rotor chamber is regulated.
With the above-described seventh arrangement, the
roller associating with the vane moving in a radial direction
with respect to at least the rotor rotating in the rotor
chamber is provided, and the roller is placed in engagement
with the non-circular annular groove formed in the casing
comparting the rotor chamber, so that guiding a moving track
of the roller with the annular groove can regulate the
clearance between the outer peripheral surface of the vane
and the inner peripheral surface of the rotor chamber to
prevent occurrence of abnormal friction and a leak.
In the rotary type fluid machine which includes at least
first and second energy converting means,~and can function
as an expanding machine for integrating and outputting
mechanical energy generated by first and second energy
converting means, respectively, by inputting the working
fluid having pressure energy in the first and second energy
converting means to convert the pressure energy to mechanical
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
- 51 -
energy, and can function as a compressing machine for
integrating and outputting pressure energy of the working
fluid generated by first and second energy converting means,
respectively, by inputting the mechanical energy in the first
and second energy converting means to convert the mechanical
energy to pressure energy of the working fluid, the first
energy converting means including a cylinder radially formed
in a rotor rotatably accommodated in a rotor chamber and a
piston sliding in the cylinder, and the second energy
converting means including a vane which radially moves into
and out of the rotor and has its outer peripheral surface in
slidable contact with an inner peripheral surface of the rotor
chamber, a roller associating with at least the vane and
piston is provided, and by placing the roller in engagement
with a non-circular annular groove formed in a casing
comparting the rotor chamber, reciprocating motion of the
piston and rotary motion of the rotor are mutually converted
and a clearance between the outer peripheral surface of the
vane and the inner peripheral surface of the rotor chamber
is regulated.
With the above-described eighth arrangement, the roller
associating with the vane and piston moving in a radial
direction with respect to at least the rotor rotating in the
rotor chamber is provided, and the roller is placed in
engagement with the non-circular annular groove formed in the
casing comparting the rotor chamber, so that when functioning
as the expanding machine, the reciprocating motion of the
CA 02475114 2004-08-19 .. __. -. __._.
- 52 -
piston can be converted to the rotary motion of the rotor,
and when functioning as the compressing machine, the rotary
motion of the rotor can be converted to the reciprocating
motion of the piston with a simple structure including the
roller and annular groove. Further, guiding a moving track
of the roller with the annular.groove can regulate the
clearance between the outer peripheral surface of the vane
and the inner peripheral surface of the rotor chamber to
prevent occurrence of abnormal friction and a leak.
In addition to any one of the above-described sixth to
eighth arrangement, the rotary shaft of the rotor is matched
to the center of the rotor chamber.
With the above-described ninth arrangement, the rotary
shaft of the rotor matches the center of the rotor chamber,
which permits preventing an offset load from being applied
to the rotor to restrain occurrence of vibration with the
rotation of the rotor.
It should be noted here that temperature and pressure
of the high temperature of high pressure vapor supplied to
the vane type rotary machine which functions as the expanding
machine are reduced concurrently with the pressure energy
(heat energy) being converted to the mechanical energy by the
vane . On the other hand, in the vane type rotary machine which
functions as the compressing machine, temperature and
pressure of the working fluid compressed by the vane driven
by the mechanical energy are gradually increased.
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
' . t ._ ..
- s3 -
Thus, when a low pressure working 'fluid is supplied to
the inner rotary machine, and a high pressure working fluid
is supplied to the outer rotary machine in the case where a
plurality of rotary machine are disposed inside and outside
in the radial direction, there is a problem that the pressure
of the working fluid is wasted since the high pressure working
fluid tends to leak out of the casing. When a low temperature
working fluid is supplied to the inner rotary machine, and
a high temperature working fluid is supplied to the outer
rotary machine in the case of where the plurality of rotary
machine are disposed inside and outside in the radial
direction, there is a problem that heat efficiency is reduced
since the heat of the working fluid tends to leak out of the
casing.
Therefore, in the rotary type fluid machine which has
at least first and second energy converting means disposed
inside and outside in the radial direction, it is desirable
to minimize the leak of the heat and pressure of the working
fluid to increase efficiency of the rotary type fluid machine .
For this reason, in the above-described expanding
machine 4, the first energy converting means including the
cylinder member 39 and piston 41 is disposed on the central
side of the rotor chamber 14 and the second energy converting
means including the vane 42 is disposed outside in the radial
direction so as to surround the first energy converting means .
Thus , the high temperature and high pressure vapor is first
supplied to the first energy converting means ( the cylinder
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
- 54 -
member 39 and the piston 41) on the central side, where the
first reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor after
converted to the mechanical energy is supplied to the second
energy converting means ( the vane 42 ) on the outer peripheral
side. In this way, in the case where the first and second
energy converting means are disposed inside and outside in
the radial direction, the high temperature and high pressure
vapor is supplied to the inner first energy converting means
and the reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor is
supplied to the outer second energy converting means , whereby
the pressure and heat of the high temperature and high
pressure vapor leaked from the inner first energy converting
means can be captured and recovered by the outer second energy
converting means to increase efficiency of the whole
expanding machine 4 by utilizing the leaked high temperature
and high pressure vapor without waste. Further, the second
energy converting means to which the first reduced
temperature and reduced pressure vapor whose pressure and
temperature are relatively low is supplied is disposed on the
outer peripheral side of the rotor chamber 14, thereby
facilitating not only a seal for preventing a leak of the
working fluid from the rotor chamber 14 but' also heat
insulation for preventing an outward leak of the heat from
the rotor chamber 14.
Meanwhile, when the rotary type fluid machine according
to the present invention is used as a compressing machine,
compressed air which is compressed by undergoing a first stage
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
- 55 -
compression. by the vane 42 which is the outer second energy
converting means raises its pressure and temperature, and the
compressed air undergoes a second stage compression by the
cylinder means 39 and the piston 41 which are the inner first
energy converting means to further raise its pressure and
temperature . Thus , even when the rotary type fluid machine
is used as the compressing machine, the pressure and heat of
the high temperature and high pressure compressed air leaked
from the inner first energy converting means can be captured
i0 and recovered by the outer second energy converting means to
not only permit increasing efficiency of the whole
compressing machine but also facilitate a seal for preventing
an outward leak of the compressed air from the rotor chamber
14 and heat insulation for preventing an outward leak of the
heat from the rotor chamber 14.
That is, in the rotary type fluid machine which includes
at least first and second energy converting means, and can
function as an expanding machine for integrating and
outputting mechanical energy generated by first and second
energy converting means, respectively, by inputting the
working fluid having pressure energy in the first and second
energy converting-me~ns to convert the pressure energy to
mechanical energy, and can function as a compressing machine
for integrating and outputting pressure energy of the Working
fluid generated by first and second energy converting means,
respectively, by inputting the mechanical energy in the first
and second energy converting means to convert the mechanical
CA 02475114 2004-08-19 -- ---
....., _
- 56 -
energy to pressure energy of the working fluid, the high
pressure working fluid is disposed on the central side of the
rotor chamber which rotatably accommodates the rotor
including the first and second energy converting means and
the low pressure working fluid is disposed on the outer
peripheral side of the rotor chamber.
With the above-described tenth arrangement, the high
pressure working fluid and low pressure working fluids are
respectively disposed on the central side and outer
peripheral side of the rotor chamber which rotatably
accommodates the rotor, whereby the high pressure working
fluid leaked from the central side of the rotor chamber can
be captured and recovered by the low pressure working fluid
on the outer peripheral side of the rotor chamber to increase
efficiency of the whole rotary type fluid machine by utilizing
the leaked high temperature working fluid without waste and
to facilitate a seal for preventing an outward leak of the
working fluid from the rotor chamber.
In the rotary type fluid machine which includes at least
first and second energy converting means, and can function
as an expanding machine for integrating and outputting
- mechanical energy generated by first and second energy
converting means, respectively, by inputting the working
fluid having pressure energy in the first and second energy
converting means to convert the pressure energy to mechanical
energy, and can function as a compressing machine for
integrating and outputting pressure energy of the working
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
_.
' - 5~ -
fluid generated by first and second energy converting means,
respectively, by inputting the mechanical energy in the first
and second energy converting means to convert the mechanical
energy to pressure energy of the working fluid, the high
temperature working fluid is disposed on the central side of
the rotor chamber which rotatably accommodates the rotor
including the first and second energy converting means and
the low temperature working fluid is disposed on the outer
peripheral surface of the rotor chamber.
With the above-described eleventh arrangement, the high
temperature and low temperature working fluids are
respectively disposed on the central side and outer
peripheral side of the rotor chamber which rotatably
accommodates the rotor, whereby the high temperature working
fluid leaked from the central side of the rotor chamber can
be captured and recovered by the low temperature working fluid
on the outer peripheral side of the rotor chamber to increase
efficiency of the whole rotary type fluid machine by utilizing
the leaked high temperature working fluid without waste and
to facilitate heat insulation for preventing an outward leak
of the heat from the rotor chamber.
Further, in the rotary type fluid machine which includes
at least first and second energy converting means, and can
function as an expanding machine for integrating and
outputting mechanical energy generated by first and second
energy converting means, respectively, by inputting the
working fluid having pressure energy in the first and second
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
_____ -._ __-___...
- 58 -
energy converting means to convert the pressure energy to
mechanical energy, and can function as a compressing machine
for integrating and outputting pressure energy of the working
fluid generated by first and second energy converting means,
respectively, by inputting the mechanical energy in the first
and second energy converting means to convert the mechanical
energy to pressure energy of the working fluid, the high
pressure and high temperature working fluid is disposed on
the central side of the rotor chamber which rotatably
accommodates the rotor including the first and second energy
converting means and the low pressure and low temperature
working fluid is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of
the rotor chamber.
With the above-described twelfth arrangement, the high
pressure and high temperature working fluid and the low
pressure and low temperature working fluid are respectively
disposed on the central side and outer peripheral side of the
rotor chamber which rotatably accommodates the rotor, whereby
the high pressure and high temperature working fluid leaked
from the central side of the rotor chamber can be captured
and recovered by the low pressure and low temperature working
fluid on the outer peripheral side of the rotor chamber to
increase efficiency of the whole rotary type fluid machine
by utilizing the leaked high pressure and high temperature
working fluid without waste. Moreover, the low pressure and
low temperature working fluid is disposed on the outer
peripheral surface of the rotor chamber, thereby facilitating
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
~.
- 59 -
a seal for preventing an outward leak of the working fluid
from the rotor chamber, and heat insulation for preventing
an outward leak of the heat from the rotor chamber.
In addition to any one of the above-described tenth to
twelfth arrangements, the first energy converting means
includes a cylinder radially formed in the rotor rotatably
acco~nodated in the rotor chamber and a piston sliding in the
cylinder, and the second energy converting means includes a
vane which radially moves into and out of the rotor and has
its outer peripheral surface in slidable contact with an inner
peripheral surface of the rotor chamber.
With the above-described thirteenth arrangement, the
first energy converting means includes the cylinder radially
formed in the rotor rotatably accommodated in the rotor
chamber and a piston sliding in the cylinder, whereby sealing
performance of the high pressure working fluid can be increase
to minimize an efficiency reduction due to a leak, and the
second energy converting means includes a vane which is
supported by the rotor movably in a radial direction and is
slidable contact with the inner periphery of the rotor chamber.
whereby a structure of a conversion mechanism between the
pressure energy and mechanical energy can be simplified to
permit dealing with a large flow amount of working fluid with
a compact structure. Thus, by the combination of the first
energy converting means including the piston and the cylinder
with the second energy converting means including the vane,
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
~.,.;.
- 60 -
a high performance rotary type fluid~machine having both
features can be obtained.
It should be noted here that disclosed in the Japanese
Patent Application Laid-open No. 58-48076 is an apparatus
S using a simple vane motor as an expanding machine, so that
theta is a problem that it is difficult to efficiently convert
high temperature and high pressure vapor energy generated by
an evaporating machine to mechanical energy by the expanding
machine.
Thus, it is desirable to increase efficiency of the
expanding machine of a Rankine cycle apparatus and to
efficiently convert the high temperature and high pressure
vapor energy to mechanical energy.
In this embodiment described above, in a Rankine cycle
comprising the evaporating machine 3 for heating water by heat
energy of exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine 1 to
generate high temperature and high pressure vapor, the
expanding machine 4 for converting the high temperature and
high pressure vapor supplied from the evaporating machine 3
to a shaft output with the constant torque, a condensing
machine 5 far liquefying reduced temperature and reduced
pressure vapor exhausted from the expanding machine 4, and
the supply pump 6 for supplying water liquefied by the
condensing machine 5 to the evaporating machine 3, adopted
as the expanding machine 4 is of the displacement type. The
displacement type expanding machine 4 can recover energy with
high efficiency in a wide range of the number of rotation from
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
_...~ -_ ____.
- 61 -
a low speed to high speed, and is also excellent in a following
property and responsivity to change of the heat energy of the
exhaust gas (changes of temperature and flow amount of the
exhaust gas ) depending on increase and decrease of the number
of rotation of the internal combustion engine 1, compared with
a non-displacement type expanding machine such as a turbine .
Further, the expanding machine 4 is formed of the double
expansion type where the first energy converting means
including the cylinder member 39 and the piston 41 and the
second energy converting means including the vane 42 are
connected in series to be disposed inside and outside in the
radial direction, so that recovery efficiency of the heat
energy by the Rankine cycle can be further improved together
with improvement in space efficiency by miniaturizing the
expanding machine 4.
That is, in a rotary type fluid machine including a
displacement type expanding machine which is provided in a
Rankine cycle apparatus where pressure energy of high
temperature and high pressure vapor generated by heating
water with waste heat from prime motor is converted to the
machine energy, and the resultant reduced temperature and
reduced pressure vapor is condensed to be again heated by the
waste heat, and converts pressure energy to mechanical energy,
the expanding machine includes at least first and second
energy converting means, and integrates and outputs
mechanical energy generated by the first and second energy
converting means, respectively, by inputting the pressure
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
_ , ..__ '. ..._
- 62 -
energy in the first and second energy~converting means to
convert the pressure energy to mechanical energy.
With the above-described fourteenth arrangement, in the
Rankine cycle apparatus where the pressure energy of the high
temperature and high pressure vapor generated by heating the
water with the waste heat from the prime motor is converted
to the mechanical energy, and the resultant reduced
temperature and reduced pressure vapor is liquefied to be
again heated by the waste heat, the expanding machine for
converting the pressure energy to mechanical energy is formed
of the displacement type, which makes it possible to increase
efficiency of heat energy recovery of Rankine cycle by
recovering energy with high efficiency in the wide range of
the number of rotation from the low speed to high speed, and
to be also excellent in the following property and
responsivity to change of the energy of the waste heat
depending on increase and decrease of the number of rotation
of the prime motor, compared with a non-displacement type
expanding machine such as a turbine. Further, the
displacement type expanding machine integrates and outputs
the output of the first energy converting means and the output
of the second energy converting means, which permits not only ~ '
converting the pressure energy of the high temperature and
high pressure vapor to the mechanical energy without waste
but also improving space efficiency by miniaturizing the
expanding machine.
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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In addition to the above-described fourteenth
arrangement , the first energy converting means includes the
cylinder radially formed in the rotor rotatably accommodated
in the rotor chamber and the piston sliding in the cylinder,
and the second energy converting means includes the vane which
radially moves into and out of the rotor and has its outer
peripheral surface in slidable contact with the inner
peripheral surface of the rotor chamber.
With the above-described fifteenth arrangement, the
first energy converting means includes the cylinder radially
formed in the rotor rotatably accommodated in the rotor
chamber and the piston sliding in the cylinder, whereby the
sealing performance of the high pressure vapor can be
increased to permit minimizing an efficiency reduction due
to a leak. The second energy converting means includes the
vane which is supported by the rotor movably in the radial
direction and is in slidable contact with the inner peripheral
surface of the rotor chamber, whereby a structure of a
conversion mechanism between the pressure energy and
mechanical energy can be simplified to permit dealing with
a large flow amount of vapor with a compact structure. Thus,
by the combination of the first energy converting means
including the cylinder and piston with the second energy
converting means including the vane, a high performance
rotary type fluid machine having both features can be
obtained.
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
w
- 64 -
In addition to the above-described fifteenth
arrangement, a roller associating with the vane and piston
is provided, and by placing the roller in engagement with a
non-circular annular groove formed in a casing compssting the
rotor chamber, reciprocating motion of the piston and rotary
motion of the rotor are mutually converted and a clearance
between the outer peripheral surface of the vane and the inner
peripheral surface of the rotor chamber is regulated.
With the above-described sixteenth arrangement, a
roller associating with the vane and piston moving in the
radial direction with respect to at least the rotor rotating
in the rotor chamber is provided, and the roller is placed
in engagement with the non-circular annular groove formed in
the casing comporting the rotor chamber, so that the
reciprocating motion of the piston can be converted to the
rotary motion of the rotor with a simple structure including
the roller and annular groove, and further, guiding a moving
track of the roller with the annular groove can regulate the
clearance between the outer peripheral surface of the vane
and the inner peripheral surface of the rotor chamber to
prevent occurrence of abnormal friction or occurrence of a
.leak .
In addition to the fourteenth arrangement, the high
pressure and high temperature vapor is disposed on the central
side of the rotor chamber which rotatably accommodates the
rotor including the first and second energy converting means
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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and the reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor is
disposed on the outer peripheral side of the rotor chamber.
With the above-described seventeenth arrangement, the
high temperature and high pressure vapor and the reduced
temperature and reduced pressure vapor are respectively
disposed on the central side and outer peripheral side of the
rotor chamber which rotatably accommodates the rotor, whereby
the high temperature and high pressure vapor leaked from the
central side of the rotor chamber can be captured and
recovered by the reduced temperature and reduced pressure
vapor on the outer side of the rotor chamber to increase
efficiency of the whole rotary type fluid machine utilizing
the leaked high temperature and high pressure vapor without
waste. Further, the reduced temperature and reduced
pressure vapor is disposed on the outer peripheral side of
the rotor chamber, which facilitates a seal for preventing
an outward leak of the vapor from the rotor chamber and also
facilitates heat insulation for preventing an outward leak
of the heat from the rotor chamber.
In addition to the above-described seventeenth
arrangement, the first energy converting means includes a
cylinder radially formed in the rotor rotatably accommodated
in the rotor chamber and a piston sliding in the cylinder,
and the second energy converting means includes a vane which
radially moves into and out of the rotor and has its outer
peripheral surface in slidable contact with an inner
peripheral surface of the rotor chamber.
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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With the above-described eighteenth arrangement, the
first energy converting means includes a cylinder radially
formed in a rotor rotatably accommodated in the rotor chamber
and a piston sliding in the cylinder, whereby the sealing
performance of the high pressure vapor can be minimized an
efficiency reduction due to a leak. The second energy
converting means includes a vane which is supported by the
rotor movably in a radial direction and is in slidable contact
with the inner peripheral surface of the rotor chamber,
whereby a structure of a conversion mechanism between the
pressure energy and mechanical energy can be simplified to
permit dealing with a large flow amount of vapor with a compact
structure. Thus, by the combination of the first energy
converting means including the cylinder and piston with the
second energy converting means including the vane, a high
performance rotary type fluid machine having both features
can be obtained.
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will
be described on the basis of FIGS. 12A and 12B.
Formed on an inner periphery of an outer end in a radial
direction of a large diameter cylinder hole f of twelve
cylinder members 39 radially buried in the rotor 31 is an
annular drain groove 121. The drain groove 121 is covered
with a piston 41 slidably fitted to the large diameter
cylinder hole f . However, when the piston 41 reaches the top
dead center shown in FIG. 12A in a terminal stage of an
expanding process, a part of an inner side in a radial
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
direction of the drain groove 121 is opened by the piston 41
and water stored in the large diameter cylinder f is
introduced in the drain groove 121. When the piston 41
reaches the bottom dead center shown in FIG . 12H in a terminal
stage of a discharging process, a part of an outer side in
a radial direction of the drain groove 121 is opened by the
piston 41 and water stored in the drain groove 121 is exhausted
into a slot-shaped space 34. In this way, with a simple
machining of forming the annular drain groove 121 on an inner
surface of the large diameter cylinder hole f, a water-hammer
phenomenon where the water stored in the large diameter
cylinder hole f is forced to be compressed by the piston 41
can be avoided, and an amount of exhaust water can be also
appropriately adjusted as desired simply by changing depth
of the drain groove 121. The inner space of the large diameter
cylinder hole f does not directly communicate with each
slot-shaped space 34 through the drain groove 121, so that
there is no possibility of occurrence of a pressure leak of
the high temperature and high pressure vapor.
Next , a third embodiment of the present invention will
be described on the basis of FIGS. 13A to 14.
In the third embodiment, in addition to the drain groove
121 of the large diameter cylinder hole f of the cylinder
member 39 which is the arrangement of the second embodiment,
a large number of drain grooves 122 axially extending on the
outer peripheral surface of the outer end in the radial
direction of the piston 41 are formed (see FIG. 14).
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According to the third embodiment , the water can be exhausted
into each slot-shaped space 34 through the drain groove 122
of the piston 41 even if the piston 41 is not completely
retracted in the large diameter cylinder hole f at the bottom
dead center, which permits increasing freedom degree in
design of a length of the piston 41.
Next , a fourth embodiment of the present invention will
be described on the basis of FIGS. 15A and 15B.
In the fourth embodiment, in addition to the drain groove
121 of the large diameter cylinder hole f of the cylinder
member 39 which is the arrangement of the second and third
embodiments , a plurality of ( in the embodiment four ) recesses
123 circumferentially disposed in a longitudinal
intermediate portion of the piston 41 are formed. When the
piston 41 is at the top dead center position shown in FIG.
15A, the drain groove 121 of the large diameter cylinder hole
f is opened by the piston 41 and the recess 123 of the piston
41 communicates with each slot-shaped space 34. When the
piston 41 is at the bottom dead center position as shown in
FIG. 158, the communication between the drain groove 121 of
the large diameter cylinder hole f and the recess 123 of the
piston-41 is released . Thus , the drain groove 121 of the large
diameter cylinder hole f communicates with the recess 123 of
the piston 41 in the intermediate position ( not shown ) in FIGS .
15A and 15B.
Therefore, when the piston 41 is at the top dead center,
water held by the recess 123 of the piston 41 is exhausted
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into each slot-shaped space 34, then part of the water is
passed from the drain groove 121 of the large diameter
cylinder hole f to the recess 123 of the piston 41 during a
descent of the piston 41 toward the bottom dead center, and
subsequently the water is further passed from the drain groove
121 of the large diameter cylinder hole f to the recess 123
of the piston 41 during a rise of the piston 41 toward the
top dead center, and as described above, the water held by
the recess 123 of the piston 41 is exhausted into each
slot-shaped space 34 when the piston 4I reaches the top dead
center.
Effects of the second to fourth embodiments will be
summarized on the basis of a graph in FIG. 16 as follows.
The abscissa axis represents phases of rotary angles of
the rotor 31, and the phase 0° and phase 180° show a condition
where the piston 41 is at the bottom dead center ( see FIGS .
12B, 13B, 15B) , and the phase 90° shows a condition where the
piston 41 is at the top dead center ( see FIGS . 12A, 13A, 15A) .
In the second and third embodiments, water is exhausted from
the large diameter cylinder hole f into each slot-shaped space
34 when the piston 41 is at the bottom dead center. When the
piston 41 is at the bottom dead center, both of internal
pressure of the large diameter cylinder hole f and internal
pressure of each slot-shaped space 34 are 23 x 106 Pa, so that
the water is exhausted without hindrance. In the second and
third embodiments , the water is supplied from the inner space
of the large diameter cylinder hole f to the drain groove 121
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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When the piston is around the top dead'center.. Especially
in the fourth embodiment, the water in the recess 123 is
exhausted into each slot-shaped space 34 when the piston 41
is around the top dead center, and at this time, the pressure
in each slot-shaped space 34 is reduced substantially to
atmospheric pressure, thereby providing smooth exhaust of the
water.
In the fourth embodiment , the water held by the recess
123 of the piston 41 is exhausted into each slot-shaped space
34 when the phase of the rotary angle of the rotor 31 is around
90°. The drain groove 121 of the second and third embodiments
is required to be provided around an opening end of the large
diameter cylinder hole f , while the drain groove 121 of the
fourth embodiment can be provided apart from the opening end
of the large diameter cylinder hole f , so that a seal length
of a sliding surface between the piston 41 and the large
diameter cylinder hole f can be ensured long enough to
minimize an efficiency reduction due to the lea3c of vapor.
Setting a position of the recess 123 can also ease constraint
of the length of the piston 41.
In this way, according to the above-described second to
fourth embodiments, water condensed in the cylinder member -
39 at the time of low temperature actuation or the like or
water supplied as a lubricating medium can be surely prevented
from being trapped in the cylinder member 39 to inhibit smooth
movement of the piston 41.
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
a
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Next , a fifth embodiment of the present invention will
be described with reference to FIGS: 17 to 21.
The fifth embodiment has features in structures of a
fixed shaft 65 and a rotary valve V, and a right half of the
fixed shaft 65 is formed with a support shaft 131 which has
a diameter one stage smaller, and on an outer periphery of
the support shaft 131, a plurality of members are axially
laminated one on another in a fitted manner to be fixed. That
is, a left half of the fixed shaft 65 is formed with a hollow
portion 70 into which an inner pipe 77 and an introduction
pipe 80 for high temperature and high pressure vapor are
coaxially inserted, and to the outer periphery of the support
shaft 131 projecting from the right side surface, a passage
forming member 132, a carbon valve 133, a spring 134 for seal
and an end member 135 are fitted. By fastening a bolt 136
inserted from a right end of the end member 135 to a right
end of the support shaft 131 of the fixed shaft 65 , the passage
forming member 132, carbon valve 133, spring 134 for seal and
end member 135 are integrated so as to surround the outer
peripheral surface of the support shaft 131.
A metal seal 137 is clamped between the fixed shaft 65
and the passage forming member 132, a~metal seal 138 is
supported in a sandwiched condition between the passage
forming member 132 and the carbon valve 133, a metal seal 139
is supported in a sandwiched condition between the carbon
valve 133 and the spring 134 for seal, a metal seal 140 is
supported in a sandwiched condition between the spring 134
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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for seal and the end member 135, and a metal seal 141 1s
supported in a sandwiched condition between the metal seal
140 and the bolt 136. The carbon valve 133 is made of carbon,
and for the fixed shaft 65 and components attached to the fixed
shaft 65 other than the carbon valve 133, a ceramic base
material having small coefficient of thermal expansion, for
example, Inco 909 is adopted. The passage forming member 132
is formed of a member independent of the fixed shaft 65 in
terms of machining, and is fixed to the fixed shaft 65 by
brazing after assembly.
Two, first and second vapor supply ports 142, 143 having
phases 180° shifted open into the outer peripheral surface
of the carbon valve 133, and two, first and second
recess-shaped exhaust portions 144, 145 having phases shifted
with respect to these two vapor supply ports 142, 143 are
formed. The first and second vapor supply ports 142, 143
communicate with the introduction pipe 80 for high
temperature and high pressure vapor via the carbon valve 133 ,
the passage forming member 132 and high temperature and high
pressure vapor passage 146 formed in the fixed shaft 65. On
the other hand, respectively formed on the first and second
recess-shaped exhaust portions 144, 145 are first and second
vapor exhaust ports 147, 148, which communicate with an
expansion chamber 20 via a hollow part r, a passage s and each
through-hole t (sae FIG. 17).
The fixed shaft 65, the passage forming member 132
laminated on the outer periphery of the support shaft 131,
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
1
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the carbon valve 133 , the spring 134 for seal and the end member
135 are axially heat expanded and heat compressed, but a
spring force of the spring 134 for seal ensures a close contact
between the fixed shaft 65 and passage forming member 132 and
a close contact between the passage forming member 132 and
the carbon valve 133, which ensures sealing performance of
the high temperature and high pressure vapor passage 146
passing through the carbon valve 133, the passage forming
member 132 and fixed shaft 65, the first and second vapor
supply ports 142, 143 and the first and second vapor exhaust
ports 147, 148.
As is clearly shown from FIG. 20, the spring 134 for seal
has eight slits 150 radially extending from a circular opening
149 fitted to the outer periphery of the support shaft 131
of the fixed shaft 65, and eight springs 151 sandwiched by
the adjacent slits 150 exhibit their spring function.
Formed on a right side surface of the carbon valve 133
opposite a left side surface of the spring 134 for seal is
a recess 152, where, for example, five belleville springs 153
are accommodated in a laminated manner. These five
belleville springs 153 act so as to help the function of the
spring 134 for seal, and cooperation of both of them further
ensures the sealing performance of the high temperature and
high pressure vapor passage 146, the first and second vapor
supply ports 142, 143, and the first and second vapor exhaust
ports 147, 148.
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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As is clearly shown in FIG. 21, the belleville spring
153 has eight slits 155 radially extending from a circular
opening 154 fitted to the outer periphery of the support shaft
131 of the fixed shaft 65, and eight springs 156 sandwiched
between the adjacent slits 155 exhibit their spring function. '
As is shown in FIGS . 17 and 18 , the carbon valve 33
provided in the fixed shaft 65 is provided with a rotary valve
V as follows, which supplies high temperature and high
pressure vapor to the cylinder member 39 of the first to
twelfth vane-piston units Ul-U12 through a plurality of , in
this embodiment twelve through-holes c successively formed
on the hollow shaft 64 and the output shaft 23, and exhausts
a first reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor after
expansion from the cylinder member 39 through the
through-holes c.
The rotary valve V has an extremely simple structure and
includes the first and second vapor supply ports 142, 143
opening into the outer periphery of the carbon valve 133
provided in the fixed shaft 65, the first and second vapor
exhaust ports 147, 148 opening into the outer periphery of
the carbon valve 133 through the first and second recess-
shaped exhaust portions 144, 145, and twelve through-holes
c formed with a predetermined space on the hollow shaft 64
rotated integrally with the rotor 31. Therefore, when the
rotor 31 (that is, the hollow shaft 64) exerts a relative
rotation with respect to the fixed shaft 65 (that is, the
carbon valve 133), the first and second vapor supply ports
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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- 75 -
142, 143 opening into the outer periphery of the carbon valve
133 successively communicate with twelve cylinder members 39
through twelve through-holes c of the hollow shaft 64, and
twelve cylinder members 39 in which the respective pistons
41 have finished their work successively communicate with the
first and second recess-shaped exhaust portions 144, 145
opening into the outer periphery of the carbon valve 133.
Therefore, also referring to FIG. 18, an axis of a first
supply pipe 94 is slightly shifted in a counterclockwise
direction relative to the short diameter position E of the
rotor chamber 14 in FIG. 4, and the first vane-piston unit
Ul is located in the short diameter position E and the high
temperature and high pressure vapor is not supplied to the
large diameter cylinder hole f , and therefore the piston 41
and vane 42 are located in a backward position.
From this condition, the rotor 31 is slightly rotated
in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4, the first vapor
supply port 142 of the carbon valve 133 communicates with the
through-hole c, and the high temperature and high pressure
vapor from the introduction pipe 80 is introduced in the large
diameter cylinder hole f through a small diameter hole b.
This causes forward motion of the piston 41,. and the forward
motion is converted to rotary motion of the rotor 31 by
engagement between the roller 59 integral with the vane 42
and the annular groove 60 via the vane 42 due to the vane 42
sliding toward a long diameter position F of the rotor chamber
14. When the through-hole c is shifted from the first vapor
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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supply port 142, the high temperature and high pressure vapor
expands in the large diameter cylinder hole f to further move
forward the piston 41, and thus the rotation of the rotor 31
is continued. The expansion of the high temperature and high
pressure vapor ends when the first vane-piston unit UI reaches
a long diameter position F of the rotor chamber 14. Then,
due to the piston 41 moved backward by the vane 42,
concurrently with the rotation of the rotor 31, the first
reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor in the large
diameter cylinder hole f is exhausted into the junction
chamber 20 through the short diameter hole b, the through-hole
c, the first recess-shaped exhaust portion 144, first vapor
exhaust hole 147, passage s (see FIG.17), and each
through-hole t , and then as shown in FIGS . 2 and 5 , introduced
in the rotor chamber 14 through the first introduction hole
group 107 and further expands between the adjacent vanes 42
to rotate the rotor 31, and then the second reduced
temperature and reduced pressure vapor is exhausted outwardly
from the first leading hole group 110.
As described above, according to the fifth embodiment,
the rotary valve V supplying the high temperature and high
pressure vapor to the cylinder member 39 and exhausting the
reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor having
finished its work from the cylinder 39 is formed to be fitted
rotatably and in a sealing condition relative to the carbon
valve 133 provided on the outer periphery of the fixed shaft
65 and the hollow shaft 64 provided on the inner periphery
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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- 77 -
of the rotor 41, so that a leak of the~vapor can be surely
prevented simply by controlling clearance between the carbon
valve 133 and hollow shaft 64, and that the need for special
energizing means such as a spring or bellows for sealing is
eliminated to permit contributing to reduction in the number
of components . The clearance of the sliding surface of inner
periphery of the carbon valve 133 and the outer periphery of
the hollow shaft 64 is, for example, about 5 dun, and this value
permits having both sealing performance and durability.
Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will
be described on the basis of FIGS. 22 to 25.
In the sixth embodiment, first and second port grooves
124, 125 are provided in a carved manner around first and
second seal blocks 92, 93 accommodated in the fixed shaft 65.
The first and second port grooves 124, 125 provided in the
carved manner on the outer peripheral surface of the fixed
shaft 65 are of substantially oval shape, and are disposed
so as to respectively surround outer peripheries of the first
and second seal blocks 92, 93, and communicate, at their both
ends on long axis sides, with the first and second
recess-shaped exhaust portions 102, 103.
Thus, even when part of the high temperature and high
pressure vapor supplied from the first and second supply pipes
94 , 95 of the first and second seal blocks 92 , 93 leaks along
the inner peripheral surface of the hollow shaft 64 without
passing through the through-hole c of the hollow shaft 64,
the leaked vapor is captured by the first and second port
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
- 7
grooves 124 , 125 which have pressure lower than the vapor and
is supplied to the first and second recess-shaped exhaust
portions 102, 103, and supplied therefrom to the rotor chamber
14 through the first and second exhaust ports 104, 105 to be
set driven by the vane 42. That is, the high temperature and
high pressure vapor which has not passed through the
through-hole c of the hollow shaft 64 and has not been used
for driving the piston 41 is also used for driving the vane
42 by being captured by the first and second port grooves 124,
125, thereby contributing to improvement in energy efficiency
of the whole expanding machine 4.
Pressure of lubricating water supplied to the sliding
surface of the fixed shaft 65 and the hollow shaft 64 (see
arrows W in FIGS . 24 and 25 ) is set higher than the pressure
of the reduced temperature and reduced pressure vapor which
attempts to leak from the first and second recess-shaped
exhaust portions 102 , 103 along the inner peripheral surface
of the hollow shaf t 64 , so that the reduced temperature and
reduced pressure vapor does not leak along the inner
peripheral surface of the hollow shaft 64, and is introduced
in the first and second exhaust ports 104, 105 to be
effectively used for driving the vane 42.
In the above-described embodiment, description is made
to the case of using the rotary type fluid machine as the
expanding machine 4, but the first and second port grooves
124, 125 also function effectively when using the rotary type
fluid machine as a compressing machine. That is, the rotor
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
- 79 _
31 is rotated by the output shaft 23 and outside air is sucked
from the first and second leading hole groups 110 , 111 into
the rotor chamber 14 by the vane 42 and is compressed, the
compressed air thus obtained is supplied from the first and
second introduction hole groups 107, 108 to the large diameter
cylinder hole f through the junction chamber 20, each
through-hole t, the passage s, the first and second exhaust
holes 104, 105, the first and second recess-shaped exhaust
portions 102, 103, and the through-hole c, and is further
compressed by the piston 41, and the compressed air can be
extracted through the introduction pipe 80 for high pressure
vapor.
At this time, compressed air leaked from the through-hole
c of the hollow shaft 64 along the inner peripheral surface
of the hollow shaft 64 is captured by the first and second
port grooves 124, 125 and returned to the first and second
recess-shaped exhaust portions 102, 103, so that the
compressed air can be supplied from the through-hole c to the
large diameter cylinder hole f and compressed again by the
piston 41 to prevent reduction in compression efficiency as
the compressing machine.
The embodiments of the present invention brave been
described in detail, however, various changes in design may
be made without departing from the spirit.
For example, in the embodiments, the expanding machine
4 is illustrated as the rotary type fluid machine, but the
present invention may be applied as a compressing machine.
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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Further, in the expanding machine 4 of the embodiments ,
the high temperature and high pressure vapor is supplied to
the cylinder member 39 and the piston 41 which are the first
energy converting means, and then the first reduced
temperature and reduced pressure vapor caused by a reduction
in temperature and pressure thereof is supplied to the vane
42 which is the second energy converting means, but for
example, vapor with different temperatures and pressures may
be individually supplied to the first and second energy
converting means, respectively, by placing the through-hole
t for exhausting the first reduced temperature and reduced
pressure vapor from the first energy converting means shown
in FIG. 2 in communication with or in non-communication with
the ,unction chamber 20 and by forming means for permitting
individual supply of the vapor to the junction chamber 20
through the shell-shaped member 16 independently of the
second energy converting means. Further, the vapor which has
passed through the first energy converting means with the
temperature and pressure reduced may be further supplied to
the second energy converting means at the same time the vapor
with different temperatures and pressures of the first and
second energy~converting means are individually supplied.
Further, in the embodiments, the roller 59 is provided
in the vane body 43 of the vane-piston units U1-U12, but the
roller 59 may be provided in the other portions of the
vane-piston units U1-U12, for example, the piston 41.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
CA 02475114 2004-08-19
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As described above , each of a rotary type fluid machine ,
a vane type fluid machine, and a waste heat recovering device
for an internal combustion engine according to the present
invention is useful when carrying out conversion of pressure
~ energy to mechanical energy or conversion of the mechanical
energy to the pressure energy, and is especially suitable for
use as an expanding machine of a Rankine cycle apparatus.
