Mechanically-coupled turbomachinery configurations and cooling methods for hermetically-sealed high-temperature operation
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F04D-025/02
F04D-029/04
F04D-013/02
F04D-029/054
F04D-029/58
F04D-025/06
출원번호
US-0191979
(2011-07-27)
등록번호
US-9951784
(2018-04-24)
발명자
/ 주소
Agrawal, Giridhari L.
Buckley, Charles W.
Rajendran, Muthusamy
출원인 / 주소
R&D Dynamics Corporation
대리인 / 주소
McCormick, Paulding & Huber LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
96
초록▼
A hermetically-sealed turbomachine, such as a motor-driven blower and a turbine driven generator, capable of reliable high-temperature operation, especially for large sized turbomachine includes a hot blower, compressor or turbine end of the turbomachine that is separated from the cooler electric mo
A hermetically-sealed turbomachine, such as a motor-driven blower and a turbine driven generator, capable of reliable high-temperature operation, especially for large sized turbomachine includes a hot blower, compressor or turbine end of the turbomachine that is separated from the cooler electric motor, generator or alternator end of the turbomachine by a compliant mechanical coupling and a thermal choke assembly. The turbomachine housing is also hermetically sealed, providing control over the process gas within the machine housing, and permitting an internal cooling method within the turbomachine, whereby a small amount of process gas itself is used within the turbomachine for providing cooling of the rotating shafts, the axial fan, radial fan, or turbine impeller, the bearings and the electric motor, generator or alternator disposed within the turbomachine housing. The cooling method can be aided by a heat exchanger operatively communicating with the turbomachine.
대표청구항▼
1. A turbomachine for processing a high-temperature gas, comprising: (a) a hot end having a hot end housing for processing the gas flowing between an inlet and an outlet of the hot end housing, including: a hot end rotating shaft mounted within the hot end housing for rotation about a central longit
1. A turbomachine for processing a high-temperature gas, comprising: (a) a hot end having a hot end housing for processing the gas flowing between an inlet and an outlet of the hot end housing, including: a hot end rotating shaft mounted within the hot end housing for rotation about a central longitudinal axis;a rotor device mounted on the hot end rotating shaft for rotation therewith;at least one hot end journal bearing assembly radially supporting the hot end rotating shaft; anda hot end thrust bearing assembly axially supporting the hot end rotating shaft;(b) a cool end having an electric component housing and including: a cool end rotating shaft mounted within the electric component housing for rotation about a central longitudinal axis;an electric component comprising a rotor mounted for rotation with the cool end rotating shaft and a stator assembly mounted in stationary relationship with the electric component housing relative to the rotor;at least one cool end journal bearing assembly radially supporting the cool end rotating shaft; anda cool end thrust bearing assembly axially supporting the cool end rotating shaft; and(c) a compliant mechanical coupling connecting the hot end rotating shaft with the cool end rotating shaft to transfer operational torque between the respective rotating shafts and to suppress heat transfer from the hot end to the cool end. 2. The turbomachine of claim 1, further comprising a thermal choke assembly positioned between the hot end housing and the electric component housing for reducing heat transfer from the hot end to the cool end. 3. The turbomachine of claim 2, wherein said thermal choke assembly comprises: a hot end choke plate disposed adjacent to the hot end;a cool end choke plate disposed adjacent to the cool end; anda transition portion connected between the hot end choke plate and the cool end choke plate;wherein heat transferred from the hot end is directed, in part, to the hot end choke plate through the transition portion and to the cool end choke plate; andwherein heat is dissipated from the thermal choke assembly as it passes from the hot end choke plate to the cool end choke plate. 4. The turbomachine of claim 1, wherein the electric component on the cool end comprises a motor that effects rotation of the cool end rotating shaft, which drives, via the compliant mechanical coupling, the hot end rotating shaft; and wherein the rotor device on the hot end comprises a fan that rotates with rotation of the hot end rotating shaft to pressurize process gas flowing between the inlet and the outlet of the hot end. 5. The turbomachine of claim 1, wherein the rotor device on the hot end comprises a turbine impeller that expands process gas flowing between the inlet and the outlet of the hot end, wherein rotation of said turbine impeller effects rotation of the hot end rotating shaft, which drives, via the compliant mechanical coupling, the cool end rotating shaft; andwherein electric component on the cool end comprises one of a generator and an alternator, and rotation of the rotor relative to the stator assembly generates electrical energy. 6. The turbomachine of claim 1, further comprising a cooling circuit path where process gas is recirculated and guided through or over internal components of the turbomachine for thermal management, said internal components including at least one of the hot end rotating shaft, the hot end rotor device, the hot end journal bearing assembly, the hot end thrust bearing assembly, the cool end rotating shaft, the cool end electric component, the cool end journal bearing assembly and the cool end thrust bearing assembly. 7. The turbomachine of claim 6, wherein said cool end further comprises a cooling fan mounted on the cool end rotating shaft for rotation therewith, wherein rotation of said cooling fan draws a portion of the process gas through the hot end and the cool end to cool internal components of the turbomachine. 8. The turbomachine of claim 7, wherein the turbomachine is operatively connected with a heat exchanger via cooling piping, whereby heat absorbed within the turbomachine is exhausted out of the turbomachine through the heat exchanger. 9. The turbomachine of claim 6, further comprising a cooling jacket formed in the electric component housing for cooling the electric component with a fluid flow. 10. The turbomachine of claim 6, further comprising a protective sleeve mounted on the hot end around at least one of the hot end rotating shaft, the hot end journal bearing assembly, and the hot end thrust bearing assembly for guiding the flow of the process gas in the hot end over said hot end internal components while restricting direct exposure of said internal components to the process gas. 11. The turbomachine of claim 1, wherein the compliant mechanical coupling comprises a splined coupling having a first end secured to the hot end rotating shaft, a second end secured to the cool end rotating shaft, and an intermediate section disposed between the first and second ends. 12. The turbomachine of claim 11, wherein the intermediate section of the splined coupling suppresses heat transfer from the hot end rotating shaft to the cool end rotating shaft. 13. A hermetically-sealed turbomachine having a drive end and a driven end for handling a high-temperature process gas, said turbomachine comprising: a hot end taking the form of one of a blower, a compressor and a turbine, said hot end including a hot end housing and a hot end rotating assembly mounted within the hot end housing to handle the process gas between an inlet and an outlet;an electric component end taking the form of one of a motor, a generator and an alternator maintained at a relatively lower temperature than the hot end, said electric component end including an electric component end housing and an electric component end rotating assembly mounted within the electric component end housing that drives or is driven by the hot end rotating assembly;a compliant mechanical coupling connecting the hot end rotating assembly with the electric component end rotating assembly; anda thermal choke assembly disposed between the hot end housing and the electric component end housing, wherein said thermal choke assembly is stationary relative to the rotating assemblies of the hot end and the electric component end;wherein the mechanical coupling and the thermal choke assembly collectively suppress heat transfer from the hot end to relatively lower temperature electric component end. 14. The turbomachine of claim 13, wherein the electric component end takes the form of a motor that effects rotation of the electric component end rotating assembly, which drives, via the compliant mechanical coupling, the hot end rotating assembly; and wherein the hot end takes the form of a compressor comprising a fan that rotates with rotation of the hot end rotating assembly to pressurize process gas flowing between the inlet and the outlet of the hot end. 15. The turbomachine of claim 13, wherein the hot end takes the form of a turbine comprising an impeller that expands process gas flowing between the inlet and the outlet of the hot end, wherein rotation of said impeller effects rotation of the hot end rotating assembly, which drives, via the compliant mechanical coupling, the electric component end rotating assembly; andwherein the electric component end takes the form of one of a generator and an alternator, whereby rotation of the electric component rotating assembly generates electrical energy. 16. The turbomachine of claim 13, wherein said thermal choke assembly comprises: a first choke plate disposed adjacent to the hot end;a second choke plate disposed adjacent to the electric component end; anda transition portion connected between the first choke plate and the second choke plate;wherein heat transferred from the hot end is directed, in part, to the first choke plate through the transition portion and to the second choke plate; andwherein heat is dissipated from the thermal choke assembly as it passes from the first choke plate to the second choke plate. 17. The turbomachine of claim 13, further comprising a recirculating cooling circuit defined by a cooling circuit path where process gas is recirculated and guided through or over the hot end rotating assembly and the electric component end rotating assembly. 18. The turbomachine of claim 17, wherein the electric component end includes a cooling fan mounted to the electric component rotating assembly for rotation therewith, wherein rotation of said cooling fan draws a portion of the process gas through the hot end and the electric component end to cool internal components of the turbomachine. 19. The turbomachine of claim 18, wherein the turbomachine is operatively connected with a heat exchanger via cooling piping, whereby heat absorbed within the turbomachine is exhausted out of the turbomachine through the heat exchanger. 20. The turbomachine of claim 17, further comprising a cooling jacket formed in the electric component end housing for cooling an electric component disposed therein with a fluid flow. 21. The turbomachine of claim 17, further comprising a protective sleeve mounted on the hot end around the hot end rotating assembly for guiding the flow of the process gas in the hot end over said hot end rotating assembly while restricting direct exposure of said hot end rotating assembly to the process gas passing between the inlet and the outlet of the hot end. 22. The turbomachine of claim 13, wherein each of the hot end rotating assembly and the electric component end rotating assembly is supported on at least one of hydrodynamic foil gas bearings, hydrostatic bearings, or oil-free ceramic-type ball bearings. 23. A recirculation cooling method for a turbomachine using the process gas of the turbomachine, wherein said turbomachine comprises a hot end taking the form of one of a blower, a compressor and a turbine, said hot end including a hot end rotating assembly mounted within a hot end housing to handle the process gas between an inlet and an outlet, and a cool end taking the form of one of a motor, a generator and an alternator, said cool end including a cool end rotating assembly mounted within a cool end housing that drives or is driven by the hot end rotating assembly, said cooling method comprising: providing a cooling circuit path for guiding the process gas over the hot end rotating assembly and the cool end rotating assembly;drawing the process gas through the cooling circuit path using a cooling fan mounted on the cool end rotating assembly for rotation therewith; andsuppressing heat transfer from the hot end to the cool end of the turbomachine using a thermal choke assembly disposed between the hot end housing and the cool end housing. 24. The cooling method of claim 23, wherein the heat transfer between the hot end and the cool end of the turbomachine is suppressed by a compliant mechanical coupling connecting the hot end rotating assembly with the cool end rotating assembly. 25. The cooling method of claim 23, said method further comprising providing a heat exchanger in operative communication with the turbomachine via cooling piping to achieve thermal management of the process gas drawn through the cooling circuit path by dissipated heat and directing a cooled gas flow to the cooling fan.
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