Turbo-Alternator-Compressor Thrust Balancing and Rotor Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power generation systems, particularly those using closed loop Brayton Cycles, face inefficiencies and operational challenges at high-pressure and high-density conditions, requiring improved methods to isolate components from harsh conditions, reduce losses, and enhance operation under extreme conditions.
Innovation Solution
A thermodynamic system with a Turbo-Alternator-Compressor (TAC) configuration, featuring a turbine, compressor, and alternator within a housing, utilizing ridges to balance thrust and seals to isolate the rotor cavity, allowing for selective fluid leakage to cool and reduce pressure, thereby optimizing power generation under supercritical conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If components are exposed to high-pressure and high-density supercritical conditions to maximize power generation efficiency, then productivity increases, but reliability deteriorates due to harsh operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate cavities (turbine cavity, compressor cavity, rotor cavity) that are fluidly isolated from each other. This segmentation allows different components to operate in different pressure environments, with the rotor cavity maintained at lower pressure to protect the alternator while the turbine and compressor operate in high-pressure supercritical conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
Seals act as intermediaries between the high-pressure working fluid and the alternator components. These seals allow selective fluid leakage into the rotor cavity to cool components while preventing direct exposure to harsh supercritical conditions, thus protecting reliability while maintaining productivity.
2Productivity
If thrust loads on the compressor are increased to improve compression performance, then productivity increases, but device complexity increases due to the need for thrust balancing mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The ridges on the compressor rotor automatically pump working fluid from the high-pressure side to the low-pressure side, creating a self-balancing thrust mechanism. This passive fluid dynamic approach balances axial thrust loads without requiring additional active thrust balancing components, maintaining simplicity while improving compression performance.
3Reliability
If the rotor cavity is isolated from high-pressure fluid to protect components, then reliability improves, but loss of energy increases due to pressure differential maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
Working fluid is selectively leaked through seals into the rotor cavity to cool components, and then pumped back to the high-pressure side. This recycles the fluid that would otherwise be discarded, recovering its pressure and continuing its use in the power generation cycle, thus minimizing energy loss while maintaining component protection.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The TAC configuration effectively balances thrust, reduces losses, and enhances operation by isolating components from harsh conditions, enabling efficient power generation at high pressures and densities, while maintaining system reliability and reducing windage losses.
Implementation Method 1
The working fluid is pumped by the ridges, whereby a pressure differential between the high-pressure face and the low-pressure face is reduced, such that thrust is balanced across the compressor
Implementation Method 2
The seals selectively isolate the rotor cavity from the turbine and compressor cavities whereby a working fluid is selectively leaked into the rotor cavity to reduce the temperature therein
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for generating power are provided. Such techniques involve a thermodynamic system including a housing, a turbine positioned in a turbine cavity of the housing, a compressor positioned in a compressor cavity of the housing, and an alternator positioned in a rotor cavity between the turbine and compressor cavities. The compressor has a high-pressure face facing an inlet of the compressor cavity and a low-pressure face on an opposite side thereof. The alternator has a rotor shaft operatively connected to the turbine and compressor, and is supported in the housing by bearings. Ridges extending from the low-pressure face of the compressor may be provided for balancing thrust across the compressor. Seals may be positioned about the alternator for selectively leaking fluid into the rotor cavity to reduce the temperature therein.