Variable displacement radial piston fluid working machine

摘要

1 Abstract (Figure 3) 3 A variable displacement fluid working machine for use in applications where a large 4 fluid working machine is required at an inaccessible location, for example, in the 5 nacelle of a wind turbine tower. 7 The machine includes an inward ring and an outward ring, one of the inward ring and 8 the outward ring comprising a rotatable ring cam coupled to a drive shaft, the other 9 comprising a plurality of radially extending piston cylinders circumferentially spaced 10 around the respective ring. The outward ring comprising first and second axially 11 spaced structural members and a plurality of demountable blocks demountably 12 retainable therebetween, the demountable blocks comprising either piston cylinders 13 or ring cam segments. 15 The demountable blocks are removable radially to facilitate maintenance and repair 16 and to facilitate radial access to the inward ring. Components of the inward ring may 17 also be removed radially through the resulting gap. The demountable blocks also 18 have a structural function, enabling the mass of the machine to be less than would 19 otherwise be required.