Abstract: A single cryogenic liquid vessel in which two cryogenic machines are disposed, supported and operable in tandem. In one embodiment the two cryogenic machines are operable in series or individually, and in another embodiment the two cryogenic machines are operable in parallel or individually. Preferably the machines are supported intermediately relative to the vessel, or at a top of the vessel. In various embodiments the machines are pumps or turbines or expanders.

Abstract: An inducer for vertical flow, cryogenic liquid centrifugal pumps comprising a stationary outer housing portion having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet located at a lower end and the outlet located at an upper end, the housing further having an inner wall portion with one or more spiral grooves formed in the inner wall portion, the grooves defining a hollow opening in the inner wall portion that spiral in a first direction, and an inner rotating impeller mounted on a rotating center shaft, the impeller having at least one curved blade which defines a curved, helicoid plane surface in which the slope of the plane increases as the distance from the center axis increases, the impeller rotating in a second direction which is in counter rotation to the first direction.

Abstract: An improvement for a turbine generator or pump having main bearings separated by a span of shaft and a thrust equalizing mechanism adjacent one of said main bearings, the improvement comprising a stationary length compensator interposed between the thrust equalizing mechanism and its adjacent main bearing to reduce the span between said main bearings. Preferably the length compensator is composed of material that shrinks less than the shaft of the generator, and the height of the length compensator, i.e., the compensating dimension, is selected according to desired thrust equalizing mechanism operating parameters over a temperature range.

Abstract: An inducer with an exterior housing and/or interior hub that incorporates grooves or vanes that are helical in nature and in counter rotation with respect to the rotation of the blades of the inducer, which grooves or vanes capture fluid rotating with the inducer blades and use that rotation to guide the fluid up along paths formed by the grooves or vanes and into an impeller, pump or other device.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to an expander having two or more hydraulic stages with different physical geometries. In an embodiment, a first hydraulic stage uses nozzle vanes machined with a first geometry, while a second hydraulic stage uses nozzle vanes machined with a second geometry. Different nozzle vanes can be combined to tune the performance of the expander as the optimal operating conditions change. In yet another embodiment, an expander is equipped with a generator having a double wound stator with two sets of parallel windings. For high operating loads greater than a threshold, a first set of windings operates while a second set of windings, operating at a lower frequency, is disconnected. For operating loads that are less than the threshold, the first set of windings is disconnected and the second set of windings operates, enabling the generator to continue to operate close to 100% load for less expander power.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an improved multistage cryogenic liquefied gas expander for transforming the energy of a pressurized liquefied gas into electric energy, capable of operating at variable speeds, the improvement being a multistage cryogenic liquefied gas expander having at least two stages where only the first stage has a non-rotating nozzle ring having a plurality of adjustable position guide vanes.

Abstract: A power recovery system using the Rankine power cycle incorporating a two-phase liquid-vapor expander with an electric generator which further consists of a heat sink, a heat source, a working fluid to transport heat and pressure energy, a feed pump and a two-phase liquid-vapor expander for the working fluid mounted together with an electric generator on one rotating shaft, a first heat exchanger to transport heat from the working fluid to the heat sink, a second heat exchanger to transport heat from the heat source to the working fluid.

Abstract: A seating and locking system for turbomachinery attached to the customer column housing the turbomachine. The seating and locking system includes two or more actuated pistons that push against a piston seat or locking groove of the turbomachine. The actuated pistons secure the turbomachine within the costumer column to prevent the turbomachine from moving and getting damaged. The seating and locking system further includes a seat attached below the customer column with two or more spring loaded rods. The seat forces the customer column and the turbomachine to remain fixed to the bottom of the vessel housing the customer column and the turbomachine. Embodiments can be used with pumps, expanders, turbines, compressors, and fans.

Abstract: A cryogenic submerged turbomachine equipped with one or more combinations of hydrostatic bearings, touchdown ball bearings, thrust bearings, and bushings. The pressurized fluid or gas introduced to the hydrostatic bearing creates a film of lubrication around at least one shaft of the turbomachine. A first combination includes at least a hydrostatic bearing or a pressurized journal bearing. A second combination includes a ball bearing and a thrust disk type bearing acting as a touchdown bearing. This second combination supports the rotor system of the turbine during transient periods when the Thrust Equalizing Mechanism device is not active, and decreases the axial thrust load during operation. A third combination uses a hydrostatic bearing with a sleeve that is joined as a unit with one or more ball bearings acting as touchdown ball bearings on the hydrostatic bearing sleeve.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to an expander having two or more hydraulic stages with different physical geometries. In an embodiment, a first hydraulic stage uses nozzle vanes machined with a first geometry, while a second hydraulic stage uses nozzle vanes machined with a second geometry. Different nozzle vanes can be combined to tune the performance of the expander as the optimal operating conditions change. In yet another embodiment, an expander is equipped with a generator having a double wound stator with two sets of parallel windings. For high operating loads greater than a threshold, a first set of windings operates while a second set of windings, operating at a lower frequency, is disconnected. For operating loads that are less than the threshold, the first set of windings is disconnected and the second set of windings operates, enabling the generator to continue to operate close to 100% load for less expander power.

Abstract: An improvement for a turbine generator or pump having main bearings separated by a span of shaft and a thrust equalizing mechanism adjacent one of said main bearings, the improvement comprising a stationary length compensator interposed between the thrust equalizing mechanism and its adjacent main bearing to reduce the span between said main bearings. Preferably the length compensator is composed of material that shrinks less than the shaft of the generator, and the height of the length compensator, i.e., the compensating dimension, is selected according to desired thrust equalizing mechanism operating parameters over a temperature range.

Abstract: An inducer with an exterior housing and/or interior hub that incorporates grooves or vanes that are helical in nature and in counter rotation with respect to the rotation of the blades of the inducer, which grooves or vanes capture fluid rotating with the inducer blades and use that rotation to guide the fluid up along paths formed by the grooves or vanes and into an impeller, pump or other device.

Abstract: An inducer assembly comprising at least two sets of rotating and non-rotating helical inducer vanes. As the fluid enters the inducer, the fluid moves up through a first set of rotating vanes, and gains rotational momentum. The fluid then enters a second set of non-rotating vanes that use the rotational momentum of the fluid to progress the fluid forward while removing the rotation and consequently decreasing the net positive suction head required. The inducer is positioned at the inlet of a cryogenic centrifugal pump. Embodiments of the cryogenic centrifugal pump use a vertical rotational axis and include a thrust equalizing mechanism device to balance hydraulic thrust.

Abstract: A seating and locking system for turbomachinery attached to the customer column housing the turbomachine. The seating and locking system includes two or more actuated pistons that push against a piston seat or locking groove of the turbomachine. The actuated pistons secure the turbomachine within the costumer column to prevent the turbomachine from moving and getting damaged. The seating and locking system further includes a seat attached below the customer column with two or more spring loaded rods. The seat forces the customer column and the turbomachine to remain fixed to the bottom of the vessel housing the customer column and the turbomachine. Embodiments can be used with pumps, expanders, turbines, compressors, and fans.

Abstract: A shaft holding system for cryogenic pumps or expanders comprising of a set of hydraulic brakes surrounding the shaft of turbomachinery. Fluid or gas is introduced into the bellows chamber of a brake assembly. The bellows chamber expands due to the increase in pressure, thus exerting a force on the piston of the brake assembly. The piston in turn exerts a force on a brake rod, which pushes a brake pad attached to the end of the brake rod against the shaft. A feed line supplies fluid or gas to the hydraulics of the brake assembly. Two or more brakes can be used to secure the shaft of the turbomachine. A turbomachine including more than one shaft can use a set of brakes for each shaft of the turbomachine.

Abstract: A cryogenic submerged turbomachine equipped with one or more combinations of hydrostatic bearings, touchdown ball bearings, thrust bearings, and bushings. The pressurized fluid or gas introduced to the hydrostatic bearing creates a film of lubrication around at least one shaft of the turbomachine. A first combination includes at least a hydrostatic bearing or a pressurized journal bearing. A second combination includes a ball bearing and a thrust disk type bearing acting as a touchdown bearing. This second combination supports the rotor system of the turbine during transient periods when the Thrust Equalizing Mechanism device is not active, and decreases the axial thrust load during operation. A third combination uses a hydrostatic bearing with a sleeve that is joined as a unit with one or more ball bearings acting as touchdown ball bearings on the hydrostatic bearing sleeve.

Abstract: An ammonia expander in a liquefaction process, the ammonia expander reducing the resulting vapor from the liquid ammonia expansion and increasing the percentage of both the feed gas input and the process output. Embodiments of the ammonia expander comprise a radial inflow reaction turbine with an induction generator mounted on a generator shaft and a turbine mounted on a turbine shaft, the turbine submerged in the liquid ammonia. The turbine extracts torque from the liquid ammonia as it flows through the turbine. The torque from the turbine is transferred from the turbine shaft to the generator shaft, allowing for energy to be extracted from the liquid ammonia stream.

Abstract: For a LNG (liquid natural gas) liquefaction system or plant that includes a gas turbine fueled by vaporized LNG and which receives compressed air, via an air compressor, as an input, a means and method to use relatively colder LNG vapor, in a heat exchanger disposed before the inlet to the turbine's air compressor, to remove heat from the air being inputted to the air compressor to improve overall efficiency of the systems or plants.

Abstract: A variable speed liquid LNG expander (X1) and a variable speed two-phase LNG expander (X2) in line, downstream from X1. The rotational speed of both expanders can be controlled and changed independent from each other. The speed of expander X1 and expander X2 is determined in such way that the amount of liquid LNG downstream from the PHS compared to the feed gas supply is maximized and the amount of vapor and boil-off downstream of X2 is minimized.

Abstract: Vane, fin, and hole arrangements establish a predetermined reduced swirl at the inlet of mechanical seals and the inlet of a variable axial orifice gap which act in harmony as an axial thrust equalizing system for use in liquid cryogenic turbines and pumps. In said establishment the stiffness, damping, and inertia in said seal in conjunction with said variable orifice gap is manipulated, including the destabilizing cross-coupled stiffness which is reduced. Said seal is of either labyrinth annular type formed by a plurality of teeth, annular smooth, or a plurality diamond annular surface pattern. Said variable orifice gap is smooth. Liquid for the axial thrust equalizing seal is initially bled from the main to pass through a preset deswirl mechanism. The deswirl mechanism consists of either a plurality of vanes, fins, grooves, or circular holes that guide liquid radial inward before passing through said mechanical seal.