Nutating fluid-mechanical energy converter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9309862-B2
Application number	US-201314383784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2013
Priority date	Nov 25, 2013
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

One example of a nutating fluid-mechanical energy converter includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes an outer cylinder having a longitudinal passage 101 and an inner guide cylinder disposed longitudinally within the outer cylinder. The inner guide cylinder and outer cylinder are concentric and define an annulus for fluid flow. A longitudinal guide is attached to an outer surface of the inner guide cylinder and extending outwardly toward an inner surface of the outer cylinder. The rotor is positioned in the annulus to be eccentric relative to the outer cylinder. The rotor has a sidewall with a guide opening to receive the longitudinal guide. Fluid flowing through the annulus imparts a torque on the rotor causing the rotor to nutate within the annulus. The nutational motion of the rotor can be converted into a rotational motion using a suitable rotary output device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid-mechanical device comprising:
a stator comprising:
an outer cylinder having a longitudinal passage;
an inner guide cylinder disposed longitudinally within the outer cylinder, the inner guide cylinder and outer cylinder defining an annulus for flow of a fluid; and
a longitudinal guide positioned inside at least a portion of the outer cylinder, the longitudinal guide attached to a portion of an outer surface of the inner guide cylinder and extending outwardly toward an inner surface of the outer cylinder, wherein the longitudinal guide comprises a helical guide spanning at least a portion of a length of the inner guide cylinder; and

a rotor positioned in the annulus, the rotor including a rotor cylinder having a sidewall with a guide opening that receives the longitudinal guide.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the outer cylinder and the inner guide cylinder are concentric, and the rotor cylinder is eccentric relative to the outer cylinder and the inner guide cylinder.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein a width of the guide opening is greater than a width of the longitudinal guide.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal guide comprises a rectangular cross-section and a rectangular side surface that extends outwardly toward the inner surface of the outer cylinder from the outer surface of the inner guide cylinder.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal guide connects the outer surface of the inner guide cylinder and the inner surface of the outer cylinder.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the outer cylinder includes a groove formed in the inner surface of the outer cylinder to receive the longitudinal guide, the groove spanning at least a length of the outer cylinder.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the rotor cylinder continuously contacts the inner surface of the outer cylinder as the rotor cylinder nutates in response to flow of the fluid through the annulus, and wherein an inner surface of the rotor cylinder continuously contacts the outer surface of the inner guide cylinder as the rotor cylinder nutates in response to flow of the fluid through the annulus.

8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a polymeric material disposed on the inner surface of the outer cylinder.

9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a polymeric material disposed on the outer surface of the inner guide cylinder.

10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a polymeric material disposed on an outer surface of the longitudinal guide.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the inner guide cylinder is a solid cylinder.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the guide opening is positioned on the longitudinal guide such that the rotor cylinder receives a torque generated in response to flow of the fluid through the annulus.

13. A system for generating a rotary output, the system comprising:
a fluid-mechanical device comprising:
an outer cylinder having a longitudinal passage there through;
an inner guide cylinder disposed longitudinally within the outer cylinder, the inner guide cylinder and outer cylinder defining an annulus for flow of a fluid;
a longitudinal guide positioned inside at least a portion of the outer cylinder, the longitudinal guide attached to a portion of an outer surface of the inner guide cylinder and extending outwardly toward an inner surface of the outer cylinder, wherein the longitudinal guide comprises a helical guide spanning at least a portion of a length of the inner guide cylinder;
a rotor cylinder comprising a sidewall with a guide opening to receive the longitudinal guide, wherein the outer cylinder and the inner guide cylinder are concentric, and the rotor cylinder is eccentric relative to the outer cylinder and the inner guide cylinder; and

a rotary output device connected to the fluid-mechanical device, the rotatory output device rotating in response to flow of the fluid through the annulus.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein an outer surface of the rotor cylinder continuously contacts the inner surface of the outer cylinder in response to flow of the fluid through the annulus, and wherein an inner surface of the rotor cylinder continuously contacts the outer surface of the inner guide cylinder in response to flow of the fluid through the annulus.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the rotary output device comprises a crank attached to a rotatable shaft that rotates in response to the flow of the fluid through the annulus.

16. A method for generating a rotary output, the method comprising:
positioning an inner guide cylinder in an outer cylinder having a longitudinal passage there through to define an annulus for flow of a fluid, wherein the inner guide cylinder and the outer cylinder are concentric, and wherein a longitudinal guide is positioned inside at least a portion of the outer cylinder, the longitudinal guide attached to a portion of an outer surface of the inner guide cylinder and extending outwardly toward an inner surface of the outer cylinder, wherein the longitudinal guide comprises a helical guide spanning at least a portion of a length of the inner guide cylinder;
positioning a rotor cylinder in the annulus to be eccentric relative to the inner guide cylinder and the outer cylinder, the rotor cylinder comprising a guide opening positioned through at least a portion of a sidewall of the rotor cylinder, the guide opening to be received on the longitudinal guide;
flowing a fluid through the annulus, wherein a torque is imparted on the rotor cylinder in response to the fluid flowing through the annulus, the torque causing the rotor cylinder to nutate in the annulus on the longitudinal guide; and
connecting a rotary output device to the rotor cylinder, wherein the rotary output device rotates in response to receiving a nutation rotation of the rotor cylinder on the longitudinal guide.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising disposing a polymeric material on the inner surface of the outer cylinder, the outer surface of the inner guide cylinder, and an outer surface of the longitudinal guide.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein positioning the rotor cylinder in the annulus comprises positioning the rotor cylinder such that an outer surface of the rotor cylinder continuously contacts the inner surface of the outer cylinder, and an inner surface of the rotor cylinder continuously contacts the outer surface of the inner guide cylinder.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising positioning the longitudinal guide inside at least a portion of the outer cylinder to connect the outer surface of the inner guide cylinder and the inner surface of the outer cylinder.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Mehta Krunal Kanubhai
• Poyyara Ragi Lohidakshan
• Rawool Amitkumar Suresh

Classifications

• F01C1/107

  with helical teeth · CPC title

• H02N11/00

  Generators or motors not provided for elsewhere; Alleged perpetua mobilia obtained by electric or magnetic means (by hydrostatic pressure F03B17/04; {by mechanical means F03G7/10;} by dynamo-electric means, {including arrangements of permanent magnets interacting with other permanent magnets,} H02K53/00) · CPC title

• F04C18/045

  having a C-shaped piston · CPC title

• F04C15/0057

  Driving elements, brakes, couplings, transmission specially adapted for machines or pumps (brakes, couplings, transmissions per se F16, B60) · CPC title

• F05B2250/36

  in inner-outer relationship, e.g. shaft-bearing arrangements · CPC title