Isothermal machines, systems and methods

摘要

A compressor or expander has a variable-volume chamber with a heat exchanger located inside the chamber. The heat exchanger can have a helical structure and may be connected between walls of the chamber that move relative to one another during compression or expansion. The heat exchanger comprises a passage containing a heat exchange fluid. The heat exchange fluid may add heat to or remove heat from a gas being expanded or compressed. Embodiments may provide isothermal or near isothermal compression or expansion.

主权项

1. Apparatus for compressing or expanding a gas, the apparatus comprising:
a variable-volume chamber comprising first and second walls movable relative to one another to vary a volume of the chamber; a heat exchanger within the variable-volume chamber, the heat exchanger connected to at least one of the first and second walls and extending toward the other one of the first and second walls, the heat exchanger comprising an internal passage carrying a heat exchange fluid, wherein the heat exchanger has a length that is resiliently changeable to accommodate relative motion of the first and second walls; wherein the heat exchanger comprises a helical member comprising a plurality of turns wherein the first and second walls are movable apart from one another between a first configuration corresponding to a smaller volume of the variable-volume chamber and a second configuration corresponding to a larger volume of the variable-volume chamber and adjacent turns of the helical member are more closely spaced when the first and second walls are in the first configuration than they are when the first and second walls are in the second configuration.