Positive Displacement Machine with Individual Drives and Kinematic Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing positive displacement machines, such as compressors and expanders, require a single large and bulky motor to transmit power due to the need for robust gear transmissions and heavy bearings, leading to inefficiencies and high costs, especially in applications where space is limited.
Innovation Solution
Each of the two cooperating moving parts is driven by its own individual drive, with a kinematic synchronization coupling ensuring synchronized movement and reducing the need for a large motor, allowing for smaller, lighter components and potentially eliminating the gear transmission, while a synchronization controller maintains proper alignment to prevent collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If a single large motor is used to drive both rotors through robust gear transmission, then sufficient power is provided, but the motor becomes large and bulky with insufficient space availability
Solution Approach 1:
The single large motor is segmented into two separate smaller motors, each driving one rotor directly. This segmentation allows the power system to be distributed, reducing the size of each individual motor while maintaining the total power output required for the compressor.
2Power
If robust gear transmission is used to transmit full power, then power transmission is reliable, but the components become heavy and sizable
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy gear transmission system is extracted and removed from the design. Instead of using mechanical gear transmissions to transfer power from a single motor to both rotors, the patent directly couples each rotor to its own motor, eliminating the transmission components and their associated weight.
3Stability of the object's composition
If heavy bearings are used to support the transmission components, then the structure is stable, but the machine becomes expensive and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The complex bearing system supporting heavy transmission components is extracted and eliminated. By removing the gear transmission, the associated bearings and support structures are no longer needed, simplifying the machine while maintaining stability through direct motor-rotor coupling.
4Strength
If gear transmission is used to cope with axial and radial forces, then the transmission is robust, but the machine becomes relatively heavy and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The heavy gear transmission system designed to handle axial and radial forces is extracted and removed. The direct-drive configuration eliminates the need for transmission components that must withstand these forces, reducing overall machine weight while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
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AI summary
Positive displacement machine such as a compressor, expander, pump or the like, for displacing a gaseous or liquid medium, the machine (1) containing an element. (3) with at least one inlet (18) and at least one outlet (19) for the medium and at least two cooperating driven moving parts (4a, 4b), whereby the mutual periodic movement of the moving parts (4a, 4b) displaces the medium from the inlet (18) to the outlet (19), characterised in that each of the at least two driven cooperating moving parts (4a, 4b) is provided with its own individual drive (20a, 20b) and that the element (3) is provided with 3 kinematic synchronisation coupling (22) between the at least two cooperating moving parts (4a, 4b) for the mutual kinematic synchronisation of their movements.