Abstract: A pressure balancing system for a pump. In one example, the pressure balancing system has: a housing; a first rotor a first shaft, a first face surface; a second rotor, a second face surface adjacent the first face surface of the first rotor; the face of the first rotor, the face of the second rotor, and an inner surface of the housing forming at least one working fluid chamber; an annular ring fitted around a shaft, adjacent a first pressure chamber having a fluid connection through the housing; the annular ring configured to bias the first rotor toward the second rotor when fluid is supplied under pressure to the first pressure chamber; a fluid conduit is configured to convey fluid to a pressure chamber between the housing and the annular ring to bias the annular ring thus biasing the first rotor toward the second rotor.

Abstract: A positive displacement device that converts energy, namely positive displacement compressors that rotate in a single rotational direction to displace working fluid contained in operating chambers. The device described herein is particularity advantageous for the ability to achieve high compression ratios in combination with high discharge pressure and high volumetric throughput in a single stage.

Abstract: A method of controlling operation of a pressure gain combustor comprises: determining a fuel injector duty cycle and a combustion frequency that meets a target load set point and a target fill fraction of the combustor; determining a fuel supply pressure setting, a fuel injector timing setting and an ignition timing setting that achieves the determined fuel injector duty cycle and combustion frequency; and sending a fuel supply pressure control signal with the fuel supply pressure setting to a fuel pressurizing means of the combustor, a fuel injector control signal with the fuel injector timing setting to a fuel injector of the combustor, and an ignition timing control signal with the ignition timing setting to an ignition assembly of the combustor.

Abstract: A positive displacement rotary motion device including in one example a pulse detonation device. Also; an indexing system for a rotor assembly where in one example the indexing system regulates the rotational location of drive rotors. In one example the rotors are configured to rotate about a shaft.

Abstract: A pressure gain combustor comprises a detonation chamber, a pre-combustion chamber, an oxidant swirl generator, an expansion-deflection (E-D) nozzle, and an ignition source. The detonation chamber has an upstream intake end and a downstream discharge end, and is configured to allow a supersonic combustion event to propagate therethrough. The pre-combustion chamber has a downstream end in fluid communication with the detonation chamber intake end, an upstream end in communication with a fuel delivery pathway, and a circumferential perimeter between the upstream and downstream ends with an annular opening in communication with an annular oxidant delivery pathway. The oxidant swirl generator is located in the oxidant delivery pathway and comprises vanes configured to cause oxidant flowing past the vanes to flow tangentially into the pre-combustion chamber thereby creating a high swirl velocity zone around the annular opening and a low swirl velocity zone in a central portion of the pre-combustion chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are several embodiments for shroud arrangements to be used in rotary engines using a plurality of rotors within the shroud arrangement. At least one of the rotors is not fixed to the shroud.

Abstract: This disclosure concerns an advanced nutating positive displacement device having a high power to mass ratio and low production cost. This device in one example forms an exemplary pump as will be discussed in detail. The examples disclosed herein are of the rotary positive displacement type, but in a class by themselves. The devices are formed by a nutating rotor having a face comprising lobes and valleys, and a fixed stator also having a face with lobes and valleys. The face of the rotor opposes and cooperates with the face of the stator. The opposing faces define chambers that change volume with rotation of the rotor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a use of pulsed combustion to convert chemical energy to usable heat. For example, in boilers, heat is generated by burning fuel at burners and transferring the heat to water or other fluids, including air, through heat exchangers. In one form, these heated fluids may then be utilized to assist in removing oil from oil sand reservoirs.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an indexing system for a rotor assembly where in one example the indexing system regulates the rotational location of drive rotors. In one example the rotors are configured to rotate about a shaft.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a valveless multitube pulse detonation engine including: a plurality of detonation tubes, wherein each detonation tube comprises an independent discharge outlet, and the plurality of detonation tubes interconnected at a common air/fuel mixture intake port. In the disclosed engine, an air and fuel mixture is detonated in the detonation tubes simultaneously, and the common air/fuel mixture intake port minimizes back-pressure caused by detonating the air/fuel mixture by directing multiple reverse shock waves into one another and effectively using the back-pressures as reacting surfaces for one another and effectively reducing the effect of back flowing shock waves moving towards upstream. The detonation tubes may be non-linear, and may have independent discharges. The independent discharges may be coupled to an adapter nozzle terminating in a combined exhaust outlet.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes the use of involute curves for use in energy conversion devices, as well as timing or indexing gears. Several different embodiments are shown using rotors of several examples of lobe numbers and shapes.

Abstract: Provided herein are multiple variations, applications, and variations for producing electrical power from a flowing fluid such as a gas or liquid under pressure, for example natural gas flowing through a pipeline, by means of one or more positive displacement devices that drive one or more electrical generators. The electrical generators may be immersed in the flow stream together with the positive displacement devices as disclosed, or alternately may be isolated from the flow stream, such as by magnetic coupling, in order to promote longevity and to decrease the risk of accidental discharge or explosion of the fluid in the flow stream. To further decrease such risks, the positive displacement devices may isolate the drive fluid from the environment without the use of dynamic seals.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are several embodiments for shroud arrangements to be used in rotary engines using a plurality of rotors within the shroud arrangement. At least one of the rotors is not fixed to the shroud.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are several embodiments of rotors (gears) which utilize spherical involute curves to determine the surfaces of the lobes (teeth). In some embodiments the contact surfaces are radial projections of spherical involute surfaces. In other embodiments the contact surfaces have a root and/or tip of a spherical involute curve, but are barreled or otherwise curved to reduce the point stress on each rotor. The rotors may also be configured where torque transfer is provided at a first set of lobes (teeth) and backlash removal is provided on teeth radially opposed to the first set of lobes (teeth). As the apparatus rotates, the position of torque transfer remains substantially the same, as does backlash prevention/removal, but the teeth providing these operations vary. The rotors may also be used for fluid flow.

Abstract: The disclosed finger seals are designed to be operational under rotational velocity or a stationary condition. The contact surface of the finger seals is inclined in an axial direction. The rotational velocity of the bore does not affect the hydrodynamic lift and the finger seals can operate at any rotational speed, unlike prior finger seal where the hydrodynamic lift is generated by rotational velocity. Each finger seal is pressure balanced. The pressure chambers on the two sides of each finger seal are connected through the finger cutouts. The finger seal design is such that the fingers lift and move away from the bore surface in radial direction. In one form, each finger seal is designed with the specific required length to allow sufficient surface area for the hydrodynamic force such that the finger seals would be lifted from the bore surface at the design pressure.

Abstract: An indexing system for a rotor assembly where the indexing system can regulate the rotational location of drive rotors that are configured to rotate about a shaft in one form.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a new multiphase pump with low recirculated volume. This device discloses novel inlet/outlet porting. One of the disclosed improvements is to port the inlet and outlet through the back of the rotors. In the model shown there is only one lobe on the first rotor, and two lobes on the second rotor. The double lobe rotor has the ports provided thru the back, in the lowest point on the buckets between the lobes. If there were more lobes on the two rotors, then the ports would normally be provided in the rotor with the higher number of lobes, preferably in the lowest point on each bucket. The single lobe rotor shown has voids formed in the outer circumference in order to balance the rotor—however, any rotor with more than one lobe may be naturally balanced and these holes may be unnecessary.

Abstract: Provided herein are multiple variations, applications, and variations for producing electrical power from a flowing fluid such as a gas or liquid under pressure, for example natural gas flowing through a pipeline, by means of one or more positive displacement devices that drive one or more electrical generators. The electrical generators may be immersed in the flow stream together with the positive displacement devices as disclosed, or alternately may be isolated from the flow stream, such as by magnetic coupling, in order to promote longevity and to decrease the risk of accidental discharge or explosion of the fluid in the flow stream. To further decrease such risks, the positive displacement devices may isolate the drive fluid from the environment without the use of dynamic seals.

Abstract: An input shaft to output shaft coupling including an input shaft having a first wave surface thereupon, wherein the first wave surface comprises mounds and valleys. The coupling additionally comprises an output shaft having a second wave surface thereupon, wherein the second wave surface comprises mounds and valleys. The coupling in one form additionally comprises a housing substantially enclosing the first wave surface and second wave surface, wherein rotational force exerted upon the input shaft is translated through the lobes of the first wave surface to the lobes of the second wave surface and to the output shaft in turn, and wherein the first wave surface and second wave surface transmit rotational force therebetween through any range of angles to a maximum output angle between a rotational axis of the input shaft relative to a rotational axis of the output shaft.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are several embodiments of rotors (gears) which utilize spherical involute curves to determine the surfaces of the lobes (teeth). In some embodiments the contact surfaces are radial projections of spherical involute surfaces. In other embodiments the contact surfaces have a root and/or tip of a spherical involute curve, but are barreled or otherwise curved to reduce the point stress on each rotor. The rotors may also be configured where torque transfer is provided at a first set of lobes (teeth) and backlash removal is provided on teeth radially opposed to the first set of lobes (teeth). As the apparatus rotates, the position of torque transfer remains substantially the same, as does backlash prevention/removal, but the teeth providing these operations vary. The rotors may also be used for fluid flow.