U.S. patent application number 14/854680 was filed with the patent office on 2016-01-07 for noise cancellation by phase-matching communicating ducts of roots-type blower and expander.
The applicant listed for this patent is EATON CORPORATION. Invention is credited to William Nicholas EYBERGEN, Rodney Champlin GLOVER, III.
Application Number | 20160003254 14/854680 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50424787 |
Filed Date | 2016-01-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160003254 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
GLOVER, III; Rodney Champlin ;
et al. |
January 7, 2016 |
NOISE CANCELLATION BY PHASE-MATCHING COMMUNICATING DUCTS OF
ROOTS-TYPE BLOWER AND EXPANDER
Abstract
A volumetric assembly includes: a roots-type supercharger
device; a roots-type expander device; a first duct extending from
the supercharger fluid inlet, the first duct supplying fluid to the
roots-type supercharger device; and a second duct extending from
the expander fluid outlet, the second duct directing fluid away
from the roots-type expander device, wherein the first duct is
positioned adjacent to the second duct, and wherein the first duct
defines a first aperture and the second duct defines a second
aperture, the first and second apertures being generally aligned;
and a flexible membrane positioned between the first and second
ducts in the first and second apertures, the flexible membrane
sealing the first duct from the second duct, and the flexible
membrane flexing as fluid flows within the first and second ducts
to attenuate noise associated with the fluid flows.
Inventors: |
GLOVER, III; Rodney Champlin;
(St. Clair Shores, MI) ; EYBERGEN; William Nicholas;
(Harrison Twp, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
EATON CORPORATION |
Cleveland |
OH |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50424787 |
Appl. No.: |
14/854680 |
Filed: |
September 15, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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PCT/US2014/025790 |
Mar 13, 2014 |
|
|
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14854680 |
|
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61793499 |
Mar 15, 2013 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
418/1 ;
418/206.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01C 21/006 20130101;
F02G 5/02 20130101; F04C 18/126 20130101; F04C 29/0035 20130101;
F04C 29/12 20130101; F04C 29/065 20130101; F01C 1/12 20130101; F02B
33/38 20130101; F04C 18/12 20130101; F04C 23/003 20130101; Y02T
10/166 20130101; F01C 11/004 20130101; F01C 21/18 20130101; F01N
5/04 20130101; F04C 29/122 20130101; F01C 13/04 20130101; Y02T
10/12 20130101; Y02T 10/17 20130101; F01K 5/02 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F04C 29/06 20060101
F04C029/06; F04C 29/12 20060101 F04C029/12; F04C 18/12 20060101
F04C018/12 |
Claims
1. A volumetric assembly, comprising: a roots-type supercharger
device having at least two supercharger rotors, with each of the
rotors having two or more lobes, the roots-type supercharger
defining a supercharger fluid inlet and a supercharger fluid
outlet; a roots-type expander device having at least two expander
rotors, with each of the rotors having two or more lobes, the
roots-type expander defining an expander fluid inlet and an
expander fluid outlet; a first duct extending from the supercharger
fluid inlet, the first duct supplying fluid to the roots-type
supercharger device; and a second duct extending from the expander
fluid outlet, the second duct directing fluid away from the
roots-type expander device, wherein the first duct is positioned
adjacent to the second duct, and wherein the first duct defines a
first aperture and the second duct defines a second aperture, the
first and second apertures being generally aligned; and a flexible
membrane positioned between the first and second ducts in the first
and second apertures, the flexible membrane sealing the first duct
from the second duct, and the flexible membrane flexing as fluid
flows within the first and second ducts to attenuate noise
associated with the fluid flows.
2. The volumetric assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible
membrane includes at least one fold to enhance a flexibility of the
flexible membrane.
3. The volumetric assembly of claim 2, wherein the assembly is
configured to synchronize a first speed of the roots-type
supercharger device with a second speed of the roots-type expander
device.
4. The volumetric assembly of claim 3, wherein each of the
supercharger rotors has four lobes, and each of the expander rotors
has two lobes, and wherein second speed is twice that of the first
speed.
5. The volumetric assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly is
configured to synchronize a first speed of the roots-type
supercharger device with a second speed of the roots-type expander
device.
6. The volumetric assembly of claim 5, wherein each of the
supercharger rotors has four lobes, and each of the expander rotors
has two lobes, and wherein second speed is twice that of the first
speed.
7. The volumetric assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible
membrane is made of a polymeric material.
8. The volumetric assembly of claim 7, wherein the flexible
membrane includes a plurality of folds to enhance a flexibility of
the flexible membrane.
9. A system, comprising: a power source; and a volumetric assembly,
the volumetric assembly including: a roots-type supercharger device
having at least two supercharger rotors, with each of the rotors
having two or more lobes, the roots-type supercharger defining a
supercharger fluid inlet and a supercharger fluid outlet, the
supercharger fluid outlet being connected to the power source to
provide fluid for boosting the power source; a roots-type expander
device having at least two expander rotors, with each of the rotors
having two or more lobes, the roots-type expander defining an
expander fluid inlet and an expander fluid outlet, the expander
fluid inlet being coupled to the exhaust of the power source to
provide fluid to the expander fluid inlet, and the roots-type
expander device applying torque to the power source; a first duct
extending from the supercharger fluid inlet, the first duct
supplying fluid to the roots-type supercharger device; and a second
duct extending from the expander fluid outlet, the second duct
directing fluid away from the roots-type expander device, wherein
the first duct is positioned adjacent to the second duct, and
wherein the first duct defines a first aperture and the second duct
defines a second aperture, the first and second apertures being
generally aligned; and a flexible membrane positioned between the
first and second ducts in the first and second apertures, the
flexible membrane sealing the first duct from the second duct, and
the flexible membrane flexing as fluid flows within the first and
second ducts to attenuate noise associated with the fluid
flows.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the flexible membrane includes
at least one fold to enhance a flexibility of the flexible
membrane.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the system is configured to
synchronize a first speed of the roots-type supercharger device
with a second speed of the roots-type expander device.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein each of the supercharger rotors
has four lobes, and each of the expander rotors has two lobes, and
wherein second speed is twice that of the first speed.
13. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is configured to
synchronize a first speed of the roots-type supercharger device
with a second speed of the roots-type expander device.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the supercharger rotors
has four lobes, and each of the expander rotors has two lobes, and
wherein second speed is twice that of the first speed.
15. The system of claim 9, wherein the flexible membrane is made of
a polymeric material.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the flexible membrane includes
a plurality of folds to enhance a flexibility of the flexible
membrane.
17. A method of boosting an internal combustion engine and
recovering energy from an exhaust of the internal combustion
engine, the method comprising: providing a roots-type supercharger
device to boost the internal combustion engine, the roots-type
supercharger having an inlet duct; providing a roots-type expander
device to recover energy directly or indirectly from the exhaust of
the internal combustion engine, the roots-type expander device
having an outlet duct; positioning the inlet duct adjacent to the
outlet duct; and configuring a membrane positioned in an aperture
between the inlet and outlet ducts to flex as pressure changes
within the inlet and outlet ducts.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising forming at least one
fold in the membrane to enhance flexibility of the membrane.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising synchronizing speeds
of the roots-type supercharger device and the roots-type expander
device.
20. The method of claim 17, wherein the roots-type expander device
recovers energy indirectly from the exhaust through a working fluid
in an organic Rankine Cycle.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)
[0001] This application a Continuation of PCT/US2014/025790 filed
on 13 Mar. 2014, which claims benefit of U.S. Patent Application
Ser. No. 61/793,499 filed on 15 Mar. 2013 and which applications
are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a
claim of priority is made to each of the above disclosed
applications.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Roots-type devices are volumetric devices that output a
fixed volume of fluid per rotation. In some instances, roots-type
devices are used in supercharger systems as blowers to boost the
pressure of fluid provided to a power source such as an internal
combustion engine or a fuel cell. In other applications, the
roots-type devices are used as expanders to extract energy from
waste heat from a power source that would otherwise be wasted, such
as an exhaust stream from a fuel cell, a working fluid that
extracts heat from an internal combustion engine, or an exhaust
fluid stream from an internal combustion engine. In all scenarios,
there is noise associated with the passage of fluid through the
roots-type devices.
SUMMARY
[0003] In one aspect, a volumetric assembly includes: a roots-type
supercharger device having at least two supercharger rotors, with
each of the rotors having two or more lobes, the roots-type
supercharger defining a supercharger fluid inlet and a supercharger
fluid outlet; a roots-type expander device having at least two
expander rotors, with each of the rotors having two or more lobes,
the roots-type expander defining an expander fluid inlet and an
expander fluid outlet; a first duct extending from the supercharger
fluid inlet, the first duct supplying fluid to the roots-type
supercharger device; and a second duct extending from the expander
fluid outlet, the second duct directing fluid away from the
roots-type expander device, wherein the first duct is positioned
adjacent to the second duct, and wherein the first duct defines a
first aperture and the second duct defines a second aperture, the
first and second apertures being generally aligned; and a flexible
membrane positioned between the first and second ducts in the first
and second apertures, the flexible membrane sealing the first duct
from the second duct, and the flexible membrane flexing as fluid
flows within the first and second ducts to attenuate noise
associated with the fluid flows.
[0004] In another aspect, a system includes: a power source; and a
volumetric assembly, the volumetric assembly including: a
roots-type supercharger device having at least two supercharger
rotors, with each of the rotors having two or more lobes, the
roots-type supercharger defining a supercharger fluid inlet and a
supercharger fluid outlet, the supercharger fluid outlet being
connected to the power source to provide fluid for boosting the
power source; a roots-type expander device having at least two
expander rotors, with each of the rotors having two or more lobes,
the roots-type supercharger defining an expander fluid inlet and an
expander fluid outlet, the expander fluid inlet being coupled to a
working fluid or an exhaust of the power source to provide fluid to
the expander fluid inlet, and the roots-type expander device
applying torque to the power source; a first duct extending from
the supercharger fluid inlet, the first duct supplying fluid to the
roots-type supercharger device; and a second duct extending from
the expander fluid outlet, the second duct directing fluid away
from the roots-type expander device, wherein the first duct is
positioned adjacent to the second duct, and wherein the first duct
defines a first aperture and the second duct defines a second
aperture, the first and second apertures being generally aligned;
and a flexible membrane positioned between the first and second
ducts in the first and second apertures, the flexible membrane
sealing the first duct from the second duct, and the flexible
membrane flexing as fluid flows within the first and second ducts
to attenuate noise associated with the fluid flows.
[0005] In yet another aspect, a method of boosting a power plant
and recovering energy from waste heat of the power plant includes:
providing a roots-type supercharger device to boost the power
plant, the roots-type supercharger having an inlet duct; providing
a roots-type expander device to recover energy from the exhaust of
the power plant, the roots-type expander device having an outlet
duct; positioning the inlet duct adjacent to the outlet duct; and
configuring a membrane positioned in an aperture between the inlet
and outlet ducts to flex as pressure changes within the inlet and
outlet ducts.
[0006] The above features and advantages and other features and
advantages of the present teachings are readily apparent from the
following detailed description of the best modes for carrying out
the present teachings when taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a system including a
power plant and a volumetric device.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example volumetric
supercharger device of the system of FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of rotors of the
volumetric supercharger device of FIG. 2.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an example volumetric
expander device of the system of FIG. 1.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of rotors of the
volumetric expander device of FIG. 4.
[0012] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the volumetric assembly of
FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of a portion of the volumetric
assembly of FIG. 6.
[0014] FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an example flexible member of
the volumetric assembly of FIG. 7.
[0015] FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of another system.
[0016] FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of the noise
cancellation operation of the system shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers
refer to like components throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows
an example system 100 including a power source 102, such as an
internal combustion engine or a fuel cell, and a volumetric
assembly 104 coupled thereto.
[0018] The power source 102 is used to power various devices, such
as a vehicle. In one embodiment, a fuel cell is used as the power
source.
[0019] The volumetric assembly 104 includes a volumetric
supercharger device 110 and a volumetric expander device 112. Both
devices 110, 112 are roots-type devices. Roots-type devices are
fixed displacement devices that output a fixed volume of fluid per
rotation.
[0020] Referring to FIGS. 2-3, in this example, the volumetric
supercharger device 110 (sometimes referred to as a "supercharger"
or "blower") is used to pump fluid from the atmosphere to the power
source 102. The supercharger is used to boost a pressure of the
fluid that is delivered to the power source 102, increasing oxygen
which allows more fuel. This enhances performance of the power
source 102. The same is true for a fuel cell, except the electrical
output increases.
[0021] The example volumetric supercharger device 110 includes two
rotors 220, 222. The rotors 220, 222 are helical in configuration
and rotate relative to one another in a coordinated fashion. Fluid
provided at a fluid inlet 210 of the volumetric supercharger device
110 is pumped by the volumetric supercharger device 110 and
delivered via an outlet 212 to the power source 102. Torque
provided by the power source 102 or other external energy sources
causes the volumetric supercharger device 110 to rotate.
[0022] In this example, each of the rotors 220, 222 has four lobes
224. These lobes 224 intermesh as the rotors 220, 222 spin to pump
the fluid through the volumetric supercharger device 110. More or
fewer lobes can be used.
[0023] One non-limiting example of a volumetric supercharger device
is described in International Patent Application No. PCT/US12/40736
filed on Jun. 4, 2012, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated
by reference. Other configurations are possible.
[0024] Referring now to FIGS. 4-5, the example volumetric expander
device 112 (sometimes referred to as an "expander") includes two
rotors 320, 322. The rotors 320, 322 are helical in configuration
and rotate relative to one another in a coordinated fashion. Fluid
provided at a fluid inlet 310 of the volumetric expander device 112
causes the rotors 320, 322 to spin as the fluid moves through the
volumetric expander device 112 to an outlet 312. Typically, this
fluid is derived from exhaust gases of the power source 102 and
includes either exhaust gases or other fluids derived from a
Rankine cycle. The use and operation of a volumetric expander in a
Rankine cycle is described in published PCT International Patent
Application WO 2013/130774, the entirety of which is incorporated
by reference herein. Torque generated by the volumetric expander
device 112 is delivered to the power source 102 or other
components.
[0025] In one design including a fuel cell, a compressor provides
oxygen to the fuel cell stack. The higher the pressure, the greater
the concentration of oxygen, so if the hydrogen fuel is increased
to the fuel cell stack the amount of electricity generated
increases. To recoup some of the energy used by the compressor in
providing high pressure to the fuel cell stack, an expander can be
used. The expander, which is attached directly to the roots
compressor, controls the pressure built up in the fuel cell
stack.
[0026] In this example, each of the rotors 320, 322 has two lobes
324. These lobes 324 intermesh as the rotors 320, 322 spin. More or
fewer lobes can be used.
[0027] One non-limiting example of a volumetric expander device is
described in International Patent Application No. PCT/US13/28273
filed on Feb. 28, 2013, the entirety of which is hereby
incorporated by reference. Other configurations are possible.
[0028] Referring now to FIGS. 6-8, the volumetric assembly 104 is
shown again.
[0029] In this example, the fluid inlet 210 of the volumetric
supercharger device 110 is connected to an inlet duct 510 that
passes fluid through a passage 512 formed by the inlet duct 510 and
into the volumetric supercharger device 110. In addition, the fluid
outlet 312 of the volumetric expander device 112 is connected to an
outlet duct 520 so that fluid from the volumetric expander device
112 passes through a passage 522 as the fluid exits the volumetric
expander device 112.
[0030] As shown in FIGS. 7-8, the ducts 510, 512 are positioned to
converge so that the ducts 510, 512 abut one another. The duct 510
includes an aperture 516 and the duct 520 includes an aperture 526
that generally align with one another as the ducts 510, 512 abut. A
flexible membrane 610 is positioned within these apertures 516, 526
to close the apertures 516, 526 so that fluid passing through the
passage 512 does not mix with fluid passing through the passage
522.
[0031] In this example, the volumetric assembly 104 is controlled
so that the pressure waves at the flexible membrane 610 are
generally 180 degrees out of phase with each other. In other words,
the volumetric supercharger device 110 and the volumetric expander
device 112 are controlled so that the inlet pressure for the
volumetric supercharger device 110 is generally 180 degrees out of
phase with the outlet pressure for the volumetric expander device
112. Referring to FIG. 10, schematic graphical depictions of the
frequency and amplitude of the cyclical inlet pressure 1002 of the
volumetric supercharger device 110 and the cyclical outlet pressure
1004 of the outlet pressure for the volumetric expander device
1112. As can be seen, the inlet pressure 1002 is shown as being 180
degrees out of phase with the outlet pressure 1004, wherein the
inlet and outlet pressure 1002, 1004 have the same amplitude and
frequency. The resulting additive combination of the inlet and
outlet pressure 1002, 1004 is shown at pressure line 1006 which is
shown as being completely flat as the inlet and outlet pressures
1002, 1004 completely cancel each other out. It is noted that
pressure line 1006, which is reflective of any remaining
non-cancelled sound, may have a non-zero value where the inlet and
outlet pressure 1002, 1004 do not completely cancel each other out.
The addition of the oscillating inlet and outlet pressures 1002,
1004 will not cancel each other out completely if the amplitudes
are different, if the frequency is different, and/or the phases are
not fully out of phase with each other. Also, cancellation may not
occur in certain instances where the supercharger rotors and the
expander rotors have a different number of lobes. In one example, a
four lobe compressor used in conjunction with a four lobe expander
running at half the speed of the compressor will result in only
half of the noise being cancelled if the pressure amplitudes are
the same.
[0032] In such a configuration, noise associated with the fluids
flowing through the ducts 510, 520 can be attenuated. Specifically,
some of the kinetic energy from the fluids flowing through one of
the ducts 510, 520 is transferred to the other of the ducts 510,
520 through the flexible membrane at given periods of time to
attenuate noise.
[0033] In order to accomplish the attenuation, the number of lobes
of the rotors for each volumetric device is equal if the speed
(i.e., revolutions per minute) is equal. If one volumetric device
runs more quickly than the other, then the number of lobes must be
varied such that the ratio of the speed equals the ratio of the
lobes.
[0034] For example, in the depicted embodiment, the volumetric
supercharger device 110 has four lobes 224 per rotor 220, 222, and
the volumetric expander device 112 has two lobes 324 per rotor 320,
322. In such a configuration, the volumetric expander device 112 is
run at twice the speed of the volumetric supercharger device
110
[0035] The flexible member 610 is located near the volumetric
assembly 104, so that temperature and pressure in each of the ducts
510, 520 will generally be the same. This will make the wavelength
at the pulsation frequency very close to the same in each of the
ducts 510, 520.
[0036] The flexible membrane 610 is, in this example, capable of
handling 1 to 2 psi pressure inputs and is generally acoustically
transparent (i.e., has a high degree of flexibility) to allow as
much communication between the ducts 510, 520 as possible. The
material for the flexible membrane 610 is configured to be soft
(flexible) but also be tough. One possible example of such as
material is Mylar. Other polymeric materials can be used.
[0037] The flexible member 610 can be configured with
circumferential folds to allow for a large degree of motion. For
example, the flexible member 610 includes folds 624 located at ends
622 of the flexible member 610 that are attached to the ducts 510,
520. This allow for maximum flex for the flexible member 610 when
mounted to the ducts 510, 520. Other configurations are
possible.
[0038] Referring now to FIG. 9, an alternative example system 700
is shown. The system 700 can be used in conjunction with an
internal combustion engine or a fuel cell, as described above.
[0039] The system 700 includes an inlet 702 coupled to a roots
expander. The inlet 702 leads into a main pipe 706. The main pipe
706 is, in turn, connected to an outlet 704. The path formed by
702, 706, 704 allows the fluid from the expander to flow
therethrough.
[0040] As shown, the main pipe 706 surrounds a second set of pipes.
This second set of pipes includes an inlet pipe 710 and an outlet
pipe 712. The outlet pipe 712 is connected to the inlet of the
roots compressor.
[0041] Positioned between the inlet and outlet pipes 710, 712 is a
flexible membrane 720. This flexible membrane 720 functions in a
similar manner to the flexible member 610 described above. By
controlling the timing of the flow of fluids through the two
passages (as described above), the flexible membrane 720 can
provide noise cancelation benefits.
[0042] Alternative designs can be used. For example, in one
alternative embodiment, the ducts are located a distance apart, and
a "Tee" duct or tube is run therebetween. One or more flexible
membrane is positioned in the Tee duct to provide the acoustical
performance. A length of the Tee duct can be varied to achieve the
desired acoustical performance for a given application. For
example, the length of the tube may be adjusted to adjust the
distance from the source to the cancellation membrane to ensure
that the pressures are 180 degrees out of phase. Other examples are
possible.
[0043] While the best modes for carrying out the many aspects of
the present teachings have been described in detail, those familiar
with the art to which these teachings relate will recognize various
alternative aspects for practicing the present teachings that are
within the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *