초록 ▼

A turbomachinery device operable in either a compressor mode or a turbine mode. The device includes an impeller that rotates in the same direction in both modes, and the general flow direction remains the same in both modes. An inlet flow-guiding device may be included to direct fluid into the impel

A turbomachinery device operable in either a compressor mode or a turbine mode. The device includes an impeller that rotates in the same direction in both modes, and the general flow direction remains the same in both modes. An inlet flow-guiding device may be included to direct fluid into the impeller. The impeller is coupled to a motor/generator, which operates as a motor to add power to the impeller in the compressor mode, and as a generator in the turbine mode to extract mechanical power from the impeller and convert it into electrical power. An outlet flow-guiding device may also be included. The inlet and outlet flow-guiding devices can be inlet and outlet guide vanes that are variable in setting angle or are extendable and retractable into and out of the flow path, or can be other types of flow-guiding devices.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A turbomachinery device for selective compression of a fluid or extraction of power from the fluid, comprising: an impeller disposed in a flow path and mounted for rotation about an axis, fluid flowing along the flow path through the impeller in a flow direction, the impeller rotating in a first

1. A turbomachinery device for selective compression of a fluid or extraction of power from the fluid, comprising: an impeller disposed in a flow path and mounted for rotation about an axis, fluid flowing along the flow path through the impeller in a flow direction, the impeller rotating in a first direction about the axis;a motor/generator coupled with the impeller, the motor/generator being selectively operable either as a motor to rotatably drive the impeller which in turn compresses the fluid, or as a generator to generate electrical power when the fluid rotatably drives the impeller;wherein the turbomachinery device is selectively operable either in a compressor mode wherein the motor/generator is operated as a motor to rotate the impeller in the first direction to compress the fluid, or in a turbine mode wherein the fluid rotates the impeller in the first direction so as to rotate the motor/generator which produces electrical power; andan inlet flow-guiding device positioned upstream of the impeller with respect to the flow direction and structured and arranged to receive a flow of fluid and direct the fluid into the impeller, the inlet flow-guiding device being a variable-geometry mechanism that is selectively configurable in at least first and second positions, the first position causing the fluid to be directed into the impeller with a first swirl, the second position causing the fluid to be directed into the impeller with a second swirl. 2. The turbomachinery device of claim 1, wherein the impeller has blades that have fixed camber that is in a direction more suitable for the compressor mode than for the turbine mode. 3. The turbomachinery device of claim 1, wherein the impeller has blades that have fixed camber that is in a direction more suitable for the turbine mode than for the compressor mode. 4. The turbomachinery device of claim 1, wherein the impeller has variable-camber blades that are switchable between at least two different degrees of camber respectively suitable for the compressor mode and the turbine mode. 5. The turbomachinery device of claim 1, further comprising a bypass passage arranged for bypassing the impeller and a bypass valve that is controllable for regulating whether and how much flow bypasses the impeller via the bypass passage. 6. The turbomachinery device of claim 1, wherein the inlet flow-guiding device comprises a volute. 7. The turbomachinery device of claim 1, wherein the inlet flow-guiding device comprises an array of inlet guide vanes for regulating a direction in which the fluid enters the impeller, and an actuator mechanism coupled with the inlet guide vanes and operable to move the inlet guide vanes for changing how the inlet guide vanes direct the fluid into the impeller. 8. The turbomachinery device of claim 7, wherein the inlet guide vanes are pivotable about respective vane pivot axes and the actuator is operable to pivot the inlet guide vanes to change how the inlet guide vanes direct the fluid into the impeller. 9. The turbomachinery device of claim 7, wherein the inlet guide vanes are movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the inlet guide vanes in the extended position being positioned in the flow path so as to alter the direction in which the fluid enters the impeller, the inlet guide vanes in the retracted position being outside the flow path so as to have no influence on the direction in which the fluid enters the impeller, the actuator being operable to move the inlet guide vanes between the extended and retracted positions. 10. The turbomachinery device of claim 7, further comprising an array of outlet guide vanes positioned downstream of the impeller with respect to the flow direction and being operable for regulating a direction in which the fluid exits the turbomachinery device, wherein the actuator mechanism is coupled with the outlet guide vanes. 11. The turbomachinery device of claim 10, wherein the outlet guide vanes are pivotable about respective vane pivot axes and the actuator is operable to pivot the outlet guide vanes to change how the outlet guide vanes direct the fluid exiting the turbomachinery device. 12. The turbomachinery device of claim 10, wherein the outlet guide vanes are movable between an extended position and a retracted position, the outlet guide vanes in the extended position being positioned in the flow path so as to alter the direction in which the fluid exits the turbomachinery device, the outlet guide vanes in the retracted position being outside the flow path so as to have no influence on the direction in which the fluid exits the turbomachinery device, the actuator being operable to move the outlet guide vanes between the extended and retracted positions. 13. The turbomachinery device of claim 10, wherein the actuator mechanism is operable to position the inlet guide vanes and the outlet guide vanes in cooperation with each other as the turbomachinery device is switched between the compressor mode and the turbine mode. 14. A method for selectively expanding a fluid to extract energy therefrom or compressing the fluid, comprising the steps of: directing the fluid into an impeller rotating in a first direction about an axis of the impeller, and selectively performing each of the following steps at different times:directing the fluid into the impeller while concurrently adding power to the impeller to rotate the impeller in the first direction such that the impeller compresses the fluid passing through the impeller;directing the fluid into the impeller such that the fluid causes the impeller to rotate in the first direction, while concurrently extracting power from the impeller,wherein the directing steps are performed with the aid of an inlet flow-guiding device comprising a variable-geometry mechanism that is selectively configurable in at least first and second positions, the first position causing the fluid to be directed into the impeller with a first swirl, the second position causing the fluid to be directed into the impeller with a second swirl different from the first swirl. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of guiding the fluid that has exited the impeller using an outlet flow-guiding device. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the steps of adding power to and extracting power from the impeller are performed with a motor/generator selectively operable either as a motor to add power to the impeller or as a generator to extract mechanical power from the impeller and convert the mechanical power into electrical power. 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising each of the following steps performed at different times: positioning the outlet flow-guiding device in one position when power is added to the impeller and the impeller compresses the fluid;positioning the outlet flow-guiding device in another position when the impeller is rotated by the fluid and power is extracted from the impeller. 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising each of the following steps performed at different times: positioning the outlet flow-guiding device in one position when the inlet flow-guiding device is in the first position;positioning the outlet flow-guiding device in another position when the inlet flow-guiding device is in the second position. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising employing an actuator mechanism to move the inlet flow-guiding device between the first position and the second position and to move the outlet flow-guiding device between the one position and the other position.