Rotoliptic Technologies Incorporated

Bryan Allen Callaway

Greg John Montie

Peter Thomas Christopher Suke

Adrian James Corless

Rotary positive displacement machines based on trochoidal geometry and including a helical rotor that undergoes planetary motion relative to a helical stator can be designed and configured so that the axial load or rotor pressure force is positive, negative, or neutral. In some embodiments, a change in axial load, caused by a change in differential pressure across the machine, can be used to trigger a change in a mechanical configuration of the machine.

Axial load in helical trochoidal rotary machines

Sealing in rotary positive displacement machines based on trochoidal geometry that comprise a helical rotor that undergoes planetary motion within a helical stator is described. Seals can be mounted on the rotor, the stator, or both. The rotor can have a hypotrochoidal cross-section, with the corresponding stator cavity profile being the outer envelope of the rotor as it undergoes planetary motion, or the stator cavity can have an epitrochoidal cross-section with the corresponding rotor profile being the inner envelope of the trochoid as it undergoes planetary motion. In some embodiments, the geometry is offset in a manner that provides advantages with respect to sealing in the rotary machine. In multi-stage embodiments, the rotor-stator geometry remains substantially constant or varies along the axis of the rotary machine.

Sealing in helical trochoidal rotary machines

Rotary positive displacement machines based on trochoidal geometry that includes a helical rotor that undergoes planetary motion relative to a helical stator are described. The rotor can have a hypotrochoidal-based cross-sectional shape, with the corresponding stator cavity cross-sectional shape being the outer envelope of the rotor cross-sectional shape as it undergoes planetary motion, or the stator cavity can have an epitrochoidal-based cross-sectional shape with the corresponding rotor cross-sectional shape being the inner envelope of the stator cross-sectional shape as it undergoes planetary motion. Such machines can be configured so that the stator axis is spaced from the rotor axis, the rotor is configured to spin about its axis and the stator is configured to spin about its axis, and/or the rotor and the stator are held at a fixed eccentricity so that the rotor undergoes planetary motion relative to the stator, but does not orbit.

Fixed-eccentricity helical trochoidal rotary machines

Rotary positive displacement machines based on trochoidal geometry, that comprise a helical rotor that undergoes planetary motion within a helical stator are described. The rotor can have a hypotrochoidal cross-section, with the corresponding stator cavity profile being the outer envelope of the rotor as it undergoes planetary motion, or the stator cavity can have an epitrochoidal cross-section with the corresponding rotor profile being the inner envelope of the trochoid as it undergoes planetary motion. In some embodiments, the geometry is offset in a manner that provides structural and/or operational advantages in the rotary machine.

Helical trochoidal rotary machines with offset

Rotary positive displacement machines with trochoidal geometry that comprise a helical rotor that undergoes planetary motion within a helical stator are described. The rotor can have a hypotrochoidal cross-section, with the corresponding stator cavity profile being the outer envelope of the rotor as it undergoes planetary motion, or the stator cavity can have an epitrochoidal cross-section with the corresponding rotor profile being the inner envelope of the trochoid as it undergoes planetary motion. In some multi-stage embodiments, the rotor-stator geometry remains substantially constant along the axis of the rotary machine. In other multi-stage embodiments, the rotor-stator geometry varies along the axis of the rotary machine.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Bryan Allen Callaway