A high-speed, single-stage, motor-driven blower designed to move water vapor includes an axial flow compressor and a rotating assembly supported by gas foil bearings and driven by a brushless permanent magnet synchronous motor utilizing a remotely mounted variable frequency drive. The blower is imme
A high-speed, single-stage, motor-driven blower designed to move water vapor includes an axial flow compressor and a rotating assembly supported by gas foil bearings and driven by a brushless permanent magnet synchronous motor utilizing a remotely mounted variable frequency drive. The blower is immersed in a water vapor flow for operation. Accordingly, the blower comprises an outer blower housing and an inner blower housing defining an annular cavity therebetween, wherein the inner blower housing is held within the outer blower housing by seals, and contains and protects the motor components and the bearings against water damage and contamination. A cooling flow may be leaked through the inner blower housing to cool the internal operational components of the blower and to capture heat therefrom, which can be added to the water vapor flow moving through the blower.
대표청구항▼
1. A blower for moving water vapor, comprising: an outer blower housing having an inlet and an outlet;an axial flow compressor mounted within the outer blower housing at the inlet for rotation about an axis, whereby rotation of the axial flow compressor generates a water vapor flow through the outer
1. A blower for moving water vapor, comprising: an outer blower housing having an inlet and an outlet;an axial flow compressor mounted within the outer blower housing at the inlet for rotation about an axis, whereby rotation of the axial flow compressor generates a water vapor flow through the outer blower housing between the inlet and the outlet; andan inner blower housing mounted within the outer blower housing adjacent to the axial flow compressor, said inner blower housing defining an internal passage between an inlet and an outlet of the inner blower housing and including therein a motor, a rotating assembly operatively associated with the motor for rotating the rotating assembly, and at least two journal bearing assemblies and a thrust bearing assembly, which are gas foil bearing assemblies supporting the rotating assembly;wherein a portion of the water vapor flow generated in the outer blower housing is leaked into the internal passage of the inner blower housing via the inlet of the inner blower housing, said portion of the water vapor flow passing through the internal passage and out of the outlet of the inner blower housing where said portion of the water vapor flow mixes with the water vapor flow generated by the axial flow compressor;wherein the portion of the water vapor flow through the internal passage lubricates the gas foil bearing assemblies. 2. The blower according to claim 1, wherein the axial flow compressor is operatively connected to the rotating assembly so that rotation of the rotating assembly effects rotation of the axial flow compressor. 3. The blower according to claim 1, wherein the inner blower housing further comprises a plurality of cooling fins formed on the outer surface thereof, each of said cooling fins projecting into an annular cavity formed between the outer blower housing and the inner blower housing. 4. The blower according to claim 3, wherein the outer blower housing includes a spray nozzle mounted therein and operatively connected to a coolant source, wherein said spray nozzle is capable of projecting a coolant into the annular cavity and onto the outer surface of the inner blower housing. 5. The blower according claim 4, further comprising a plurality of aero stator vanes disposed within the annular cavity defined between the outer blower housing and the inner blower housing. 6. The blower according to claim 3, wherein the water vapor flow leaked from the outer blower housing into the internal passage of the inner blower housing has been compressed to sub-atmospheric water vapor by the axial flow compressor. 7. The blower according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the water vapor flow passing through the internal passage of the inner blower housing is driven by a pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet of the inner blower housing. 8. The blower according to claim 7, wherein the pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet of the inner blowing housing is influenced by the diffusion of the water vapor flow through the annular cavity around the inner blower housing. 9. The blower according claim 1, further comprising a plurality of aero stator vanes disposed within annular cavity defined between the outer blower housing and the inner blower housing. 10. A blower for moving water vapor, comprising: an outer blower housing having an inlet and an outlet; an axial flow compressor mounted within the outer blower housing proximate the inlet thereof for rotation about an axis, whereby rotation of the axial flow compressor generates a water vapor flow through the outer blower housing between the inlet and the outlet; and an inner blower housing mounted within the outer blower housing adjacent to the axial flow compressor and forming an annular cavity between the outer blower housing and the inner blower housing through which said water vapor flow passes, said inner blower housing defining an internal passage between an inlet and an outlet of the inner blower housing and including therein a motor, a rotating assembly operatively associated with the motor for rotating the rotating assembly, and at least two journal bearing assemblies and a thrust bearing assembly, which are gas foil bearing assemblies;wherein the outer blower housing includes a spray nozzle mounted therein and operatively connected to a coolant source for projecting a coolant into the annular cavity and onto the outer surface of the inner blower housing for cooling the motor, the rotating assembly, the journal bearing assemblies and the thrust bearing assembly disposed therein;wherein a portion of the water vapor flow generated in the outer blower housing is leaked into the internal passage of the inner blower housing via the inlet of the inner blower housing, passes through the internal passage and out of the outlet of the inner blower housing, and thereby lubricates the gas foil bearing assemblies, said portion of the water vapor flow then mixing with the water vapor flow generated by the axial flow compressor. 11. The blower according to claim 10, wherein the axial flow compressor is operatively connected to the rotating assembly so that rotation of the rotating assembly effects rotation of the axial flow compressor. 12. The blower according to claim 10, wherein the inner blower housing further comprises a plurality of cooling fins formed on the outer surface thereof, each of said cooling fins projecting into the annular cavity formed between the outer blower housing and the inner blower housing. 13. The blower according to claim 12 wherein the axial flow compressor compresses the portion of the water vapor flow to sub-atmospheric water vapor before it enters the internal passage. 14. The blower according to claim 13, wherein the portion of the water vapor flow passing through the internal passage of the inner blower housing is driven by a pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet of the inner blower housing. 15. The blower according to claim 14, wherein the pressure difference between the inlet and the outlet of the inner blowing housing is influenced by the diffusion of the water vapor flow through the annular cavity around the inner blower housing. 16. The blower according claim 13, further comprising a plurality of aero stator vanes disposed within annular cavity defined between the outer blower housing and the inner blower housing. 17. The blower according to claim 10, further comprising a plurality of aero stator vanes disposed within the annular cavity defined between the outer blower housing and the inner blower housing. 18. A method for moving water vapor comprising: providing a blower comprising: an outer blower housing having an inlet and an outlet;an axial flow compressor mounted within the outer blower housing at the inlet for rotation about an axis, whereby rotation of the axial flow compressor generates a water vapor flow through the outer blower housing between the inlet and the outlet; andan inner blower housing mounted within the outer blower housing adjacent to the axial flow compressor, said inner blower housing defining an internal passage between an inlet and an outlet of the inner blower housing and including therein a motor, a rotating assembly operatively associated with the motor for rotating the rotating assembly, and at least two journal bearing assemblies and a thrust bearing assembly, which are gas foil bearing assemblies supporting the rotating assembly; wherein a portion of the water vapor flow generated in the outer blower housing is leaked into the internal passage of the inner blower housing via the inlet of the inner blower housing, said portion of the water vapor flow passing through the internal passage and out of the outlet of the inner blower housing where said portion of the water vapor flow mixes with the water vapor flow generated by the axial flow compressor;wherein the portion of the water vapor flow through the internal passage lubricates the gas foil bearing assemblies; andoperating the blower to move water vapor.
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