Abstract: A machine designed as a centrifugal compressor is applied as an organic rankine cycle turbine by operating the machine in reverse. In order to accommodate the higher pressures when operating as a turbine, a suitable refrigerant is chosen such that the pressures and temperatures are maintained within established limits. Such an adaptation of existing, relatively inexpensive equipment to an application that may be otherwise uneconomical, allows for the convenient and economical use of energy that would be otherwise lost by waste heat to the atmosphere.

Abstract: The impeller is preferably modified to use back swept, radial or forward swept blades to accommodate relatively low, medium and high lift, respectively applications for both centrifugal compressor and turbine rotor use.

Abstract: An organic rankine cycle system is combined with a vapor compression cycle system with the turbine generator of the organic rankine cycle generating the power necessary to operate the motor of the refrigerant compressor. The vapor compression cycle is applied with its evaporator cooling the inlet air into a gas turbine, and the organic rankine cycle is applied to receive heat from a gas turbine exhaust to heat its boiler within one embodiment, a common condenser is used for the organic rankine cycle and the vapor compression cycle, with a common refrigerant, R-245a being circulated within both systems. In another embodiment, the turbine driven generator has a common shaft connected to the compressor to thereby eliminate the need for a separate motor to drive the compressor.

Abstract: A machine designed as a centrifugal compressor is applied as an organic rankine cycle turbine by operating the machine in reverse. In order to accommodate the higher pressures when operating as a turbine, a suitable refrigerant is chosen such that the pressures and temperatures are maintained within established limits. Such an adaptation of existing, relatively inexpensive equipment to an application that may be otherwise uneconomical, allows for the convenient and economical use of energy that would be otherwise lost by waste heat to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A machine designed as a centrifugal compressor is applied as an organic rankine cycle turbine by operating the machine in reverse. In order to accommodate the higher pressures when operating as a turbine, a suitable refrigerant is chosen such that the pressures and temperatures are maintained within established limits. Such an adaptation of existing, relatively inexpensive equipment to an application that may be otherwise uneconomical, allows for the convenient and economical use of energy that would be otherwise lost by waste heat to the atmosphere.

Abstract: The expansion device in a refrigeration or air conditioning system is an expressor. The expresser is made up of a twin screw expander and a twin screw compressor with rotors of the expander functioning as timing gears.

Abstract: Saturated or sub-cooled liquid is supplied to the expander of an expressor. Starting just prior to the end of the inlet process or just after the completion of the inlet process, high pressure vapor from the expressor compressor discharge is supplied to the cavity defining a trapped volume under going expansion.

Abstract: The area of the discharge end of a screw rotor acted on by the discharge pressure is reduced by locating a region of suction pressure acting on the discharge end of the rotor and separating the suction and discharge pressures by a labyrinth seal located between the discharge end of the rotor and the facing housing structure.

Abstract: The area of the discharge end of a screw rotor acted on by the discharge pressure is reduced by locating a region of suction pressure acting on the discharge end of the rotor and separating the suction and discharge pressures by a labyrinth seal located between the discharge end of the rotor and the facing housing structure.

Abstract: A positive displacement machine having a set of parallel meshing rotors employed in a compression-expansion refrigeration system receives a fluid refrigerant input from a condenser and expands the fluid in a first zone and forces substantially all of the liquid in the first zone to an evaporator. The remaining fluid from the first zone of the machine is then compressed in an adjacent second zone of the machine to form a high pressure vapor, which is then routed back to the condenser. The positive displacement machine includes a first rotor having a plurality of helical lobes disposed about a rotor periphery. At least one second rotor has a plurality of helical grooves disposed about a second rotor periphery for receiving the lobes of the first rotor during rotation of the rotors in opposite directions. A housing defines a chamber for enclosing the rotors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the amount of gas flow through a compressor having variable geometry guide vanes and a variable geometry diffuser. The geometry variation of the diffuser is based on the geometry variation of the guide vanes. The method and apparatus ensure that the compressor will operate at peak efficiency over a broad range of load conditions.

Abstract: A fluid passage extends through the compressor casing from a point near the tip of the impeller to a transducer located externally of the compressor casing. Responsive to fluctuations of pressure sensed by the transducer indicative of rotating stall, the compressor is controlled by varying the diffuser or shutting down the compressor, as is appropriate.

Abstract: A variable pipe diffuser for use in a centrifugal compressor. The variable pipe diffuser includes an outer ring and an inner ring which is rotatable circumferentially within the outer ring between a first, open position and a second, closed position. In an open position, complementary air channel sections of the inner and outer rings are aligned with one another to allow a maximum flow of refrigerant through the diffuser. In a closed position, the flow channels of the ring sections are misaligned and the flow of refrigerant through the diffuser is restricted. By adjusting the diffuser rings toward a closed position, surge conditions can be avoided even in the case where a high compressor pressure ratio is required.

Abstract: A vaned rotor is eccentrically located within a casing defining a cylindrical chamber. Adjacent vanes of the rotor coact with the casing to define cells. Saturated or slightly subcooled liquid refrigerant is supplied to each passing cell of the rotating rotor. The refrigerant in the cells is subjected to centrifugal forces creating a pressure gradient causing flashing of gaseous refrigerant and the cooling of the liquid refrigerant. The cell rotates into registration with ports permitting the flow of cooled liquid refrigerant to the evaporator and gaseous refrigerant to the evaporator or to the compressor as suction gas or economizer gas.

Abstract: A centrifugal compressor having an impeller wheel mounted for rotation about a central axis and a diffuser for emptying compressed fluid into a collector chamber. A plenum chamber is located behind the impeller shroud and series of deswirl passages are located about the impeller for placing the collector chamber in fluid flow communication with the plenum chamber. A series of channel flow passages are further arranged to inject compressor fluid in the plenum chamber into the exit flow leaving the tips of impeller blades under controlled conditions so that the injected fluid enters the exit flow smoothly and with little loss of energy. An adjustable control device regulates the flow through the deswirl passages to keep the total flow moving through the diffuser relatively constant under varying load conditions.

Abstract: A single-fluid two-phase turbine expander is employed in a compression-expansion refrigeration system. The turbine expander has its rotor mechanically coupled to the drive train of the associated refrigeration compressor, which can be a high-speed centrifugal compressor or a geared screw compressor. The turbine is a straight-forward design, with a rotor disk having peripheral vanes, and a nozzle block that houses the disk and contains a group of nozzles that are directed at the vanes. The nozzles each have an inlet orifice plate and a converging/diverging internal geometry that permits supersonic discharge. The vanes are shaped for impulse reaction and have a sharp exit bend to prevent further flashing of the two-phase mixture in the rotor.

Abstract: A channel type diffuser is applied to a centrifugal compressor to obtain substantially complete expansion of the refrigerant downstream of the impeller wheel. The relatively large volume of expanded gases that results from such a diffusion process is accommodated by the use of a relatively large volume collecter with a uniform circumferential cross section. The result is higher efficiencies and a more stable operating range.

Abstract: A multiple stage centrifugal compressor has baffle rings attached at the inlet to each of the impellers, between a shroud side curvature and a hub side curvature. The dimensions and spacings of the baffle rings are selected as a function of the shroud side radius of curvature R.sub.S and the hub side radius of curvature R.sub.H. For two baffle rings, the radii areR.sub.C1 =(R.sub.c.sup.2 .times.R.sub.H).sup.1/3 and R.sub.C2 =(R.sub.S .times.R.sub.H.sup.2).sup.1/3.

Abstract: A channel type diffuser is applied to a centrifugal compressor to obtain substantially complete expansion of the refrigerant downstream of the impeller wheel. The relatively large volume of expanded gases that results from such a diffusion process is accommodated by the use of a relatively large volume collecter with a uniform circumferential cross section. The result is higher efficiencies and a more stable operating range.

Abstract: A pipe diffuser is formed from a disc by initially drilling a plurality of circumferentially spaced, generally radially extending passages, but not to the point of any substantial intersection between the adjacent passages. Material is then removed by forming a circumferential groove on the inner periphery of the disc to the radial extent of a leading edge circle defined by the leading edges of the islands between the passages. The radial cross-sectional shape of the circumferential groove can be rectangular in form, in which case that space becomes fully vaneless, or it may be arcuate in form, in which case the space will be semi-vaneless. A preferred shape is one in which the groove is semi-elliptical in form so as to provide a structure that is substantially equivalent to the prior art structure while being easier to manufacture.