Rotor for the compression of aqueous gases with a blade fixed to a support via at least one assembly system

Abstract

A rotor (1) for compressing an aqueous gas includes a support (10), at least one blade (50) formed from a composite material and at least one assembly system (100). This assembly system (100) includes a nut (110) housed at least partially in a recess (52) formed in a thickness (57) of the blade (50), a bearing member (120), and a rod (130) connecting the bearing member (120) and the nut (110) by passing successively, from the bearing member (120), through a portion of the support (10) and a through hole (54) formed in the blade (50) so as to connect a contact surface (51) of the blade (50) to a wall (55) of the recess (52). The rod (130) includes at least one threaded portion screwed into the nut (110) such that a tightening force applied between the support member (120) and the nut (110) induces a stress on the blade (50) and the support (10) in each other's direction. Figure accompanying the abstract: Figure 4

Description

Title of the invention: Rotor for compressing aqueous gas with blade fixed to a support via at least one assembly system Technical field of the invention

[0001] The technical field of the invention relates to the compression of aqueous gas.

[0002] More particularly, the invention relates firstly to a rotor for compression of an aqueous gas, the rotor comprising a support, at least one blade formed from a composite material, and at least one assembly system in particular for fixing the blade to the support.

[0003] The invention also relates to a compressor for compressing an aqueous gas comprising such a rotor, and an installation for compressing an aqueous gas comprising a circulation network in which the aqueous gas is capable of circulating in a channeled manner, the network comprising such a compressor. State of the prior art

[0004] In the field of compressors, it is known to use a compressor comprising a rotor placed in the path of an aqueous gas in order to compress it by rotation of the rotor driven by a motor device. An aqueous gas, for example with a mass fraction of water vapor greater than 30%, is characterized by a very high speed of sound, for example greater than 400 m / s. In this aqueous gas, the peripheral speeds of the rotor must be sufficiently high to reach a transonic regime desirable for the compression of the aqueous gas. The rotor is therefore subjected to particularly high centrifugal forces due to the high speed. These centrifugal forces are the source of robustness problems.

[0005] It is also known that the manufacture of rotors for the compression of an aqueous gas presents particular difficulties.

[0006] There is therefore a need to find a rotor solution for compressing an aqueous gas which is simpler to produce and robust, in particular improving the mechanical resistance of the rotor to centrifugal forces. Subject of the invention

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a rotor for compressing an aqueous gas which is robust.

[0008] To this end, the invention relates to a rotor for compressing an aqueous gas, the rotor comprising a support, at least one blade formed from a composite material, said blade comprising a contact surface in contact with the support, and at least one assembly system, the assembly system comprising: • a nut housed at least partly in a housing provided in the thickness of dawn; • a support body; • a rod connecting the support member and the nut by successively passing, from the support member, through a part of the support and a through hole formed in the blade so as to connect the contact surface of the blade to a wall of the housing, the rod comprising at least one threaded portion screwed into the nut so that a tightening force exerted between the support member and the nut induces a stress on the blade and the support towards each other.

[0009] The use of a composite material to form one or more blades makes it possible to limit their mass, in particular to limit the centrifugal forces to which they will be subjected during rotation of the rotor while retaining suitable characteristics due to the use of the composite material, and the combination with an assembly system as described above makes it possible to achieve a point fixing at the interface between the blade and the support which is easy to achieve during the manufacture of the rotor. The positioning of the nut in the thickness of the blade makes it possible to place the latter along the centrifugal forces undergone by the blade, conferring great robustness. Such a rotor offers the additional advantage that the tightening force obtained is substantially aligned with the direction of the forces resulting from the centrifugal force, again conferring great robustness to the blade and avoiding a phenomenon of delamination of the composite material.Furthermore, it results from the point fixation that the shape of the blade at the interface between the blade and the support is not constrained and can adapt as needed.

[0010] The rotor may further comprise one or more of the following features.

[0011] According to a characteristic of the rotor, the support member bears against a surface of the support and the nut is pressed against the wall of the housing.

[0012] This advantageously makes it possible to distribute the clamping stresses directly over the parts to be clamped against each other.

[0013] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the wall of the housing comprises a concave cylindrical surface of which a generating line is substantially parallel to the direction in which the thickness of the blade is measured, the through hole being opened into the housing through this cylindrical surface, and the assembly system comprises a bearing part crossed by the rod and shaped to correspond to at least a part of the cylindrical surface, the clamping force ensuring that the bearing part is in abutment against said at least a part of the cylindrical surface.

[0014] This advantageously allows the clamping forces to be distributed in the housing to avoid delamination of the composite material. Furthermore, the use of a cylindrical surface and such a bearing portion which conforms thereto allows the clamping force to be aligned with the direction of traction during rotation of the rotor by automatic adjustment. of the positioning of the assembly system, in particular induced by rotation of the cylindrical surface.

[0015] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the rod has a longitudinal direction which extends substantially radially relative to the axis of rotation of the rotor.

[0016] This advantageously makes it possible to ensure that the blade is held in the direction of the stress during rotation of the rotor and to ensure that the stresses in the rod are essentially tensile stresses.

[0017] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the composite material comprises a plurality of fiber sheets, said fiber sheets being superimposed and held in a matrix.

[0018] This advantageously makes it possible to form strong, lightweight blades whose composition and average fiber orientation will be adapted to the use and the constraints that these blades will have to undergo during operation of the compressor comprising the rotor.

[0019] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the layers of fibers are superimposed in a stacking direction, and the through hole has an axial direction substantially orthogonal to the stacking direction.

[0020] This advantageously makes it possible to oppose fatigue delamination by avoiding cyclic compressions of the superposition of layers in its stacking direction during rotor operating cycles.

[0021] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the composite material is such that: • each sheet of fibers of said composite material has a preferential direction in which fibers of said sheet of fibers are oriented; • at least one of the layers of fibers of said composite material is such that its preferred direction, close to the contact surface of the blade, is a reference direction oriented substantially radially relative to the axis of rotation of the rotor.

[0022] This advantageously allows that during the rotation of the rotor, the reference direction is oriented in the direction of maximum force seen by the blade. This therefore makes it possible to make the blade more robust.

[0023] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the through hole has an axial direction and is formed partially in the thickness of one of the fiber layers whose preferred direction corresponds to the reference direction then substantially parallel to the axial direction.

[0024] This advantageously allows the tightening to be carried out in the reference direction, so as to improve the holding of the blade during rotation. This axial direction of the through hole is notably substantially radial relative to the axis of rotation of the rotor.

[0025] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the composite material comprises a superposition of stacks of fiber sheets, each stack of fiber sheets comprising: • one of the layers of fibers of the composite material, called the first layer, whose preferred direction of orientation of the fibers is different from the reference direction; • one of the layers of fibers of the composite material, called the second layer, whose preferred direction of orientation of the fibers is different from the reference direction and the preferred direction of orientation of the fibers of the first layer; • one of the layers of fibers of the composite material, arranged between the first layer and the second layer, the fibers of which are oriented in the reference direction.

[0026] This advantageously ensures good cohesion of the through hole and the housing, particularly when they are drilled, their surface then having satisfactory mechanical resistance.

[0027] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the preferred direction of orientation of the fibers of each first layer forms an angle with the reference direction of between -15 degrees and -90 degrees and the preferred direction of orientation of the fibers of each second layer forms an angle with the reference direction of between +15 degrees and +90 degrees.

[0028] This advantageously allows the fiber sheets whose reference direction is substantially radial to the axis of rotation of the rotor to provide resistance to centrifugal forces during rotation of the rotor. The crossed fiber sheets, i.e. those whose fibers are not oriented in the reference direction, make it possible to absorb non-radial forces and ensure that the shape of the blade is maintained by providing it with inertia in its thickness, and therefore stiffness.

[0029] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the assembly system, the through hole and the housing are configured to allow a pivoting movement of the nut around a pivoting axis substantially orthogonal to the direction of the tightening force of said assembly system and to a plane in which the axis of rotation of the rotor is included.

[0030] This allows, during rotation of the rotor, automatic adjustment of the orientation of the rod to tend to orient it along its length as close as possible to a tensile force that the blade undergoes relative to the support. The maintenance of the blade relative to the support is then improved, thus limiting the risks of tearing of all or part of the blade relative to the support.

[0031] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the support part of the assembly system is configured to slide on the cylindrical surface defined by the housing wall during the pivoting movement of the nut.

[0032] This advantageously allows the cylindrical surface to provide a certain amount of guidance for the pivoting of the nut by cooperation of the support part of the assembly system with the cylindrical surface.

[0033] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the nut is chosen from: • a transverse nut formed by a cylinder pierced with a cylindrical hole whose internal surface is threaded to cooperate with the threaded portion of the rod of the assembly system, the axis of the cylinder and the axis of the cylindrical hole being transverse, the cylinder on the one hand having a cylindrical surface having a complementary shape, at the periphery of the through hole, of the wall of the housing and on the other hand being in contact with the wall of the housing; • a flat nut pierced with a cylindrical hole whose internal surface is threaded to cooperate with the threaded portion of the rod of the assembly system, the flat nut bearing on an insert interposed between the flat nut and the wall of the housing, the insert being crossed by the rod and having a cylindrical portion on the one hand having a cylindrical surface having a complementary shape, at the periphery of the through hole, of the wall of the housing and on the other hand being in contact with the wall of the housing; • a nut formed by a portion of cylinder pierced with a cylindrical hole whose internal surface is threaded to cooperate with the threaded portion of the rod of the assembly system, the axis of the portion of cylinder and the axis of the cylindrical hole being transverse, the portion of cylinder on the one hand having a cylindrical surface having a complementary shape, at the periphery of the through hole, of the wall of the housing and on the other hand being in contact with the wall of the housing.

[0034] This makes it possible to distribute the clamping forces of the assembly system over a surface of the housing wall located at the periphery of the through hole.

[0035] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the blade comprises a region in which the composite material is in excess thickness, the housing being arranged in this region.

[0036] This makes it possible to distribute / spread the stresses at the interface of the housing with the assembly system, thus contributing to improving the robustness of the rotor.

[0037] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the at least one blade is fixed to the support by means of a plurality of assembly systems offset along the support following the axis of rotation of the rotor.

[0038] This makes it possible to ensure the formation of several attachment points of the same blade to the support while adapting to the curvatures of the blade at its interface with the support. For example, this even makes it possible to couple to the support a blade with a helical component non-regular licoid. This also allows the support to be of revolution which is not necessarily cylindrical.

[0039] According to another characteristic of the rotor, the latter comprises a plurality of blades each fixed to the support by at least one assembly system which participates solely in the fixing of said blade.

[0040] According to another aspect of the invention, it relates to a compressor for compressing an aqueous gas comprising a rotor as described above.

[0041] According to another aspect of the invention, it relates to an installation for compressing an aqueous gas comprising a circulation network in which the aqueous gas is capable of circulating in a channeled manner, the network comprising at least one such compressor arranged to be traversed by the aqueous gas, from which it results that the gas circulating in the circulation network has, downstream of said at least one compressor, a pressure greater than its pressure upstream of said at least one compressor.

[0042] According to another characteristic of the installation, the aqueous gas contains at least 30%, preferably between 70% and 100%, of H2O in mass proportion.

[0043] The rotor is compatible with such a gas because its assembly system is adapted to maintain the blade when obtaining, at the periphery of the rotor, transonic speeds induced by the rotation of the rotor. In addition, the aqueous gas in these concentrations is compatible with a refrigeration unit compressor operating with the aqueous gas as refrigerant.

[0044] Other advantages and characteristics may emerge from the detailed description which follows. Brief description of the drawings

[0045] The invention will be better understood upon reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings listed below.

[0046] [Fig. 1] is a partial view of a first example of a blade usable in a rotor according to one aspect of the invention and showing different nut housing geometries of a system for assembling the blade within the rotor.

[0047] [Fig. 2] is a partial view of a second example of a blade usable in a rotor according to one aspect of the invention and showing different nut housing geometries of the blade assembly system within the rotor.

[0048] [Fig. 3] is a partial view of an example of a rotor according to one aspect of the invention, in the assembled state, illustrating different variants of possible assembly systems.

[0049] [Fig.4] is a view of [Fig.3], in an exploded state.

[0050] [Fig.5] is a perspective view of an exemplary rotor according to one aspect of the invention.

[0051] [Fig.6] is a partial, exploded view of the rotor of [Fig.5], [Fig.6] illustrating the support, a single blade and a plurality of assembly systems for fixing this blade to the support.

[0052] Finally, [Fig.7] is a partial view of an example of a possible embodiment of the blade usable in a rotor according to one aspect of the invention.

[0053] In these figures 1 to 7, the same references are used to designate the same elements. The elements represented in the different figures are not necessarily made to scale in order to facilitate understanding of the figures. Detailed description

[0054] By “substantially parallel” is meant parallel or parallel to plus or minus 10 degrees, preferably to plus or minus 1 degree.

[0055] By "substantially radial relative to the axis of rotation of the rotor" is meant orthogonal or orthogonal to plus or minus 10 degrees, preferably to plus or minus 1 degree, relative to the axis of rotation of the rotor.

[0056] By “substantially orthogonal” is meant orthogonal or orthogonal to plus or minus 10 degrees, preferably to plus or minus 1 degree.

[0057] By “between two values” is meant a range of values ​​whose limits, formed by said two values, are included.

[0058] According to a first aspect, and with reference to the figures, a rotor 1 is described for compressing an aqueous gas. An example of such a rotor 1 is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

[0059] The rotor 1 comprises a support 10, at least one blade 50 formed from a composite material, said blade 50 comprising a contact surface 51 in contact with the support 10, and at least one assembly system 100. The rotor 1, which is mounted to rotate in a terrestrial frame of reference, may be driven in rotation by a motorization device (not shown) the nature of which is not important here. Each assembly system 100 used ensures or participates in the fixing of a blade 50 on the support 10. Such a rotor 1 is also called a wheel in this technical field. The support 10 of the rotor 1 is in particular a part of the rotor 1 from which the blades 50 of the rotor 1 extend. The support 10 may be a rotating shaft of the rotor 1 or a hub mounted on a rotating shaft of the rotor 1.

[0060] The assembly system 100 comprises: • a nut 110 housed at least partly in a housing 52 formed in the thickness of the blade 50; • a support member 120; • a rod 130 connecting the support member 120 and the nut 110.

[0061] Each housing 52 is typically arranged between the contact surface 51 and a distal end 53 of the blade 50 located opposite the contact surface 51 coming against the support 10.

[0062] As can be deduced from Figures 3 and 4, the rod 130 successively passes through, from the support member 120, a part of the support 10 and a through hole 54 formed in the blade 50 so as to connect the contact surface 51 of the blade 50 to a wall 55 of the housing 52. The rod 130 comprises at least one threaded portion screwed into the nut 110 so that a tightening force exerted between the support member 120 and the nut 110 induces a stress on the blade 50 and the support 10 towards each other.

[0063] According to one embodiment, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the support member 120 exerts a force (either directly or indirectly via an insert 11 interposed between the support 10 and the support member 120) against a surface 12 of the support 10, while the nut 110 bears against the wall 55 of the housing 52. The contact surface 51 of the blade 50 is in contact with an external surface 13 of the support 10, distinct from the surface 12 previously mentioned. In other words, the contact surface 51 of each blade 50 conforms to the support 10 so as to match the external surface 13 thereof. More precisely, the surface 12 and the external surface 13 of the support 10 are opposite each other along a radial direction 14 oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation 2 of the rotor 1.

[0064] Figures 1 and 2 show, partially, two examples of usable blades 50. They differ from each other in the shape of the contact surface 51. In the case of the blade 50 of [Fig. 1], the contact surface 51 is of a lopsided shape (i.e. not flat, for example being part of a cylinder) and of a shape complementary to the non-flat external surface 13 of the support 10 against which it bears. This is the case in FIGS. 3 to 6, but without this being limiting. Indeed, in accordance with [Fig. 2], the contact surface 51 may be of a flat shape, of a shape complementary to the flat external surface 13 of the support 10 against which it bears. [Fig.7] illustrates the blade 50 of [Fig.2] during its manufacture, before the production of the housing(s) 52, before the formation of the through hole(s) 54 and, where appropriate, before shaping its contact surface 51 by machining in order to conform it to the support 10.

[0065] According to one embodiment, the wall 55 of the housing 52 comprises a concave cylindrical surface, a generating line of which is substantially parallel to the direction 56 along which the thickness 57 of the blade 50 is measured. In other words, the wall 55 of the housing 52 may be defined entirely or partially by such a cylindrical surface.

[0066] In this document, and in accordance with the mathematical definition of these terms, a "cylindrical surface" is the surface of space generated by a straight line, called a generator, which moves in a given fixed direction while resting on a closed curved line called the directrix. In summary, the directrix corresponds to the contour of the section taken perpendicular to the generatrix. Consequently, the shape of the directrix can be a circle (the cylindrical surface being, in this particular case, a circular cylinder) or other closed shapes. Figures 1 to 4 illustrate this aspect via four examples of shapes of housings 52. Going from bottom right to top left, the walls 55 of the four housings 52 respectively have a cylindrical surface whose generatrix is ​​a circle, any shape for example a drop shape, an oblong shape, and finally an ovoid shape.

[0067] According to one embodiment, the through hole 54 opens into the housing 52 through the aforementioned cylindrical surface. In other words, the cylindrical surface extends at least to the periphery of the opening of the through hole 54 in the wall 55 of the housing 52.

[0068] According to one embodiment, the assembly system 100 comprises a bearing portion 140 through which the rod 130 passes and shaped to correspond to at least a portion of the cylindrical surface of the housing 52, the clamping force ensuring that the bearing portion 140 bears against at least a portion of the cylindrical surface of the housing 52. It is therefore understood that the bearing portion 140 is at least partly a cylindrical surface of a shape complementary to the cylindrical surface delimited by the wall 55 of the housing 52 at the periphery of the place where the through hole 54 opens.

[0069] According to one embodiment, and with reference to figures 3 and 4, the nut 110 is chosen from: • a transverse nut 111 formed by a cylinder 111a pierced with a cylindrical hole 111b whose internal surface is threaded to cooperate with the threaded portion of the rod 130 of the assembly system 100, the axis 111c of the cylinder 111a and the axis 111d of the cylindrical hole 111b being transverse, the cylinder 111a on the one hand having a cylindrical surface having a complementary shape, at the periphery of the through hole 54, of the wall 55 of the housing 52 and on the other hand being in contact with the wall 55 of the housing 52; • a flat nut 112 pierced with a cylindrical hole 112a whose internal surface is threaded to cooperate with the threaded portion of the rod 130 of the assembly system 100, the flat nut 112 bearing on an insert 113 interposed between the flat nut 112 and the wall 55 of the housing 52, the insert 113 being crossed by the rod 130 (via a through channel 113b) and having a cylindrical portion 113a on the one hand having a cylindrical surface having a complementary shape, at the periphery of the through hole 54, of the wall 55 of the housing 52 and on the other hand being in contact with the wall 55 of the housing 52; • a nut 114 formed by a cylinder portion 114a pierced with a cylindrical hole 114b whose internal surface is threaded to cooperate with the threaded portion of the rod 130 of the assembly system 100, the axis 114c of the cylinder portion 114a and the axis 114d of the cylindrical hole 114b being transverse, the cylinder portion 114a on the one hand having a cylindrical surface having a complementary shape, at the periphery of the through hole 14, of the wall 55 of the housing 52 and on the other hand being in contact with the wall 55 of the housing 52.

[0070] Figures 3 and 4 illustrate this aspect via four examples of assembly system 100. Going from bottom right to top left, the first two assembly systems 100 each comprise such a transverse nut 111. The third assembly system 100 comprises a nut 114 while the fourth assembly system 100 comprises a flat nut 112 pressing on the insert 113.

[0071] In all cases, the housing 52 is configured so as to at least partially receive the nut 110, and where appropriate the nut 110 in addition to the insert 113, by insertion into the housing 52 before screwing the rod 130 into the nut 110.

[0072] For the particular case of the nut 114, the cylindrical portion 114a is closed by a flat 114e opposite the surface of the wall 52 of the housing 55 located at the periphery of the through hole 54. For the particular case of the insert 113, the cylindrical portion 113a is closed by a flat 113c opposite the surface of the wall 52 of the housing 55 located at the periphery of the through hole 54. The flat 113c serves as a bearing surface for the flat nut 112.

[0073] In the case where the nut 110 is a transverse nut 111, the support portion 140 previously mentioned is formed by the cylindrical surface of the cylinder 111a. In the case where the nut 110 is a flat nut 112, the support portion 140 is, on the other hand, constituted by the cylindrical surface of the cylindrical portion 113a. Finally, when the nut 110 is constituted by a nut 114, the support portion 140 is formed by the cylindrical surface of the cylinder portion 114a.

[0074] Whatever the nature of the nut 110, the rod 130 may be a simple threaded rod and in this case the support member 120 may be a nut screwed onto this threaded rod. Alternatively, the rod 130 may be a screw provided with a head and in this case the support member 120 may be this head of the screw. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate this aspect via four examples of assembly system 100. Going from bottom right to top left, the first assembly system 100 comprises such a threaded rod and a nut, while the other three assembly systems 100 are each provided with such a screw with a head.

[0075] According to one embodiment, for each assembly system 100, the rod 130 has a longitudinal direction 131 which extends substantially radially relative to the axis of rotation 2 of the rotor 1. In other words, the longitudinal direction 131 is locally collinear with the radial direction 14.

[0076] According to one embodiment, the support 10 comprises, for each assembly system 100, an orifice 15 passing through the thickness of the support 10 from the surface 12 to the external surface 13 and passed through by the rod 130. For each assembly system 100, the rod 130 passes through the thickness of the support 10 through the orifice 15, in such a way that the support member 120 bears directly (or indirectly via the insert 11) against the surface 12 and that the nut 110 at least partially housed in the housing 52 of the blade 50 is screwed onto the threaded portion of the rod 130. The contact surface 51 of the blade 50 is in contact with the external surface 13 of the support 10.The clamping force exerted between the support member 120 and the nut 110 induces a stress on the blade 50 and the support 10 towards each other in the radial direction 14, the resulting pressure occurring between the contact surface 51 of the blade 50 and the external surface 13 of the support 10.

[0077] According to one embodiment, the blade 50 comprises a region in which the composite material is in excess thickness, the housing 52 being arranged in this region. This makes it possible to distribute / spread the stresses at the interface of the housing 52 with the assembly system 100, thus contributing to improving the robustness of the rotor 1. This region is in particular arranged on the side of the contact surface 51 which can be delimited by said region. This region can delimit a blade root, that is to say a base of the blade 50 whose thickness is greater than in other regions of the blade 50 or even than in the rest of the blade 50. In particular, the through hole 54 can also be arranged in this region. This region is clearly identifiable, in particular in figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7.

[0078] A rotor 1 with a blade 50 has been described above, but it is quite obvious, and with reference to [Fig. 5] for example, that the rotor 1 can however comprise a plurality of blades 50. Generally, each blade 50 is fixed to the support 10 using at least one assembly system 100 as described previously.

[0079] Thus, according to one embodiment, the at least one blade 50 is fixed to the support 10 by means of a plurality of assembly systems 100 offset along the support 10 along a line 150 that is rectilinear or not (depending on the shape of the contact surface 51 of the blade 50 in particular) having at least one component along the axis of rotation 2 of the rotor 1. These arrangements are visible in [Fig. 6] for example. The different orifices 15 provided in the support 10 in order to fix the same blade 50 are therefore staggered, at regular intervals or not, along this line 150, allowing the use of a plurality of assembly systems 100 to fix the blade 50 to the support 10 at different points staggered along the line 150.

[0080] When the at least one blade 50 is fixed to the support 10 by means of a plurality of assembly systems 100, the resulting housings 52, and in particular the through holes 54, are preferably each provided in the region in which the composite material is in excess thickness.

[0081] Furthermore and according to one embodiment, the rotor 1 comprises a plurality of blades 50 where each individual blade 50 is fixed to the support 10 by at least one assembly system 100 as described previously, which only participates in the fixing of said individual blade 50 without participating in the fixing of another blade 50.

[0082] As can be deduced from Figures 1, 2 and 7, according to one embodiment, the composite material used for the manufacture of each blade 50 comprises a plurality of fiber sheets 60; (i varying from 1 to n where n is the total number of fiber sheets) superimposed and held in a matrix. It goes without saying that the total number n of fiber sheets 60i can be any, depending on the needs, depending for example on the expected dimensions for the blade and / or the nature of the fibers or the matrix.

[0083] The matrix is ​​preferably formed from a thermoplastic or thermosetting material. Thus, the matrix may be made of epoxy, polyester or vinylester.

[0084] According to the numerical simulations and tests, the fibers can be in particular carbon fibers, which give excellent results in practice and in the numerical simulations carried out in the intended applications. Other types of fibers can be considered such as aramid fibers (such as for example Kevlar® fibers) or glass fibers.

[0085] According to one embodiment, the fiber sheets 60 are superimposed in a stacking direction 61, and the through hole 54 has an axial direction 54a substantially orthogonal to the stacking direction 61, as illustrated in [Fig. 1]. In practice, the stacking direction 61 also corresponds to the direction 56 previously mentioned.

[0086] According to one embodiment, preferably but not limited to, the fibers belonging to the same sheet of fibers 60i are unidirectional. By “unidirectional” is meant a common orientation of the fibers, within the sheet of fibers, in the same direction to within 10°. This common orientation is also called “preferential direction”. Thus the composite material used for the manufacture of each blade 50 is then such that: • each sheet of fibers 60; of said composite material has such a preferential direction 160; (where varies from 1 to n) according to which fibers of said sheet of fibers 60i are oriented; • at least one of the layers of fibers 60; of said composite material is such that its preferential direction 160;, close to the contact surface 51 of the blade 50, is a reference direction oriented substantially radially relative to the axis of rotation 2 of the rotor 1.

[0087] In other words, this reference direction is, near the contact zone of the blade 50 against the support 10, substantially aligned (to within 5°) with the radial direction 14 previously mentioned in connection with the support 10.

[0088] In [Fig.7], the fibers of the fiber sheet 60; are substantially oriented along the preferential direction 160;. The fibers of the fiber sheet 602 are substantially oriented along the preferential direction 1602. The fibers of the fiber sheet 603 are substantially oriented along the preferential direction 1603. The fibers of the fiber sheet 60,, 2) are substantially oriented along the preferential direction 160 (i_2). The fibers of the fiber sheet ôO^ij are substantially oriented along the preferential direction 160(i X). The fibers of the fiber sheet 60; are substantially oriented along the preferential direction 160;. The fibers of the fiber sheet 60(i+i) are substantially oriented along the preferential direction 160(;+i).

[0089] According to one embodiment, the axial direction 54a of the through hole 54 is formed at least partially in the thickness of one of the fiber sheets 60; the preferred direction 160 of which corresponds to the aforementioned reference direction.

[0090] According to a particular embodiment, the composite material used for the manufacture of each blade 50 comprises a superposition of stacks of fiber sheets 60;, each of said stacks of fiber sheets 60; comprising: • one of the layers of fibers of the composite material, called the first layer, whose preferred direction of orientation of the fibers is different from the reference direction; • one of the layers of fibers of the composite material, called the second layer, whose preferred direction of orientation of the fibers is different from the reference direction and the preferred direction of orientation of the fibers of the first layer; • one of the layers of fibers of the composite material, arranged between the first layer and the second layer, the fibers of which are oriented in the aforementioned reference direction.

[0091] [Fig. 7] illustrates these arrangements for example. In [Fig. 7], the fiber sheet ôO^ij whose fibers are oriented in the preferred direction 160^1) and the fiber sheet 60; whose fibers are oriented in the preferred direction 160;, the preferred directions 160,,1, and 160^ being oriented in the reference direction (which is substantially aligned (to within 5°) with the radial direction 14), are arranged between on the one hand the fiber sheet 60(i 2) whose fibers are oriented in the preferred direction 160(i 2) and on the other hand the fiber sheet 60(i+i) whose fibers are oriented in the preferred direction 160(;+i). The preferred direction ential direction 160(l 2) is different from the reference direction. The preferred direction 160(i+i) is different from the reference direction and the preferred direction 160(l 2). The fiber web 60(l 2) plays the role of the first aforementioned web while the fiber web 60(i+i) plays the role of the second aforementioned web.

[0092] Of course, each stack comprises at least three layers of fibers but can also comprise X layers of fibers, with X strictly greater than 3.

[0093] According to one embodiment, the preferred direction of orientation of the fibers of each first sheet forms an angle with the reference direction of between -15 degrees and -90 degrees and the preferred direction of orientation of the fibers of each second sheet forms an angle with the reference direction of between +15 degrees and +90 degrees. For example, the preferred direction 160(1 2) of the fibers of the sheet of fibers 60(i2), which acts as the first sheet, forms an angle a(i 2) of approximately -30° with the reference direction, while the preferred direction 160(i+i) of the fibers of the sheet of fibers 60(i+i), which acts as the second sheet, forms an angle a(i+i) of approximately -30° with the reference direction.

[0094] It is important to specify that the preferential directions are not imposed in an identical manner in the alternation, whether within a stack or from one stack to another stack. The angles formed successively by the preferential directions of the successive fiber sheets with respect to the reference direction can be either 07307-3070° / 45° / -45° or 0730707-30707..., for example.

[0095] Composite materials, for example impregnated carbon fiber draped in unidirectional cross layers, thus advantageously have very good mechanical strengths in their fiber direction (tensile strength greater than 1000 MPa) despite an advantageously very low density.

[0096] According to one embodiment, the assembly system 100, the through hole 54 and the housing 52 are configured to allow a pivoting movement of the nut 110 around a pivoting axis substantially orthogonal to the direction of the tightening force applied by the assembly system 100 and to a plane in which the rotation axis 2 of the rotor 1 is included.

[0097] According to one embodiment, the support portion 140 of the assembly system 100 is configured to slide on the cylindrical surface delimited by the wall 55 of the housing 52 during the pivoting movement of the nut 110.

[0098] In a manner not illustrated as a whole, there is also described a compressor (not shown as a whole) configured to ensure the compression of an aqueous gas comprising a rotor 1 as described previously. The rotor 1 is mounted to rotate in a terrestrial frame of reference by any known and suitable rotational mounting means. The compressor also comprises a motorization device (not shown), of an electrical, pneumatic, thermal nature or any other energy source, ensuring the rotational drive of the rotor 1. The compressor can be of any type and in particular a centrifugal type compressor.

[0099] According to another aspect, there is also described a compression installation (not shown in its entirety) ensuring the compression of an aqueous gas, this compression installation comprising a circulation network in which the aqueous gas is present and capable of being circulated in a channeled manner, the network comprising at least one compressor as described previously, arranged to be traversed by the aqueous gas from which it results that when the gas circulates in the circulation network it has, downstream of said at least one compressor, a pressure higher than its pressure upstream of said at least one compressor.

[0100] According to another characteristic of the installation, the aqueous gas contains at least 30%, preferably between 70% and 100%, of H2O in mass proportion.

[0101] The invention finds its industrial application in the field of aqueous gas compression, in particular thanks to the rotor as described which makes it possible to limit the weight of the rotor while making it robust with regard to the breakage of its blade(s).

[0102] The assembly system 100 as described previously makes the rotor 1 capable of absorbing the centrifugal forces occurring during operation, in particular transonic in an aqueous medium, i.e. containing at least 30% by mass of water in the gaseous state.

[0103] Conventionally, the peripheral speed of the rotor 1 in the context of a centrifugal type compressor is of the same order of magnitude as the speed of sound in the medium to be compressed; in the case of water in the gaseous state, this speed is of the order of 425 m / s, compared to 344 m / s at 20°C in air. The rise in temperature of the gas during compression leads to peripheral speeds close to 480 m / s in sonic mode. The rotation speeds of the rotor 1 to reach these peripheral speeds must then be increased, and the stresses imposed in the material constituting the blades being proportional to the square of the rotation speed of the rotor 1 multiplied by its density and the radius of rotation, are greatly increased.This is the reason why the assembly system 100 described above is particularly robust, makes it possible to tend to limit the risks of breakage of a blade 50, and is adapted to the field of aqueous gas which must cooperate with the rotor 1 during its rotation.

[0104] The materials from which the blades of a rotor are made can conventionally be classified by comparing their density with their elastic resistance: a rotor made of a light material produces lower stresses, while its elastic limit in tension remains high, particularly when the composite material comprises fibers. Therefore, the use of the composite material in accordance with the present invention, lighter than metal such as solid steel or aluminum, makes it possible to make the rotor 1 particularly robust.

[0105] The composite material described above, which can have good mechanical strength (tensile strength greater than 1000 MPa) for a very low density, advantageously allows the stress generated by the centrifugal forces at the level of the assembly system(s) 100 of each of the at least one blade 50 present to remain below the tensile limits of the material, even at these high speeds.

Claims

Claims

1. Rotor (1) for compressing an aqueous gas, the rotor (1) comprising a support (10), at least one blade (50) formed in a composite material, said blade (50) comprising a contact surface (51) in contact with the support (10), and at least one assembly system (100), the assembly system (100) comprising: • a nut (110) housed at least partly in a housing (52) formed in a thickness (57) of the blade (50); • a support member (120);• a rod (130) connecting the support member (120) and the nut (110) by successively passing, from the support member (120), through a part of the support (10) and a through hole (54) formed in the blade (50) so as to connect the contact surface (51) of the blade (50) to a wall (55) of the housing (52), the rod (130) comprising at least one threaded portion screwed into the nut (110) so that a tightening force exerted between the support member (120) and the nut (110) induces a stress on the blade (50) and the support (10) towards each other.;

2. Rotor (1) according to claim 1, in which: • the wall (55) of the housing (52) comprises a concave cylindrical surface of which a generating line is substantially parallel to a direction (56) along which the thickness (57) of the blade (50) is measured, the through hole (54) opening into the housing (52) through this cylindrical surface, • the assembly system (100) comprises a bearing part (140) crossed by the rod (130) and shaped to correspond to at least a part of the cylindrical surface, the clamping force ensuring that the bearing part (140) is in abutment against said at least a part of the cylindrical surface.

3. Rotor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, in which the rod (130) has a longitudinal direction (131) which extends substantially radially relative to the axis of rotation (2) of the rotor (1).

4. A rotor according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the composite material comprises a plurality of fiber sheets, said fiber sheets being superimposed and held in a matrix.

5. Rotor (1) according to claim 4, in which the fiber layers (60;) are superimposed in a stacking direction (61), and the through hole (54) has an axial direction (54a) substantially orthogonal to the stacking direction (61).

6. Rotor (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 5, in which the composite material is such that: • each sheet of fibers (60;) of said composite material has a preferential direction (160;) in which fibers of said sheet of fibers (60;) are oriented; • at least one of the sheets of fibers (60;) of said composite material is such that its preferential direction (160;), close to the contact surface (51) of the blade (50), is a reference direction oriented substantially radially relative to the axis of rotation (2) of the rotor (1).

7. Rotor (1) according to claim 6, in which the composite material comprises a superposition of stacks of fiber sheets (60;), each stack of fiber sheets (60;) comprising: • one of the fiber sheets of the composite material, called the first sheet, the preferred direction of fiber orientation of which is different from the reference direction; • one of the fiber sheets of the composite material, called the second sheet, the preferred direction of fiber orientation of which is different from the reference direction and the preferred direction of fiber orientation of the first sheet; • one of the fiber sheets of the composite material, arranged between the first sheet and the second sheet, the fibers of which are oriented in the reference direction.

8. Rotor (1) according to claim 7, in which: • the preferred direction of orientation of the fibers of each first sheet forms an angle with the reference direction of between -15 degrees and -90 degrees; • the preferred direction of orientation of the fibers of each second sheet forms an angle with the reference direction of between +15 degrees and +90 degrees.

9. Rotor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, in which the assembly system (100), the through hole (54) and the housing (52) are configured to allow a pivoting movement of the nut (110) around a pivoting axis substantially orthogonal to the direction of the tightening force applied by the assembly system (100) and to a plane in which the axis of rotation (2) of the rotor (1) is included.

10. Rotor (1) according to claim 9 and claim 2, wherein the bearing portion (140) of the assembly system (100) is configured to slide on the cylindrical surface delimited by the wall (55) of the housing (52) during the pivoting movement of the nut (110).

11. Rotor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the nut (110) is chosen from: • a transverse nut (111) formed by a cylinder (111a) pierced with a cylindrical hole (111b) whose internal surface is threaded to cooperate with the threaded portion of the rod (130) of the assembly system (100), the axis (111c) of the cylinder (111a) and the axis (111d) of the cylindrical hole (111b) being transverse, the cylinder (111a) on the one hand having a cylindrical surface having a complementary shape, at the periphery of the through hole (54), of the wall (55) of the housing (52) and on the other hand being in contact with the wall (55) of the housing (52);• a flat nut (112) pierced with a cylindrical hole (112a) whose internal surface is threaded to cooperate with the threaded portion of the rod (130) of the assembly system (100), the flat nut (112) bearing on an insert (113) interposed between the flat nut (112) and the wall (55) of the housing (52), the insert (113) being crossed by the rod (130) and having a cylindrical portion (113a) on the one hand having a cylindrical surface having a complementary shape, at the periphery of the through hole (54), of the wall (55) of the housing (52) and; on the other hand being in contact with the wall (55) of the housing (52); • a nut (114) formed by a cylinder portion (114a) pierced with a cylindrical hole (114b) whose internal surface is threaded to cooperate with the threaded portion of the rod (130) of the assembly system (100), the axis (114c) of the cylinder portion (114a) and the axis (114d) of the cylindrical hole (114b) being transverse, the cylinder portion (114a) on the one hand having a cylindrical surface having a complementary shape, at the periphery of the through hole (14), of the wall (55) of the housing (52) and on the other hand being in contact with the wall (55) of the housing (52).

12. Rotor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in which the blade (50) comprises a region in which the composite material is in excess thickness, the housing (52) being arranged in this region.

13. Rotor (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the at least one blade (50) is fixed to the support (10) by means of a plurality of assembly systems (100) offset along the support (10) following the axis of rotation (2) of the rotor (1).

14. Rotor (1) according to claim 13, comprising a plurality of blades (50) each fixed to the support (10) by at least one assembly system (100) which participates solely in the fixing of said blade (50).

15. A compressor for compressing an aqueous gas comprising a rotor (1) according to any one of the preceding claims.

16. Installation for compressing an aqueous gas comprising a circulation network in which the aqueous gas is capable of circulating in a channeled manner, the network comprising at least one compressor according to claim 15 arranged to be traversed by the aqueous gas, from which it results that the gas circulating in the circulation network has, downstream of said at least one compressor, a pressure higher than its pressure upstream of said at least one compressor.

17. Installation according to the preceding claim, in which the aqueous gas contains at least 30%, preferably between 70% and 100%, of H2O in mass proportion.

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