Compression or expansion device, with a piston lacking axial symmetry, with forced external circulation, intended for pseudo-isothermal transformations.

Abstract

A compression or expansion device with a piston lacking axial symmetry and forced external circulation, designed for pseudo-isothermal transformations. The invention relates to a device that reduces the temperature rises or falls of a fluid (3) during these thermodynamic transformations. It consists, at a minimum, of an elongated sealed cylinder (1), a movable solid or liquid piston (2) performing the compression or expansion, a fluid (3) undergoing this transformation, and two orifices providing the outlet (11) and inlet (10) of the fluid (3). External to the cylinder (1), the device includes a heat exchanger (4), pipes (6), and a blower (5). In the case of a liquid piston, a pump or hydraulic expander (8) ensures the movement of the hydraulic fluid (9) via a hydraulic orifice (14). The device may include movable physical separations, impermeable to the fluid (4), and external thermal reservoirs (7).The device is designed to improve the thermodynamic performance of compressors, turbines, heat pumps, ORCs, energy storage systems, and liquefaction units. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 2.

Claims

Claims

1. The device consists of at least one cylinder (1), at least one mobile physical component ensuring compression or expansion, materialized by one or more pistons, including the choice of a liquid piston (2) in a preferred embodiment of the invention, at least one fluid (3) undergoing this compression or expansion in gaseous or supercritical phase, at least two orifices dedicated to the outlet (11) and the re-entry (10) of the fluid (3) at the ends of the length of the cylinder (1) as well as at least one heat exchanger (4) connected by pipes (6) incorporating an external variable speed blower (5), a forced external circulation thus being ensured in a closed loop between these pieces of equipment, characterized in that the cylinder (1) has an elongated shape, with a length to width ratio generally between 1.50 and 15 along its longitudinal axis.

2. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that a liquid piston (2), using the movements of a hydraulic liquid (9) by one or more hydraulic pumps or expanders (8) is assigned the function of carrying out, via a hydraulic orifice (14), the variation in volume necessary for the compression or expansion of the fluid (3) in the elongated cylinder (1).

3. Device according to claim 2 characterized in that, to avoid dissolution of the fluid (3) in the hydraulic liquid (9), a mobile physical separation is provided, such as one or more flexible tarpaulins in the form of a membrane or bladder, or a floating solid membrane, or a specific separation liquid, or a specific adjustment of the pH of the hydraulic fluid (9).

4. Use of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 for carrying out pseudoisothermal compressions or expansions of a fluid (3) for the purpose of producing heat or cold, or of absorbing or producing work, or of simplifying certain gas liquefaction cycles. [Fig. 1] FIG. 1 [Fig. 2] [Fig. 3] FIG. 3

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